Reviewing a game like Blue Prince on the PlayStation 5 feels like trying to describe a dream that you’re desperately trying to map out before it fades at sunrise. While the game has lived on Xbox and PC for some time now, its recent arrival on PS5 provided the perfect excuse to return to the shifting halls of Mt. Holly.
I had originally dabbled with the game during its Xbox Game Pass run, but it wasn’t until this PS5 release that I truly dived into the deep end, obsessively unravelling the mysteries hidden behind its drafting table.
It is a game of shifting hallways, architectural logic, and the kind of mental friction that we rarely see in modern puzzle design. The game demands a physical presence from the player, specifically, a physical notepad on your desk to keep track of puzzles and hints. While its roguelite structure can occasionally feel like it’s working against you, the mystery at its core is potent enough to keep you opening just one more door.
The Architect’s Loop
The premise is deceptively simple: you are the heir to Mt. Holly, a sprawling estate that is less a building and more a living organism. Your goal is to find the fabled Room 46, but the path there is never the same twice. Every time you step through a doorway, you “draft” the next room from a selection of floorplans.
This creates a gameplay loop that is equal parts strategy and exploration. You aren’t just walking through a house, you are building it as you go. I loved the way certain rooms have a symbiotic relationship with others, discovering that a specific utility room in one wing affects the power or accessibility of a chamber across the map takes time and genuine observation. It makes the house feel like a giant, interconnected machine that you’re slowly learning to operate.
Dusting Off the Stationery
If you’re going to play Blue Prince, do yourself a favor and grab a dedicated journal. There is no hand-holding here, and the game’s lack of an automated quest log or clue tracker is a bold, refreshing choice that was refreshing if a tad annoying at times when a stubborn puzzle was encountered.
The narrative is delivered through a tactile trail of breadcrumbs – weathered newspaper clippings, forgotten journals, and those mysterious numbered red envelopes. Piecing together the story of the Mt. Holly legacy felt like actual detective work. I found myself scribbling down dates, symbols, and floorplan patterns, trying to connect the dots between a cryptic note in one room and a locked safe on another. It’s an old school ink-and-paper experience that feels increasingly rare in this digital age.
The Creeping Atmosphere
Visually, the game pulls off a fantastic balancing act. Most of the time, the aesthetic is serene, almost academic from the warm glow of a library or the sterile quiet of a gallery or hallway. But as the mystery deepens or you delve into the deeper, more forgotten corners of the manor, the tone shifts into something genuinely creepy. It’s a subtle, atmospheric dread that works perfectly with the game’s theme of uncovering hidden family skeletons.
The Roguelite Rub
However, for all its brilliance, Blue Prince’s roguelite elements are where the floorboards start to creak. Because so little carries over from run to run, there’s a persistent feeling of progress in inches instead of miles.
The randomness of the drawn plans can be a cruel mistress in the game. No matter how meticulously you plan your route or how well you solve the puzzles, a bad draw of room plans can completely derail a run. There were moments where I knew exactly what I needed to do, but the house simply refused to give me the right design pieces to get there.
Furthermore, the game tends to plateau in the mid-game, you might find yourself treading water until you finally discover the basement or get alternate exits opened to further explore the grounds and external rooms. These breakthrough moments are satisfying, but the grind to get there can be taxing.
Final Thoughts
Blue Prince is not for the impatient. It is a game of diligence, requiring you to sit with its mysteries and respect its rules. On the PS5, the experience is smooth and the tactile nature of the puzzles feels right at home, even if the game-over screen when steps have run out or all doors were explored feels a bit too punitive at times.
If you’re willing to put in the work, and the literal paperwork, Mt. Holly offers one of the most unique and intellectually rewarding mysteries in a long time. My second tour of the estate on PlayStation 5 proved that this is a game worth digging into and exploring for run after run. Just make sure you have a fresh pen and some paper ready.
We were given a PlayStation 5 code for review purposes by the publisher via PressEngine. Blue Prince is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and PC via Steam.