Exciting news for fans of tactical stealth games! The Stone of Madness has just unveiled fresh gameplay footage, offering a sneak peek into the world of Agnes Santos, one of its intriguing playable characters. Agnes is quite the resourceful elderly lady, wielding the power to cast spells, manipulate light, and even use stone statues as surveillance tools. However, don’t be fooled by her abilities—sneaking around with Agnes is a challenge due to her limited mobility. Mark your calendars; The Stone of Madness is set for release on January 28, 2025, for both PC and consoles.
In an exclusive showcase, Game Rant has featured new footage highlighting how The Stone of Madness will handle its stealth mechanics, particularly with Agnes Santos. She’s one of several distinct characters players will navigate throughout this captivating game. Developed by the talented folks at The Game Kitchen, a Spanish studio, this game immerses players in a tactical stealth adventure where the primary objective is to escape an 18th-century Jesuit monastery. The gameplay involves switching between five unique characters, each aiding the group by opening paths and neutralizing threats. The Stone of Madness is cleverly divided into nighttime prep and daytime stealth sections. Originally announced back in August 2020, it’s now gearing up for launch in late January 2025.
With its publishers Tripwire Interactive releasing a promotional video focusing on Agnes, we get a glimpse of her magical abilities to distract foes using spells and hexes. She can also gather intel by seeing through the eyes of stone statues scattered across the game’s zones, making her invaluable for reconnaissance while remaining out of danger.
Navigating the game’s environments as an older woman presents unique challenges. Each character in The Stone of Madness has their own set of traumas and phobias reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon, which need proactive management to prevent debilitating or violent breakdowns. Although Agnes’s fears aren’t fully detailed in her vignette, it’s noted that her lack of agility, compounded by back pain, makes stealth maneuvers difficult. Simple obstacles, like stairs, can be a significant hindrance, especially under the watchful eye of guards.
Mastering Agnes’s potential requires strategic thinking and clever support from other characters. While Agnes can work her magic to manipulate light sources—creating stealthy hideouts or illuminating areas for teammates afraid of the dark—she can also mix healing potions by night. Expect some wonderfully unconventional stealth gameplay thanks to Agnes’s unique abilities within The Stone of Madness.
For those interested, here’s a quick rundown of Agnes’s skills:
Daytime Skills: She can cast spells, manipulate light sources, and use stone statues for surveillance.
Nighttime Skills: Agnes is capable of concocting potions to heal her comrades.
Weakness: Her limited mobility, courtesy of an aging body.
The Stone of Madness launches on January 28, 2025, across platforms including PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and the recent Xbox consoles. Eager gamers can already dive into a demo available on Steam since mid-October 2024.
Brought to you by the creators of the Blasphemous series, The Stone of Madness is a real-time tactical stealth game set amidst the eerie corridors of an 18th-century Spanish monastery. This narrative invites players to inhabit the lives of five prisoners determined to escape the harrowing confines of this inquisitorial prison. Working together, Agnes, Leonora, Eduardo, Amelia, and Alfredo must leverage their skills to cast spells, distract enemies, and delve into hard-to-reach areas, each using their unique talents to piece together the mysteries within and secure their freedom.
