Call of Cthulu E3 2018 Preview
Call of Cthulu is the official Cthulu videogame inspired by Chaosium’s pen-and-paper RPG as well as, of course, H.P. Lovecraft’s short story of the same name. While unfamiliar with the inspirations behind the game developed by Cyanide Studio, psychological horrors do interest me as much as they spook me, which is a fair bit. It is also worth mentioning that I have always been meaning to have a read of the source material and seeing the demo of Call of Cthulu during E3 2018 may prompt me to do so.
In Call of Cthulu, players take the role of Private Investigator Edward Pierce in 1924, who is hired to investigate the death of the Hawkins family within their own mansion on an isolated island off the shores of Boston. Hired because his client believes the police to have erred in their reports, Pierce must navigate through a variety of people whom his dialogue choices will ultimately affect. The people that Pierce interacts with may become allies, assisting Pierce when needed such as by revealing additional clues or just picking a lock.
In the demonstration that I watched, Call of Cthulu appears to meet expectations of a psychological horror story. It is also worth noting that Pierce’s occupation as a private detective plays a significant role in the game, as he investigates clues as well as people on the way to finding the truth. The game is focused on problem-solving rather than combat, so players expecting an action game should reassess their expectations.
Lastly, Pierce walks a fine line between sanity and insanity, having taken part in the Great War and battling alcoholism. In Call of Cthulu, players will be able to protect Pierce’s sanity, though it is hinted that some insanity will be required to find the truth. While H.P. Lovecraft’s work generally features the theme that one is not the master of their own fate, Call of Cthulu offers players the opportunity to change their fate, as it was mentioned during the demonstration that there is only a small window to do so. While the game features multiple endings, the developer did note that the game is designed to be replayed for all the endings.
Set to release later this year, Call of Cthulu will come to the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
