Call of Cthulhu Reviews
Call of Cthulhu is horror comfort food. The equivalent of a dog-eared horror paperback found on some dusty used bookstore shelf. The game isn't particularly daring or terrifying, but it is a well-written and crafted bit of low-stress spookiness. A handful of ill-conceived sequences drag Call of Cthulhu down a notch, but, thankfully, they aren't enough to fully sink the game.
On one hand, Call of Cthulhu is able to drag the player into an adventure with a dark and oppressive atmosphere, in which nobody really seems to be on our side, and curiosity can turn out to be our worst enemy. On the other hand, the little care given to some aspects of the game and the implementation of certain mechanics transform this game into a missed opportunity to celebrate the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Call of Cthulhu is a good game with a bunch of Easter eggs for fans of the popular universe, nonlinearity and interesting characters, which suffers from weak stealth and unnecessary shooting elements.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Call of Cthulhu sadly doesn't live up to either its literary or pen-and-paper heritage. The setting, atmosphere and some of the voice acting are impressive, but the detective gameplay is shallow and fairly linear, and any other gameplay aspects feel buggy and tacked on.
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.
Clunkier and much rougher around the edges than we'd like, Call of Cthulhu nonetheless does justice to its source material and provides a decently entertaining supernatural detective romp in the process.
While it should definitely be more upfront about its shorter playtime and isn't worth full price, Call of Cthulhu is a good walking simulator that tells an interesting story.
At the end of the day, Call of Cthulhu is a pretty fun game.
Call of Cthulhu manages to deliver a game that's ripe with atmosphere but is built upon tried-and-true tropes of the genre that never really manage to evolve beyond the scope of what's already been seen and heard before. Paired with some technical hiccups, we can say that Call of Cthulhu is only really for truly dedicated fans of Lovecraft; everyone else is advised to look elsewhere for their entertainment.
The overall story and eerie atmosphere in Call of Cthulhu is executed incredibly well. Just don’t expect to run in guns blazing because this is a game that requires less firepower and more brainpower.
Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game is as horrifying as the RPG that inspired it.
With a terrific plot and setting but simplistic mechanics, Call of Cthulhu is still a very competent mistery game, and probably the best Lovecraft adaptation to video games till now. Starts good, somewhat loses direction in the middle and ends superbly.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
In the end Call of Cthulu is a deeply disappointing game, because those opening hours showed such promise. If developer Cyanide had just stuck to the bits that work – the investigation – we'd have ended up with a better game. Instead of descending into madness, it descends into tedium.
Call of Cthulhu is an ode to Lovecraft and fantastic literature, a success in terms of atmosphere with a pleasant artistic part. Sadly, the game is too weak technically speaking. The main quest is interesting but players in search of an RPG with a bit of freedom will probably realize too soon that the game is actually a very linear experience.
Review in French | Read full review
Call of Cthulhu suffers from a slow opening, but those who can make it deeper will find a satisfying horror mystery with plenty of twists and turns.
There are hints of a great game buried under the decaying leviathan that is Call of Cthulhu, but they are interspersed with the detritus of too many disparate or poorly executed ideas that those hints feel more like broken promises than unrealized ones.
Coupled with a compelling, unnerving take on Lovecraft mythos, the majority of the game is quite enjoyable. Where other titles would exploit the overtly scary aspects of this kind of story, Cyanide Studios smartly present the personal dread that can make a nightmare so disturbing.
While Call Of Cthulhu's eerie atmosphere and compelling narrative impress, some technical and design issues -- like long load times, wonky facial animations and uninspired puzzle designs -- injure the Lovecraftian horror experience, which ultimately holds it back from true greatness.
Call of Cthulhu is worth playing if you like your Lovecraft. It's worth playing if you like horror in general, too. However, it isn't a must-play, despite having the potential to have established itself as one.