The Council on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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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.
The Council is a choices matter, adventure and rpg game
developed by Big Bad Wolf
and published by Focus Entertainment.
Released on March 13th 2018 is available only on Windows
in 6 languages: English, French, German, Spanish - Spain, Russian and Italian.
It has received 5,338 reviews of which 4,469 were positive and 869 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. 😎
The game is free to play on Steam.
The Steam community has classified The Council into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
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System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS *: Windows 7/8/10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i3-2125 (3.3 GHz)/AMD FX-4100 (3.6 GHz)
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: 1 GB, GeForce GTX 750/Radeon R7 360
- Storage: 15 GB available space
- Additional Notes: INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR GAME ACTIVATION
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
I love history, secret societies, political intrigue, and mysteries - and this game brings all of that together in perfect balance. The characters are incredibly well-written and multi-layered. Each one has their own motives, secrets, and hidden agendas. As the story unfolds, you realize you can’t fully trust anyone, and that creates an amazing sense of tension. The dialogues are a true highlight: they’re not just about picking lines, but about engaging in real intellectual duels. The puzzles are genuinely interesting. They’re not there just for the sake of it - they make you think, analyze documents, and connect the dots. You truly feel like a participant in an 18th-century conspiracy rather than just an observer. The atmosphere of a secret society is conveyed brilliantly - closed-door meetings, influential historical figures, power struggles, and manipulation. The game skillfully plays with themes of conspiracy and alternative history without becoming absurd. If you enjoy detective stories, political intrigue, and the feeling of uncovering something ancient and forbidden, The Council is absolutely worth playing. For me personally, it’s a rare example of a game where story and intellect matter more than action - and that’s exactly why I value it so highly. This game is exactly the kind of game that went straight to my heart.
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It will suffice to say that I do not appreciate wanton women flaunting their assets and making attempts at stripping me of my purity. In the equal measure I do not approve of a gentleman wearing a tattered frock coat made of leather - this is a most barbaric fashion choice that does not deserve my respect. Nevertheless, despite the inadequacy of the above mentioned points, this is an acceptable diversion - enough to keep one at home and away from drinking clubs.
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For the Price of 1.5 Euros, the game is very good. Yes there is poor optimization, but you dont rly need it to enjoy the game. A good immersion, for the money you spend you get some gameplay. You need to have patience in puzzles, If you fail an encounter you can just go to main menu and back in game for how many chances you need! Over all worth it, if u life story telling games
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Got this for $1.50 on sale and genuinely feel like I robbed the devs. Really really intriguing story, mystery and world building. Many great story twists. The game doesn't pander to you or treat you as stupid and the choices that you make, for the most part, have logical consequences. The riddles can be very challenging but don't feel unfair. All characters are generally written in a believable manner and it seldom felt like their reactions or actions are out of place. Most importantly, if you really dislike a character you can actually be awful to them: Insult them, punch them and even contribute to their death, etc. You are never forced to take the high road or be a goody-two-shoes protagonist. There are some minor parts in the overall story where I was confused as to why certain characters are suddenly aware or intrigued by certain story relevant items but this probably has to do with the fact that the ending overall was unfortunately a bit rushed likely due to time or money constraints. Could use some quality of life upgrades such as skipping dialogue if you wish to replay a quest. The facial animations do look like a madame taussaud's wax figure came to life but it is something I can easily forgive. Voice acting can be a bit funny but it does add to the charm a lot in my opinion. The ending, like I said, is rushed but I came out of it wanting for more and not frustrated or disappointed. One of the very few games where I can see myself replaying it in the future.
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Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 232: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ (8/10) The Council is one of those games that feels like it shouldn’t work, and yet somehow, it absolutely does. It’s messy, yes. But it’s also daring, weirdly smart, and packed with enough political intrigue, occult mysteries, and branching dialogue trees to make any Telltale fan perk up. Its mechanics are bold and genuinely refreshing, even when the game struggles to keep up with its own ambition. Between the skill-based conversations, occult storytelling, and branching consequences, it earns a place among the most interesting narrative RPGs, even if it’s not the most polished (and has an awful ending). 🔮 Pros: [*] Bold narrative choices that actually matter. This isn’t one of those “illusion of choice” games. Your background, skills, and dialogue decisions dramatically change how scenes play out—and entire characters or plotlines can vanish based on what you say. It's one of the few games where I truly felt like I was steering the story, not just watching it. [*] The RPG dialogue system is truly one of a kind. Rather than just choosing lines from a list, The Council lets you build your character’s social and intellectual skill set, and those choices dramatically affect how conversations go. Each dialogue has “confrontation” segments where you’re under time pressure to pick the right responses, and many options are locked behind stats like Psychology, Etiquette, or Science. You use your skills to outmaneuver people in real-time. It turns dialogue into actual gameplay. And if you mess up, you live with it. [*] Skills matter more than weapons or inventory. The game leans into the idea of intellect as your power. Want to disarm someone in a debate? Use Conviction. Want to bluff your way past a suspicious noble? Try Subterfuge. You can tailor your entire playthrough around being a charismatic manipulator, a cold logician, or even a religious scholar. Different builds open entirely new scenes, interactions, or solutions. And that’s just so cool. [*] Resource management adds real tension. Every skill check costs Effort Points, a limited resource you have to manage. Use too many, and you're vulnerable. Use items to regain them, but beware of side effects like addiction or penalties. This turns even basic conversations into puzzles: Should I spend my last 3 points to break this guy down? Or save them in case I need to use Science to solve a puzzle later? [*] Twisty, pulpy plot that leans HARD into the occult. What starts as a missing person mystery turns into a Dan Brown fever dream. Secret societies, historical figures (hi, George Washington!), demonic visions, philosophical debates, and full-on supernatural turns. It goes there, and I loved it for that. [*] Period setting with personality. The 1790s French island mansion is lavish and mysterious, filled with rich tapestries, candlelight, and art you can actually analyze. It’s like a murder mystery dinner party with Illuminati. The setting sells it, even when the character animations don't. [*] A bold commitment to consequence. There’s no quicksaving. If you fail a confrontation, misread a clue, or blow your chance to charm someone, you live with it. Major events and even character fates hinge on your success or failure. The stakes feel real, because they are. [*] Janky, but charming. Facial animations can be rough. Voice acting ranges from solid to hilariously stiff. But once you’re in the groove, the jank kind of becomes part of the appeal. It adds this off-kilter vibe that matches the increasingly surreal story. 🩻 Cons: [*]Writing can be uneven and occasionally overwrought. Some dialogue is clever and tense, especially in skill checks, but at other times it becomes stilted or meanders into clunky exposition. Characters occasionally speak like they're reading aloud from a philosophy textbook, and the pacing suffers when conversations drag on without much payoff. [*] Facial animations and body language are stiff at best. Don’t expect mocap magic here—characters emote like wax figures and often don’t match the tone of their dialogue. It’s serviceable, but immersion suffers when dramatic moments are delivered with wide-eyed stares and awkward gestures. [*] Some puzzles are deeply obscure. While some are clever, others feel designed to frustrate. Without hints or intuitive logic, you’ll either brute force your way through or look up a guide. [*] No map, minimal guidance, and too much backtracking. You’ll often be told to "find someone" or "go to the salon" with no help locating them. In a mansion of identical corridors and locked doors, this can get old fast. Especially when you’re walking in circles to trigger the next cutscene. [*] The ending is rushed, incoherent, and deeply unsatisfying. After building up a complex web of characters, lore, and moral decisions, The Council’s final chapter dumps a truckload of exposition and then ends abruptly. Choices you've made across multiple episodes seem to collapse into a single moment with barely any resolution. It feels like the writers ran out of time—or interest—and it robs the story of emotional closure. If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems and our YouTube channel for more reviews like this one.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Council is free to play on Steam.
The Council is not on sale because is already free to play on Steam.
The Council received 4,469 positive votes out of a total of 5,338 achieving a rating of 8.12.
😎
The Council was developed by Big Bad Wolf and published by Focus Entertainment.
The Council is playable and fully supported on Windows.
The Council is not playable on MacOS.
The Council is not playable on Linux.
The Council is a single-player game.
There are 4 DLCs available for The Council. Explore additional content available for The Council on Steam.
The Council does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
The Council supports Remote Play on TV. Discover more about Steam Remote Play.
The Council does not currently support Steam Family Sharing.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for The Council.
Data sources
The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.
Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 27 April 2026 06:14 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 30 April 2026 15:07 |
| Steam price | 27 April 2026 06:14 |
| Steam reviews | 28 April 2026 16:01 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about The Council, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about The Council
- SteamCharts - Analysis of The Council concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck The Council compatibility
Game modes
Online players
8
Developer
Big Bad Wolf
Publisher
Focus Entertainment
Release
13 Mar 2018
Platforms
Remote Play
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