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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent representation of the Lovecraft universe....., 31 Oct 2005
By A Customer
Briefly, this game takes it's title from a short story (novella) by one of America's finest horror/fantasy writers, one H.P Lovecraft. The main narrative thread is based on an array of characters and "myths" created and spun by the man himself, over the course of several short stories(some-notably dagon- literally 2 pages long).
HPL fans(like myself) will be in their element and come across many familiar themes and scenes from his (rather small) collection of fiction.However (and this is important) you do not need to have had any contact with the man's work at all to enjoy this compelling and addictive game.
The plot has you playing an ex-cop P.I who has no recollection of the past 6 years since the events of a deeply disturbing investigation into cult activity led to confinement in an asylum for the insane. This you brilliantly play out as a prologue to the main game.
Initially played as a 1920's set puzzle rich FPS, you do not begin the game with tonz o' gunz (or even one!), blasting at all and sundry (like most FPS's), rather refreshingly, you have to use your BRAIN to work through the games intricate plotting.
Even when the call to arms becomes overwhelming and the inhabitants of Innsmouth (where the game starts proper) desperately attempt to prevent you from leaving, you still need to use your head to escape.A wide variety of 1920's weaponary does eventually become availiable as the game progresses however. You also have to deal with excellently represented envoronmental induced effects , including : anxiety (pumping controller/reduced mobility), paranoia, blurry hallucinatory effects, vertigo (try looking down when up high),and much more besides (you're gonna like the surprises - trust me).
This is the most atmospheric and engaging game I have ever experienced (played is not the word). The visuals, whilst not groundbreaking, are better than most FPS's,but you really will have to turn the lights off to see everything as it was meant to be seen. The sound is simply stunning, and you will be having brown trouser moments at regular intervals. Modern masters of horror/fantasy fiction such as King and Barker (to name but two) site HPL as a major influence, and his ideas and grand visions are well in evidence within the Call Of Cthulhu, I am certain he would have loved to see his work so accuately conveyed to a modern audience in this manner. In short, if you loved the haunted house thrills of Doom3 (I did), but prefer your games to be a little more atmospheric and a little less linear then get this game NOW. Incidentally, I have the xbox version.
JonnyJay
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovecraft's Legacy brought to grim life..., 26 Dec 2006
Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars
I can not believe the reviews previous to this one.As a veteran gamer of at least 20 years experience,this ranks as one of the greatest achievements i have ever played.Unfortunately,the difficulty level is astonishingly high,even on the easiest skill level.It is a testament to the quality of this game that i continued to play it,as i detest difficult games.Finding my way around Innsmouth was one of my most satisfying experiences in gaming,as it was depicted exactly as i had imagined it,even down it's inhabitants accents.As a long time admirer of Lovecraft's work,it is obvious the programmers have the same affection.The game itself has some very interesting puzzles,which are always solved through logic-there are no random solutions at all.My favourite was a brilliant one in a temple where the solution lay on the floor in pieces,and partly on the wall.After picking up a pen and paper and working it out,my theory proved correct...Very unlike me to show a degree of intelligence!The action sequences are incredibly hard,the character takes damage quickly,and takes a long time to heal himself with bandages,etc...none too convenient in the midst of a firefight,but much more accurately depicting the opression most Lovecraft characters suffer in his stories.Guns only have open sights,there is no auto reload or auto aim,but a succesful headshot at long range with a rifle is very satisfying.
The scenery in the game is hugely varied,from a derelict church to subterranean catacombs and the highlight of the game for me,a battle with Dagon on a ship.Graphics are good throughout,at times outstanding,but nothing i couldn't imagine being done on a Dreamcast.Much as i like this game,i probably wouldn't recommend to the GTA generation,as much logical and lateral thought is needed,a huge amount of patience and a profound admiration of Lovecraft's work is required.A sadly flawed masterpiece...
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6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, 7 Mar 2006
In short, this is a game which starts out with a promising Cthulhu investigation feel, before turning into a standard first person shoot-em up.
Having played the roleplaying game of HP Lovecraft's world, I was hoping for a game that was more about your investigative skills and your ability to keep the character sane. I imagined that there would be occult books to read, strange spells to learn and that like the roleplaying game, the creatures would be tough so you would have to avoid them or learn some spell to defeat them.
I was hoping there would be a series of linked, but separate investigations. Instead there is a strong focus on Innsmouth.
Unfortunately, the game starts to go downhill from the moment you get hold of your first weapon: There are several shooting sections where you have to gun down the monsters before they shoot back or claw into you - Not really in the spirit of Call of Cthulhu.
There was also several points where I had to resort to reading a walkthrough on the Internet to figure out what I was supposed to be doing.
This was a game with great potential for suspense. As a first person shooter, however, it is not really in the same league as games like Far Cry or Halflife.
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