Stillwater is an adventure game created by indie developer Studio Clump. In this free-to-play visual novel, you will follow private investigator Hugo as he delves into a murky mystery.  Together with his partner Noah, he will get entangled in lies and secrets within a family curse.

Stillwater features horror elements that add intrigue to the already mysterious plotline. It also introduces interesting characters. Moreover, it boasts a great art style and music. However, as with other indie games, it comes with a short runtime. There is also little player input, making it more of a novel than a game.

What is Stillwater?

Stillwater is a narrative-driven story that features a mysterious plot. As mentioned, it stars a private investigator named Hugo Laurent. In the game, a client named Nina requests an investigation regarding her grandfather's safety. With this, Hugo, together with his partner Noah, went to Nina's grandfather's home. However, the case is more of a paranormal variety. Moreover, underneath it, danger awaits the duo.

As mentioned, Stillwater is also a horror game. As the duo investigates, there will be jump scares that will keep you at the edge of your seats. However, more than chilling elements, there will also be swearing and mentions of suicide. With this, players should play with caution. Additionally, there will be flashing images and loud noises that can induce headaches to some.

Visual-wise, the game features an excellent art style. Not only that, but it also boasts a great story building. The author fleshed out the characters very well, which is evident in their dynamics. Although, the gameplay is rather short. The author could have delved more into the story of the other characters to extend the runtime. However, it offers two endings, adding to the replay value of the game. 

Is the game good?

Overall, Stillwater is an enjoyable game, especially if you are into investigative plots. It offers a dark mystery, which is made more interesting by the well-written characters. Not only that, but it comes with visually pleasing art, which adds to the allure of the plot. The run time could have been expanded by fleshing out more characters. Nevertheless, it is a title worth picking up.