The Dark Rites of Arkham

[h1]A must for all point-and-clicks and Cthulhu fans [/h1] [b]This review contains no story spoilers[/b] Dark Rites of Arkham is a point-and-click detective adventure set in the titular, fictional city of Arkham in the year 1933. Set on the eve of the repeal of the Volstead Act in America, it sees you in the gumshoes of Detective Jack Foster, fresh back on duty following a mental breakdown after the death of his partner. While in the process of arresting a drug addict turned blackmailer, Jack happens across an occult murder scene. Paired with the department's nerdy occult expert, Harvey Whitman, Jack is tasked with investigating a string of increasingly bizarre cases and uncovering a conspiracy that threatens not only his own life but that of the entire world. One of the first things that strikes you about Dark Rites of Arkham is the moody atmosphere and the dark, oppressive nature of the city. At times, the city itself feels like an antagonist, filled with inhabitants who are going through their own ♥♥♥♥, just like you, and many only talk to you due to the fact you're an armed police officer. Jack himself has his own demons to deal with, as your first task is to visit a psychiatrist to get her official stamp that you're fit for duty. This leads to a hypnotherapy session that reveals much about why Jack is as messed up as he is and also delves further into the Lovecraftian core of the game. And make no mistake, the Cthulhu mythos is the beating heart of Dark Rites of Arkham. So much so that this feels less like a detective game with Cthulhu trimmings, than a Cthulhu game with some detective elements. There are references everywhere. If you are an avid Lovecraft fan, then you'll have almost as much fun pointing out the references to various stories as you'll have playing the game. The simple point-and-click interface and even simpler pixel art allow you to fully hop into the story as fast as you want without getting bogged down. And that's a key element here: in point-and-clicks and other games of this nature, the absolute worst thing is for the game to drag on. Thankfully, Postmodern Adventures has perfectly nailed the pacing of the game at every step. The dialogue sections convey enough information so we know what to do and enough colour to be convincing conversations, but not too much to slow the game down. The superb, subtle soundtrack sets up each scene and doesn't impose itself despite often being the only sound you'll hear in a lot of places. The sound design is effective, and the graphics are detailed enough to make each area distinct and unique, conveying the decay that's set into the town and helping to build up the dark atmosphere the story needs. And a fantastic story it is too. From the initial ritual murder, Jack and Harvey will need to investigate the appearance of a number of 17th-century witches who escaped the Salem trials, a bizarre cult obsessed with punishment, a series of kidnappings and a secret occult society acting behind the scenes of it all. It's wonderful stuff. The cases unfold nicely and lead into one another seamlessly, making them one whole experience rather than a series of obstacles that need to be overcome before the next one shows up. Thanks to the superbly written dialogue, each character feels real and seems like they have agency rather than simply being a prop for you to click on so you can spout lines at them. If I have to be critical and highlight some issues with Dark Rites of Arkham, the main one would be a lack of voice acting to really give the dialogue some pop; it would also fill in some parts of the game where it can get very quiet when the soundtrack drops low, and it's just two characters silently mouthing lines of text at each other. But other than some minor quirks in the dialogue and gameplay, there's really nothing wrong with how Dark Rites of Arkham is put together, and it plays wonderfully, reeling in the player with some brilliant characters, story and an excellent soundtrack. All fans of HP Lovecraft or Point-and-clicks should get this game immediately.