The Inquisitor

If you enjoy dark fantasy settings, then one game that is on the horizon to keep an eye out on is The Inquisitor. Developed by The Dust S.A., this game looks very interesting. It is built around a very dark plotline that revolves heavily around religion, aiming to offer an engrossing storyline built in a bespoke world that really has its own message to pass on about the power of religion and dogmatic faith.

From what we have played of The Inquisitor so far, it looks like it has a lot of potential – with a few immediately noticeable caveats to mention. Let’s take a look at what we think of Kalypso Media’s latest output.

Solving The Sin

The game takes place in a town called Koenigstein, and you play as an Inquisitor called Mordimer. Your aim is simple: come into this sinful town and clean the place up. The game itself is inspired by a popular novel series, written by Jacek Piekara. The game takes a turn on typical Christian history, with the main difference between that when Jesus Christ was put on the cross, he began angry and vengeful.

Instead of dying on the cross, Jesus instead broke free and took vengeance against all who did not believe in his world. Now some 1500 years after the fact, and the world is under the enforcement of the Inquisitors – religious zealots who enforce the faith of Christ whether people want to be involved or not.

You arrive in this blighted town with the aim of taking on anyone who has transgressed and to put them in their place. However, as you go, it becomes apparent that things are not as they seem: there is a darker presence, a power, at work in the shadows that has to be reconciled with. As you see the sin count increase dramatically across the city, it becomes apparent that there is more at stake here than malcontents and sinners.

A story-driven title with some minor action elements, most of The Inquisitor is about solving crimes. Some might notice the thematic similarities to other dark fantasy titles, but our first impression was that it felt a little like something like a Dragon Age title, albeit with a darker history and storyline.

Cracking The Case Is Fun (7.5/10)

While what we have played of The Inquisitor so far is by no means the full edition, we have already come across enough set pieces along the way to make us feel excited. There is a lot going on in The Inquisitor; this is not a friendly place to live. It is riven with corruption, greed, and violence. You need to make the choice – on many occasions – to be a more upstanding member of society, or to fall into the darkness of your role as an Inquisitor. Not all Inquisitors are made equal – some are wrathful and violent, others more benevolent and understanding. You need to decide if you want to take pity on those you come across, or whether you punish them for their sins. The end result is a highly enjoyable title that you can tell takes its storyline from a book series due to the depth of writing and characters.

Pros

• Great world with a really dark fantasy style that makes it easy to get engrossed
• Actions feel like they have genuine consequences as opposed to scripts in place
• Action scenes are fun enough, with a decent level of swordplay and combat involved
• Believable world with some interesting plot twists that keep the story developing

Cons

• Visuals can look a touch dated for a game coming out in 2024
• Sometimes has some inconsistency with pacing and plot development