In a sea of Lovecraftian horror games, up steps newcomer Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. Can this mystery horror game entice the dedicated fans of the genre? Or should this title be buried deep under the sea?
A Cosmic Mystery
Lovecraftian games have always intrigued me, but none have quite had that real hook to keep me gripped. That was until Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss arrived. Developed by French developers Big Bad Wolf, this horror mystery is a real treat – that is if you can withstand a few of its glaring issues. Set in 2053, you play as Noah, an occult investigator. He works for company Ancile, a business which specialises in investigating everything weird and unnatural. Noah’s task is to find the missing CEO of a mining station, along with all the crew, who have mysteriously disappeared. Eventually, all this leads Noah to discover, and subsequently enter, (for the first time in video games) the sunken city of R’lyeh.
At its heart, this is a detective mystery, imploring the player to explore and discover as much as possible. It is a tale of deception, mystery, loss and personal struggle. Accompanying Noah is his AI companion, Key. She is augmented into Noah’s brain, to help him track and uncover the mysteries of the missing crew and its wealthy backer. For me, the real highlight was the interaction between Noah and Key and the conversations they have along the way.
I think it’s best to avoid spoilers but if you sink your teeth into the game, you’re rewarded with a horror mystery which is intrinsically tied to Lovecraft and his twisted creations. It’s thought provoking and eerie; it really had me questioning whether the action was all in Noah’s mind. Coupled with the multiple endings on offer, and the different paths you can take on each chapter, you have a tightly woven narrative. It continues to become more otherworldly the further you dive. The blending of sci-fi and Lovecraftian horror works superbly, as Noah descends further and further into the madness.
Lovecraftian Detective Extravaganza
It is important to get your expectations right when it comes to this game. At its core, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a first person puzzle game; it will test your intellect and patience equally. Throughout the game, your goal as Noah is to progress deeper and deeper. There is no combat but the complexity of the puzzles definitely makes up for it. Noah’s investigation skills are some of the most refined and polished I have come across in a video game. You can scan with your sonar ability, pick up virtually everything in the game and much more. If the puzzles become too complex for you, you can gain hints from Key for help. The game does not hold your hand; I felt I had really accomplished a feat when I had beaten some of the tougher puzzles towards the end of the game.
Most of the chapters in the game allow two distinct paths to be taken; one of these will increase your corruption level. Taking the corrupt path is often the easier choice, but at a cost. Your corruption level can directly affect the ending, along with other consequences. Throughout the game you can acquire perks and upgrades to your detective skills but the corruption level, if high enough, can destroy some of these. I love this mechanic as it really made me weigh up my options; I had to think carefully, no matter how much I really wanted to take the easier path. Along with Nobody Wants To Die, I think this is the best and most ambitious detective game ever created.
A Sinking Feeling
Whilst I love most of the gameplay in this game, it is not without some flaws. The interaction system works for the most part, but during certain chapters it can become really annoying and frustrating. Some puzzles require you to manipulate objects. Unfortunately, this is where the frustration rises; it becomes so finnicky you will be aimlessly spinning an object around, trying to find the sweet spot. The energy resource system is also too simple. However, these are minor issues.
My major issue with the gameplay is the autosave system. This system is terrible. I would often complete a puzzle and take a break from the game, only to load my save back up and find myself having to complete the puzzle again! This made some areas feel really tedious and monotonous. A stronger system is needed as I fear this might put some players off. On a final positive note about gameplay, it should be stated that the accessibility options are superb; they can really allow a player to tailor the experience to how they see fit.
Beauty In The Madness
When it comes to visuals and presentation in Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, they are beautiful – but at a cost. Everywhere you visit and explore in this story is stunning and dripping in Lovecraftian lore and flair. Environments look haunting and spectacular under the water. Lighting is top notch, as it needs to be, in a game with many dark corridors and areas. Character models and animations are strong; they help to keep the themes and the narrative at the forefront of the player’s mind. The blend of sci-fi and Lovecraft horror has been brought to life, with gorgeous results; this is an atmospheric tour de force.
Sadly, the cost of these visuals is to the detriment of the performance. Unfortunately, during my time, I encountered numerous bugs and crashes which hindered my experience. Combine a crash alongside the poor autosave system and you have a recipe for a lot of frustration. The game launches with a performance and a quality mode but it’s the former that takes a nosedive. When pinging sonar on performance, the frame rate takes a spectacular dive and this really affects the fluidity of the gameplay. Thus, there are many technical issues on launch but my hope is these can be swiftly ironed out!
The Sound Of The Underground
Thankfully, I have no issues when it comes to sound design and score. The sound design is stellar as Noah descends further and further into the unknown. This is superbly bolstered by a stellar voice acting performance from the cast. Anchored by Jua Amir as Noah, I really felt the fear and tension from his voice every time he conversed with Key. Sound design is also perfectly crafted to amp up the tension for the player; at times I felt genuinely unnerved as to what awaited me around the corner.
Similarly, the musical score is hauntingly beautiful. Composer Nicolas Garcia stated that he wanted the music not to simply play in the background but to act as a theme which engulfs the game world and its lore. He has achieved this magnificently with a haunting orchestral soundtrack that could not be more perfect for the themes and narrative in The Cosmic Abyss. It propels the game’s narrative and intrigue to further heights and it should be talked about for years to come. It is eerie and unnerving, yet tranquil and powerful.
Verdict
To sum up, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has deepened my love and appreciation for Lovecraft and the genre as a whole. A brilliant mysterious story, gorgeous visuals and soundtrack, along with some of the best detective gameplay in games to date, help make this a must play for fans of the genre. Unfortunately, the game stumbles in places, with poor optimisation and performance issues, along with some tedious gameplay design. Still, there is a wonderful game to enjoy if you can get past the choppy waves! Check it out here- Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss – Nacon
