Farflame found some reviews for The Council.

The Council Complete Reviews:

GameReactor - 8/10

The Council is a game that stays with you, and we're a bit envious of readers out there who haven't started on this game and get to play it all in one go. While it works well as an episodic adventure, it certainly benefits from being played back-to-back as you'll have an easier time catching all the nuances, foreshadowing, and subtle hints. While there are parts that could have done with more polish, we're extremely excited to see what Big Bad Wolf tackles next.

RPGamer -3.5/5

For those looking for an investigative adventure, The Council is worth checking out. It makes good use of its setting to create the initial intrigue, even if it veers away from it a bit too much at the end. The use of RPG and skill elements gives players a sense of progress as Louis learns more about the situation and becomes more adept at dealing with the other characters. While not all-powerful, The Council certainly has some interesting things to say.

Gamingbolt - 7/10

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The Council is Big Bad Wolf’s first game, and these issues are more of a symptom of that fact rather than serious flaws. They can annoy, yes, but there’s a lot of value to what the game offers. The systems are a compelling and unique take on the genre, and the game manages to make your choices matter much sooner than many of its ilk. I was seeing drastically different scenarios play out as soon as the second episode, which only improves the game’s replay value. Louis’s first step into a life of international conspiracy doesn’t go completely smoothly, but it’s a conference worth attending, if the topic interests you.

The Indie Game Website - 9/10

The Council is a fantastic example of what adventure games are capable of, with tons of content, choices, and characters you won’t soon forget. If you’re looking for something to fill the void that Telltale Games’ departure from the industry is leaving behind, The Council is a worthy contender – so long as you’re ready to deal with everything that comes with it.

The Council Episode 5 Reviews:

Wccftech - 6/10

Perhaps The Council would have achieved more as a complete game, with a more definitive beginning, middle and end for the developers to work with, and a stable budget to allocate. But as it is, The Council was an ambitious experiment that has sadly failed to deliver the results.

Ulvespill - 5.6/10

My time with The Council has been pretty good, yet I can’t help but feel a slight disappointment that the developers didn’t do more with the story. I loved the setting. I adored trying to find out what was happening, but in the end, it all felt rather pointless, since none of the mysterious events got any conclusion. Personally, I felt like Elizabeth was the best-written character, and she only featured in the first episode – much to my disappointment. I do think that Big Bad Wolf Entertainment can produce a really great RPG/narrative game, I truly do, The Council just isn’t the one. Keep me posted if they develop a game featuring another insane character like Elizabeth though, ‘cause that would be something I’d sit up at night to play immediately.

WellPlayed - 6.5/10

Checkmate may not have delivered the electrifying finale that I was hoping for, but the game as a whole has been one of my highlights of the year – if not the generation – thanks to its engaging story and compelling gameplay. It reinforces the notion that story-driven single-player games are still an important cog in the video game wheel, with The Council a testament to the power of storytelling, and why as an art form it is far from dead.

Bagogames - 4.5/10

The Council Episode 5: Checkmate is the series’s worst episode. It’s short. The script feels hastily thrown together, lacking the first 2 episodes’ more interesting deviations. To make matter worse, the game still runs no better than it did at the start. With both of my half-baked endings providing little sense of closure or finality, Checkmate comes across as the product of rushed development and mismanagement. If you’ve found yourself attached to these characters and events throughout the season, there’s no reason to skimp out on this final episode, but don’t expect much either.

Some reviews for The Council - Episode 4.

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Well-Played

The Council continues to deliver an engaging experience thanks to its brilliant storytelling, despite some minor narrative hiccups. With the introduction of a further plot twist and new gameplay abilities, Burning Bridges does an excellent job of keeping the game fresh and sets up a mouth-watering final episode.

Worthplaying

The Council: Episode 4 - Burning Bridges is the penultimate episode of the game, and it does a good job of making things interesting again, but it does so with quite a number of flaws intact. The unrealistic reactions to big events are the episode's biggest flaw, as all of those shocking things lose their impact when everyone else fails to make a big deal out of it. At the same time, those new revelations open up things just enough to make the final episode more intriguing. Here's hoping that the finale makes the journey worthwhile.

GamesAsylum

If you’re looking to make the jump from The Walking Dead: The Final Season to The Council, you can rest assured that Big Bad Wolf has successfully managed to put their stamp on the genre. It may not be a non-stop thrill ride, but this episode’s revelations have convinced us it has more than enough twists to keep the storyline flowing at a steady enough speed. All bumps are entirely forgivable.

With bridges burned, a political powder keg is about to explode. Onwards to the finale.

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The Council: Episode 3 has been well reviewed.

The Xbox Hub

It is in the story department where Episode 3 clearly reveals the purpose and motivations of the characters. It does a great job mixing the historical truth and brilliantly composed fiction of the game world, with the conference scene and its political ramifications standing out. We are also given a massive story reveal – one that answers a lot of questions from the first two episodes – and that ensures that The Council becomes even more interesting. I am intrigued to see how the narrative will move onwards, and that is surely a sign of a good episodic drama.

Punk and Lizard

Frustrating puzzle aside, The Council more than keeps itself on the right track in Episode 3, with some of the biggest decisions, twists and turns occurring. It feels that The Council is on the home straight, with 2 episodes left to cement its legacy as an outstanding game. Roll on Episode 4.

Worthplaying

Technically, the quality has taken a big hit with this episode. There are plenty of scenes where people are talking, but their lips fail to move, which proves to be distracting once you see it. The same goes for many of the animations, which look jerky and are rife with unnatural movements. Placement of furniture also seems to be an issue, as no one looks like they're sitting properly. Clipping is a constant thing, lighting in areas is either too saturated or too dark, and there are a few instances of the subtitles being outright wrong. The frame rate has also taken a huge hit and fluctuates wildly. These are all things that can be patched, but the drop in quality is disappointing.

Well Played

Games with dialogue-heavy gameplay often run the risk of becoming a little tiresome, but the narrative manages to stay fresh thanks to a revelation towards the end of the episode, and one that will drive the story forward in the remaining episodes. It’s this revelation that leads to one the game’s more intriguing puzzles and requires Louis (read: you) to put his detective prowess to use. To The Council’s credit it doesn’t hold your hand, with plenty of hints all around you, it’s just up to you to see them.

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PC Gamer reports that The Council: Episode 3 will release July 24th.

The third episode of neoclassical narrative adventure The Council will arrive on July 24, Focus Home Interactive has announced.

Titled “Ripples”, the third episode will continue the story of Louis de Richet, who belongs to an 18th Century secret society whose members include George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte. Its heavy emphasis on dialogue and player-choice is similar to DontNod’s Life is Strange, only with less teenage angst and more powdered wigs.

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Some reviews for The Council: Episode Two.

http://backlogcritic.com/all-review-…d-seek-review/
While this was a great episode, it was still let down by the same issues the first episode had. My GPU usage was at a constant 100%, with the only areas running smoothly being those accursed corridors again. The voice acting is still iffy at times, and the animations can be janky, but again its unique charm wins you over, making you want to play to the end.

It is shorter than the first episode, split up into a mere three chapters compared to the five its predecessor had, and there significantly less conversations this time around. However, I do appreciate how it moved the story along and answered a number of questions. A few issues aside, it is another stellar job by Big Bad Wolf, and I anxiously await the next installment

https://www.well-played.com.au/the-c…d-seek-review/

However, it is here where Hide and Seek deviates from what made The Mad Ones episode so enthralling. Developers Big Bad Wolf have dialled back the game’s dialogue sequences, instead opting for more investigation and puzzle-solving. It makes sense given that the first episode was in some respects a meet and greet between Louis and the game’s cast. However, the confrontations and dialogue choices are where The Council excelled, thanks to the unique RPG mechanics. While it’s not a negative, it does scratch off some of the gilded sheen the first episode had applied.

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2018/05/…d-seek-review/

The Council’s second episode doesn’t manage to hit the highs of the first, which could be down to it being smaller in scale in comparison. Hide & Seek’s murder mystery does bring you in and advances the overall plot in a big way, but at the same time it feels like more could have been made of it. There’s some story threads dangled for you to grab, but those threads could have been expanded upon more within the context of this episode.

http://punkandlizard.com/the-council…ek-review-ps4/

You will learn a lot more about the aforementioned Lord Mortimer, as well as Chris, the guy who works at the local chip shop. Just kidding. You’ll learn about Manuel Godoy, who is Secretary of State and Head of the Spanish Government, and Johan Cristoph Von Wollner, the Prussian minister of religion. What I love about The Council is that none of the characters seem to be here for the sake of it. They all are intriguing. Not to mention that Episode 2 also ends on a humdinger of a cliffhanger, so the developers have still got us hanging on every word here. Bring on Episode 3.

http://cogconnected.com/review/counc…sode-2-review/

The Council Episode 2: Hide and Seek does a terrific job of building more intrigue for its fascinating story. The actual historical figures make things all the more interesting. I do wonder if this story would be as enthralling if not for faces like George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte. My only issue is there not being enough episode, either in length or in elements unique to this game. I want to play this game, Focus Home Interactive, stop taking it away from me so abruptly. Let’s see what Episode 3 entails, hopefully, sooner rather than later.

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RPG Site reviewed The Council: Episode 1:

The Council: Episode 1 - The Mad Ones Review

France, Paris. December 10th, 1792. It all starts with a backhanded slap. Captured and sat with their backs to one another, we first witness that Louis de Richet and his mother are being tortured in a misguided effort to make them reveal where they have hidden a stolen book - the fictional grimoire, Al Azif. With plans for it to be sold at one of Lord Mortimer's lavish receptions, Gerard von Borchert wants it back so that he can make a pretty penny.

It is in this opening prologue to The Council: Episode 1 - The Mad Ones that you are confronted with your first hard-hitting choice. After he manages to loosen his constraints undetected, you must decide whether Louis will catch Gerard off guard by rushing to attack him or if he will let his mother momentarily distract him. One choice results in Gerard being knocked unconscious to be questioned later, while the other sees him shot dead and Louis permanently scarred with a deep gash across his face from a nervous knife swipe.

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While the narrative is riddled with intrigue and the gameplay mechanics help to keep you invested in seeing how this episodic adventure will play out, the execution can frequently miss the mark. That largely comes from poor facial animations that leave you with the unsettling impression that the characters are dead behind the eyes, which isn't helped by their stilted movement in each and every scene. Nor does the voice acting, with performances ranging from the exceptional to the mediocrely wooden.

More than enough new ideas have been thrown at The Council to make it stand out from the crowd, and, while flaws are clearly evident in the three hours that you will spend with this first episode, it makes for a promising start for what is left to come. Technical issues detract from the grandeur of its setting, but it's hard not to be swept up in the mystery that surrounds it all.

Score: 7/10

RPGFan has reviewed The Council Episode 1 - The Mad Ones:

The Council Episode 1 - The Mad Ones

"...the absurdity of it is effectively countered by the layers of intrigue the eccentric cast of characters adds to the already mysterious plot."

The adventure game genre, particularly the narrative and graphic adventure subgenres, has undoubtedly grown a bit stale over the last decade or so. That's not to say there haven't been some recent gems, of course, but overall the trend has been to fall back on a formulaic design approach with little in the way of gameplay innovation. The Council, a new episodic narrative thriller from developer Big Bad Wolf, aims to shake up the genre by concentrating its core gameplay on interactive standoffs between characters through tense conversational duels.

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Graphics: 85%
Sound: 80%
Gameplay: 80%
Control: 90%
Story: 75%
Overall: 77%

Pros:
Social Influence system is a fun twist on decision trees, interesting premise, great visuals

Cons:
Sound issues, some framerate issues, limited exploration

Bottom Line:
A very promising start to a series with an intriguing story, interesting setting, and a unique spin on choice-based narratives.

PCGamesN reveals that the second episode for The Council titled Hide and Seek, will be arriving 17th May. If you are a season pass holder you will receive the episode on the 15th May.

Episode Two is called Hide And Seek, and picks up where the first chapter left off, as de Richet continues to search for his missing mother Sarah while continuing to watch the repercussions of decisions made in Episode One.

The second episode opens up new areas of the mansion to explore, and there are new characters who will no doubt add to the game’s thickening intrigue.

[...]

Polygon reviewed the Adventure RPG The Council:

The Council is a weird, lavish adventure in dialogue

Impressions of an historical narrative mystery game

The Council is an episodic historical detective adventure in which I roam the corridors of a mansion, searching for clues. In the first episode (of five), I engage in dialogue challenges with suspects, the direction of which is partly driven by RPG-based ideas about skills and powers.

In 1793, I play the part of Louis de Richet, a youthful French aristocrat in search of his missing mother. He snags an invitation to dear mater’s last known location, the island fortress of a wealthy gentleman. This mysterious gent’s house is decorated with great works of art. His collections include the rarest artifacts.

Also in residence are leading lights from the world of politics. George Washington and a young Napoleon Bonaparte are here, as well as an Italian cardinal, an English gent, a French revolutionary thug, a glamorous high-society woman and the slightly unhinged daughter of John Adams.

[...]

Still, these irritations don’t entirely diminish the charm and ambition of the entire endeavor. The Council inhabits a sumptuous world of color and mystery that demands to be explored. The garish guests are mysterious enough that I want to know more about their motivations, and so I’m inclined toward playing more, to improve my stats and render conversation challenges more fruitful.

Here are some more reviews for the Narrative Adventure The Council:

Games Radar:
The Council Episode One: The Mad Ones review: “I wondered how characters could believe what was coming out of my mouth”
Score: 3/5

COG Connected:
The Council – Episode 1: The Mad Ones Review – New Story, Old Issues
Score: 75/100

The Mirror:
The Council: Episode 1 - The Mad Ones review: Talk a good game

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However, the game is let down by occasionally stilted voice acting, coupled with some rough lip-synching in spots, meaning there can sometimes feel like a disconnect between the dialogue and the action on screen, like a poorly-dubbed movie.

Louis' mother Sarah in particular seems to be baring her giant teeth a bit too often, and you may find yourself cringing at the instances of horribly fake sounding laughter or strange cadence.

Some lines are delivered in such a robotic way that it becomes jarring, while the poorer moments of facial animation (on the otherwise detailed faces) can be rather distracting, which is a shame given how much polish has gone into the gameplay.

But if you can ride out the clunky voice overs, The Mad Ones is a decent introduction into the world of The Council. The novel mechanics and engaging plot are ripe for further exploration over the other upcoming four episodes.

The Council: Episode One has already a number of reviews.

Gamewatcher 8/10
The Council is off to an excellent, intriguing and suspenseful start, and the minor issues it has didn't really make us enjoy it any less. We're already looking forward to Episode 2, especially after the cliffhanger conclusion which promises to ramp the action up, and that's the best endorsement we can give.

Techraptor 8/10
Occasionally rough around the edges, The Council's first episode is a surprisingly entertaining combination of Telltale's episodic adventure games and tabletop RPG elements.

Gameradar 3/5
The Council Episode One: The Mad Ones review: "I wondered how characters could believe what was coming out of my mouth"
Despite its promising new mechanics that make conversation a game of strategy, the interaction between its characters lets The Council episode one down.

Roobla 3.7/5
With its RPG-like systems and detailed approach to dialogue, The Council can feel a bit overwhelming but when you’ve learnt and understood it all, there is something that clicks into place. When it does, The Council  is a thoroughly enjoyable game. It is yet to be seen if it will take on the same success as a Walking Dead (2012) or Life is Strange, but the potential is there to be something completely different to the adventure game scene.

Farflame talked to Game Director Sylvain Sechi to talk about The Council, a narrative adventure/RPG game, set during the French revolution.

RPGWatch: I noticed that development studio Big Bad Wolf worked mainly on action games and ARPGs in the past. So why the idea to create a narrative adventure? How did it start?

Sylvain Sechi: We looked at our previous games (Of Orcs and Men and the Game of Thrones RPG, for example) and decided we wanted to focus entirely on our main strength: story. Regarding combat, we had the desire to translate the common combat RPG mechanisms that can be found in most CRPGs into a narrative experience. We did the same with every RPG feature with one core question motivating us: "how can we translate this feature into a narrative feature?"

For combat, as stated above, but also for character sheets, skills, talents, traits, leveling up, inventory, and so on. That was our first pillar regarding the vision when starting work on The Council, and while we were at it, we named the genre of the game "Narrative RPG". It was also important for us to create a game where the main form of interaction was not hitting/killing people or creatures.

Our second pillar was "consequences over choices". We absolutely wanted to craft a consequence-based game, and not simply a choice-based game.

The first episode of The Council is scheduled to be released today on Steam. Here is the launch trailer:

The first episode of the Adventure RPG The Council will be released on March 13:

The Council

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Experience a Narrative Adventure where your choices and character growth truly matter. As a member of a 1793 secret society, live a tale of intrigue and manipulation on the hunt for your missing mother.

Some devblogs:

• RPG meets Narrative Adventure
• Choices
• Confrontations

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