Pixelsnatch

The Council: Demon Powers and Disappointing Endings

Studio: Big Bad Wolf (France)

Platform: Xbox One

Just finished The Council and I'm conflicted. For most of the game, I couldn't put it down - the demon powers that let you read minds and possess people were absolutely fascinating. The whole setup with historical figures like George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte trapped on this mysterious island was incredibly compelling.

The conversation mechanics are brilliant. Using your skills to manipulate political figures, reading their thoughts, and occasionally jumping into their bodies created this amazing sense of supernatural intrigue. The RPG systems actually matter - your build determines which dialogue options you can access and how effectively you can manipulate people.

Then there's the story. You've got this wild Gothic narrative where everyone's related in some twisted demon bloodline, you accidentally have sex with your half-sister, and the political machinations get genuinely complex. The English lord Mortimer is pushing for democratic revolution while the French characters cling to monarchy - way more nuanced than you'd expect.

But that final episode... it's like they ran out of time or money or both. All those amazing demon powers you've been building up? Barely used. The possession mechanic that could have been incredible? Limited to two specific scripted moments when you desperately want sandbox freedom to just possess George Washington and see what chaos you could cause. Characters disappear, conversations get cut short, and the resolution feels rushed and incomplete.

The unresolved romance subplot with your demon half-sister is particularly frustrating - there's this emotionally charged scene where she's vulnerable and drunk, expressing that she trusts you more than anyone despite everything, and then... nothing. No follow-up, no resolution, just abandoned.

Despite the janky final act, I'd still rate it 8-9/10 because the core experience is that compelling. Big Bad Wolf Studio (French developers based in Bordeaux) clearly knew their French history but fumbled some basic American Revolution facts - Washington didn't run a "reelection campaign," he was elected by acclamation.

If you can tolerate a disappointing ending for 15+ hours of genuinely engaging political intrigue and supernatural manipulation, The Council is worth playing. Just know that those demon powers will remain frustratingly underutilized.