Lovecraftian Games: Interesting Representatives (Topic)

Howard Lovecraft's work is a cult. Today, based on his works, there are dozens of board games, films and even more so video games. There are so many projects on this cultural phenomenon that it can take tens of pages of text to systematize. We decided to be more down-to-earth and put together our own top Lovecraft games for you. We will not call them the best, but these Lovecraft games are definitely worthy of attention.

Alone in The Dark

I will say right away that you are unlikely to want to play this piece today. However, it is difficult to deny the impact of this game on the horror genre in general. Its style and presentation is what it was before the first Resident Evil. It's pretty sad that today, remembering the progenitor of horror, many gamers forget how scary and cult this game was in 1992.

According to the plot, playing as detective Edward Kabney, we arrive at the haunted mansion to investigate the suicide of its owner. Together with the deceased's niece, we need to find out what is hidden behind the walls of this house.

The game is completely inspired by the work of Howard. For this reason, here you can find otherworldly creatures of all stripes. There are also many references to the Necronomecon, a fictional book from the Lovecraft universe. For example, here you may stumble upon Hotinian octopuses.

In the game, you can find intersections with 20 books by the great author.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

This game is still the standard for the embodiment of Lovecraft in games. The action takes place in 1915. In the story of Dark Corners of the Earth, we play as detective Jack Walters, who, together with his colleagues, participates in the arrest of fanatics from the Brotherhood of Eight cult in Boston. In the basement, he launches a strange device that opens a portal to another world. This is so shocking to our guardian of the law that he goes mad and is sent to the Arkham Asylum.

In 1921, John comes to an adequate state and realizes that he does not remember at all what he was doing for the last six years after what he saw, except for one thing - he studied occult books while he was being treated. A year later, he leaves the clinic and returns to his post. Fate again brings him together with the henchmen of the otherworldly and fans of Cthulhu himself. As a result, he will go to Devil's Reef and even to Y'ha-ntley.

This is a great game with an emphasis on realistic detective components, it just perfectly implements the mechanics of madness. The first meeting with the otherworldly and the years in the clinic did not pass without consequences, and our hero gradually goes crazy when he encounters Lovecraft's creatures: we hear voices, see hallucinations, panic, become deaf and suffer from severe dizziness. The most interesting thing is that common phobias such as fear of heights have been added here.

To be realistic, the game is unlikely to scare, but to immerse in your favorite atmosphere is easy.

Lovecraft Untold Stories

What could be better than a Lovecraft game? Lovecraft pixel game! Although this is already subjective. I decided to add to this list an excellent roguelike from the St. Petersburg studio LLC Blini Games Lovecraft Untold Stories.

Yes, in this game, random generation of levels and monsters, but this generation is very atmospheric. We have several characters to choose from with different skills, and RPG pumping. They also brought puzzles into the game. I would single out just a large catalog of monsters that are pleasant to kill. You can also find Cthulhu, Nyarlahotep, Dagon, Shab-Nigurrat and Azathoth in the game. Plus here is the ability to nag the Great Old Ones, as well as constant game updates. Also in Lovecraft Untold Stories there is a nice attempt at introducing a madness mechanic, which is also good news.

Call of Cthulhu [2018]

At the moment, this is the last game in the Lovecraft universe that can be called authentic. The game is very similar to Dark Corners of the Earth, which is not surprising. We play again as detective [but now with alcoholism] Edward Pearce. We have nightmares every night, and every morning and day we are depressed. A client comes to our decadent detective office [does anyone know if they are different?] And asks us to go to Darkwater Island and investigate the history of the burned down mansion. We are hired by the owner of the mansion, whose daughter burned down in it.

Due to the very close similarity in the concept with Dark Corners of the Earth, they were constantly compared and the game of 2018 was not liked by many, since it could not stand on the same level with the project of 2005. However, I advise you to look at it regardless of the old Call of Cthulhu. Then you will have a great survival horror with RPG and quest elements. As for me, the game has a good plot, and even with four endings.

Call of Cthulhu is slow, without unnecessary action, but with a very mystical atmosphere, and most importantly, with a true Lovecraft spirit and varied gameplay.

Next, I want to talk about two games that are just about to be released.

The Sinking City

This is a Ukrainian project from the developers of Frogware, who made a Lovecraft detective game Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened several years ago. It was part of one big one-shot Sherlock Holmes series. However, their new project really promises to be interesting.

And again a detective with whom something is wrong. This time we take control of Charles Reed. He is the sole survivor of the Cyclops ship, which once disappeared into the mysterious waters of the Bermuda Triangle. There he, you will never guess, saw something terrible and then ended up in a mental hospital. After being discharged, Reed travels to the abandoned city of Oakmont to unravel its secrets. They should shed light on the disappearance of Cyclops.

The game promises to balance on the verge between reality and mystical horror, "supply" our hero with madness, as well as a plot of 30 hours long. Well, we are waiting.

The Moon Of Madness

Rejoice, there is no motivated detective in this game! This time we are the usual technician Shane, who works at the Martian base. One day we catch a distress signal from a ship. We are waiting for him to arrive at our base. At this time, some kind of devilry begins: horrors appear on it, and the character himself begins to suffer from hallucinations.

The cosmic setting fits perfectly into Lovecraft's motives and truly creates the feeling that you are faced with something otherworldly.

Throughout the game, we will fight a strange disease that once killed the family of the protagonist, and now overcomes him. We'll find out more when the game comes out, but for me it will be something interesting.

The Topic of Article: Lovecraftian Games: Interesting Representatives.
Author: Jake Pinkman