The Council
Released Mar 2018
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.
83% positive · 5,739 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to get it
Free on Steam
Evaluation
The Council is a completed five-episode narrative adventure. The game launched its first episode on March 13, 2018, and released subsequent episodes at roughly two-month intervals throughout 2018: Episode 2 on May 15, Episode 3 on July 24, Episode 4 on September 25, and the final Episode 5 ("Checkmate") on December 4, 2018. The December 4, 2018 post explicitly announced the "Complete Season" as fully released, marking the conclusion of the game's content. All four DLC episodes are confirmed as released, and no unreleased DLC remains. The store description confirms that purchasing the Complete Season grants access to all five episodes — the full story is available. The most recent developer communication was on March 25, 2020, when Episode 1 was made free to play as a promotional move — this was a pricing change, not new content. No further content has been announced or released since December 2018. The game launched and concluded as a planned, finite episodic series.
Evidence
Developer announced the Complete Season is fully released with Episode 5: Checkmate, explicitly marking the end of the five-episode series.
Episode 5: Checkmate, the final episode, released on December 4, 2018. All four DLC episodes are marked as released with no unreleased items remaining.
Content
4 of 4 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Focus Entertainment
Achievements
42
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player
About this game

The Complete Season of The Council grants you access to all 5 episodes.
The Council is an episodic game like no other. Delivering a fresh new take on the Narrative Adventure, your choices and character growth truly matter. Make hard-hitting decisions, but also develop an array of skills to directly impact how the story unfolds. With permanent, long-lasting consequences, there is no going back. Plunge into a tale of intrigue and manipulation in the style of a classic murder mystery, living with a cast of alluring characters each hiding their own dark secrets. Trust no one while uncovering dire truths – no matter the cost to mind and body.

The Council begins in 1793, with players taking the role of secret society member Louis de Richet after his invitation to a private island off the shores of England by the enigmatic Lord Mortimer. Joining him are a number of high profile guests, including Napoleon Bonaparte and President of the newly-formed United States of America, George Washington. The strange nature of this private reception goes beyond just the prestigious guests –Richet’s own mother has recently gone missing on the island, while each and every one of the colorful cast seems to have their own hidden agendas.

In a new twist for the genre, the core of The Council’s gameplay comes from manipulating and maneuvering through character encounters using the unique Social Influence system. During confrontations, skills and limited resources can be used to gain the upper hand and achieve the desired outcome. Players will be rewarded for their knowledge of each character’s psychological vulnerabilities and immunities, as well as their preparations made during prior exploration and investigation. Failing an encounter does not mean ‘game over’, and no action can be taken back. The consequences are permanent, and may result in persistent physical disfigurements or mental traits that help or hinder the rest of the player’s adventure.

Richet’s numerous skills can be developed to align with your chosen approach to the adventure. Solve issues with diplomacy, delve into occultism to expand your historical and scientific knowledge, or play detective and see what others do not perceive. Your skills will have uses that extend far beyond your conversations with fellow guests. With 15 diverse skills to use and invest in, players are free to uncover The Council’s mysteries how they see fit, with wildly varying consequences depending on their methods. The results will forever alter the life of Louis de Richet, of those around him, and shape history as we know it.
Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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