Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream – Stealthy Puzzle Box or Just a Pretty Face?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
*Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream* offers a visually stunning and challenging stealth puzzle experience, but its story doesn't quite live up to the rest of the package, leaving you feeling a bit bereft at the end like you've been shortchanged a quid.
Alright, mate, listen up. Remember Mimimi Games? Those absolute legends behind *Shadow Tactics* and *Desperados 3*? Yeah, the ones who decided to peace out after a string of bangers? Well, a new crew called River End Games is stepping into their shoes with *Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream*. And fair dinkum, they've given it a bloody good go at scratching that stealth tactics itch. (Big thanks to Eurogamer for bringing this one to our attention!)
*Eriksholm*, according to Eurogamer's review, strips the genre back to basics. You start with Hanna, sneaking about her borough while dodging the fuzz. Forget Rambo-style action; you're all about cover, shadows, and distractions. Eventually, you unlock Alva and Sebastian, turning things into a single-player co-op puzzle. Think Ezio, but split into three characters with complementary abilities. Climbing drainpipes, squeezing through vents, the usual jazz.
Here's the kicker: this ain't a sandbox. *Eriksholm* is deliberate about who you can use, and when. Eurogamer reckons it's more of a puzzle game disguised as stealth. Not a bad thing, mind you. Every encounter has a set solution. Guard A before Guard C, choke Guard B at just the right moment...you get the idea. It's challenging, but not controller-smashing frustrating. You feel clever when you nail a tricky sequence with all three characters working in sync.
Visually, it's a stunner. Set in an alternate early 1900s Europe – think pre-war Scandinavia with a dash of northern France and even Scotland thrown in – the city of Eriksholm feels real, lived-in. Labyrinthine shanty towns, smugglers' coves, medieval fortresses...it's an ambitious road trip. The facial mocap in the cutscenes is apparently top-notch, too.
But here’s the snag. The story, while perfectly adequate, lacks a proper hook. Eurogamer notes that the game leaves you to fill in a lot of the gaps, which can be cool but isn't fully realized here. Apparently, the villain's motivation is just…being a prick? That said, Alva, the Fagin-esque character with an army of Artful Dodgers, is a standout. She's got a compelling internal conflict, balancing business with maternal instincts. And the game's got some genuinely funny moments – bickering couples, guards getting on each other's nerves, that sort of thing.
Ultimately, *Eriksholm* doesn't quite stick the landing. The ending feels rushed, a hard cutscene trigger instead of a climactic encounter. Still, there are plenty of memorable set-pieces: daring escapes, clever environmental puzzles, and sneaking around during a military skirmish. Eurogamer sums it up as a game of two halves: thrilling stealth let down by the story that strings it all together. A missed opportunity, perhaps, but satisfying, sumptuous, and moreish nonetheless.
So, is *Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream* worth a punt? If you're after a tightly designed stealth puzzle with gorgeous visuals, then yeah, give it a go. Just don't expect a narrative masterpiece. It's like a plane that can fly, but the tyres get chewed by a dog before it lands.
Tags: stealth tactics, puzzle game, indie games, game review, Nordcurrent Labs
Original article: Eurogamer