Episodic storytelling doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. After massive hits such as Life Is Strange and nearly every game that Telltale has created, the genre seems in a better place than it’s ever been. This is where The Council enters. It fits into the genre masterfully like its predecessors, but it’s more ambitious than it lets on to be. The Council is focused more on giving every player a unique experience rather than the same adventure with different situations popping up.
The Hero You Deserve
Firstly the thing that truly sets The Council apart from others like it is its approach to character development. As the game begins the player can choose a class for the protagonist. With most games the classes do come with their own strengths and weaknesses. But this customization option allows for dozens of different play styles to be used throughout the game. Some may lean towards a more strategic and thoughtful approach to their interactions while others may prefer a more deceptive approach. This addition adds a much needed freshness to the genre. So many conversations about episodic adventures come down to figuring out what you or another person did in one situation. But in The Council you and another player could both reach the same point in the game and have had entirely different adventures.
History and Fiction Collide
The plot behind the game is fairly simple. The player controls Louis de Richet a man in search of his mother who has gone missing while on a private island. However, This island serves as the meeting ground for some powerful historic figures. For instance Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington and a catholic priest all share small talk. No that’s not the set up for a bad jokes that’s actually what happens in the game. The truly interesting thing about it though is watching all of the other characters interact with one another. Louis starts to develop his own personality depending on the choices you make. From their his interactions with the rest of the cast can differ from player to player.
Final Reaction
The Council has the makings of a great game. The first episode serves to set up the overarching story that’ll progress over the next few episodes. Anyone who is a fan of the Telltale series of games will quickly enjoy the game and be hungry for more coming episodes.
Rating 4/5
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