Another game in the storied Lovecraft universe enters the fray in the form of The Mound: Omen Of Cthulhu. Can this co-op horror title stake a claim in an already stacked genre?
Let The Lovecraft Expeditions Begin
Over the years, and thanks to my friends, I have become more enamoured with the tales of H.P Lovecraft. The blending of cosmic horror in unique situations has captured my imagination. So you can imagine my interest when developers ACE Team announced The Mound. Whilst there are some steep learning curves and some glaring issues, thankfully my interest has been rewarded. The story of The Mound: Omen Of Cthulhu takes place in the 1600s. There is a short prologue you can complete but in reality this is just a glorified cutscene that serves no real purpose. Each level you partake in is stylised as an expedition. You pick a character from a group of explorers, religious members and conquistadors.
Each character has a backstory described in a short text. You have former solider Alonso, troubled Leonor, Captain Don Rodrigo and monk Fray Gaspar. These characters have interesting backstories which inform the players about their motives. Their ultimate goal and the players’ main quest is to reach the fabled Mound; this is hidden somewhere in the cursed Chilean jungle. The developers have taken inspiration from a Lovecraft tale from the 1920s but formed their own narrative. If you are looking for a rich and in depth story, this game will not be for you. Relying on text logs and environmental storytelling to do most of its heavy lifting, the developers have clearly chosen to allow the jungle and its inhabitants to become the star and the story. Rest assured though, if you’re a fan of the classic Lovecraftian tales, there is more than enough for you here.
The Descent Into Madness
At its core, The Mound: Omen Of Cthulhu is a co-op horror game with extraction elements. You can play the game in solo, with bots filling in, but it’s abundantly clear that the developers have designed this game around playing in co-op. Gameplay takes place from a first person perspective and can be played with up to three other players. Your goals vary on each expedition but for the majority of the time, you are seeking to loot rare treasure and unique items. Across 18 detailed maps that interconnect, you plunge further and further into the jungle. All along the way you are dealing with the horrors and mind games of this twisted environment. Combat is deliberately methodical as you hack and slash or shoot your way through the jungle. If you are looking for a rich and in depth combat system, this is not the game for you.
The real gameplay loop comes from the player and the game’s paranoia. The developers have crafted superb and haunting locations that mess with players’ perspectives at every turn. During my time, it became a regular occurrence to ask my friends if they were seeing the same visons as I did. Friends can morph into monsters as tricks; trees can attack you with no warning, and be especially wary of consuming mushrooms. This game is not for the faint hearted; the difficulty only spikes the further and further you explore. I was hooked on the adrenaline rush of what was awaiting me around the corner. It’s very much a fear of what you hear and see and communicating with your fellow explorers that makes this game both exhilarating and terrifying. The jungle feels truly alive!
Trouble Ahead
Unfortunately, this game is not without some glaring issues. The inventory space and items in general serve as the most frustrating aspect of gameplay. You only have six spaces for your inventory and that can be filled whilst gearing up for the mission! Before every expedition, you need to take armour, weapons and supplies for the journey ahead but you can take so little that it’s very tedious.
I can understand the developers wanting to make the game difficult, but it really feels unfair at times. There is an ox cart which accompanies you on most missions where you can store items, but it means constantly running back and forth to it. This is all whilst running at the pace of a snail. Next comes the items. I cannot recall a game which hides how much health I receive from an item like this game. There is no clear indication of how much health you are receiving or amounts of bandages or food; it’s baffling to me.
The game’s main hub takes place on a galleon called The Tempestad. In theory,this should be a great location to wander around and explore, but it’s incredibly boring. It’s a hollow environment, where you can select a mission, upgrade armour and weapons and speak to NPC’s that repeat the same dialogue. I understand this hub is needed for co-op games like this, but the lack of detail and interesting aspects to it are deeply disappointing. As previously mentioned, the game’s difficulty will almost certainly put off newcomers to the genre. It’s brutal and methodical. This is truly not for the faint hearted.
The Horrors Of The Jungle
Thankfully, visual presentation in The Mound: Omen Of Cthulhu succeeds. The jungle is both beautiful and horrifying. Environments are drenched in Lovecraftian cosmic horror; you can really see the developers’ love and care in these haunting areas. The development team have also done a wonderful job in creating hallucinations and visions for each player. The character models do a good enough job not to appear out of place, whilst animations are solid and convey the growing fear in the players. Lighting is a particular highlight; too often would I look into a cave only to see a flicker of movement and sprint for my life. This is a dream for players who love this source material.
Audio design is crucial in a horror title and thankfully, the developers have achieved a great balance. During your time exploring, you will hear screams, cries and shouts coming from the jungle. It’s brilliant how well crafted these are, as at times, you cannot properly pinpoint the location of the noises. This heightens the fear and the tension perfectly. Sadly, I am left profoundly disappointed with the game’s soundtrack. It is virtually non existent. A tense and powerful orchestral score could have been used during climatic moments in missions. A real shame.
Verdict
The Mound: Omen Of Cthulhu is a real mixed bag. When the game is firing on all cylinders, it’s an atmospheric and tense horror adventure, best experienced with friends. It’s as much about what you don’t see, rather than what you do see, with the constant tricks the jungle plays on you. In depth maps and gorgeous visuals only further this experience. This makes it so much more frustrating that there are major issues with inventory management, audio design and the main hub. The brutal difficulty and reliance on multiplayer will put some players off from the start. If you can see past these issues, the lure of the jungle is more than enough to satisfy your Lovecraft quench!
