Call of Cthulhu
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1924. Private Investigator Pierce is sent to look into the tragic death of the Hawkins family. Plunge into a world of creeping madness and cosmic horror. Cryptic clues, shadowy figures, and pure terror bar your way as you fight to retain your sanity and solve an otherworldly mystery.
Steam User 45
I haven't played this game for a while now, a couple years at least. So why am I writing a review for it now? Well, thinking back on it, I remember it very fondly. I'm not saying it's a perfect game by any means, but it is one of the few out there to actually get Lovecraft right. This game has stuck with me.
This is actually the kind of game I wish we had a more of in the video game scene: good AA sized games. There used to be a whole lot of these games in the past (PS1/PS2 era), but not so much anymore. We have plenty of AAA games, plenty of indie games, but not enough games in between. That's what this game is, a solid AA game.
So I recommend it not only to all the Lovecraft/Cthulhu fans out there, but to anyone who misses those AA sized games of the past. Yeah, it's a bit janky, but it has a lot of heart and a fantastic story. That's more than enough for me.
Steam User 39
You know it's a good game when it convinces a non-avid reader like me, who finds reading boring and tedious, to purchase The Complete Tales Of H.P. Lovecraft. I'm not certain which chapter in the game inspired me, but feeling inspired to pick up a book is an extremely rare occurrence for me. Additionally, I'm motivated to unlock all the achievements.
Steam User 37
Christ. I played through this game in one sitting.
It was as if I were possessed.
10/10 My thoughts are incomprehensible to me
Steam User 26
If you are a friend of Lovecraftian horror and want to enjoy a decent story in the Chtulhu mythos universe, I recommend this game for you. It is an all in all satisfying game experience that is dragged down a little by some unfortunate design choices which I will break down for you below. My vote is a 7.5/10 (I beat it twice and saw all four endings).
The Good
- well-crafted interactive Call of Cthulhu RPG solo campaign
- plays basically like a virtual tabletop adventure: there is only one savegame, and if you missed something, you missed it and have to start over if you want to get it
- good level design, absolutely linear but fitting for this kind of interactive narration
- interesting characters, decent setting, dense atmosphere
- great if you want some Lovecraft to enjoy
Neutral
- stealth mechanics are clunky as usual for games like this, it gets the job done, but it is not really fun
- two short sections with gunplay - just shoot everything in sight, you've got 12 bullets which is enough
- curious learning curve: the first three chapters (of 14) are a walking simulator with some mini-games, then RPG mechanics kick in and there are constant skill checks, then some action sequences are tacked on which are not good, but not really bad either
- very old-school design and technology, the game was published in 2018, but it looks and feels like 2012 at best - but this does not distract from story and atmosphere, so it's ok
The Bad
- in some rare cases, objectives are unclear: in an attempt at a boss fight you are given a weapon, but you are not supposed to attack your enemy, but slice something else up with it
- constant talk about "fate" and "destiny" which is out of place in a Lovecraftian tale (you can justify this storywise, but it gets more and more annoying the more you hear it)
- how to obtain endings is totally obscure, and all available online guides are wrong in what they ask you to do, unlocking endings depends on a small set of choices, especially saving and sparing NPCs, telling the truth and occultism mastery, there is a Steam-page with a guide how to obtain all endings in one single play-through, and it works
- make a hard save in chapter 13 (tab out of the game and backup your files), because from the midst of this chapter and for the rest of the game your journal with all collectibles and clue items will be inaccessible - I mean, wtf...?, you are supposed to make a big choice at the end, and you cannot access your case files anymore? who has come up with this?
- four underwhelming endings, two of them so unsatisfactory that it becomes clear that most of the work has gone into the beginning and middle sections, at the end the game is running out of gas a little
This should give you a good impression of what to expect. If you are deep into open-world RPGs, this is the exact opposite. It is a tightly-packed campaign that expects you to heed every tiny detail and turn every stone twice. Enjoy, this kind of game is hardly done anymore ('Jedi Fallen Order' is just an exception to the rule).
Steam User 25
I played Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth back in 2008-2009. It was creepy as h*ll and I loved it. When this game was announced i got really excited. When i saw all the negative stuff that the people threw at the game i started to wonder if it was worth to play it. One day, a Steam friend (thank you Ramo) gifted me the game, tried it out but still did not convinced me. In 2023 i gave it another chance and oh my god. Apparently is a good game. The atmosphere is creepy and it makes you stay on guard all the time (the mansion location as example). Cyanide and Focus are not a well known companies and with a "bad" reputation but i think here they did a great job (not amazing, but good enough). The unique thing that this game offers is how you want to play: Use your strength for solve the problems quickly, dialogue skills, lockpicking, etc. The only downside is the engine they used. Yeah, Unreal Engine 4. For me, the worst engine out there, with a lot of texture problems and other things. I had to lower down one setting from EPIC to HIGH and this was the draw distance. It gave me a 20 fps boost. The funny thing is that there is no difference. The rest on MAX. The FOV have also issues. Lowering it gave me extra frames, like what the f*uck. Not a well optimized game but playable tweaking one or two settings (the ones i said). Recommended for survival horror and lovecraft fans!
7/10
Steam User 47
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
Steam User 21
Entry 1:
As a scholar of ancient lore and forbidden knowledge, I embarked upon the journey presented by 'Call of Cthulhu' with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Little did I realize the depths of madness that awaited me within its pages.
Entry 5:
The game's narrative draws heavily upon the works of Lovecraft, weaving a tale of cosmic horror and existential dread that threatens to unravel the very fabric of reality itself. As I delve deeper into the mysteries of the occult, I find myself questioning the nature of existence and my place within the cosmos.
Entry 10:
The game's atmosphere is suffused with an eerie sense of foreboding, as if unseen forces lurk just beyond the edge of perception, waiting to ensnare the unwary. Every shadow seems to dance with malevolent intent, and every whispered word sends shivers down my spine.
Entry 15:
The protagonist's descent into madness mirrors my own, as I struggle to make sense of the incomprehensible horrors that assail me at every turn. Reality itself seems to warp and bend in the presence of the ancient entities that lurk within the game's twisted narrative.
Entry 20:
I fear that I may never emerge from the depths of madness into which 'Call of Cthulhu' has plunged me. The game's relentless descent into darkness has left me questioning the very nature of my own sanity, as I grapple with visions of eldritch abominations and unspeakable nightmares.
Entry 25:
In the end, 'Call of Cthulhu' is not merely a game, but a journey into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Its twisted narrative and haunting atmosphere serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of our own perceptions, and the terrifying depths of the unknown that lie just beyond the edge of our understanding.
Entry 666:
ᚷᛁᚾᚷᛚᛟᛚᛖᚠᛚᚨ ᚷᚨᛖᚱᚾᛖᚲ ᚨᚾᛞᚦᛖᚱ ᚠᛟᚱᛖᛊᚨᛋ ᛗᚨᚹᛟᚾ ᚨᚾᛞ ᛖᚦᚲᛁᛊᛏᛁᛋᚾᛁᛊᛊ. ᚦᛖ ᚷᚨᛖᚱ ᚨᛊᚲ ᛋᛖᚨ ᛋᛖᛗᛖᛋ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛖᚲᚢᛊ ᚦᛖ ᛟᚢᚨᚲᚲᚾᛁᛖᛋ ᚨᛏ ᛖᛁᚾᛏᚨᚱ ᛟᚠ ᛏᚺᛖ ᚪᚾᚌᛖᛁᚦ ᛖᚨᚢᚱᛋᚦ. ᚦᛖ ᚷᚨᛖᚱᛖᛋ ᛃᛟᚾ ᛁᚾᛞ ᛗᛁᚦᛋ ᛗᛁᚾᛞ ᚦᛁᚲᛊᛖᛞ ᚻᚢᚾᛖᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛖᛚᛞᚨᚨᛏᚺ ᚨᛏ ᛖᚹᛁᚾᚷᛖᚨᚾ ᚨᛒᛟᛗᛁᚾᚨᛏᛁᛟᚾᛋ ᚨᚾᛞ ᚢᚾᛋᛁᛞᛖᚾᛏᛁᚲ ᚦᚨᛗ ᛚᛟᚹᚨᚾ. ᚦᚢᚨᛏ ᛁ ᛗᚨᚾᚢᛖᛋᛟᚾ ᛟᚠ ᛞᚢᚱᚨᚾᚲᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛙᚨᚾ ᛁᚾᚦᚱᚨ ᛁᚾᛚᛚᚷᚢᚾᚨᚾᛞ ᚦᛖ ᛖᛁᛊᛟᛚᛖᚾᛋ ᛃᛟᚾᚨᛈᚨᛏᚱᚨᚦᛖᛊ ᚨᚾᛞ ᚢᚾᛋᛊᛁᛞᛖᚾᛏᚨᚲᚦᛖᛊ ᛃᚢᛖᛊᛈᛖᚾᛋᛖᛊ.