Call of Cthulhu

[Werewolf334]

After recently playing a series of bethsoft games I came across this game. Essentially it hasn't gaven me any real jumps yet, but this game surely is mystifying. After playing it for about a day and reading into its lore and development I have found it to be minorly entertaining. This world is more of a thorough strict "one quest line" game, but the different difficulties provide enough challenges for you to go through it again. I have played harder detective games out there, but this game draws a fine line crossing Myst and Clive Barker's Undying...

 

Sometimes I think Bethesda had a fascination with the 1800s...

 

If you share a passion with thrill, mystery, or want to intrigued - get this game just for the heck of it.

 

http://www.callofcthulhu.com/images/art/xbox/coc_xboxscrn_06.jpg

[doomjockey]

Bethsoft published it; the game was developed by the now defunct Headfirst. Can you dig it? :miner:

 

I absolutely loved the setting as it seemed to perfectly capture the image of those days as darkened by Lovecraft. The beginning was probably the best part since it gives you a taste of sweet gaming freedom. Arriving in a town alive with nightly activity...even if nearly everything with a pulse looks ugly as sin. Just the idea that I might be in a big ol' town to explore at my leisure is enough. Of course the façade lifts almost immediately during your first night there when you're forced into a high paced action sequence. And without annoying QTEs that seem to have become the norm. To be honest, it took a few tries to get in gear, but I like that the game doesn't baby you every step of the way with giant arrows destination markers, making it pretty challenging. There are a good many sequences similar to it in-game (I especially loved the boat battle later on).

 

Bad stuff: The no HUD feature was ok, but it worked about as well as Silent Hill for me. Instead of staying in the game while I'm taking damage, my finger constantly hits the menu button to check my health. That always struck me as counter-productive. Another sore point for me was the sheer amount of combat compared to actual detective work. Heavily unbalanced in my opinion, like a game of Halo more than a mystery shooter. No mistakes, even the action parts supply you with quick mysteries to solve in order to stay alive one more desperate second, but I could have done with a few more laid back instances of search and discovery as in the first stages than the strict "bag 'em and tag 'em" action prevalent throughout the last 80% of the game.

 

Anyway, I agree, it's definitely a good playthru, even once.

[PrideAssassin]

This game kicked ass.

Never seen a game over screen so many times in my life.

Running up burning rafters (while being scared of heights) getting shot at... That was crazy.

Any game that forces you to commit suicide after seeing too much weirdness and gore is alright with me.

 

When you're first exploring the town, if you look into a couple of basements you can watch people hang themselves.

 

I didn't have a problem with the HUD (or lack thereof). When you start to bleed out, the world loses color and starts to go grey(er lol). Limping and shaky aim are also obvious indicators that you're in trouble. I loved the absence of a HUD. Going crazy could be irritating, because the world swims and spins, but hearing Jack babble to himself is priceless. rofl

[XanAlderon]

What sort of game is it? eg. RPG, FPS

[doomjockey]

It's sort of a scary FPS. There's some stealth in there too so I guess that adds something.