Curse of Resthaven launched an extended demo today, and we had a taste of its haunting mystery on a cursed island.
“Small town, big Hell” is a famous Mexican phrase used to describe what it is like to live in tight-knit communities. Gossip spreads faster than wildfire. Rumors and myths are pervasive. Deep-rooted jealousy and hatred may spark conflict at any moment. I should know; I used to live in one. I played the new extended demo of Curse of Resthaven before its launch on October 29, and this is what my mind was racing through. An alluring glimpse of the full release, its gothic narrative, investigative gameplay, and haunted art style capture a suffocating atmosphere like none other.
As the newly appointed governor of the cursed island of Resthaven, your status as an outsider with influence puts you in an unenviable position. Not to mention your personal agenda. A beleaguered statesman, Ambrose is searching for his missing niece, Amalia, and will stop at nothing to find her. What he did not count on is how this job opportunity might be more than he bargained for. Within a six-day time loop to investigate the townsfolk until everything ends by the hand of eldritch horrors, the premise of Curse of Resthaven is devilishly enticing.
Where Dreams Go To Die
Pressured by time-sensitive decisions, Ambrose must choose carefully what to do each day. As the only one who can save this sinking ship, there’s a robust amount of choices. Doing business haggling for goods and resources with passing merchant ships to pour back into the shops in town is one option. Other, to question the villagers thoroughly about an ever-expanding roster of topics. Where it introduces a card-based, horror-tinged system that shines, expeditions further into the island are required to advance the story. Because the demo only offers one loop, it is enough to allude to what happens next.
Leads are what move the narrative forward, unlocking bits of convincingly voiced dialogue when pursued. An understandable concern: Curse of Resthaven applies forward-thinking systems to avoid repetition. Case in point, the first day you arrive at your elegant-but-decaying mansion, the pregnant ex-wife of the past governor is waiting for you. The choice to kick her out or let her stay is yours. When you return from the first loop, it is possible to order Garet, your butler, to attend to that interaction for you. This frees you to act on uncovered information from a past loop and hopefully avoid a catastrophic fate for them all.
Because there are unique events that occur every passing day, a timeline in the menu is accessible to not miss anything important. Let’s say a death can happen on the fifth day, for example. Ambrose must do what he can to stop it from happening, and that may uncover a valuable secret. As much a grand mystery with Lovecraftian themes as an administrative nightmare, the moody tones and haunting soundtrack as you explore the island are enveloping.
Conclusion
Demos are supposed to hook you in hopes of trying the full game as it ends. I would be lying if I wasn’t counting down the days until I can play the entirety of Curse of Resthaven. Smart systems allow for a clever time loop that investigative players will revel in. Setting the stage for a macabre narrative seemingly unafraid of exploring the darkest recesses of the mind, it will not be long until we find out whether Ambrose finds his niece or faces a fate worse than death.
Curse of Resthaven is launching October 29 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series & PC, and an extended demo is available now on Steam.
