Call of Cthulhu Reviews
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
Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game is as horrifying as the RPG that inspired it.
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 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.
Call of Cthulhu is an emphatic character sheet fed to a game deficient of opportunities for self-expression. Imagine if, instead of a dramatic exploration behind the power and poison of enlightenment, Lovecraft only wrote a flat outline. Call of Cthulhu is eldritch horror without emotion or agency, and its madness is entirely mundane.
Turn down the lights, pour yourself a measure of laudanum, and settle in for a solid tale of intrigue and insanity well-rooted in Lovecraft's lore.
Call of Cthulhu is one of the better games based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and despite its visual shortcomings does a great job at commanding your attention from start to finish. It's not for everyone, however, and the emphasis on exploration and trial-and-error stealth mechanics is bound to turn some people off. Putting this aside, Call of Cthulhu feels like a triumph for many reasons – it's well paced, its story is intriguing and the uneasiness of it's chilling conclusion will stay with you long after you've turned it off.
Call of Cthulhu doesn't deliver in several departments (the technology, as well as some of the gameplay elements are rather poor), but a superb atmosphere, a good storyline and a few great ideas make this game what it is - a solid piece of entertaining code. I had fun and rooted for Edward during his crazy investigation. If you feel the call, answer it.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Overall, Call of Cthulhu is just average. Its decent story and adequate horror elements struggle against extremely hit-and-miss writing and game design that often throws the player into subpar stealth sequences. It's not without its merits, but for a game that promises Lovecraft in its most pure, most uncut Lovecraftian form to feel “competent,” at best, is its own sort of horror.
Without question, Call of Cthulhu captures the nightmarish Lovecraftian cosmic horror feel. Even if you haven't read any of the mythos or haven't experienced the tabletop game, it is still a satisfying investigation into madness. It's impossible to see everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough, but the stealth and equally awful boss encounters and gunplay (one section near the end of the game) may turn players off from returning. An option to autocomplete these sections may be a worthwhile addition, especially for those that want to experience the wonderfully dark storytelling and see all of the alternate choices.
Call of Cthulhu proves that Lovecraftian horror is still alive, as the role-playing game has players investigate mysterious events on their own terms through an interactive adventure. The story is creepy, unsettling, and fascinating to the point that it sucks you in and pulls you under. Despite some minor gameplay and design hiccups, Call of Cthulhu is an atmospheric mystery game worthy of H.P. Lovecraft himself.
Creating a "good" H.P Lovecraft game in 2018 is probably an impossible task, but Call of Cthulhu is a valiant effort.
The struggle with explaining the finer points of Call of Cthulhu is that it hinges on you getting hooked. Without that moment where you're clamoring for more and willing to overlook some shortcomings, a quality that has benefited a number of titles over the years, it's just a rather dated looking exploration game with a neat story if you're willing to invest in it. For some, that is enough, though it isn't the type of experience that is easy to recommend. Not because it lacks anything worthwhile, you just need a certain mindset and there are other titles that do a much better job with far less.
I struggle to call Call of Cthulhu a good game, thanks to its crummy stealth, bad puzzles, terrible graphics, and wasted mechanics. However, its fantastic story and tabletop-styled mechanics sure made it one of the most interesting games I've played.
Unlike a nightmarish fever dream induced by a cosmic god, Call of Cthulhu is a pretty straightforward experience. It falters in places without really getting going in others but does an average job incorporating investigative gameplay with Cthulhu lore.
Call of Cthulhu tries to make the Great Old One awaken from his slumber, but fails to make an engaging game in the process.
Call of Cthulhu is an undeniably fun adventure game with some great ideas, cool stealth moments, and it never devolves into a shooter like Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth did.
Call of Cthulhu delivers a Lovecraftian adventure that is every bit creepy as it is compelling
Simply put, Call of Cthulhu is a game of wasted potential.
While you're out investigating the deaths of Sarah Hawkins and the men in her life, always remember, run and hide if you have to. There are no usable weapons, there are some in the story but not for you to physically use on Cultists. You are only armed with your mind, your thoughts, and a raised perception of the world. Do not try to fight. Just try to keep your wits about you. The Great Old One stirs. Sleep tight.