The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow

A fantastic example of British folklore, where bucolic rural villages hide dark secrets, The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow demonstrates how the point-and-click adventure is so ideally suited for telling quiet, subtle stories.

Arriving in the tiny village of Bewlay, Thomasina Bateman is an explorer of ancient burial grounds and intends to excavate Hob’s Barrow. It’s perhaps the late 19th century and Bateman is made to feel unwelcome almost immediately, the locals very against some outsider poking around.

The game has the vibes of the best British ‘70s gentle horror, those Hammer movies that were more about atmosphere than lurching monsters, most especially the vibes of The Wicker Man. There’s a huge emphasis on getting to know the people of the village, exploring their lives and backgrounds, and in turn, Thomasina’s own, while a calm rumble of brooding danger underlies it all.

This is a game published by the aforementioned Wadjet Eye, and Gilbert is responsible for the game’s voice direction (always a welcome credit, shared by Kathy Rain), and does a spectacular job. This is a fantastic cast, and a brilliant ensemble performance.

This is a piece of pastoral perfection, delivering an affecting and meaningful story as only an adventure game can.