Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel employs a first-person, point-and-click control scheme that feels both familiar and intuitive. As Kyle Reed, you navigate the haunted corridors of the Reed Hotel by clicking on highlighted green areas to move between fixed camera angles. This rail-like movement system simplifies exploration while often forcing you to pause and soak in the atmosphere before proceeding.

Puzzles are scattered throughout the eight chapters, and they range from simple inventory-based challenges to more elaborate environmental riddles. Interaction icons appear when you hover over hot spots or objects—mirroring the classic style of The 7th Guest—but this game spices things up with dynamic animations and occasional timed sequences. The variety of puzzle types helps maintain a steady rhythm, preventing the experience from feeling repetitive.

The inclusion of multiple endings based on your choices adds a layer of replayability. If you die during a chapter, the game either exits or allows you to restart from the beginning of that chapter, which can feel punishing yet encourages careful play. While some may find this checkpoint system frustrating, it heightens the stakes and deepens immersion, making every decision carry weight.

Graphics

Visually, Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel leans heavily into moody lighting and gothic set design. The decaying wallpaper, flickering chandeliers, and dust-laden furniture all contribute to a palpable sense of dread. Though the environments are built from pre-rendered backgrounds, clever use of perspective and localized effects—like drifting dust motes and shifting shadows—bring each frame to life.

Character models and CGI creatures can sometimes feel less polished compared to the backgrounds, with slightly stiff animations during cutscenes. However, these moments are brief and strategically placed to maximize jump-scare potential. Most of your time is spent admiring the intricate detailing in the hotel’s library, ballroom, and basement laboratories—areas that showcase the developers’ talent for atmospheric world-building.

The user interface is unobtrusive and elegantly designed. Interaction icons blend seamlessly into the environment, ensuring you never lose sight of your surroundings. Subtle audio cues accompany each interactive hotspot, further guiding your attention without resorting to intrusive HUD elements. Overall, the visuals strike a fine balance between nostalgic charm and modern horror aesthetics.

Story

The narrative hook of Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel centers on a deep family tragedy. Twenty years ago, your parents opened the Reed Hotel, only to be murdered under mysterious circumstances. Now, with your brother Kyle determined to reopen the cursed establishment, you enter the building of horrors to find him and survive. This premise immediately grabs your attention and sets a tense emotional tone.

As you progress through the hotel’s eight chapters, you uncover layers of dark secrets: occult rituals performed in hidden chambers, cryptic diary entries left by past victims, and supernatural phenomena that defy explanation. Each room you explore ties back to the Reed family’s past in unexpected ways, weaving a narrative tapestry that rewards curious players who hunt down optional clues.

Multiple endings hinge on choices you make—whether to trust mysterious apparitions or destroy cursed artifacts you find along the way. These branching paths give the story significant replay value, as you may uncover new plot threads and revelations on a second playthrough. The pacing is deliberate, with well-timed reveals that build suspense without overwhelming you with exposition.

Overall Experience

Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel offers a satisfying blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and narrative intrigue. The game excels at maintaining a consistently eerie atmosphere, driven by its chilling environments and well-placed jump scares. Though some mechanics—such as the occasional stiff CGI cutscene—show their age, the overall effect is engrossing and effective.

The difficulty curve is thoughtfully designed. Early chapters ease you into the mechanics, while later puzzles demand sharper observation and more creative thinking. If you’re a fan of classic point-and-click horror adventures, you’ll appreciate the nods to genre forebears like The 7th Guest while also enjoying fresh twists unique to this title.

With eight distinct chapters and multiple endings, the game provides substantial content for its price. Whether you play straight through or backtrack to discover every hidden secret, you’ll find plenty of incentive to return. Inherent Evil: The Haunted Hotel stands out as a memorable haunted-house experience that both nostalgic enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre can enjoy.

Retro Replay Score

5.9/10