Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss Reviews
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is, crashes and caveats aside, an excellent game. Key is a triumph, the puzzles are imaginative, and the final chapter earns everything it demands of you. I’ve spent about 12 hours with it and I find myself wanting to talk about it with everyone who has ever shared even a flicker of an interest in Lovecraft with me. It’s a cosmic horror that brings classic tropes into futuristic dressing and manages to do that well. What’s not to like?
Ultimately, the game did make me lose my sanity, but not always for the reasons I expected. While the atmosphere is great, the lack of technical polish in the latter half of the game is a significant hurdle. If Big Bad Wolf can iron out the performance following launch, this will be an indispensable title for fans of the genre. For now, it's a brilliant but bruised descent into the abyss.
As a relative noob to Cthulhu’s lore, I really loved Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss because of its more psychological horror nature. It would be easy to make this into a monster blasting, shooter type but the choice to slow things down, and tell a more methodical story was a great thing. As a fan of the investigative type games this was a joy to play despite the issues with performance I had on Series X.
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Review in Italian | Read full review
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss does ample justice to its grim source material, fashioning a compelling investigative adventure which generously drips with atmosphere but one which is sadly somewhat undercut by a wealth of technical issues that take the sheen otherwise what is a highly enjoyable Lovecraftian romp.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss can't find anything interesting or new to say about Lovecraft's work, but its detective adventure gameplay is an extremely promising foundation.
What lurks deep in the ocean? Really deep, past all the weird fish and that? Should you believe the flights of fancy conjured by author H.P. Lovecraft...
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has some interesting ideas, but it hides them behind poorly explained puzzles and deceptively linear design.
In the end, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is fine. The lack of combat combined with a lack of guidance creates a challenging and refreshing experience for most - and frustrating for some. The overall presentation is fine, despite the game's use of an engine intended to deliver stunning visuals. The game will appeal to those who are fascinated with the Cthulhu universe more than those looking for thrills and scares. Players won't feel compelled to stick with this title for long sessions at a time.
H.P. Lovecraft’s work still has legions of devoted fans, including within the gaming community. They will therefore be delighted with Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, which will not only scare them but also provide plenty of exploration. It cleverly expands the aforementioned universe with futuristic elements, although at present it has not managed to avoid certain technical glitches.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a Lovecraftian game to the core, but it is also an investigative adventure with an overly slow pace and less frightening than expected.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Cthulhu: Cosmic Abyss is a great example on how to make a game centred around interactive storytelling fun. While it may lack some of the action and combat orientated takes of previous Cthulhu games, Cosmic Abyss thrives in its environmental storytelling and deep investigative mechanics, that give it an addictive, and engaging style of gameplay that is rarely explored in gaming. Strong supportive characters, with a likeable main protagonist, made me feel connected to them, and their personal battles they went through with the Eldritch God Cthulhu.
I really wanted to like Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss more than I did. Somewhere behind the ridiculous performance issues, crashes, and janky game design is an utterly compelling experience with a few issues holding it back, and it became downright frustrating to play. When the game was working, I was hooked on solving the mystery. With a fantastic mind map system and solid investigations that really don’t hold your hand throughout. I urge fans of cosmic horror to check this one out, maybe after a patch or two, just to make sure.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss presents itself as a homage to one of the greatest horror authors of the 20th century. Even with some minor performance issues, the derelict locations you explore as Noah are some of the most beautifully crafted renditions of Lovecraft’s mythos that have ever been put to a screen.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss delivers a solid, respectful take on Lovecraftian horror, immersing players in a dark journey filled with well‑crafted mysteries and atmosphere. Its strongest elements lie in world‑building and narrative mood, while some rigid gameplay choices and occasionally over‑complex puzzles make the experience less accessible. It’s a recommended pick for those who enjoy slow, investigative adventures rooted in Providence’s myths, less so for players seeking a faster pace or more immediate action. An imperfect yet sincere and captivating work that will resonate most with genre enthusiasts.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss struck us as an ambitious and intriguing project that successfully blends Lovecraftian horror, science fiction and psychological thriller elements within a fascinating and oppressive underwater setting. The gameplay revolves around analysing clues, manipulating objects and environmental deduction, offering tools such as sonar, the Crypt and Key, the support AI, as well as the ability to unlock new frequencies, which give a different twist to the usual Lovecraftian experience, in what we might call a disturbing and mind-bending adventure. It’s a choice consistent with the source material and, for this very reason, we’re sure it will win over those who love elegant, slow-paced, cerebral horror, but it might also leave those wanting a faster pace or greater variety in terms of action feeling a bit perplexed. The visuals are excellent, with environments – thanks to Unreal Engine 5 – that are meticulously crafted and full of detail, though there are a few rough edges; it’s a shame about the technical side, which isn’t always up to scratch but can easily be improved with a patch!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a game with two faces; on the one hand, the game feels unique up until chapter 2, but after that, the complexity and the Vault really kick in, making things a lot harder and less engaging. After chapter 3, I started to feel the rut and began to lean more towards using the included walkthrough, as the investigations and deductions started to bore me. The important Vault, which forms part of the core of the investigations, is, in my opinion, a bit too emphatically and prominently present, and even in exploration mode, finding your way out isn't always straightforward. In terms of atmosphere, the game emphatically sets the mood, especially in the first three chapters, and it excels there. However, it quickly declines after chapter 3, when you are about halfway through the game. With about 10 to 15 hours of gameplay, the game can take up quite a period, but in fact, the game isn't even that big if you knew exactly what to investigate, activate, and follow. Furthermore, the clues are far from always clear, meaning that even with hints, things sometimes remain unclear. Especially in Chapter 3, I found the clues quite muddled and too mixed up, and following 'trails' was also far from effective. All in all, I can conclude that if you are a true investigator, or a persistent puzzler, this will be a very challenging title. But for the slightly more seasoned casual gamer who enjoys a bit of puzzling, action, and some RPG elements, this game falls a bridge too far.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a wonderful narrative adventure that rewards you for the time you spend with it, offering a great story and some fantastic detective elements.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is an unsettling yet engaging narrative adventure that truly puts your deduction skills to the test. While the Lovecraftian-inspired story acts as the driving force behind your actions, the satisfaction of overcoming each challenge is what keeps you coming back for more. It isn't a title everyone will enjoy, but thanks to its surprising depth, there also isn't another game quite like it.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is an interesting take on the Cthulhu Mythos, even if its overall narrative doesn't stand out. Slow-paced, frustrating at times because its puzzles can be opaque, and very dedicated to gathering and understanding clues, it's an experience that should appeal to players who enjoy the detective-like approach of studying every clue they come across.