Call Of Cthulhu Dark Corners Of The Earth
Game Type: Released
Max Players: 1
Genre: Action - Adventure - Horror - Shooter
Developers: Headfirst Productions
Publishers: 2K Games
Cooperative: No
PEGI: 18
Game Overview
It's time for you to draw upon your skills in exploration, investigation, and combat as you battle the evil incarnate. Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth combines both action and adventure elements into a first person horror experience. You'll combat enemies using the environment, powerful and evil artifacts, Alien technology, and authentic 1920s weaponry. Cthulhu enemies can roam freely around the environment opening doors and tracking you down single handily or in groups. A detailed damage and healing system breaks down the healing process into conditions and treatments. The game features no heads-up display. Instead, condition of the player character is relayed through the sound cues of his heartbeat and breathing, which become more pronounced when wounded, and colour draining from the screen with loss of blood and strength. Specific injuries are also indicated visually and aurally: for example, a broken leg causes the character to limp while making appropriate noises, while a broken arm makes aiming more difficult. The health system was designed as a more realistic take on character injury than other games of its genre in that different wounds, including poisoning and bleeding, require different remedies, such as a splint for a broken leg. The inventory screen shows the character's injuries displayed on his character model and all carried items.
Introduction to the Mystery
"Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth" begins in the 1920s, centering on Jack Walters, a private investigator. The story unfolds as Jack is called to investigate a mysterious disturbance at a manor tied to the esoteric cult, the Esoteric Order of Dagon. This fateful encounter leaves him mentally scarred and hospitalized for six years. When released, he is drawn back into a web of strange events and shadowy forces that lead him to the desolate town of Innsmouth.
The Descent into Innsmouth
Jack arrives in Innsmouth, a town shrouded in secrecy and inhabited by hostile, malformed townsfolk. Hired to find a missing person, he quickly realizes that the town harbours dark secrets. The people are tied to a blasphemous pact with ancient sea gods, worshipped by the cult that rules over them. Jack's investigation leads him to a series of horrifying discoveries, including human sacrifices and the hybrid offspring of humans and deep sea creatures.
Unearthing Forbidden Knowledge
As Jack delves deeper, he uncovers forbidden knowledge that ties the town's history to ancient, otherworldly beings. The cult's worship of the Deep Ones reveals their desire to summon an ancient deity, Dagon, to further their sinister goals. Jack uncovers the horrifying truth about his connection to these events, as his mind struggles to comprehend the scope of the cosmic horrors he faces. The revelations begin to erode his sanity, blurring the lines between reality and madness.
The Escape from Innsmouth
Jack's presence in Innsmouth does not go unnoticed. He becomes a target for the cultists, who relentlessly hunt him through the dilapidated streets and buildings of the town. The tension builds as Jack navigates claustrophobic environments, evading capture while piecing together clues about the cult's plans. His narrow escapes from the cult and the monstrous Deep Ones are fraught with danger, pushing him to the brink of physical and mental collapse.
The Underwater Temple
Following leads uncovered in the town, Jack ventures into an underwater temple, a sacred site for the Deep Ones. The temple is a labyrinth of alien architecture, filled with ancient artifacts and ominous carvings that tell the story of the cult's devotion to their gods. Jack confronts the full scope of the Deep Ones’ power, as well as their plans to expand their influence beyond Innsmouth. This harrowing journey tests his resolve as he faces unimaginable horrors lurking in the depths.
The Revelation of Dagon
In the heart of the temple, Jack uncovers the cult's ultimate goal: summoning Dagon, an ancient and malevolent sea god. Witnessing the ritual unfold, he is forced to act against overwhelming odds. Using his wits and the tools at his disposal, Jack sabotages the ceremony, disrupting the cult’s plans. His victory is short lived, however, as he is left to confront the catastrophic consequences of his actions, with Dagon’s presence looming large over the proceedings.
The Collapse of Sanity
As Jack emerges from the temple, he is haunted by what he has witnessed. The unspeakable horrors of the Deep Ones and the cult's plans to summon ancient gods weigh heavily on his mind. He begins to unravel, experiencing vivid hallucinations and overwhelming paranoia. These episodes leave him questioning his reality, as the events in Innsmouth take a permanent toll on his psyche. His struggle to maintain his sanity becomes a central theme as the story progresses.
Uncovering Hidden Connections
Jack's investigation reveals unsettling personal connections to the events in Innsmouth. He discovers ties between himself, the cult, and the cosmic entities they worship. These revelations are deeply disturbing, as they suggest that his fate was intertwined with these horrors long before his arrival. This personal connection deepens the narrative, showing that Jack’s involvement is far more than coincidence and hinting at a predestined role in the unfolding cosmic drama.
The Uncertain Resolution
The story concludes with Jack narrowly escaping the clutches of the cult and the horrors of Innsmouth, but his survival comes at a great cost. The knowledge he has gained and the horrors he has faced leave him irrevocably changed. His ultimate fate is ambiguous, leaving players to ponder the impact of cosmic forces on the human mind. The game ends with a haunting reminder of the fragility of sanity in the face of incomprehensible evil, staying true to the Lovecraftian themes of despair and existential dread.
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