Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

[Tsukiyumi]

I recently acquired this, and just started playing today; it's an FPS, but the gameplay is considerably different than a normal FPS. For example, there is no HUD, or aiming reticule, and injuries are realistic (broken leg slows you down, broken arm messes with aiming, etc). Also, your character can lose sanity by looking at disturbing things for too long (eventually leading to complete insanity or suicide), which is represented by graphical anomalies and sounds.

So far, it's been pretty creepy; I haven't acquired a weapon yet (a lot of the gameplay appears to involve investigation and sneaking rather than combat), but even after I do, ammo is apparently limited in true survival-horror fashion, and the enemies are supposed to be rather difficult.

Graphically, it's outdated by today's standards, but still looks great IMO; the atmosphere is suitably disturbing, and the musical score has been perfect so far.

I just arrived at the town of Innsmouth to investigate a case, and the townsfolk have me on edge right from the get-go. I'm looking forward to continuing this, especially after

seeing the Yith come through a portal near the beginning of the game; that was definitely an "oh sh*t" moment.

Anyone else here ever played this?

[Mikey]

Is it fairly true to the original Cthulhu stories? What platform is this on?

[Tsukiyumi]

It came out for Xbox and PC in 2005.

Seems to be pretty faithful to Lovecraft so far; it's apparently based, at least in part, on The Shadow Over Innsmouth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_of_Ct ... _the_Earth

I just decided to pick it up after watching Re-Animator for the first time the other day; I started looking up Lovecraft mythos stuff, and this stood out.

[Mikey]

Looks very interesting. I'd recommend reading Lovecraft; the film Re-animator doesn't hold a candle to the story "Herbert West: Reanimator," much less to the more developed of Lovecraft's later Cthulhu works.

[Tsukiyumi]

I've been thinking about it lately; I'm sure the library has some of his stuff.

Also, I thought Re-Animator was awesome. The second one, not so much.

[colmquinn]

Yep I've played it. Its pretty good though it has some rough "edges" to it. I do like the sanity aspects of and I suppose it sticks fairly closely to the Escape from Innsmouth story.

[Mikey]

I've been thinking about it lately; I'm sure the library has some of his stuff.

It's not casual reading - if for no other reason, it's (obviously) written in distinctly early-20th-cent. style. It's worth it, though.

I do like the sanity aspects of

In that, it seems to remind me of the old RPG.

[Tsukiyumi]

Yeah, I still don't have a weapon, and now four of the Innsmouth townsfolk have decided to break into my hotel room to kill me.

I have to run (walk: there is no run key ) to the next room, lock the bolt behind me, then push a dresser out of the way to get into the next room, then lock another bolt, then push another dresser out of the way and get out a window before jumping to another building.

...In about 20 seconds.

Man, this game is hard. Fun, but hard.

[colmquinn]

Yeah I enjoyed that bit too, causes some 'panic'. (You can lock the door into your bedroom at the start to give yourself a precious few seconds to get moving btw). Oh and I fell doing the jump from one building to the other and broke my legs so many bloody times

[Mikey]

Yeah, I still don't have a weapon, and now four of the Innsmouth townsfolk have decided to break into my hotel room to kill me.

I have to run (walk: there is no run key ) to the next room, lock the bolt behind me, then push a dresser out of the way to get into the next room, then lock another bolt, then push another dresser out of the way and get out a window before jumping to another building.

...In about 20 seconds.

Man, this game is hard. Fun, but hard.

You probably would have foreseen that if you read the story. It's been a while, but IIRC that sequence is a direct lift from "The Shadow Over Innsmouth."