The Cecil: The Journey Begins
| File:The Cecil game.jpg | |
| Developer | Genie Interactive Games |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Wandering Wizard, Snail Games USA |
| Engine | Unreal Engine |
| Release date | April 3, 2025 |
| Platform(s) | PC |
| Genre | Survival Horror |
The Cecil: The Journey Begins is a first-person survival horror video game released in 2025 exclusively for PC. Developed by Genie Interactive Games and published by Wandering Wizard and Snail Games USA, the game is built on the Unreal Engine. Set in the eerie and atmospheric Cecil Hotel, the game combines exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat elements as players search for the protagonist's missing wife, Sarah, while uncovering the dark history and mysteries of the hotel.[1]
Summary
The Cecil: The Journey Begins is described as an "enjoyable and quick first person survival horror game with combat elements." The game features a horror-fantastic atmosphere within the infamous Cecil Hotel setting. Players navigate through the hotel's dark corridors and rooms, solving puzzles, uncovering secrets, and engaging in occasional combat encounters. The game can be completed in approximately three hours and has been characterized as an "interactive movie with a couple of gun fights."[1]
Story
The narrative begins with the protagonist waking up in a prison cell, driven by the urgent need to find his missing wife, Sarah. The escape from the cell serves as a tutorial sequence, where players learn basic mechanics by using a plunger on the toilet, finding a chisel to break through bricks, and discovering a lockpicking tool to open the door.[1] Upon escaping, the protagonist gathers fragmented backstory information and makes his way to the Cecil Hotel. The hotel's atmosphere is deliberately eerie and ominous, with clear indications that terrible events have occurred within its walls. The game features creepy environmental storytelling elements, including scratchy old-timey radio broadcasts and strategically placed jump scares, such as quick cuts to ominous statues accompanied by unsettling audio cues.[1] While the main narrative focuses on finding Sarah, the story expands to include the hotel's own history and mysteries. Players must unravel these interconnected plot threads, though the search for Sarah occasionally feels like "an afterthought" amid the broader supernatural narrative. The game introduces various plot points that serve as filler content, though they are presented in an entertaining manner that complements the short playtime.[1]
Gameplay
Mechanics
The Cecil: The Journey Begins features straightforward mechanics centered on exploration and interaction. Players use mouse and keyboard controls to navigate the hotel environment, with smooth camera panning and crisp visual contrast that facilitates exploration. The game prompts players to interact with specific items and objects throughout the hotel.[1] The game's structure, while appearing open-world, is actually "deceptively linear." Players cannot progress to new areas until they complete specific tasks in their current location. As new sections unlock, the explorable area expands, allowing players to revisit previously accessed rooms. However, progression is gated by various obstacles, including seemingly minor barriers like pillars and rotted wood boards that the protagonist cannot overcome.[1]
Puzzles
The puzzle design strikes a balance between challenge and accessibility. Puzzles are neither overly difficult nor trivially easy, avoiding the frustration often associated with similar games. Tasks include searching through multiple objects (such as examining eight vases to find a key) without requiring complex multi-step solutions or specific sequential orders. This approach keeps gameplay moving forward without excessive trial and error.[1]
Combat
Combat elements are integrated sporadically throughout the game. Players acquire an old-timey pistol to defend against monsters hidden within the hotel. These enemies require multiple shots to defeat but move slowly, making encounters manageable. Ammunition is plentiful throughout the hotel. The combat sequences serve as breaks from puzzle-solving, though they have been noted as feeling "wildly out of place" within the overall experience.[1]
Presentation
Visuals
The game features dark but visually stunning environments. Each room in the hotel is uniquely designed with careful attention to detail, though the variety can be somewhat disorienting. The visual design includes creepy blood effects, shadowy corners, and unsettling enemy designs that maintain tension throughout the gameplay experience.[1]
Audio
The sound design has been particularly praised as "stellar." Every interactive item produces appropriate sounds, from clinks and clanks to the grinding of stone statues on wooden shelves. Audio cues guide exploration and maintain immersion, with each sound carefully matched to its corresponding action and environment. The music, while effective at setting the mood, often remains in the background and is generally described as forgettable. However, when present, the musical score contributes appropriately to the horror atmosphere.[1]
Reception
The Cecil: The Journey Begins received a positive recommendation from The Gaming Outsider, with particular praise for its atmosphere and sound design. The review highlighted that the game "didn't overstay its welcome" and avoided "manufactured difficulty," making it accessible to players who appreciate its aesthetic without overwhelming them with frustration.[1] The environmental design and especially the audio implementation were singled out as the game's strongest elements, keeping players engaged throughout the approximately three-hour runtime. While the story was noted to meander and introduce filler content, reviewers acknowledged that the entertaining presentation and short playtime prevented these elements from becoming problematic.[1] Criticisms included the game's linear structure disguised as open exploration, laughable path blockers (such as small pillars and rotted boards), and combat elements that felt out of place. Additionally, the narrative's treatment of the main objective—finding the protagonist's wife—was noted to sometimes feel secondary to the hotel's mysteries. However, the review concluded that players who find the trailer appealing will likely enjoy the game, recommending it to fans of atmospheric horror puzzle experiences.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 {{#if: | {{{author}}} }} {{#if: https://thegamingoutsider.com/2025/04/28/the-cecil-the-journey-begins-pc-review/mszymanski/ | The Cecil: The Journey Begins PC Review }} {{#if: The Gaming Outsider | The Gaming Outsider. }} {{#if: 2025-10-29 | Accessed: 2025-10-29. }}