There is something wonderfully unsettling about Curse of Resthaven. Blending Gothic horror, detective work, town management and roguelite mechanics into one absorbing adventure, Hilltop Studios has delivered something genuinely distinctive. What initially appears to be a relatively straightforward mystery surrounding a missing family member gradually develops into a much larger supernatural adventure, one that constantly encourages you to question what you know and reconsider your next move. With an intriguing narrative, memorable characters and an exceptionally rewarding gameplay loop, Curse of Resthaven is one of my 2026 highlights.
You step into the shoes of Ambrose, a young man who takes up the position of governor in the struggling island settlement of Resthaven. However, his reasons for venturing to the island are considerably more personal than simply wanting to improve the fortunes of a struggling community. His niece, Amalia, has disappeared, and he has decided to take matters into his own hands by leading the investigation himself.
Unfortunately, Resthaven has problems considerably more sinister than its failing economy. Strange occurrences, suspicious residents and disturbing discoveries beyond the settlement’s walls quickly establish that something is terribly wrong. Without venturing into spoiler territory, the story does an excellent job of gradually peeling back its layers, introducing increasingly fascinating mysteries while keeping you invested in Ambrose’s search. The writing is particularly strong, with a colourful cast of characters whose individual personalities and motivations make spending time in Resthaven an absolute pleasure.
What makes the narrative especially compelling is its six-day time-loop structure. Every six days, disaster strikes and the island is destroyed, sending Ambrose back to the beginning with his memories and accumulated knowledge intact. Rather than treating this as a conventional roguelite reset, Hilltop Studios cleverly incorporates the mechanic into the storytelling itself. Each new cycle offers opportunities to pursue previously inaccessible information, approach conversations differently and uncover details that might have escaped your attention during earlier attempts. There are multiple narrative paths to discover, giving the experience considerable longevity and making progression feel genuinely meaningful.
Gameplay is an equally interesting mixture of different genres. Much of your time is spent investigating the settlement, questioning its inhabitants and deciding which leads deserve your attention. Conversations operate through an interrogation system that allows you to select topics from an expanding list of discoveries. Finding the right person to discuss a particular subject with can unlock crucial information, advance investigations or reveal entirely new avenues to explore. It makes you feel like a genuine detective, rewarding curiosity and encouraging you to pay attention to the information gathered along the way.
However, being governor also means keeping Resthaven functioning. Local businesses generate resources that can be collected and traded with visiting merchant ships, providing the money and supplies needed to finance your expeditions. Trading involves negotiating prices according to individual merchants’ preferences, while improving relationships can unlock useful information and better opportunities. You can also invest in local businesses to improve their output and strengthen the settlement’s economy.
Expeditions provide another important gameplay element, taking Ambrose beyond the relative safety of the town and into the island’s increasingly disturbing wilderness. These encounters use a card-based system, requiring you to prepare appropriate companions and resources before setting out. Making the wrong decisions can cost you valuable supplies and precious time, so preparation is essential. The encounters themselves introduce unpredictable situations, strange discoveries and some genuinely unsettling moments.
Of course, time is always against you. Every activity consumes a portion of Ambrose’s day, forcing you to prioritise between investigating leads, conducting business and venturing into the wilderness. You simply cannot accomplish everything in one cycle, and learning which activities deserve your attention is central to the experience. Fortunately, permanent upgrades and accumulated knowledge make subsequent attempts feel worthwhile rather than punishing. The journal is also an invaluable companion, keeping track of important discoveries and helping you identify where to investigate next. There is also a timeline, which shows key moments that you have uncovered or have some knowledge about.
Loops feel distinct, with so much to do you tend to focus on different things each run, whether that be economic upgrades, expeditions or lines of inquiry with the locals. You can also tailor your run, as whenever time resets you can choose between one of three random modifiers. Each one of these has a pro and con. Trading may take up one section of time instead of two for example, but expeditions will take three instead of two. So you can plan accordingly.
There are three different ways the game can play out, with you encouraged to go back after each one until you reach the ultimate ending. I loved how the team handled subsequent runs. As you start from the beginning again it would have been so easy for a lot of the early conversations and actions to feel stale and repetitive, but Ambrose remembers these encounters are echoes, allowing you to bypass any tedious moments.
Visually, Curse of Resthaven adopts a distinctive illustrated aesthetic that perfectly complements its Gothic atmosphere. Character portraits are wonderfully expressive and distinctive. The expedition sequences make particularly effective use of atmospheric artwork, with some of the more disturbing imagery leaving plenty to the imagination.
Audio is another highlight. The fully voiced cast brings considerable personality to the inhabitants of Resthaven, making conversations feel engaging rather than simply functioning as a means of delivering information. The atmospheric soundtrack also does an excellent job of establishing tension, reinforcing the unsettling nature of the island without constantly resorting to obvious horror cues.
There are occasional frustrations when balancing the limited daily schedule or revisiting familiar conversations across multiple loops. Some minor technical and presentation quirks also prevent the experience from feeling completely polished. Nevertheless, these are relatively small blemishes on an otherwise exceptional adventure.
Curse of Resthaven is a wonderfully imaginative experience that successfully brings together several different gameplay ideas without losing sight of what matters most: its mystery. Hilltop Studios has created a fascinating world filled with memorable characters, unsettling discoveries and an engrossing story that continually rewards curiosity. If you appreciate narrative-driven adventures and enjoy piecing together a mystery at your own pace, this is an absolute must-play. Resthaven might be cursed, but spending time there is anything but.
-Craig 🧐
