The Isle Tide Hotel is Wales Interactive’s latest FMV title. It was originally supposed to launch in Q2 2023, but it bumped back slightly and will now be launching in September (Q3). No bother; that’s really not much more of a wait for what I believe from experience will be a solid entry into the FMV world. Wales Interactive has developed/published some great FMV titles, and I’m always excited to see what they’re up to next.
First announced in late 2022, The Isle Tide Hotel is a live-action interactive mystery. An absent father has to rescue his teenage daughter, Eleanor, from an eclectic cult before their last night at the Isle Tide Hotel. The hotel only opens every three years for three nights. A colourful mix of characters, each hiding personal trauma, gather for one thing: their search for the meaning of life. Tonight, though, the organization must decide whether or not to break their own rules and hand over Eleanor to their elusive founder, who will then sacrifice her to some degree.
While players investigate the strange events and try to save Eleanor, every decision will affect the story. Do you infiltrate? Coax your way in? How much of the hidden lore do you uncover? Will you fail at one of the narrative puzzles? There are many ways to rescue the daughter you’ve never even met.
Here’s a new gameplay trailer:
There are seven main endings, but 14 different outcomes. Side quests have their own dedicated endings. Paths are blocked behind information, with cryptic notes leading to hidden endings. There is a real-time personality and cult association tracker to help guide players uncover what people respond to. Sometimes, certain dialogue can lead to seeing characters in a different light.
The game stars Michael D. Xavier (Gentleman Jack) Jemima Rooper (again, I’d like to point out that she was was phenomenal in Flowers in the Attic: The Origin), Amit Shah (Happy Valley), Richard Brake (Game of Thrones), Georgie Glen (Call the Midwife), Tristram Wymark (Pennyworth), Jessica Ellerby (Pennyworth), and Joni Ayton-Kent (The Watch).
Developed and published by Wales Interactive, The Isle Tide Hotel will be released for iOS/Android, PC/Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on September 12.
