Much like Partisans 1941 and War Mongrels, NOT FOR THE FAINT OF JANK. It's a shame to go so ham on it because I've been eyeballing this since 2020, there's so many fun and clever ideas but it's a bit too buggy + also NOT PLAYTESTED AT ALL (unless we count growing grey hairs as play testing). It makes Commandos 1 and Desperados 1 look like child's play.

What does the game do well? Narrative, progression, art, some puzzles, some survival nature (traversing too). Stealth is debatable. It's more like a very limited weapons -vania + sokoban, which is cool but it's not classic RTT-y, it's either too clunky or purposefully awkward (unless you count right click to lock on Agnes' spells as that, heck, you can't even queue up abilities in pause, or change characters while paused). Indoors gameplay is great, inventory management is good, crafting and XCOM/Robin Hood style base is awesome. Listing all of these also makes you realise, wow, there are SO MANY SYSTEMS TO KEEP TRACK OF. The game is insanely ambitious, possibly too ambitious / too much scope. I almost think the phobias the characters develop through failing the insanity management should be at the start just so that the game can spit in your face early.

There are some baffling game design decisions (although they could just be amateur mistakes too, like systems overriding each other), let's name a couple:
-Selecting a viewcone while casting an ability/looking through loot cancels out said action. Really?
-No camera pan, it's always centred on the selected camera like in an ARPG. Stealth games are about giving the player as much info as possible as to not become a drag through the many game simulation systems. With the removal of saves (as I can only imagine the hardcore gamer response would be "it would dilute the difficulty, would you play survival horror/metroid with saves" yes, I would, but those games are balanced) it's hard to experiment or learn the game. I like SOME of the vagueness and mystiqueness of it, like the pseudo survival craft/horror nature of not knowing what's in a chest and only having 1 busted up crowbar. But related to everything else? no
- Viewcones lie, game world geometry lies, bboxes lie, shadows lie ranges are hard to gauge for anything that has an "aura" like effect.
-Characters can end up in a loop of climbing the movable boxes, said movable boxes can end up not being usable if in the "wrong" place aka not properly playtested for.
-Weird performance issues and clipping.
-The UI/UX is awful. A lot of things are not explained properly or are not pleasant to work with (like Agnes' swap ability)
-Built with controller in mind, the keyboard inputs are SO CRAMPED it is unreal. There is no need to need to scroll between 3 abilities when you could just... have the 3 abilities have their own binds (unless of course you want to deliver a very specific Hardcore Gamer TM experience that's essentially isometric System Shock 1)
- Can't rebind... really?
- Hard to come to a stop with the mouse after sprinting, with WASD it's slightly easier.
-Can't draw a box to select multiple characters in an isometric real time game.... I do like the "follow" mechanic, especially for Eduardo, since he's afraid of the dark, that's awesome. Literally doesn't make sense for ANYONE ELSE IN THE GROUP.

I would recommend it more firmly after some patches that help with "soft/hard lock/fail" states like the aforementioned movable box. It's incredibly unique.

The Stone of Madness is a masterfully crafted real-time tactical stealth game that immerses players in the eerie and oppressive atmosphere of an 18th-century Spanish monastery. From the moment you step into the shoes of one of the five prisoners, the game pulls you into a world of tension, mystery, and psychological turmoil. With its unique premise, stunning hand-drawn art style, and strategic gameplay, this is a title that stands out in the stealth genre.

One of the most striking aspects of The Stone of Madness is its atmosphere. The monastery feels alive, with its dimly lit corridors, creaking floorboards, and haunting silence punctuated by the occasional distant scream or whisper. The game’s soundtrack deserves special mention—it’s a haunting blend of orchestral and ambient tones that perfectly complements the sense of dread and urgency. Every note feels deliberate, heightening the tension as you navigate the monastery’s labyrinthine halls.

The hand-drawn art style is another standout feature. The meticulous attention to detail in the environments and character designs brings the 18th-century setting to life. The muted color palette and shadowy visuals reinforce the game’s oppressive tone, making every step forward feel like a descent further into madness.

Gameplay-wise, The Stone of Madness shines as a strategic stealth experience. Each of the five prisoners brings unique skills and abilities to the table, encouraging players to think carefully about how to approach each situation. Whether you’re sneaking past guards, solving puzzles, or managing your sanity, the game demands both quick thinking and careful planning. The real-time element adds an extra layer of tension, as every decision feels consequential.

The premise itself is fascinating—exploring the prisoners’ phobias and unraveling the mysteries of the monastery keeps you invested in the story. The game does an excellent job of balancing its narrative with gameplay, ensuring that each revelation feels earned and impactful.

If there’s one minor critique, it’s that the learning curve can be steep for newcomers to the genre. However, the challenge is part of what makes The Stone of Madness so rewarding. Every successful escape or uncovered secret feels like a hard-fought victory.

In conclusion, The Stone of Madness is a must-play for fans of tactical stealth games and psychological horror. Its gripping atmosphere, stunning visuals, and strategic depth make it a standout title that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Whether you’re a seasoned strategist or a newcomer looking for a unique challenge, this game is well worth your time.

Maybe the best looking indie game of 2025, the art style is amazing! I played 1 hour on hardest difficulty to finish the prologue but i already played the demo so i knew most of the mechanics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6tiO-dlgBo

I would like to explain the gameplay loop a little better. You control 3 characters at the same time out of a total 5, you have a main base and during the day you complete objectives and gather loot. During the night you have a Darkest Dungeon style camping mechanic in the secret cell and can heal, craft, restory sanity and other stuff.
You also can read stuff or get books to read so you get knowledge wich is used to upgrade heroes, its hard to get.
You actually have consumables used to picklock, stun enemies, distract enemies and more. So you have to balance resource usage vs resource collection. Game has 3 difficulties but sadly they are not balanced properly and the tutorial is not even 20% of what you need to know.
You explore the monastery on a chapter based system but you can chose what area of the monastry to explore and loot so there is no real rush from what i know. The game also nice cutscenes and decent story .
Pros: great art, good story, tense atmosphere, good immersion, supernatural powers, interesting characters and skills, base mechanic and good progression. Technically it's commandos gameplay but without all the combat, it's using variopus characters to steal loot, open doors, open shortcuts or just solves quests
Cons: very bad tutorial, bad pacing sometimes because you get stuck on a certain interactions, can seem very complicated to play, definetly not balanced but the complexity can be good in some situations. Leonora is used way too much, the devs could redistribute the skills. Resource management can get very intense so commandos fans might not like it when you are pressed for resources.

The game is worth playing and worth full price but only if you understand that the game is a Prison escape/Space Prison type of game, not Commandos. And progression is not always very straightfoward, you might need to invest a lot of time into a zone before moving away