H. P. Lovecraft is a name that most horror enthusiasts are familiar with. Although he was not popular during his own time, his stories would go on to inspire countless others, and he himself would become a legend. Among his works, The Call of Cthulhu is one of the most recognizable, with Cthulhu himself becoming one of the most iconic "monsters," to say the least. This popularity has led to Cthulhu appearing in many forms of media, along with monsters based on his squid-like design, and that includes video games.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is the latest title to be based on the Cthulhu Mythos, and it offers its own take on not just The Call of Cthulhu, but other Lovecraftian stories as well. Developed by Big Bad Wolf, known for Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong, the game is a narrative puzzle adventure that puts players in the shoes of Noah as he dives deep into the Pacific Ocean to look for a missing colleague. Rather than focusing on combat and "in-your-face" graphic content like other horror titles, The Cosmic Abyss lets its subject matter do the talking as Noah himself slowly descends into madness due to Cthulhu’s influence.
It is a unique setup, to say the least, but will it be for everyone? Surprisingly, the game is quite complex, and some players might find themselves arriving at their first roadblock during the intro—and it only continues to ramp up the challenge from there. This isn't a game for the faint of heart or for those who get frustrated easily. It is a title that will really put all of your detective skills to the test, so get ready to create your own evidence boards (literally) and spend hours combing through all of the evidence to solve the mystery.
What mystery? Well...
The Story:
The story of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss follows a man named Noah Williams, who has been involved with the occult since an early age. After a tragic event that took the lives of his parents, Noah found himself being rescued in the nick of time by a woman named Elsa Rover. Unknown to him at the time, Elsa worked as a special agent for a group called Ancile, which specializes in occult-related incidents. As the years went on, Noah himself eventually joined the organization, bringing with him his keen sense of observation. Along with his AI companion, KEY, Noah went on multiple missions with Elsa before one ultimately changed everything—and this is where our tale begins.
After not hearing from their coworker for quite some time, Noah and Ancile travel to her last known location and discover something unsettling. Cryptic messages litter the house, and a weird image is seen painted on papers pinned to the wall. Things only become stranger upon discovering an unknown substance in the basement, which ultimately leads the two to the discovery of a lifetime. However, when the investigation goes south, Noah is injured, the two are separated, and Noah finds himself being forced to continue on his own. What initially started as a simple trip to look for his coworker is what eventually leads him to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and to a location where a team of scientists has unearthed something that should have been kept a secret forever. Knowing full well that the disappearance of his friend is connected to what these scientists found, Noah ventures into the depths in an attempt to get to the bottom of everything.
Gameplay:
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a narrative-driven adventure game with a very strong focus on puzzle-solving that puts your deduction skills to the test. Though similar to classic point-and-click titles, The Cosmic Abyss doesn't limit players on where they can go or what they can interact with. In fact, the large, open 3D spaces are littered with countless items to discover, but it is entirely up to the player to determine what is truly useful—and that is where the real challenge comes into play.
The basic gameplay consists of navigating Noah through the world from a first-person perspective, searching for clues to overcome the various roadblocks that prevent him from finding his missing comrades. Objects can be picked up and examined, stored for later use, or placed within the world to solve puzzles and open doors; however, the most useful function comes from scanning.
KEY is the AI assistant who stays by Noah's side throughout the adventure, providing three major tools that are imperative to your success. The first function is to scan for objects that have been previously discovered, which includes not only the item itself but its genetic makeup. By finding one item—for example, a key card—you can scan the surrounding area to easily locate additional ones in the vicinity. While the game doesn't explicitly guide you to do so, players with a keen eye for their surroundings will eventually realize what is needed. If you encounter a locked device that cannot be opened with your current card, logic dictates it is simply the wrong one. Instead of spending hours searching blindly, the scanner can lead you to multiple other cards hidden throughout the area, with only one being the correct solution.
Since nearly every object in the game can be added to the scanner, players must carefully consider what they truly need. While this is easier in the early stages, the further one progresses, the more advanced the puzzle and scanner combinations become. Eventually, looking for a specific object is not enough; players must consider the materials of the object itself. By searching for a combination of materials, the necessary item can be located.
For example, when trying to find a battery with a full charge, simply scanning for a standalone battery might lead you to dozens of depleted ones. You could use trial and error to test every battery in the stage, but the smarter solution is to search using a combination of lithium and potassium hydroxide. This is what will ultimately lead you directly to a functional battery, but the game will not directly tell you this; players must deduce it themselves! Assuming you have read every available document—which can also be found using the scanner—it shouldn't be too difficult, but it can also be easy to overlook if the document itself is missed.
While scanning is essential, it is only half the battle. The Vault is KEY's version of an evidence board, containing every clue and document players encounter. Reading these documents is important not just for the story and the context of the events prior to Noah's arrival, but because they hint at what is required to progress. Within The Vault, players can arrange clues and documents however they wish and draw connecting lines between them. By following the correct line of logic, you can deduce the answer and submit those thoughts to KEY. This is done by dragging and dropping information into "questions" KEY leaves for the player. By selecting the correct information, you find the way forward.
Why can't you advance through the underwater maze? Documents reference a monument. Where is it? A series of events led to its destruction. Where can the pieces be found? The clues will guide you. Why did fixing the monument not work? Refer back to the clues and consider using your scanner to find the way.
Both The Vault and the Scanner are mandatory; failing to utilize both will bring progression to a complete halt. This is not a game that can be figured out by wandering aimlessly and clicking on everything, as there is reasoning behind every mechanic. Thankfully, there is often more than one way to solve these puzzles, though that also means dozens of documents and items may go unused. The most important thing is that players realize what items should be placed in the scanner, and to continue trying different combinations. Placing the "Document" option within the scanner itself is also a life saver, as it'll show every unread note within the world. Moving on from here, many "important scans" from previous chapters continue to be used, so simply trying them at random can be enough to progress—though it still takes work to realize just how useful the scan truly was.
Another feature is the corruption mechanic that is always at play. In-game actions increase Cthulhu’s hold over Noah. Choosing "easier" solutions or triggering Noah’s memories of his tragic past can lead to higher corruption. Since the game features multiple endings, the level of corruption determines which route Noah takes, and high corruption can lock players out of specific choices later on. Some of this can be mitigated through the upgrade system, which includes game-changing mechanics to give you an edge. These upgrades are obtained by finding specific items in the world—which can also be tracked via the scanner—to help Noah resist falling under Cthulhu’s control.
With each chapter ramping up the difficulty, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is no joke. Even with optional clues on the easier difficulty, it remains a challenge from beginning to end. Those who are easily frustrated might find the gameplay taxing, but puzzle enthusiasts will find a world they can sink dozens of hours into. Thanks to the branching paths and multiple solutions, the game highly encourages replays.
The Elements of Horror:
Unlike many games within the horror genre, The Cosmic Abyss does not actively try to scare you; rather, it is the subject matter itself that is disturbing.
While diving deep under the ocean and swimming through blood-filled waters with low visibility is unsettling, the game does not contain jump scares, enemies to fight, or truly horrifying sights. There is never really a fear of what you might see; instead, the horror lies in knowing what Cthulhu is doing to Noah’s mind and what has been done to those who came before. This more "relaxed" nature allows players to immerse themselves in the world and investigate at their own pace, with things becoming increasingly twisted along the way. It is honestly perfect for those who enjoy this type of story but cannot handle full-on scary moments, though those looking for pure terror might be disappointed to learn this isn't that kind of game.
On another note, I unintentionally became attached to one of the only monsters in the game by giving it the nickname "Squiggles" as a joke. It was meant to be one of the few unsettling encounters, but it was anything but that for me. Since the monster itself is a key part of the area—complete with squiggly tentacles to traverse—there is simply no way to avoid it, and players must face it head-on. Because of being so up close and personal with it, by the end of the chapter, I found myself not wanting anything to happen to it; I even chose the best possible route to ensure its safety! I might be in the minority however, and other players will most likely decide to handle things differently. But that too is a part of the game, and another reason one might consider coming back for multiple playthroughs.
Honestly, for those who are disturbed by such content, I recommend simply laughing it off like I did and to just keep pushing forward. This isn't a terrifying game by any means, and one shouldn't let eerie sections like these prevent them from seeing this tale through to its conclusion.
Should you play it?
There's no denying that Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a game that won't appeal to everyone; if you don't enjoy puzzles or solving mysteries on your own, then this is honestly not the title for you. With very little hand-holding—even with the tips available on easier difficulties—this is a game that one can literally get lost in for hours. You might even come out sounding like a crazy person when trying to describe to someone else everything you had to do (speaking from experience here as I discussed the title with our staff). That being said, those who love this style of game will enjoy the opportunity to challenge themselves and uncover an interesting mystery along the way.
There are tons of little details that can be missed, but with multiple ways to solve each chapter, players are sure to discover them eventually—especially if they return to explore every possible path. The biggest hump to get over is undeniably mastering the scanner and realizing which objects to look for, but once you do, it becomes smooth sailing for a while—at least until the next roadblock. Because The Cosmic Abyss is constantly changing things up or introducing new mechanics, there will always be moments that leave you scratching your head, but once you get into the groove, it isn't too bad. The later chapters are especially fun as everything comes together, though the early game can be a bit of a challenge. In fact, Chapter 2 might be the game's biggest hurdle of all.
When it comes to actual in-game issues, my only real complaint involves the text size. While playing on a monitor is fine, I encountered problems while using a 55" 4K TV. The issue is that document text seemingly remains at a fixed size, causing it to appear consistently small and making it very hard to read when not sitting directly in front of the screen. The best way to describe this to those reading this review is to simply stand up from your desk, or put your phone down, and walk about five feet away from your screen. Now continue reading and see how easy or hard it is for you! Your eyesight might be good enough to still read it, but it will at least cause some strain. This is unfortunately how all document text is handled in the game, and there is no way to increase the size. It isn't an issue for those sitting close to their screen or at a desk, but those hoping to play from their couch might need to scoot closer.
In addition to this, I encountered a handful of bugs in the pre-release build, which were patched over the following weeks. The development team was hard at work the entire time to make this the best experience possible, and their efforts ultimately paid off. As someone who encountered many of these issues firsthand, I can confirm that after some initial frustration, they are no longer an issue in the final build.
Overall, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is an unsettling yet engaging narrative adventure that truly puts your deduction skills to the test. While the Lovecraftian-inspired story acts as the driving force behind your actions, the satisfaction of overcoming each challenge is what keeps you coming back for more. It isn't a title everyone will enjoy, but thanks to its surprising depth, there also isn't another game quite like it.
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided
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