Call of Cthulhu (computer game)
| Call of Cthulhu | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Original title | Call of Cthulhu | ||
| Studio | Cyanide Studio | ||
| Publisher | Focus Home Interactive | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
October 30, 2018 | ||
| platform | Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One | ||
| Game engine | Unreal Engine 4 | ||
| genre | Survival horror | ||
| Game mode | Single player | ||
| control | Mouse , keyboard , gamepad | ||
| medium | Download , Blu-ray Disc , DVD-ROM | ||
| language | English (subtitles in multiple languages) | ||
| Age rating |
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Call of Cthulhu is a survival horror - computer game , which of Cyanide was developed and Focus Home Interactive for the systems PlayStation 4 , Xbox One and Microsoft Windows is marketed.
The game relies on psychological horror and the Cthulhu myth . It is inspired by HP Lovecraft's short story Call of Cthulhu and adaptation of the Pen - & - Paper - role-playing game from 1981 .
action
The game follows the private detective and war veteran Edward Pierce, who is in an existential crisis. Since he no longer received any cases in Boston in 1924 , he took refuge in alcohol and pills. He sees a glimmer of hope when one day a mysterious case lands on his desk. Pierce is asked to solve the death of the Hawkins family, who were mysteriously killed in a fire. The only clue is a strange picture that the allegedly crazy mother painted shortly before her death. Edward has to go to Darkwater Island near Boston to learn more about the matter. In doing so, he comes across the imminent revival of the god Cthulhu. There are four endings that depend on the player's choices.
Gameplay
The game relies primarily on detective tasks such as conducting investigations, looking for clues and solving puzzles. Horror elements are only used secondarily. The course of the game depends on the decisions of the player. In contrast to other horror games, the game relies more on realism and less on action-packed gameplay. The character is comparatively weak and has to struggle with psychological stress , which is reflected, for example, in panic attacks , hallucinations and flashbacks . The player can improve their skills in psychology , medicine , eloquence and occultism to benefit from them in the game. The skills “medicine” and “occultism” can only be improved by using medicine books that are scattered across the game world. The game is played from the first person perspective .
Development and publication
In January 2014, Focus Home Interactive announced on Twitter that game developer Frogwares was working on the game's development. The developers also announced that the game will appear on PCs and "next-gen consoles". Experience from the Sherlock Holmes series, which was used for the detective elements, was incorporated into the development . For the incorporation of the horror elements, several authors worked together who had written scenarios for the pen & paper role-playing game Call of Cthulhu from 1981.
After two years of no press releases published about the game, it has been suggested that the project has been abandoned. But then Focus Home announced the game again in February 2016, naming Cyanide as the new development studio and the end of 2017 as the release period. As a game engine is the Unreal Engine 4 used.
In June 2016, shortly before the E3 entertainment fair, the first trailer for the game was released. In September 2017 it was announced that the game would be postponed to 2018. On October 30, 2018 ( Halloween ) the game was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
reception
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The game received mostly positive reviews from the press. In contrast to other horror games, more emphasis is placed on detective work and realism than on action-packed gameplay. The Cthulhu myth created by HP Lovecraft is used, which is praised by the press as a good framework. The game tells its own story, but still offers many allusions to Lovecraft's work. In the game, the game character's madness and loss of control are mechanically implemented and visualized, and the classic good-evil image is replaced by a fantastic story with gradually creeping horror about cults, creatures and cosmic influences. The atmosphere is described as gloomy, surreal , rich in detail and artistic, which is supported by the music. It should appeal to the player's imagination and arouse curiosity. The characters are described as unpredictable and believable.
Some of the puzzles are judged to be too easy, and the graphics and animations cannot be compared with those of current high-end games. Further points of criticism are repetitions, cuts in the level design with game progress, added shooter elements and technical errors.
The gameplay is somewhat compared with the computer game Dishonored: The Mask of Wrath , the mysterious investigations with Murdered: Soul Suspect and the level system with the Fallout series. Darkest Dungeon , Dark Souls and Sunless Sea are also named as other games that deal with similar cosmological horror .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu: A mind that can't be trusted. Retrieved November 1, 2018 (American English).
- ↑ TEST: Call of Cthulhu - Between Madness & Reality. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ GamePressure.com: Call of Cthulhu Endings. Retrieved July 13, 2019 .
- ↑ a b TEST: Call of Cthulhu - Between Madness & Reality. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ a b Anne Zarnecke: Call of Cthulhu - criticism. In: Gamereactor Germany. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu Test - The Child of Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ^ Call of Cthulhu game announced by Sherlock developer Frogwares. In: Eurogamer.net. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ^ New Call of Cthulhu 'dark and creepy'. In: Digital Spy. January 24, 2014, accessed November 1, 2018 .
- ^ John Robertson: Survive Call of Cthulhu by Slowing Down and Understanding Your World. In: IGN. February 9, 2017, Retrieved November 1, 2018 (American English).
- ^ Cyanide takes over Call of Cthulhu development from Frogwares. In: MCV. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu back from the dead. In: Eurogamer.net. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Chris Pereira: Creepy New Call of Cthulhu Trailer Shows Off the Xbox One / PS4 / PC Horror RPG. In: GameSpot. June 10, 2016, Retrieved November 1, 2018 (American English).
- ↑ Dave Calpito: Call Of Cthulhu Reveal Trailer Out Ahead Of E3 [Video]. In: Tech Times. June 12, 2016, accessed November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu is out now - GAMEtainment - Entertainment Is Our Game. In: GAMEtainment - Entertainment Is Our Game. October 31, 2018, accessed November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ games.ch - Current Call of Cthulhu News: Video Review: Call of Cthulhu - Is it worth the horror trip inspired by HP Lovecraft? In: games.ch. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu: First test evaluations in the overview - play3.de. In: play3.de. October 30, 2018, accessed November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu for PS4 in the test: Dark detective thriller. In: computerbild.de. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu Test - The Child of Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft. Retrieved November 1, 2018 .
- ↑ Call of Cthulhu in the test: Old God in a new guise. In: GIGA. October 30, 2018, accessed November 1, 2018 .