If you’ve spent any time looking at the indie scene lately, you’ve probably seen shots of a misty, stunningly detailed city that looks like a 1900s version of Stockholm on steroids. That’s Eriksholm. Specifically, it’s the setting for Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream, a narrative-heavy stealth game that officially dropped on July 15, 2025.
It isn't just another isometric game where you hide in bushes. It's actually a pretty bold attempt by a small team—River End Games—to bridge the gap between "indie" and "AAA" production values. Think of it as A Plague Tale meets Commandos, but with a distinct Swedish soul.
What is Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream?
At its core, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is a pure stealth-puzzle adventure. You aren't playing a super-soldier. You’re playing Hanna, a young woman living in the fictional city of Eriksholm within the Kingdom of Rosmark.
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The world is kind of falling apart. There’s a plague called "Heartpox" going around, the city is under quarantine, and industrialization is making the class divide feel more like a canyon. When Hanna’s brother, Herman, disappears after allegedly stealing something high-stakes, she’s thrust into a conspiracy that’s way bigger than just a missing sibling.
How the Gameplay Actually Works
Honestly, if you go in expecting Assassin’s Creed style combat, you’re gonna have a bad time. Getting spotted usually means an immediate game over—or at least a quick reload to a checkpoint from ten seconds ago. It’s unforgiving. But it’s also satisfying.
Three Playable Characters
You don't just stay as Hanna the whole time. As the story moves forward, you unlock two other allies. Each one has a specific "kit" that changes how you approach a level:
- Hanna: She's small and fast. She can crawl through vents and eventually gets a blowgun for non-lethal takedowns from the shadows.
- Alva: A former leader of a gang of child thieves. She’s your verticality expert, able to climb drainpipes to reach rooftops.
- Sebastian: The muscle, sort of. He can swim through the canals of Eriksholm, which opens up entirely different entry points into guarded districts.
The Puzzle Box Design
The developers, led by Anders Hejdenberg (who has a background at DICE and Ghost Games), described the levels as "puzzle boxes." You spend a lot of time rotating the camera, watching guard patterns, and figuring out how to use your three characters in sync.
One character might need to cause a distraction by smashing a light, while the second slips past a guard, and the third waits to pull a lever. It’s very linear, which some people might find restrictive, but it allows the game to tell a very tight, cinematic story.
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Why Does the Game Look This Good?
The visuals are probably the first thing anyone notices. Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream uses Unreal Engine 5 and MetaHuman technology for the characters. This is why the facial expressions in the cutscenes look so eerily realistic for an indie game.
The art style is a weird, beautiful mix. Hejdenberg has mentioned that he was heavily inspired by the "cozy but slightly magical" vibe of Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service. He wanted the city to feel "mys"—that’s a Swedish word for cozy—even though the story is technically a dark thriller about oppression. You’ll see bright red and blue wooden houses mixed with gritty, Victorian-style factories.
What Most People Get Wrong
A common misconception is that this is a "real-time tactics" game like Shadow Tactics where you can always fight your way out if things get messy. You really can’t. This is a game about being a ghost.
Another thing: people often assume it’s an open world because the city looks so sprawling. It isn’t. It’s an 8-chapter journey that is strictly linear. You are there to experience Hanna’s story, not to wander around picking up side quests from random NPCs.
Key Facts and Platforms
If you're looking to play it now, here is the basic breakdown of where it lives:
- Platforms: PC (Steam and Epic), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
- Release Date: July 15, 2025.
- Developer: River End Games (based in Gothenburg, Sweden).
- Publisher: Nordcurrent Labs.
- Length: Usually takes about 15 to 20 hours to finish, depending on how much you struggle with the stealth puzzles.
Is It Worth It?
Reviews have been mostly "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam. Critics like TheSixthAxis and GamingBible praised the atmospheric storytelling and the fact that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
That said, if you hate "trial and error" gameplay, you might find it frustrating. Because the solutions are so specific, you will fail. A lot. But the checkpoints are so frequent that you’re usually back in the action within three seconds.
Actionable Next Steps for New Players
If you're planning to dive into Eriksholm tonight, keep these three things in mind to save yourself some frustration:
- Don't ignore the environment: The guards actually talk to each other. Their conversations often contain hints about their patrol routes or secrets about the level layout.
- Use the "Scout" feature: Before moving anyone, use the free-cam to look at the entire "puzzle box." Identify where the hiding spots are before you make your first move.
- Sync your characters: Once you have all three protagonists, don't try to move them one by one across the whole map. Move them in stages. They are designed to support each other's weaknesses.