The Council – Episode 3: Ripples Xbox One X Review

The Council – Episode 3: Ripples continues the tale of Louis as he attempts to figure out what happened to his mother and the enigma that is Lord Mortimer. Unlike Hide and Sneak, Ripples is a constant source of exciting moments and tense confrontations between political juggernauts. The episode soars until the final act then falls short.
 

The Council – Episode 3: Ripples takes place right after the events of the previous episode, with Louis' knee deep in his mother's affairs and attempting to grasp how powerful Lord Mortimer is. Like the previous episode, Louis can choose to uphold the decisions made by his mother or go a separate path. The number of possibilities is staggering here.

Key options and decisions made in past episodes come full circle here. Whether it's your relationship with Emily or if Peru trusts you. Each choice had a ripple effect that came roaring down like a tidal wave, and this episode just added more possibilities for future confrontations.

What makes Ripples shine above the previous episode is the intense use of more serious confrontations and the reveal shocking moments that help creates more conflict into this already engaging story. Tough choices that can lead to life and death decisions are constantly presented. After a major revelation the episode than takes a nosedive, with the focus shifting to collecting key items and ending with a complex puzzle.
 

During the final act, Louis is stuck acting as an errand boy, collecting rare items for a challenging puzzle.  It's mostly hit or miss but having to travel through the castle in search of specific items can be vexing. The puzzle in question is troublesome and will require a lot of critical thinking skills. 

As you might expect past issues are still present here. Character animations are stiff and cannot mirror the voice-acting. With faces remaining stoic despite what is being said. I also noticed a glitch when entering Elizabeth's room from the balcony that causes Louis to get stuck, making it impossible to use the door in that location. But these were minor annoyances. What is still troublesome is the inability to skip through dialogue which can become vexing during a second or third playthrough.

The Council – Episode 3: Ripples is an outstanding addition to this marvelous episodic series. It brings the momentum that was lost in the previous episode by providing more of what made the first episode such as hit. Players can replay this, and the previous episodes, to unlock more choices and judging from the decisions made in this episode players will have to face harsher consequences later on. The Council – Episode 3: Ripples is exactly what this series needed and hopefully the next episode will be more of the same.
 

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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