Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet

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In Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet, you play as a journalist investigating strange occurrences in a small New England town. The game combines point-and-click exploration with puzzles and horror elements, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Your goal is to uncover the truth behind the town's dark secrets and the return of a rare comet.

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Single-Player

Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet screenshot

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69%

Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews

story20 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game features a genuinely creepy atmosphere and detailed pixel art that captures the essence of Lovecraft's work.
The story is engaging and blends various Lovecraftian themes, providing a unique experience for fans of the genre.
The game offers a variety of puzzles that, while challenging, can be rewarding for players who enjoy old-school adventure games.

The controls are clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and interaction frustrating, especially for modern players.
Many puzzles lack clear guidance, leading to confusion and requiring frequent use of walkthroughs to progress.
The game can easily lead to unwinnable states or instant deaths, which can be frustrating without proper save management.

story
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
68%
4%
The story of the game is a well-crafted adaptation of Lovecraft's "Shadow Over Innsmouth," blending various themes from the Cthulhu mythos while offering a unique twist where the protagonist can thwart the awakening of the Great Old One. However, players have noted that the execution suffers from clunky mechanics, lack of clear direction, and some illogical plot elements, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, the atmosphere, voice acting, and soundtrack contribute to a compelling narrative that appeals to fans of Lovecraftian horror.
- “Good story but not recommended for anyone who seeks the actual Cthulhu mythos experience because the story in this game focuses on the protagonist who can stop the awakening of the Great Old One and become a hero, unlike other Cthulhu mythos media characters who mostly end up insane, suicidal, depressed, or live in fear for their entire life.”
- “Fantastic, well-paced Lovecraftian story let down by some clunky point-and-click controls and a few very unfair circumstances!”
- “The story is quite good, the voice acting is good enough, and the soundtrack is also good.”
- “On top of that, there are many times when there are just no pointers to what you're supposed to do next to move the story along, so you just have to stumble upon it.”
- “This is not helped by the player's character, Mr. Parker, not giving his thoughts about almost anything, and when he finally does decide to comment on something, it's usually not with any practical value for the sake of progression of the game or the story.”
- “It's a shame because the story and theme have real potential, but the execution is flawed to the point of agony.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, creating a creepy and immersive experience that complements the art and story. Reviewers highlight the detailed soundtrack as both beautiful and bone-chilling, effectively setting the tone for various scenes, including moments of tension. Overall, the combination of music, sound design, and visual elements contributes significantly to the game's eerie vibe and emotional impact.
- “The ambience and music pieces all work really, really well.”
- “The music and pixel art combine to create something that is truly bone chilling.”
- “I turned off the music and halvened the melody.”
- “There is an instance when you have to visit a cemetery, and there is no soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is very creepy, letting you know that you are about to enter a world of nightmare.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, eerie, and Lovecraftian qualities, effectively capturing a sense of dread and intrigue that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the atmospheric soundtrack and the game's ability to evoke a classic horror vibe reminiscent of Twin Peaks. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the immersive atmosphere remains a standout feature that resonates with players.
- “Amazing adventure with a great, dark atmosphere!”
- “One of the finest and most atmospheric Lovecraftian games you can play.”
- “Bottom line at the top: a classic title whose story and atmosphere holds up much better than its interface and programming.”
- “Some people believe the story and the ending were too happy for a Lovecraftian story, but I enjoyed it; it has an eerie soundtrack and atmosphere.”
- “The overall atmosphere is what makes this game shine, even by today's standards.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The gameplay is heavily criticized for its outdated mechanics and lack of clear guidance, making it frustrating and often unplayable. Players find themselves stuck due to poorly designed dialogue choices and a clunky interface that fails to indicate interactable elements effectively. While the game holds historical significance and features impressive visuals and sound, it requires a high tolerance for its tedious gameplay to appreciate its content.
- “The look, the sounds, the soundtrack, and the game mechanics are just great for the time it was made.”
- “The backgrounds are so detailed, but the clunkiness of the interface makes it difficult to know what is or is not interactable unless it’s an item you can pick up.”
- “But the gameplay doesn't really do the content justice.”
- “I am halfway through the game, and even if the story seems okay, the mechanics are so old that they are frustrating.”
- “Although it has an interesting story, it is unplayable due to the lack of information provided by the game for the player to navigate and know what they have to do. I'm not talking about puzzles; I'm referring to the fact that mechanically the game only progresses if you do exactly one action, but you have no clues to know that you should do that action.”
- “The backgrounds are so detailed, but the clunkiness of the interface makes it so you have no idea what is or is not interactable unless it’s an item you can pick up. This relies on an awkward 'dashed line from the eyes to show something you’re looking at' mechanic that doesn’t always work. There is no highlight function for things that are not objects, such as cupboard doors, a statue you can look at, under a carpet, or a hidden space in the floor. I really don't understand how people were supposed to play this game without getting constantly (and frustratingly) stuck.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, showcasing a nostalgic pixel art style reminiscent of early MS-DOS titles, though they are considered dated by modern standards. While some minor graphical glitches were noted, they did not significantly detract from the overall experience. Players who appreciate retro aesthetics may find the visuals charming, but newcomers might be put off by their simplicity and the game's age.
- “The graphics are quite nice, and for the most part I really like them.”
- “Early retro pixel graphics really were an art form, and this game is a great example of that.”
- “Graphically, the game is like most MS-DOS games: quite simple and composed of sprites.”
- “Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet is a point-and-click adventure, with old graphics and rather dated voice acting by today's standards.”
- “The game came out in 1993, which means a couple of things: the graphics are obviously extremely dated, but more importantly, the market audience was more patient and forgiving of obtuseness.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The optimization of this point-and-click adventure title is noted to be somewhat dated, with full vocal performances and sound effects that enhance the experience, despite some inconsistencies in syntax. Overall, while it may have been impressive at its release, modern standards reveal areas that could benefit from improvement.
- “Clearly, this point-and-click adventure title would have been highly regarded in its day, with full vocal performances and sound effects.”
- “Clearly, this point-and-click adventure title would have been highly regarded in its day, with full vocal performances (showing some spotty syntax) & sound effects.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as quirky and occasionally jarring, with instances like a character resembling Jack Nicholson from "The Shining" eliciting laughter but also disrupting immersion. Additionally, the sparse and sometimes odd sound effects contribute to a comedic atmosphere, though they fall short compared to similar titles of the era.
- “Although there was this one person whose face was simply a trace of Jack Nicholson from 'The Shining,' which made me laugh and lose my immersion.”
- “Sound effects are lacking when compared to similar titles from its time (even other Infogrames’ titles), sometimes just plain weird and funny and also very sparse.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by confusion and frustration, as players express bewilderment over the seemingly arbitrary mechanic of being killed by rats simply by touch. This element may evoke feelings of helplessness and anxiety, contributing to an overall unsettling experience.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only a few minor graphical glitches reported, such as transparency issues where assets appeared dark red. These occurrences are infrequent and do not significantly impact gameplay.
- “There were some minor graphical glitches, where things that ought to have been transparent in image assets became dark red instead. These issues were few and far between, and didn't cause any actual problems.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while the game holds significant historical value, it requires a strong tolerance for outdated and tedious grinding mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “This game is important for its historical gaming value, but you must have a high tolerance for old, tedious game mechanics.”

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