There’s something oddly comforting about being thrown into a fictional version of a steampunk-ish Nordic city where every wrong move gets you caught and every shadow might just be your only friend. Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream didn’t ask me to improvise or go full rogue. It asked me to think, follow its rhythm, and – above all – pay attention. And you know what? I liked it.
I wasn’t sure I would.
At first, I expected another tactical stealth-em-up in the vein of Shadow Tactics or Desperados. I got something else entirely. Eriksholm isn’t about tactical freedom. It’s about solving environmental puzzles using three distinct characters with very specific abilities. It’s a game of sequences, not sandboxes. And once I accepted that, it clicked.
You’re Hanna, later joined by rooftop-climber Alva and swimming-strongman Sebastian. Their journey through a gray, police-controlled city is quiet, deliberate, and surprisingly tense. The story? Serviceable. The characters? Slightly bland. But the city? Oh man – the city sings.
Let’s talk about that.
Eriksholm is one of the most alive dead cities I’ve ever snuck through. Guards cough, complain, shout, and even wonder out loud where their missing buddy went. The levels are small but packed with detail – an old station platform, a flooded tunnel, a rooftop garden. Every corner has a little story, and the background chatter makes it feel like something’s always about to happen.
And then there are the cutscenes.
These are not your average intermission fillers. These are high-end, Unreal Engine 5, MetaHuman-fueled mini-movies. I had someone walk in while I was watching one and ask, “What film is that?” I’m not joking.
They’re not frequent, but when they show up, they hit hard. Emotional, well-paced, and visually stunning. Easily some of the best in any indie I’ve played this year.
Mechanically, things stay simple. Hanna crawls through vents and uses a dart gun. Alva climbs and distracts with her slingshot. Sebastian punches and swims. It’s basic, yes – but also clean. The game sticks to its rules: you’re either seen or not; you either time it right, or you reload. It’s binary stealth, not chaos stealth.
That might frustrate some players. I get that.
But there’s a charm to its rigidity. Like an old-school puzzle box. There’s usually one correct way to get through a patrol path. If you’re the type who replays sections to shave seconds off, you’ll probably adore this. If you want to improvise and create chaos, maybe not.
I’ll admit – some puzzles dragged. One section involving a cart and some cargo left me staring at the screen, blinking like an idiot. And no, the game didn’t let me brute-force it. But the difficulty is fair. It assumes you’re paying attention, and if you do, it rewards you.
I just wish the game trusted its story as much as its level design. The plot – Hanna’s search for her brother – feels like a prologue to something bigger. It’s hinted there’s more to come, which is good because the world deserves a deeper dive. Right now, it’s intriguing but shallow.
And then there’s the interface. Thank you, River End Games, for making a UI that just works. I never once had to guess what a button did or dig through menus. It’s clean, readable, and even customizable.
Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream: If you want explosions, gunfights, and epic boss battles, this isn’t your game. If you want to slow down, soak in atmosphere, and outthink rather than outshoot your enemies, Eriksholm is a quietly brilliant little gem. – Tom Henry
Pros
✔️ Gorgeously designed world full of subtle details
✔️ Mindful level design with smart environmental puzzles
✔️ Incredible cutscenes (seriously, watch them)
✔️ Each character feels mechanically distinct
✔️ The game respects your time and intelligence
Cons
❌ Story and characters don’t quite land emotionally
❌ Puzzles can occasionally bottleneck progress
❌ No room for improvisation or multiple solutions
I’ve played a lot of stealth games. Some let you break the rules. Eriksholm hands you the rulebook and says: read it carefully. And surprisingly, that was fine by me. Sometimes, you don’t need ten solutions – just one good one that’s satisfying to discover.
I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I’d play a sequel tomorrow.
