In The Occultist, you play as Alan Rebels, a professional paranormal investigator who visits the abandoned British island of Godstone to find out what happened to his father. Things quickly get complicated and take on a supernatural tone. Before you know it, you’re cutting down a hanged man from a beam in an old shed, only to run moments later through a cornfield while being chased by a furious spirit.

Overall, the plot is definitely a strong point, including the NPCs, who are actually ghosts. If there’s something to criticise, it’s the “mysterious cult” element. This theme shows up in almost every horror game, regardless of budget. It really feels like the story could have worked just as well without relying on that overused trope.

Cute and snug.

Before playing The Occultist, I expected it to be just another horror-themed walking simulator. Thankfully, it turned out to offer more than simply moving from point A to point B. In terms of gameplay, it somewhat resembles a detective game. The core mechanics revolve around the use a pendulum – a device that applies a supernatural filter to the game world. This tool introduces several features that allow the protagonist to uncover things invisible to the naked eye.

Depending on the situation, you must use one of the pendulum’s four abilities. With them, the protagonist can, for example, reconstruct objects that once existed in a given location and reveal what happened to them. This sheds new light on the investigation and uncovers additional clues.

The pendulum helps to see the invisible.

Throughout his journey, the protagonist encounters a wide variety of spirits. Some of them are peaceful and open to conversation; they even assign small tasks or puzzles. For example, near the beginning you are asked to collect a set of items for one of ghosts. Puzzles in The Occultist are quite traditional; for example, many times you need to figure out how to unlock a coded door. Usually, there’s nothing challenging about it.

Aside from neutral spirits, you meet hostile ones. It’s best to avoid them altogether; once they spot you, they give chase, and they can eventually kill you. Alan doesn’t have any weapons and must rely primarily on stealth, sneaking past enemies undetected. Interestingly, instead of a traditional health bar, the protagonist’s condition is reflected in the appearance of his left hand. With each encounter with hostile spirits, the hand gradually darkens. Once the corruption becomes overwhelming, the character dies, forcing a return to the last checkpoint.

Boo!

I really liked that the ghostly NPCs have their own backstories and distinct personalities. That said, the mechanics behind interacting with them feel a bit undercooked. As immaterial beings, they should be able to pass through walls – but a simple shutting a door in their face in The Occultist suddenly traps spirits. And why can’t they see Alan through walls? The title has a few of logical inconsistencies.

The game runs on Unreal Engine 5, and overall it looks great – interior spaces are rich in detail, while the outdoor environments can be genuinely picturesque. Still, the limits of those environments are pretty obvious. You’re constantly bumping into invisible walls, and exploration is tightly confined to small, designated zones. For example, I was unable to run straight through a cornfield because, apparently, the corn is made of reinforced concrete. At its worst, Alan gets stuck on these obstacles. Also, the game currently struggles to maintain a steady 60 frames per second.

Spirits for a spirit.

The Occultist features full English voice acting, and I quite liked the main character’s performance. He’s got that low, slightly raspy voice that fits the role nicely. Other actors’ voices are solid too, even if not all of them hit the same high note as the protagonist. The whole thing is backed by a soundtrack composed by Pepe Herrero.

Where The Occultist really pulls you in is its engaging story. Sure, the “dark cult” angle is a familiar territory, but the title still manages to feel fresh – largely thanks to intriguing NPCs. Gameplay-wise, it’s not trailblazing, but thankfully it avoids turning into just another walking simulator. The title features some simple yet interesting puzzles and mechanics. On the downside, clear budget limitations and performance hiccups show through. Still, all things considered, the game turns out to be captivating and enjoyable enough.

The Occultist is available now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Reviewed on PC.

A Copy of The Occultist was provided by the publisher.