The Stone of Madness Review

The Stone of Madness Review – A True Goya Inspired Gem

Art can take many forms, game development being one of them, but they are often culturally dismissed. Indie titles often focus on crafting amazing experiences oozing with artistic expression. The Stone of Madness sets in stone that games are a valid art form.

Being based on historical Spanish events, The Stone of Madness sends us to their 18th Century. An era filled with terrible events and unending misery for the population, along with wars and terrible abuse of power by the Church. It is in this century that the story of the game unfolds, one of madness yet with hope to end corruption.

During times of the Spanish inquisition, multiple atrocities were committed against people of different beliefs. Not only were different beliefs frowned upon, but the concept of madness itself was tied to superstitions such as “demonic possession”. Along with these kinds of superstitions, experiments were also carried out on patients. Trepanation was a technique dating from the neolithic, and it was thought to cure people of mental disorders. This was doing by opening up a hole on someone’s skull to try and remove “evil spirits” that caused them. It was thanks to this that the lives of many who suffered from mental disorders were hellish.

Abuse was commonplace in madhouses, usually found near monasteries or even inside them. Our group of five, lead by Alfredo the priest, wish to find freedom from the confines of one. Being under terrible conditions on the daily, many people in the madhouse wish to escape. One day Alfredo catches wind of inmates suddenly being taken by the inquisitors, and confirms such acts when she spots a lady called Virginia being taken away by them.

The Stone of Madness Escape

It is not known where the inmates are taken, but it is known that they don’t speak again after returning. After being tasked by fellow inmate Agnes, an old self proclaimed witch, to try and find a way to rescue Virginia, Alfredo sets on a journey. A journey that will indeed bring change to the monastery. By joining forces with the craftsman Eduardo, and the prisoner Leonora, along with Agnes and the picaresque Amelia, Alfredo finds the truth about Virginia. This opens up the plot, giving multiple ramifications to follow and story bits to discover.

The plot of The Stone of Madness follows multiple routes that the player will discover in each playthrough. Making it an experience with lots of replayability if you wish to discover everything the story hides. One can opt for routes such as ending corruption for once in the church, or just trying to find a way to escape the monastery. It is of importance to mention that the introduction really sets you in the mood for more, making it an excellent hook to keep exploring the rest of the story.

A story filled with madness and despair, yet with hope to bring change and end such terrible torture that our characters have to endure. Our cast of characters is deeply afflicted in different ways, Eduardo suffers from Nyctophobia, for example. The cruel inquisitors decided to lock him up in a dark room to contain him, further traumatizing him. These fears are core aspects to the characters and who they are, and also play a role mechanically too.

The Stone of Madness Gameplay

The gameplay aspects of The Stone of Madness are truly unique, merging elements of both the RTS genre and the Stealth genre. This mix works surprisingly well, and gameplay flows smoothly. One would think that a Stealth game where you need to handle three player characters would play clunky, but it is far from the truth. The Stone of Madness manages to bring more depth to the table, with its distinctly unique cast. Characters have their own abilities and fears to deal with, and it is of importance to know how to use them.

Leonora is able to attack and even kill guards when they don’t perceive her. However, she is unable to carry out violent actions near a fire spot, due to her pyrophobia. Characters have life points and a sanity meter, sanity depletes gradually whenever they face a fear. Cooperation between the group is crucial to ensure their sanity does not reach zero, one member might have what the other needs to surpass it. Alfredo is an excellent complement to Eduardo, since he is the only one who can use oil lamps to remove darkness.

Replenish

Being an RTS it is possible to control characters one by one, or in groups. Depending on the situation this can be crucial, and combines magnificently with the Stealth focus of the game. There’s also a time system, when it is night, the player has the choice to go back to their cell to plan for the next day. Inside this screen it is possible to craft with your resources and use other abilities to replenish your health and sanity.

The Stealth mechanics are simple to learn and master, but that does not mean the maps themselves are easy. Maps are cunningly crafted with a clear difficulty progression, starting simple yet becoming more chaotic as you advance. Managing your party is a crucial skill you will need to learn to also solve some light puzzle elements sprinkled in the Stealth gameplay.

Along with all of these elements, it is possible to find alternative solutions to the puzzles themselves. This can open up different routes to follow making the player think out of the box more often. All of these elements work perfectly in tandem, making The Stone of Madness a must-have for any fan of Stealth and Strategy.

The Stone of Madness Art

The graphic style is deeply inspired by the popular Spanish painter Francisco Goya, which is a fitting choice taking into account the works he did. During a harsh period of his life, Goya used to paint multiple depictions of the miserable life inside madhouses. It is unclear if these works were made to champion for humane treatment of their residents, but some assume it to be the case.

Therefore, the idea of using this art style for The Stone of Madness is not just to stand out, but to also be accurate to that period of time. The beautiful yet grim Goya style combines perfectly with all other elements, making it feel as if you were playing a painting. The perspective of The Stone of Madness is that of an isometric graphics game, and there’s a reason to this. The isometric perspective allows you to appreciate every nook and cranny of the monastery, giving immersion to the player.

The Stone of Madness also has animated cutscenes during important story events. These animations allow characters to feel more fleshed out than in-game, where they are limited to speech bubbles. This kind of variety is welcome, as it makes the experience feel more complete and soulful. The animation is of quality, and the ending to the prologue leaves you wanting for more.

Careful planning was also put into the score of The Stone of Madness. The music, while calm, fits perfectly with the idea of stealth. Being spotted by enemies makes it seamlessly transition to a more tense variation, giving you a proper sense of urgency. The violin adds a masterful touch, and feels fitting to the environment of the monastery too.

The Stone of Madness: The Stone of Madness is an excellent game that combines Stealth and RTS to bring a refreshing experience to the table. Along with its amazing Goya inspired art style that leaves you transfixed in its interesting gameplay loop. Not forgetting to mention the ingenious representation of a period of Spanish history and its people. A period where people suffered unspeakable atrocities, for not complying with what was considered normal by the church. The Stone of Madness is a piece of art and critique to be remembered for years to come. โ€“ Hiro

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2025-01-28T06:00:00-0800

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