Wailing Heights (v2018.10.22)

A deadpan British horror-comedy sets the tone for a point-and-click adventure where being alive is apparently the worst crime in town. Frances Finklestein, former manager of legendary rock outfit The Deadbeats, arrives for a mysterious gig and promptly lands in a cell among Wailing Heights’ aggressively peculiar monsters. The village is packed with vegan werewolves, image-conscious vampires, soulful undead, and enough corpse-related humour to make its gothic mountain backdrop feel more absurd than frightening. Its mood lands somewhere between a classic LucasArts adventure and a warped late-night animated comedy.

Frances’ escape hinges on abandoning her own body and possessing the residents she encounters. Each host brings a different ability, so puzzles revolve around finding the right supernatural form, using its talents to manipulate the town, and opening paths that Frances cannot reach alone. Expect conversation-heavy investigation, inventory-style problem solving, environmental riddles, and plenty of jokes rather than action or reflex challenges. Progress is largely driven by exploring the interconnected hamlet, learning its residents’ strange routines, and working through the logic of increasingly ridiculous situations.

The possession system gives the adventure a stronger mechanical identity than a standard “use item on object” puzzler, since every new body changes how players read an area. Comic-book artwork makes the cast memorable, while extensive voice work and an original mix of rock, pop, soul, and country help sell the game’s musical-monster personality. Humour is deliberately broad, irreverent, and packed with wordplay, so players looking for a grim serious horror story may find it too silly. Fans of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, or offbeat narrative adventures should find plenty to enjoy, especially if they value character writing and inventive puzzles over demanding combat.