[EXCLUSIVE] Priest Stealth Gameplay Unveiled in The Stone of Madness

Recently, we got a fresh glimpse into The Stone of Madness, a tactical stealth game, revealing intriguing gameplay footage and insights about Alfredo Martin, the priest among its five unique characters. Alfredo has quite the skill set, allowing him to shed light in the darkest corners, uncover hidden secrets, and even don a convincing disguise. However, his Achilles’ heel is a fear of death, which causes his sanity to waver when near corpses. Mark your calendars, as The Stone of Madness is set for a January 28, 2025 release on both PC and consoles.

Game Rant has treated us to exclusive footage, showcasing the stealth segments that feature the intimidating yet vulnerable priest, Alfredo Martin. This intriguing character is part of the indie marvel crafted by The Game Kitchen, a Spanish developer. Set within a grim 18th-century Spanish monastery, the game draws aesthetic inspiration from the haunting works of Francisco De Goya. Players will face the dual challenge of maintaining the sanity of five prisoners while navigating a perilous day-night cycle of preparation and dangerous exploration in a bid to escape this sinister abode, which serves as both madhouse and prison.

In a Game Rant exclusive, a promotional video places Alfredo Martin in the spotlight, demonstrating his role as a master of stealth and exploration. The clip provides a taste of what to expect, with Alfredo deftly uncovering concealed passageways and wielding his disguise as a non-imprisoned priest to slip past guards unnoticed. The video hints at some tension, introducing a guard suspicion meter when Alfredo’s cloaked maneuvers tread close to exposure, around the 36-second mark.

Alfredo’s arsenal includes an oil lamp, a tool that lights up shadowy spaces, which is crucial for exploration. This overlaps somewhat with fellow character Agnes Santos, who influences light through flames and extinguishing torches. While Alfredo’s lamp offers unique advantages in otherwise inaccessible areas, it remains a personal tool, underscoring his individual thematic contrast of seeking enlightenment while shunning the grim reality of death around him. His encounters with corpses rapidly diminish his sanity, urging players to steer him clear of such alarming sights.

Central to The Stone of Madness is the delicate task of managing each character’s unique phobias and traumas, as crucial to success as the stealth, exploration, and preparation itself. The game encourages players to exploit the diverse skills of its characters, weaving them together for cohesive gameplay and promising a novel, strategic stealth experience.

Alfredo Martin’s capabilities in The Stone of Madness include delving into secretive dealings with a lamp, wearing disguises, and aiding the group through prayer. Yet, his fear of death, a significant vulnerability, presents a critical gameplay challenge.

For console enthusiasts and PC gamers alike, The Stone of Madness, under the publishing oversight of Tripwire Interactive, will officially launch on January 28, 2025. Meanwhile, the PC demo is already accessible on Steam for players eager to dive into its eerie world.

With roots in the same studio that delivered the acclaimed Blasphemous series, The Stone of Madness is a real-time tactical stealth game that promises to immerse players in a world teetering on the edge of sanity. Set against the rugged Pyrenees in a timeworn Jesuit monastery, it’s a tale of five prisoners—burdened by madness and cruelty—banding together to master their fears, navigate layers of insanity, unravel the Monastery’s mysteries, and plot their daring escape.

Facing the tight watchfulness of the monastery, the characters of Agnes, Leonora, Eduardo, Amelia, and Alfredo stand ready, each with unique, upgradable skills to tackle supernatural threats, explore secluded areas, and more, ensuring players will be engaged every step of the way.