Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth by Xbox
The average user rating for this Game is 8.0 out of 10 (based on 34 Votes).
m s gave it a3: This is the perfect example of how to script a horror game...it's just not exactly what I'd call the ideal way to make one playable. At first, I was excited to get this game. I mean five years in the making, bragging an advanced sanity system, healing system, and interactive world sounds great...until you actually have to play the damn game. The creators were so hell bent on hyping this game as a "realistic experience" that they forgot one crucial element. It's a damn video game. First of all, five years in development should warrant a few things: Good voice acting, good visuals, and polished gameplay. The gameplay had a lot of potential. It's my belief that first person is tough to implement into stealth and horror because you can't actually see your character model so creeping behind walls is difficult and the stupid peek around the wall mechanic is useless unless you wanna reveal yourself. Secondly, it's near impossible to estimate how far you can jump in this game, which will get you killed many times. The A.I. is generally piss poor as well and glitches on many occasions. The most the A.I. can do is follow and shoot and group together. Nothing intelligent about that. Oh and they can't aim rifles at point blank to save their lives, literally. The interactivity is pretty false too. There are only a few people you can actually talk to in the game on your own without cutscenes and you can't actually use your surroundings to your advantage. You can just observe them and make useless comments about them. Did I mention the voice acting is annoying as all hell? The main character sounds like a complete Nimrod. The graphics ain't much to gawk at either. The environments generally come in a few shades of gray and brown with a little texture thrown in for good measure. The character models are stiff and the monsters are hilariously unscary when you finally see them. As for health packs. Nothing complicated or interesting about it. Somehow you can still walk with two broken legs. How very realistic?? But the worst part about this game is the abused sanity effects. I don't know about you, but my vision doesn't blur when I'm scared. And I don't get vertigo instantly from . Our detective hero is kind of a loose canon really. Everything makes his mental state deteriorate. It's gimmicky and annoying and it fails to make the game scary. Or realistic. In fact, quite the opposite. But to the point. Don't play this game. It's a waste of time and potential. Play Silent Hill 2 or Resident Evil if you want a good scare. This sucked.
A. gave it a10: I love it. I took the time to write down all the quotes from each loading screen by recording the loading screens with my vcr. lol The struggle with the controls and glitches is worth it..don't give up. All the way to the end!
Mohammed N. gave it a9: An outstanding game not without bugs but the concept and gameplay are original throughout. Its atmosphere is gripping and disturbing and it feels just right, even though most of the gameplay is linear, there is enough content and twists to make you appreciate the minds behind this game. Get it today or hit the road!
Bruno F. gave it a10: Enter another kind of horror game. For those who can both take pleasure out of reading and playing videogames, I give you Dark Corners of the Earth: one of the best recriations of a literary work, in this case the work of H. P. Lovecraft. For those who also admired Shadow of The Comet or Prisioner of Ice (both great PC adventures) the sort of fear and panic which Call of Cthulhu portrays will feel somewhat familiar. This is not a game likely to scare you as much as it imposes its own rythm, its own spiral down to the gravest and most horrible corners of fright. The technical aspects are well-enough for what the game requires. Moreover, this isn't your average FPS game, not in the true sense of the term. Think of it as a First Person game, where shooting is a minor part in comparisson to dialogues, puzzle solving and exploring the magnificent spaces where the game takes set. Unfortunately, many failed to see the game for what it really is: an amazing journey with the mark of one of Literature's greatest genius, Lovecraft. The menus are scarce but brilliant. There is a sense of distinction in many of the game's aspects: characters, dialogues, the quality of the texts. Most of all, it has a great ambience, in a way we rarely find in a videogame. A real shame that the other episodes turned out to be cancelled - mostly due to this game's poor market impact. One of XBOX's best games.
Aaron H. gave it a9: One of the most fulfilling games I've ever played. The ending will leave you breathless.
Raffaele L. gave it a9: One of the best horror games i ever played.. dynamic, balanced puzzles... i read all of the text and dialogues of the game and found noone of those to be boring; many jumps off the chair assured.
scootaboy gave it a9: Truly one of the best games I've played this generation. While it might not have the latest bump mapped, mip-mapped Hign Definition whatchamacalits in the graphics department, the game has a true sense of Art Direction and style. The sanity effects are great even if not entire unique and add a tangible sense of confusion to the games most harrowing moments. Trying to see the three story thing thats attacking you is tough through the haze and this is how it should be. Furthermore, the sound design is top notch with wonderfully creepy music (I couldn't stand to leave it on pause - too creepy) and fantastic sound effects that really shake your subwoofer. While the final showdown and the last hour or so of play leading up to it come increasingly from left-field, the epilogue (no spoilers here) is one of the most satisfiying conclusions to any game I have played. For those of you finding the opening couple of chapters slow going - stick with it, things soon heat up and there's a great deal of variety and clever ideas at play here. Highly recommended.
Baron Samedi gave it a7: Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is a game I've been waiting for ages to play and it's pretty much as I expected. That's to say, it's great when it comes to plot and atmosphere but not quite so good when it comes to glitches and the odd gameplay annoyance. I would have marked it higher only I found the end of the game didn't make much sense and I had to keep looking up hints to get through it. Up until the last about hour, it's a great game but that last part is so illogical and requires so much help, it really breaks the flow of the game. Overall, it's a novel and enjoyable game but don't feel bad about looking up help in parts (although be careful if you're looking up the official forum as you get the odd person who will write what happens at the end of the game in his/her thread title) as some of it just defies logic entirely.
Megatron gave it a9: I dont know what made Rob c or Derrick f decide 2 ditch this game,but thank god i did nt mind their opinion....The game is fantastic,maybe u did nt gave it aserious try and were 2 eager 2 get more action out ...from an adventure fps...In fact u can actually get 2 hold guns,but the good thing about this game is that it sometimes gives u the oppurtunity not 2 make use of them...the stealth approach,something that quality titles such as Riddick,thief series and Deus Ex gave us b4,is another way to proceed further,without going gang -ho on anything that moves!It is an original game,with less amount of clich'es and action tha most casual shooters,but has more atmosphere,story and thinking than the hall bunch,making u think almost just as how u would as a private i...Some problems or misses that occur in almost every game(sometimes troubling enemy A.I.,no real time shadows and dynamic lighting or normal mapping,athough good texturing)must nt degrade the expirience u get out of this title(more realistic healing+shooting system,u know,no reticle or hud,with ur hands trembing after u aim 4 too much time,or the pain that the character expresses when hit,or afraid),it is truly unfair 4 the respectable gamer 2 consider vital,and not giving the proper attention2 the excelent pacing of the game.Anyone should at least try it ,just 4 the new elements and well given atmoshere,and the excellent effort the programmers did on bringing Lovecrafts myth2 the xbox controller...Just like the exceptional personalities,u ll either love it..or hate it...nothing in between...It took long to get it after being postponed every now and then,butit certainly worthed it...Remarcable job...
Rob B. gave it a2: While I’m a fan of story and atmosphere, which are emphasized and fairly well executed here, the gameplay is unforgivable. Many games are evolving towards an interactive realtime environment; shouldn't we start judging them by similar standards regardless of genre. When shooters that rely on gun battles to sell copies have more item interaction than an adventure game, there has to be something wrong. Developers shouldn't be allowed to hide behind their genre and use it as an excuse to limit the player, “oh this is an adventure game, you can’t drive vehicles or pick up lanterns”. When faced with darkness, how can these developers justify that I can’t pick up a candle 20 feet away. Brutal.
Jose Q. gave it a9: This is an amazing game! What it lacks in graphics, it more than makes up for with an increadible story, a unique and scary as hell atmosphere, and total immersion of the player into the story. This is not your typical enter-the-room-with-guns-blazing FPS, but a perfect combination of an horror movie/adventure game viewed in the first person. The first 1/3 of the game you don't even have a weapon, which not only adds to the feeling of dread and appearant doom, but it teaches you what kind of exploring and puzzle solving you will be required to do in order to advance the story. Once weapons are acquired, the puzzle solving and exploring still needs to be done and actually gets a little harder, so it never becomes a mindless shooting fest. Players who want to be challenged and are looking for something different, this game is a must play. The story might be linear, but finding the way and keeping your sanity are not.
Lizard C. gave it a9: Awesome atmosphere, a game made by real Lovecraft fans who get the genre. There are few things that could be tightened up a bit if there's a sequel (which I really hope there is). The hotel attck scene is awesome and so incredibly close to the book 'The Shadow Over Inssmouth'.
Derrick F. gave it a3: I had eagerly anticipated this game, but put it aside at the point of Fishmen Attack. My reason: after walking the length and breadth of an unwelcoming town without finding even a pointy stick for a weapon, seeing a child ripped to pieces by monster, and finding evidence proving that the innkeeper is a mass murderer, I am forced to follow this same murderer to a room of his choosing and bed down for the night without the option of sneaking out of the building. Of course, the townsmen come for you, and you are forced to flee like an idiot out of a trap that even the most naive player could see coming. While I was willing to try a game devoid of firearms, I was disappointed to play the role of a eunuch incapable of even pimp-smacking his assailants. Anyone giving this game a ten has no Y chromosome. Or wits.
JC S.n gave it a10: Awesome story and terrifying gameplay completely makes up for the imperfect shooting and difficult puzzles.
Jace N. gave it a2: Started out okay...but the slap in the face that was the fishermen attack in your room, the degradation into an old fashioned key hunt, the super mario jumping puzzles (im surprised Jack didnt have to make his way through a Levitating Platform Factory over a lava pit) and the annoying as hell mental condition concerns (a way of forcing unfair failure upon you even if your health is high) make this a black mark aainst Bethesda and Headfirst.
Will D. gave it a10: Horror as horror should be. Excellent pacing, beautiful visuals. Scary as hell.
Jerry B. gave it a10: A truly immersive survival horror game with a great story.
Henry L. gave it a9: This is a great game! It drips atmosphere, stays true to the material, and is scary as hell. There’s a chase scene early on that is just amazing. I don’t understand the ‘lack of early direction’ comments in some of the reviews – I felt it was pretty easy to figure out what you’re supposed to do. (Though, actually doing it, is quite another thing). The graphics have a stylistic feel to them which hints at the time period (scratchy, and grainy), the voice acting is superb, and the puzzles are decent (so far).
james B. gave it a10: This game is the most distubing thing i've ever seen. Monsters bigger than a building and a story that actually draws you in. Fantastic
James W. gave it a10: The most enthralling, frightening, and deeply immersive survival horror -- make that videogame -- I've ever had the pleasure to experience. Well done to Headfirst!!! Do yourself a favor and pick this up.
Mack J. gave it a10: Innovative. Fantastic game. I wish they all got me this scared and excited.
Paula C. gave it a10: So far is been keeping me terrifyingly on edge! Great game
Marc H. gave it a10: Cthulhu ftagnh!
Jim B. gave it a10: Atmospehere is fantastic. Scared me senseless.
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