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Completed in about 15 and a half hours, finding most collectibles. Eriksholm is a beautiful, narrative puzzle stealth game set in a grounded, early 20th century world. Levels are linear and puzzle-based, with stealth as a mechanic rather than a system. Voice acting is excellent, and background characters often share incidental conversations that add depth to the setting. The story is solid but doesn’t quite land emotionally, and the protagonist’s writing varies in tone. The world hints at dystopia, but little changes by the end. Still, it’s a stylish, thoughtful experience. Thumbs up. (Detailed Review Below)
finished Eriksholm in about 15 and a half hours, taking time to explore and collect most of what the game offers. It’s a strong, polished title with a focused design, striking visuals, and great atmosphere, although not everything fully sticks the landing.
At its core, this is a linear, isometric puzzle stealth game. Each level has you guide one or more characters from point A to point B, solving timing and coordination-based puzzles using stealth as a tool. There are no alternate paths, choices, or branching outcomes. It’s a puzzle game with a narrative wrapper, not a systems-driven stealth sim. Chapters are re-playable, which helps for hunting missed collectibles.
The visuals are a standout. Eriksholm is a beautifully rendered city, evoking early 20th century Europe with strong industrial flair. The setting feels grounded and lived-in, often compared to Dishonored in tone, but without any supernatural elements. It’s one of the game’s strongest assets.
Voice acting is excellent across the board. Characters are well performed, and one of the most effective narrative tools is the incidental dialogue from guards and civilians throughout the game. These overheard conversations do a great job of filling in the backstory and reinforcing the tone of the world. In fact, they’re often as effective as the found collectibles when it comes to world-building.
Narratively, the game is solid but doesn’t quite reach the emotional heights it aims for. It reminded me of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons in structure and tone, a personal story set against a larger backdrop, but it lacks the same emotional weight or payoff. Some world-building ideas hint at a darker, dystopian system, but by the end of the game, those threads remain mostly unresolved. The city and its power structures don’t feel meaningfully changed, which dulls the sense of narrative impact.
A small note: one or two collectible "maps" appear during the game, but they’re difficult to read, have no gameplay utility, and serve purely as minor environmental flavor.
Overall, Eriksholm is a good game that knows what it wants to be, a focused, narrative-driven puzzle experience with stealth mechanics, excellent presentation, and immersive incidental world-building. It’s not groundbreaking, and its story leaves some threads hanging, but it’s definitely worth playing for fans of the genre. Thumbs up.