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Call of Cthulhu
Critics Consensus (Skip It)
Call of Cthulhu is strong in atmosphere, capturing the feel of a Lovecraft story, but it looks and feels dated. Gameplay is predictable, overly simplistic, and its mechanisms are poorly implemented.
Game Info
Developed by seasoned studio Cyanide, Call of Cthulhu is an RPG-Investigation game with psychological horror and stealth mechanics, set in a deeply immersive world. On a mission to find the truth behind the death of an acclaimed artist and her family on a backwater island, the player will soon uncover a more disturbing truth as the Great Dreamer, Cthulhu, prepares its awakening…
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 109
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- RPG, Adventure
DEVELOPER(S):
- Cyanide Studio
PUBLISHER(S):
- Focus Home Interactive
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Cthulhu
GAME MODES:
- Single player
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
109
Critic Reviews
67
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
90%
Median Score
70%
Low Score
30%
What did you think of Call of Cthulhu?
Player Reviews0 Votes
0
DM Schmeyer (IGN)
October 30, 2018
8.6/10
Call of Cthulhu’s engaging mystery and intriguing utilization of RPG mechanics make it one of the more enjoyable Lovecraftian games in years.
GameCentral (Metro GameCentral)
October 31, 2018
4/10
A spirited attempt to adapt Lovecraft’s mythos, but while it overcomes the low budget when it comes to atmosphere the overly simplistic gameplay drags it down.
David Wildgoose (GameSpot)
October 29, 2018
5/10
Much of Call of Cthulhu is a perfectly competent adventure game built on firm, if uninspired, point-and-click traditions. And while it won’t dazzle you with ambitious, creative puzzle-solving, its central story is as haunting and consuming as you want a good Lovecraft tale to be. But then, like some nightmare creature, an action sequence comes out of nowhere and ruins the experience.
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (109 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DNews | Денис Щенников | 6 / 10 | 11-04-2018 | Yet another mediocre horror, but with RPG elements this time. | Read review |
| AbsoluteXbox | Paul Rooney | 3.4 / 5 stars | 11-04-2018 | In short, Call of Cthulhu, despite its shortcomings, builds to a cinematic, haunting and satisfying conclusion which will leave you simultaneously relieved it’s over and gasping for more. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Not Recommended | 10-30-2018 | Video Review | Read review |
| AusGamers | Steve Farrelly | 6 / 10 | 11-09-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is for the diehards only. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Kaveh Eskandari | 7.5 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | True to its roots and genuinely creepy, Call of Cthulhu manages to catch the essence of Lovecraft among its mist riddled streets but is plagued by various technical and at times narrative problems. | Read review |
| Bazimag | Hossein Sadri | 7 / 10 | 11-20-2018 | Call of Cthulhu pleases hardcore adventure genre fans and lovecraftian storytelling enthusiasts. but with this price it’s not a good choice for all the tastes and different type of gamers. if you’re a die-hard fan of this genre and atmosphere then Call of Cthulhu is made for you, otherwise you can easily cross past it. | Read review |
| Bloody Disgusting | Neil Bolt | 3 / 5 stars | 10-29-2018 | There is a lot of promise here, but not quite enough of it fulfilled. The combat could have been done away with completely (rare as it is anyway) and the stealth either ditched or simplified. The strong suit of Call of Cthulhu is in its conversation/investigation mechanics. Sure the game would have been a little lacking in variety if that’s all there was but honestly, it would have been a much more consistently enjoyable and immersive adventure for it. | Read review |
| But Why Tho? | Nikko Soto | 7 / 10 | 10-10-2019 | Even with its flaws, I really enjoyed playing Call of Cthulhu. What it lacked in graphics and mechanics was made up with the overall story. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Julian Bieder | 7.7 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | This game has its strengths and weaknesses; unfortunately the latter outnumber the former – Call of Cthulhu is therefore just an average title with ideas that haven´t fully panned out, but if one can overlook the outdated graphics and the cheap puzzles, he will get rewarded with an atmospheric, uncanny story. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Preston Dozsa | 4 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu tries to make the Great Old One awaken from his slumber, but fails to make an engaging game in the process. | Read review |
| Chalgyr’s Game Room | Nick Herber | 7 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | A flawed protagonist and generally good voice acting compliment an interesting story and solid overall production values to create an interesting RPG-adventure hybrid in Call of Cthulhu. There are some rough edges to be had that might be a bit hard for some people to swallow at its AAA-ish price tag. Lovecraft / horror fans such as myself will likely find Call of Cthulhu to be time well-spent, but there are some rough edges that certainly do detract from the overall experience. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Scott Sullivan | 75 / 100 | 10-30-2018 | I was pleasantly surprised with Call of Cthulhu. What started off as a story that seemed to plod along quickly escalated and kept me hooked from start to finish. Despite its technical hiccups, there’s almost a certain charm to the way game looks and sounds, and those goofy animations at moments, and almost cheesy voice acting from some characters only help it further. | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Geoffrey Tim | 5 / 10 | 11-06-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Cubed3 | Albert Lichi | 6 / 10 | 10-18-2019 | Most Lovecraft fans, or those who are just on the lookout for a good occult mystery thriller, will enjoy Call of Cthulhu, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be disappointed as well. Cyanide Studio has wrapped an interesting, and engrossing storyline, with a fittingly oppressive feel, but the actual gameplay part tastes like a half-fried, unsalted octopus wink-wink-nudge-nudge | Read review |
| cublikefoot | Chase Ferrin | 6 / 10 | 11-06-2018 | Call of Cthulhu may have some issues, but its storyline and aesthetic provide for a really engrossing experience. Even so, the graphics and animation are pretty bad, especially for a full-fledged 2018 release. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Emil Gunnarsson | 6 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | A laundry list of shortcomings with Call of Cthulhu prevent this betentacled Great Old One from rising very far. Still, its b-movie charm does have something to offer to those who can ride out the rougher spots. | Read review |
| Daily Dot | AJ Moser | 3.5 / 5 stars | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Daily Mirror | Charlene Bougourd | 4 / 5 stars | 11-10-2018 | While I was initially unsure what to expect at the game’s outset, Call of Cthulhu is certainly recommended for fans of horror and mystery titles. Along with the satisfying detective work and wonderfully creepy narrative, the twists and turns in this game are quite something. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Eric Layman | 6 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Lindsay M. | 4.5 / 5 stars | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is the Cthulhu RPG I never realised I needed in my life. From the moment the atmosphere shifted upon entry to Darkwater, I was hooked. The Cthulhu mythology is presented with obvious appreciation for the source material, crafting a story of cosmic horror and the cults being crazy enough to worship those beings. Aside from some difficulty with sneaking, the game makes the descent into madness… fun? Can one have fun when descending into madness? | Read review |
| Electric Bento | Jason Mowery | 7.3 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu feels like a narrative walk and not an RPG with actual choices; the illusion of choices that were seemingly already decided is a big issue. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Giuseppe Arace | 6.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Not available. | Read review |
| Explosion Network | Dylan Blight | 6.5 / 10 | 11-05-2018 | Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game had me engrossed start to finish, even if it’s ending was predictable. Unfortunately it is held back by not having a unique story direction or a commitment to more consistent and fulfilling gameplay mechanics. It’s undercooked but an easily digestible Cthulhu adventure for fans of the genre. A fun Saturday afternoon in a psychological horror show. | Read review |
| Fextralife | Yuria | 8 / 10 | 11-06-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a unique creepy horror detective RPG that takes Lovecraftian inspiration to a new level. It may not compare visually to current AAA games but does well to provide a captivating narrative and a mix of methods to keep players drawn in such as puzzles and stealth. One playthrough takes anywhere between 12 or more hours depending on your level of attention to clues and your detective abilities. Would recommend a second or even third playthrough to truly find out all the hidden secrets. | Read review |
| FingerGuns | Greg Hicks | 8 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | If you want something with a fresh take on the Alien Isolation/Condemned/Outlast style of first person experience, this will suit you. It’s got some hammy dialogue, graphics aren’t going to be on par with some upcoming cowboy game you might have heard about, but it’s a rich story driven game that will keep your noodle thoroughly scratched. | Read review |
| Game Debate | Stuart Thomas | 6.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | But when all’s said and done, there’s a clunkiness to the pacing, plot and gameplay that relegates Call of Cthulhu to the second division. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Andrew Reiner | 6.8 / 10 | 11-02-2018 | A slow and frustrating burn that culminates in a big and satisfying way | Read review |
| Game Rant | Dalton Cooper | 2 / 5 stars | 11-04-2018 | Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game is an ugly collection of half-baked gameplay features and poorly designed stealth sequences that fails as a horror game. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Camille Allard | 6 / 10 | 11-02-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| GameCrate | Nicholas Scibetta | 7.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Mohammad Aria Moghaddam | 7.5 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a valuable game based on H.P Lovecraft story with the same name and a great example of psychological fear in a video game. This horror game is so much different from other horror games and with its attractive story, dark atmosphere, RPG elements and thriller music, Call of Cthulhu can take you deep into the world of dark secrets and psychological fear for some hours. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Andrew Wowk | 7.5 / 10 | 11-13-2018 | An unpolished, but ultimately charming and engaging take on H. P. Lovecraft’s most famous creation. A must for psychological horror fans. | Read review |
| GameMAG | xtr | 7 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| GamePitt | Kieran Harris | 8.5 / 10 | 10-07-2019 | I was quietly apprehensive about trying Call of Cthulhu for the first time. I had been interested in it since its announcement but I was worried it was going to be disappointing due to the lukewarm reception last year. However, it only took half an hour after installing the game before I found out how wrong I was. The game gripped me from beginning to end and it’s the most uncomfortable I’ve been playing a game on the Switch so far. It’s a superb detective game with elements of gothic and cosmic horror that you can’t help but keep playing. Personally, the stealth parts make some of the more interesting parts feel more frustrating than exciting and the shooting section feels incredibly forced and like a last-minute addition rather than an integral piece of game design. | Read review |
| Gameplanet | Chris Brown | 4 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| GamePro | Elena Schulz | 84 / 100 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is not a classic horror game, but a clever detective game with an exciting plot and a great atmosphere. | Read review |
| Gamersky | 亚恩 | 7.9 / 10 | 11-05-2018 | Call of Cthulhu has a great atmosphere, but full of flaws in terms of gameplay. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Ty Arthur | 7 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | Chaosium’s unhallowed tabletop RPG gets a proper video game representation that nails the feel of a pen and paper campaign in a single player mode. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Richard Seagrave | 8 / 10 | 10-03-2019 | Whether you’re a Lovecraft fan or not, there’s a lot here to love – just don’t blame me if you have to clean Elder God-sized arse-prints off your windows. | Read review |
| GameSpot | David Wildgoose | 5 / 10 | 11-01-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a mostly competent, occasionally chilling adventure ruined by unspeakable horrors. | Read review |
| GameWatcher | Chris Capel | 6 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Sean Colleli | 6.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Ravi Sinha | 6 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Austin Fern | 85 / 100 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a thrilling experience from start to end. The monsters may be a little lackluster, but the writing, puzzles, and characters are all interesting enough to keep you going until the very end. While the graphics are disappointing, the art style, vocal work, and atmosphere do enough to make up for it. Fans of horror or mystery will find plenty to love here. | Read review |
| GBAtemp | Tom Bond | 7 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | I went into this game with quite high expectations, based on what all the hype surrounding the game, but unfortunately they didn’t meet those expectations. Regardless, however, Call of Cthulhu is probably one of the better video games based on the Cthulhu Mythos, even with of all the technical issue it faces. While animations and voice acting can be rather mediocre at times, and some of the puzzles are quite annoying, the story and overall experience is probably worth dealing with some lackluster technical aspects. If you love Lovecraftian Lore, than I would fully recommend the game to you. And remember, Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn! | Read review |
| Geeks Under Grace | Andrew Feistner | 8.5 / 10 | 12-05-2018 | As compelling as it is creepy, Call of Cthulhu is a standard for any tabletop to digital treatment. As one mystery is solved, you find yourself asking more questions. The one at the top of the list is, “Why are you not playing it yet?” | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Alberto Rocha | 8 / 10 | 11-01-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Gary Bailey | 6 / 10 | 10-05-2019 | A good example of a psychological thriller, and perhaps with a sequel Cyanide Studios could smooth out those rough edges and give us the Cthulhu game we deserve. | Read review |
| GotGame | Charlie Grammer | 7 / 10 | 11-03-2018 | Overall, Call of Cthulhu lives mostly by its story and creepy atmosphere. The gameplay isn’t very entertaining for the most part, and some puzzles are far better to skip. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | GRYOnline.pl | 7.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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 | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Kyle LeClair | 2.5 / 5 stars | 10-30-2018 | Simply put, Call of Cthulhu is a game of wasted potential. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Álvaro Alonso | 66 / 100 | 10-07-2019 | Call of Cthulhu brings to the Nintendo Switch the horror and madness of the game developed by Cyanide a Studio, with a great port that maintains all the ups and downs of the original launch. | Read review |
| IGN | DM Schmeyer | 8.6 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu’s engaging mystery and intriguing utilization of RPG mechanics make it one of the more enjoyable Lovecraftian games in years. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Stefano Castelli | 6 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Strong in atmosphere, weak in gameplay, Call of Cthulhu is a missed opportunity to build a great lovecraftian experience. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Mufaddal Fakhruddin | 6 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | Call of Cthulhu suffers from the second half of the accelerated and weak implementation of the mechanisms in them, which could have been a wonderful and captivating horror story otherwise. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | Inés Barriocanal | 7.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | An adventure that will be enjoyed by H.P. Lovecraft’s fans with a good setting but certain lack of action/puzzles making its story its strongest weapon to chain you to its desperation abyss. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | Blake Supple | 3.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a beautifully twisted cosmic horror that has it’s issues here and there | Read review |
| Jump Dash Roll | Matt Jordan | 8 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Just Push Start | Dominic Weakland | 3 / 5 stars | 10-13-2019 | 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. | Read review |
| Marooners’ Rock | Joseph Siemsen | 6.9 / 10 | 11-08-2018 | For fans of mystery games and the lore of H.P. Lovecraft grab that Necronomicon and go nuts. For those who don’t fit into those categories, I’d recommend checking out a let’s play or two before diving into the madness. | Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı | Ersin Kılıç | 60 / 100 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Ctulhu succesfully impact player with its atmosphere and story which makes you curious as you play. The places we see in the game and the story is well made, but we also see the effects of low budget developments in overall. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 4 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | A spirited attempt to adapt Lovecraft’s mythos, but while it overcomes the low budget when it comes to atmosphere the overly simplistic gameplay drags it down. | Read review |
| MonsterVine | Spencer Legacy | 4 / 5 stars | 11-01-2018 | I haven’t played many games as subtly frightening as Call of Cthulhu, which mostly succeeds as a horror game and a thoroughly enjoyable story. Outside of some shoddy stealth segments and muddy visuals, Call of Cthulhu is a deep and enjoyably crazy ride on the Lovecraftian side. | Read review |
| MSPoweruser | Anmol | 6 / 10 | 11-03-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is an interesting and intriguing, mystery adventure with a tortured detective. The investigation alongside the use of the RPG systems are the strongest highlights of the game, but poor stealth mechanics, boss encounter design and questionable endings fail to take the game to greater heights. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Josh Hinke | 70 / 100 | 10-29-2018 | Call of Cthulhu has a lot of things going for it, with a unique take on the genre and some solid scares on offer. Horror fans should give it a look, but you’re going to have to be patient with its blemishes. | Read review |
| Nexus | M.A. Ligocki | 8 / 10 | 11-08-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a harrowing descent into madness that excels thanks to a captivating story and eerie atmosphere. | Read review |
| Nintendo Life | Sayem Ahmed | 5 / 10 | 10-12-2019 | 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. | Read review |
| NintendoWorldReport | Zachary Miller | 8 / 10 | 10-09-2019 | If you are a fan of Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, The Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game (apparently its full title) will hold some appeal to you. While familiarity with the source material is not required, it probably helps, but I can safely recommend this game to any fan of the cosmic horror genre. There are some rough edges, sure, but it’s well worth the journey overall, especially around this time of year. | Read review |
| NoobFeed | Bogdan Robert Mateș | 55 / 100 | 10-28-2018 | Clumsily put together and lacking coherence, Call of Cthulhu’s occasional redeeming story moments struggle to save it but never quite manage. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Eser Güven | 6.6 / 10 | 12-01-2018 | This isn’t the ‘ultimate’ Call of Cthulhu game we’ve been waiting for a long time. Still you may give it a chance and see it for yourself. | Read review |
| Pardis Game | Reza Rahimi | 7.5 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | While there are a lot of technical issues, thanks to a good storyline, amazing art design and fascinating atmosphere, Call of Cthulhu managed to provide an enjoyable experience for the fans | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Dante Douglas | 6 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Samuel Horti | 59 / 100 | 11-06-2018 | A mediocre detective game with predictable stealth and a surreal story that runs out of steam near the end. | Read review |
| PC Invasion | Andrew Farrell | 3.5 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| PCWorld | Hayden Dingman | 2.5 / 5 stars | 11-03-2018 | Call of Cthulhu should be a great horror-detective game, but lackluster mechanics and a heavy-handed story undermine its stronger points. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | John-Paul Jones | 7 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Jamie Sherlock | 8.7 / 10 | 11-06-2018 | I highly recommend everyone try Call of Cthulhu, especially fans of Telltale Games or story driven RPGs. | Read review |
| Press Start | James Berich | 7 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| PS4Blog.net | PS4Blog.net | 8 / 10 | 11-05-2018 | In the end, Call of Cthulhu is an interesting digital presentation of the Call of Cthulhu pen and paper RPG from Chaosium, a game from 1981. It’s a slow burn type of game where the detective side of thing plays a big part, so if you’re more into action games, then this one is not what you need. But if you like first-person exploration games, a dark atmosphere, and the Cthulhu mythos, then you’re going to have a good time playing Call of Cthulhu on PS4. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Júlio César Souza Pires | 83 / 100 | 11-02-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a game that deserves attention. With interesting gameplay mechanics and a story that surpasses the technical issues, the game manages to keep the player engaged into solving the mistery. The possibility of having different endings will make the player go on an adventure again on the island of Darkwater. Call of Cthulhu deserves to be investigated in 2018. | Read review |
| Push Square | Alex Stinton | 6 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Reloading BR | Felipe Mesquita | 6.4 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | Call of Cthulhu has an ambitious proposal, and in the brief moments that delivers on such proposal, it is a very enjoyable experience. The opening chapters have realized the vision of bringing to video games a pen-and-paper investigative RPG with a thrilling atmosphere and mechanics involving choices that really impact the direction of the story. But when it departs from these proposals, becoming a game that leans more on linear psychological horror, the experience becomes generic, with little to offer beyond the intriguin nature of the cosmic myth of Cthulhu. If at the beginning of the adventure I could see myself playing multiple times to see how different decisions would lead to different resolutions and consequences, in the end, already tired of the poorly paced and shallow sections of gameplay in the back half of the game, and unable to connect more deeply to this world, I cared little about the direction of the narrative and its characters. It’s a shame that Call of Cthulhu doesn’t maintain the quality found in the first four hours throughout the game. | Read review |
| Rely On Horror | Jordan Leendertsen | 5.5 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | Call of Cthulhu plays like a cross between a walking sim, a Telltale game, and Outlast. If that sounds like an uneven experience, that’s because it is. | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Alice Bell | Not Recommended | 10-29-2018 | The final, pivotal choice in the game wasn’t that difficult for me, because I’d run out of all reasons to care. | Read review |
| RPGamer | Zack Webster | 3 / 5 stars | 10-30-2018 | Outside of the stealth and action segments, none of the game is out and out bad, but a lot of it comes off as more middling than a success. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Robin Burks | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-01-2018 | Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game is as horrifying as the RPG that inspired it. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Branislav Kohút | 6 / 10 | 11-07-2018 | Universum of H.P.Lovecraft is great, but this game is not very amusing, becouse it looks outdated and gameplay is mostly sterile. | Read review |
| SelectButton | Kevin Mitchell | 8 / 10 | 11-05-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Chan Khee Hoon | 3 / 5 stars | 10-29-2018 | Call of Cthulhu’s survival-horror elements don’t come close to capturing the existential unease of Lovecraft’s original story. Rather, they simply feel exploitative. | Read review |
| Softpedia | Cosmin Vasile | 7 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Of course, fans of the Lovecraftian universe shouldn’t skip Cyanide’s take on the Cthulhu mythos, but don’t go in with high expectations or you’ll be terribly disappointed. The least Call of Cthulhu can do is quench your thirst for Lovecraftian fiction until The Sinking City releases in March, 2019. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Adam Hambálek | 80 / 100 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game has managed to combine many elements from different genres while maintaining an impressive mystical atmosphere. Along with the appropriate length, appropriately chosen visuals and tuned gameplay, it can be ranked among the best Lovecraft themed video games. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Marcello Paolillo | 8 / 10 | 10-31-2019 | Call of Cthulhu, although held back by a poor visual presentation, is nonetheless a great game which will be greatly enjoyed by Lovecraft fans. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Samuel Guglielmo | 6 / 10 | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| The Game Fanatics | Tyler Chancey | 7.3 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is a case of the whole being better than the sum of its parts. | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Erica Mura | 7.2 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| The Outerhaven Productions | Andrew Agress | 4 / 5 stars | 11-13-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Steve C | 5 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | Call of Cthulhu is not a particularly good game. It looks and feels dated, contains some frustratingly realised mechanics and has possibly the worst gun combat I’ve ever experienced (luckily this is only a short section). What it does do well, however, is capture the feel of a Lovecraft story. | Read review |
| TheXboxHub | Gareth Brierley | 4 / 5 stars | 11-07-2018 | If you’re a fan of H.P. Lovecraft’s work then I feel this is one of the best experiences out there, simply because it loves its source material. Yes it’s a linear journey and you’ll struggle to find much in the way of replay value, but that’s okay because it’s a welcome breather from the huge open worlds that are dominating the games scene | Read review |
| ThisGenGaming | Justin Oneil | 7.5 / 10 | 10-31-2018 | As someone who is interested in this mythology I found a lot to like about Call of Cthulhu. | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Mark Delaney | 3 / 5 stars | 11-05-2018 | Call of Cthulhu isn’t the investigative adventure-RPG most will want it to be. If you adore the author, this adaptation is worth a look. Otherwise, you can toss it back into the ocean. | Read review |
| Unboxholics | Νικόλαος Δερλός | Not Recommended | 10-31-2019 | Call Of Cthulhu is a fine adventure that is better enjoyed on other platforms, since the handheld mode of the game is plagued by many issues. | Read review |
| Video Chums | A.J. Maciejewski | 3 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | The engaging atmosphere and detective aspect of Call of Cthulhu are phenomenal yet it manages to devolve into an irritating mess. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Josh Wise | 4 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | Call of Cthulhu’s atmosphere, especially early on, is delicious, but it’s let down by wayward pacing and plot and some muddy graphics. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Nathan Birch | 7 / 10 | 10-30-2018 | 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. | Read review |
| We Got This Covered | Dylan Chaundy | 3 / 5 stars | 10-29-2018 | 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. | Read review |
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