Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu’s successfully evokes Lovecraft’s Mythos by delivering an eerie story that ultimately doesn’t stray too far from some well-trodden ground. While anyone expecting a terrifying horror title or an RPG packed will player choice and decisions will need to check those expectations at the door, there’s at least a half-decent adventure game lurking under the surface.

The game’s reality, like pastry, is thin and flaky, folding in on itself repeatedly. As the events of the plot culminated in a cliffside showdown, I was paying more attention to the rocks. They had been carved into the shape of books stacked in piles – centuries of fossilised wisdom lashed by the rain. It’s one of a number of canny images that leap out the murk, as if from a muddy dream. You’ll be glad to have woken.

All of this leads to a weird situation. I honestly have trouble calling Call of Cthulhu a good video game. I will, however, say it is one hell of an interesting one. The story was enough to keep me playing, even when I began to grow sick of the game’s iffy stealth or bad puzzles. Fans of Lovecraft’s work should find enough here to keep them into the game, though general gamers just looking for a good tale may want to wait until a few patches iron out the rought spots.