Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet screenshot

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

story10 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating Lovecraftian atmosphere with detailed environments and a compelling story that appeals to fans of H.P. Lovecraft.
The voice acting and soundtrack contribute significantly to the eerie ambiance, enhancing the overall experience.
For seasoned players of old-school adventure games, the challenge presented by the puzzles and the potential for multiple ways to die can be rewarding and nostalgic.

The controls are clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and interaction frustrating, often requiring players to rely on external guides.
Many puzzles lack clear instructions or logic, leading to confusion and potential unwinnable states, which can detract from the enjoyment of the game.
The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs and synchronization problems with voice lines, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
The game's story is a creative adaptation of Lovecraft's "Shadow Over Innsmouth," featuring a protagonist who defies the typical fate of characters in the Cthulhu mythos. While the narrative is praised for its atmosphere and engaging elements, many players find the execution flawed due to clunky mechanics, lack of guidance, and some illogical plot points. Overall, the story is considered enjoyable and atmospheric, particularly for fans of Lovecraftian themes, despite its shortcomings in gameplay progression.
- “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.”
- “The story is quite good, the voice acting is good enough, and the soundtrack is also good.”
- “The overall plot is charming, par for the course for Cthulhu lovers.”
- “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.”
- “Plot progression felt weird and sometimes nonsensical, tarnishing the story.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its creepy and immersive qualities that complement the art and story. The soundtrack is described as detailed and beautiful, effectively setting the tone for various scenes, including moments of tension and eeriness. Overall, the combination of music, sound design, and visual elements creates a haunting experience that resonates with players.
- “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 halved 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
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The atmosphere of the game 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 game's ability to create a compelling and immersive environment, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and pacing. Overall, the atmospheric elements, including the soundtrack and storytelling, are considered standout features that elevate the game.
- “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
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay is heavily criticized for its outdated mechanics and lack of clear guidance, leading to frequent frustration and confusion for players. While the game features an interesting story and detailed backgrounds, the clunky interface and linear dialogue choices hinder the overall experience, making it feel unplayable for those not accustomed to classic gaming styles. Despite its historical significance, the gameplay does not effectively support the narrative or immersive elements.
- “The look, the sounds, the soundtrack, and the game mechanics are just great for the time it was made.”
- “But the gameplay doesn't really do the content justice.”
- “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.”
- “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 talking about 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
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, showcasing a nostalgic pixel art style reminiscent of early retro games, though some minor glitches were noted. While the visuals may feel dated by modern standards, they are appreciated by fans of classic MS-DOS aesthetics and point-and-click adventures. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of charm for those familiar with the genre, despite potential challenges for newer players.
- “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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the point-and-click adventure title is noted to be somewhat lacking, with performance issues highlighted, particularly in the areas of syntax and sound effects, which detract from the overall experience.
- “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, but the optimization issues significantly detract from the overall experience.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by moments of unintentional comedy, such as a character resembling Jack Nicholson, which can disrupt immersion. Additionally, the sparse and sometimes odd sound effects contribute to a quirky, albeit inconsistent, comedic experience.
- “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
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a sense of confusion and frustration, as players express bewilderment over the seemingly arbitrary and harsh mechanics, such as being killed by rats through mere contact. This evokes feelings of vulnerability and helplessness within the gameplay experience.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only a few minor graphical glitches reported, such as transparency issues where certain assets appeared dark red. However, 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, but these issues were few and far between and didn't cause any actual problems.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I experienced constant frame rate drops, which made the gameplay feel choppy and unresponsive.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players note that while the game holds significant historical value, it requires a considerable 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.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and often detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
- “I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”