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The Séance of Blake Manor is a well-reviewed, story-led detective adventure built around a large, eerie manor and an advancing in-game schedule. Its defining choice is not whether to beat a reflex timer, but which rooms, people and clues deserve your limited actions. That makes it a strong fit for players who enjoy deliberate investigation—and a less natural one for anyone who wants to inspect everything without consequences.
What kind of game is The Séance of Blake Manor?
Developed by Spooky Doorway and published by Raw Fury, The Séance of Blake Manor is a supernatural detective mystery set in Ireland in 1897. You investigate the disappearance of Evelyn Deane at the remote Blake Manor, where the staff act as though nothing is wrong even as otherworldly events become part of the case. The official Steam listing categorizes it as an adventure and describes its supernatural mystery premise: Steam listing.
Rather than centering on combat, the investigation asks you to search, listen, question and connect evidence. PC Gamer describes dozens of suspects and rooms spread across a three-day timetable. You can listen at doors, enter rooms, eavesdrop, read documents and speak with characters; the review also notes maps, a library research desk and an hourly schedule for tracking leads and routines. These details come from PC Gamer’s review, not independent compatibility or gameplay testing.
What do the reviews say?
The available reception is strongly positive, though critic scores and Steam user ratings are different measures. The Steam store page quotes The Guardian at 5/5, GamesRadar+ at 4.5/5 and PC Gamer at 87/100. Those are outlet-specific scores, not a shared review-aggregator average. The same listing reproduces The Guardian’s description of the game as an “autumnal treat,” GamesRadar+’s “one of the best mystery games in recent years,” and PC Gamer’s account of being caught in its “ghostly grip.”
#1 Best Overall
- ENTER THE MANOR - It is October 28th, 1897, and Private Investigator Declan Ward arrives at Blake Manor to find a missing woman. What he finds is the Grand Séance and a group of mystics who have gathered from all corners of the world – waiting for All Hallow’s Eve, the night when the veil between worlds is thinnest. The night to tear down the barrier and speak to the dead.
- BECOME THE DETECTIVE - Interview and interrogate your suspects, keep a record of all evidence, motivations, and clues in your journal, and confront them about their motivations when you’re certain of your deductions. Uncover the truth about Blake Manor and the mysterious séance that has brought everyone together. Navigate Blake Manor's haunted corridors and uncover its secrets as you race against time to save Miss Deane.
- RACE AGAINST TIME - Investigate the manor, solve environmental clues and reach the forbidden areas of the hotel…and beyond. But be careful - each action counts the day down. Be in the right place at the right time to catch critical events pertinent to your investigation. Everyone has their own agendas and schedules – it could truly be a loss to miss out on a quick chat by mistiming your actions. And who knows what hidden secrets lie in wait once you’ve turned in for the night...
- SAVE EVELYN DEANE - Brought to you by the creators of The Darkside Detective and Raw Fury, The Séance of Blake Manor is depicted by a beautiful comic-book art style. Inspired by Irish Mythology and the spiritualist movements of the Victorian era, players are cast into a first-person narrative adventure, blending the supernatural with a classic detective mystery. With its striking cutscenes, compelling narrative and dynamic soundtrack that reacts to the environment around you, Blake Manor and its secrets will leave you on the edge of your seat morning through night.
- LANGUAGES - English voice and text.
At the time of a 2026 search observation, Steam showed 94% positive from 3,096 English-language user reviews overall and 93% positive from 172 recent reviews. These are changeable user-review aggregates, not critic ratings; check the live Steam listing for current figures. PC Gamer’s review, published 4 November 2025, reported Steam Deck Verified status and identified its review system as an Intel i9-13900HX laptop with an RTX 4090 and 32GB RAM. That is the outlet’s review context, not a guarantee of identical performance on every PC or handheld.
How does the timetable affect exploration?
Time is a resource advanced by actions. As hours pass, characters move to different places and the world’s events progress, so choosing to investigate one lead means giving up time that could have been spent elsewhere. GamesRadar frames this as an action-driven source of urgency, rather than a conventional real-time chase.
Rank #2
- 🔎 REALISTIC COLD CASE MURDER MYSTERY GAME – Step into the role of detective and investigate a premium case file packed with realistic documents, layered clues, and hidden contradictions. A true crime style mystery you solve at home.
- 🏛️ SOLVE A GILDED AGE MURDER MYSTERY AT A GRAND MANOR – Investigate a poisoning at Maple Manor, where a high-society ball turns deadly, and every guest has secrets they would rather keep buried.
- 📂 30+ PIECES OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE + ONLINE EVIDENCE – Includes witness statements, police reports, photographs, telegrams, floorplans, newspaper clippings, forensic notes, and more, plus access to digital evidence that unlocks new leads.
- 🎭 FOR SOLO OR GROUP PLAY, 1–12 PLAYERS – Perfect for solo sleuths, date night, dinner parties, family games night, or a group round the table. Examine the evidence, debate suspects, and agree your final accusation.
- 🎁 UNIQUE GIFT FOR TRUE CRIME & MYSTERY LOVERS – Ideal for fans of murder mystery games, detective puzzles, cold case files, escape room style games, and immersive crime-solving experiences. A memorable gift for birthdays, Christmas, and cosy nights in.
The schedule gives investigative choices weight: you must decide whom to approach, where to go and which clues matter most. That can make a sprawling mystery feel purposeful, but it may frustrate players who prefer to exhaust every conversation and inspect every room before committing. The central fit question is whether you enjoy prioritizing leads under pressure, not whether you can react quickly to a countdown.
Is it a good mystery game?
The positive critic scores and Steam user reception support calling it a well-liked mystery, while the more useful reason to consider it is its particular combination of atmosphere and method. The manor provides a substantial space to investigate; characters follow routines; and progress comes through gathering and organizing evidence rather than simply watching the story unfold. It is story-led, but its schedule makes investigation choices mechanically consequential.
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- The tilted treasure hunt!
- Players shake and tilt their "Manor boxes" to move the correct objects in the correct rooms
- Unique game play makes it perfect for family game night
- Fun creatures inside! spiders, eyeballs, ghosts, treasures and snakes!
- Age 7 and up. 2 to 4 players. Also, known as panic Mansion.
It is best suited to players who like observing routines, following clues and accepting that a single run may require decisions about what not to pursue. If your ideal mystery game lets you examine every detail at your own pace, the timetable is the main trade-off to weigh.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you play it?
The Séance of Blake Manor launched on Steam on 27 October 2025. A Steam Community announcement lists Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC/Game Pass, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 for 27 October 2026: Steam Community announcement. That date is the announced plan, not confirmation that those versions have launched; check the announcement or platform storefront for current availability. The announcement does not establish physical editions or regional retail availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Features an easy-to-assemble 3D manor with a stunning Art Nouveau flourish
- Moveable standees let players point to mysterious clues in each room
- Use a real miniature Ouija board to answer questions and decode hidden truths
- Solve the mystery by selecting the correct obituary cards after asking a series of questions to the spirit beyond our realm
- Recommended for 2-5 players, ages 10 and up
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
