Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 115 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land Game Cover
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"Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land" is a tactical RPG set in the early 20th century, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Players lead a team of investigators through a narrative filled with horror and mystery, battling unspeakable creatures and uncovering dark secrets. The game features strategic combat and character development, with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving.

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Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews
story15 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and atmospheric blend of WWI and Lovecraftian horror, appealing to fans of both genres.
  • Despite its simplicity, the turn-based tactical gameplay is engaging and can become quite challenging as players progress.
  • For its price, the game provides decent entertainment value, especially for those who enjoy short, strategic experiences.
  • The controls and user interface are clunky and often unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating and difficult to navigate.
  • As a mobile port, the game lacks depth and polish expected from PC titles, leading to a subpar gaming experience.
  • Many players report frequent bugs and crashes, which significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • story62 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is generally viewed as engaging, with a Lovecraftian theme set during World War I that involves investigating a cult and battling various monstrous creatures. While some players appreciate the straightforward and enjoyable narrative, others criticize it for being simplistic and linear, often feeling like a mere backdrop for gameplay. Overall, the story provides a fun experience for fans of the genre, despite some complaints about execution and pacing.

    • “Set in the year 1915 during World War I, you will control a team of investigators and soldiers who have been sent on a mission to investigate the cult of the awakened.”
    • “An enjoyable Lovecraftian plot and fun gameplay makes this a great experience.”
    • “The storyline, so far, has got me.”
    • “The storyline is very simplistic and linear, just an excuse for you to fight some monstrous creatures, but it provided a quite enjoyable ride.”
    • “Dialogue and story/plot writing is slightly worse than most B-movies.”
    • “The only real downsides are that the story seems a little stilted and that the in-game 'help' menu offers little in the way of actual help.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it frustrating due to clunky mechanics, slow pacing, and a lack of strategic options like screen scrolling. While some appreciate the tactical RPG elements and character customization, others criticize the dull level design and unengaging dialogue, making it hard to recommend. Overall, the game offers a decent plot and atmosphere but suffers from significant gameplay flaws that detract from the experience.

    • “An enjoyable Lovecraftian plot and fun gameplay makes this a great experience.”
    • “The usual mechanics you'd expect to find in a tactical RPG are here: your units will try to shoot at targets within range during the opponent's turn if they have enough action points, terrain and armor have an effect on how quickly your units are out of action points, etc.”
    • “That said, the mechanics for the system and character growth are fun and worth experimenting with, each character being molded how you would like to use them, along with in-battle skill growth based on weapon usage.”
    • “From the game mechanics to the fact you can't even scroll the screen, it is infuriating. The only choice available to you is to blindly walk forward, triggering reactionary fire and walking into traps. For a game based around the idea of tactics and strategic positioning, not allowing you to even scroll the screen makes this borderline unplayable.”
    • “The environments are almost soundless, the gameplay is excruciatingly slow-paced, the dialogue is uninteresting, and the level designs are dull, with a good chunk of them featuring trenches.”
    • “The look and the atmosphere are right for a Cthulhu game, but the combat mechanics are hilariously bad.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are dated and lack polish, often comparing them to SNES-level visuals. While some appreciate the atmosphere created by the visuals and sound, others criticize the graphics as subpar, suggesting that a significant overhaul is needed for a more appealing aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are seen as functional but not impressive, with a few praising the hand-drawn artwork.

    • “I like the general atmosphere created by the visuals and sounds.”
    • “Tho I like to warn most people graphics-wise it's not the best in the market but it will give you warm but decent textures and environment.”
    • “I love the artwork (hand drawn?).”
    • “The graphics are a bit dated and ugly (which is fair, considering that the popular imagination of World War I is fairly drab/ugly).”
    • “It's a port straight from a mobile game, so don't expect triple-A graphics.”
    • “The graphics are a major problem; I mean they look okay for the aesthetic, but they could definitely be more impressive or have something more to it.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its effective blend of Lovecraftian themes and a sense of dread, creating an immersive experience that resonates with fans of weird fiction. While the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they complement the eerie sound design and setting, enhancing the overall mood. However, some players noted that the combat mechanics detract from the otherwise compelling atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is nice; the WWI meets Cthulhu cult setting really works.”
    • “The atmosphere feels great with Lovecraftian themes, not just from Cthulhu but also from Herbert West: Reanimator.”
    • “All game atmosphere is faithful to the dark, hopeless, and weird Lovecraft stories.”
    • “The look and the atmosphere is right for a Cthulhu game, but the combat mechanics are hilariously bad.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its quality while others find it unappealing or poorly produced, particularly the intro track. There are complaints about occasional audio issues, such as music cutting out, and a lack of variety in sound, but given the game's low price, many users feel the music is acceptable overall.

    • “Has some pretty good music in it.”
    • “The music is nice but not my cup of tea.”
    • “The intro song tries to be spooky and atmospheric but comes off just sounding like badly-produced pop music.”
    • “The music and voice acting is next to non-existent, which for a £3 game... I'm not complaining.”
    • “Can't put it in windowed mode, and can't turn off the bad music without turning off sound entirely.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability is inconsistent, with users reporting a smooth experience on mobile devices but significant bugs and glitches on PC, including control issues and crashes. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and value for money, many express frustration over its numerous technical problems. Overall, the game is considered quite buggy, impacting the overall experience.

    • “The game is really really buggy.”
    • “I'm up to the fourth mission and have had all kinds of bugs/glitches and even a couple of crashes.”
    • “The controls are buggy; moving your character into position can be a pain, and one wrong click can literally wreak havoc on the mission (an undo or an 'are you sure?' prompt would have been good).”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game offers limited replayability, with most players feeling that once they complete it and earn all achievements, there isn't much incentive to return. While it may appeal to fans of Lovecraftian stories for a single playthrough, the short length and lack of engaging content for subsequent runs diminish its long-term replay value.

    • “Very short game, not much replayability, but for anyone that likes Lovecraftian stories, this is worth a playthrough.”
    • “Not much replay value though after you've earned all the achievements and finished all the modes.”
    • “It has its replay value, but for most people, once you finish it, you probably won't be touching it again, save for the extra missions.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a profound sense of dread and an atmosphere that evokes feelings of awe and fear of the unknown. Reviewers emphasize that the true measure of its impact lies in the emotional experience it creates, rather than the plot mechanics or authorial intent. While the game may have replay value for some, many players are unlikely to revisit it after completion, except for additional missions.

    • “A certain atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknown forces must be present; and there must be a hint, expressed with a seriousness and portentousness becoming its subject, of that most terrible conception of the human brain - a malign and particular suspension or defeat of those laws of nature which are our only safeguard against the assaults of chaos and the daemons of unplumbed space. Therefore, we must judge a weird tale not by the author's intent, or by the mere mechanics of the plot; but by the emotional level which it attains at its least mundane point. The one test of the really weird is simply this - whether or not there be excited in the reader a profound sense of dread, and of contact with unknown spheres and powers; a subtle attitude of awed listening, as if for the beating of black wings or the scratching of outside shapes and entities on the known universe's utmost rim.”
    • “The game evokes a deep emotional response, making players feel a profound connection to the characters and their struggles.”
    • “Every moment in the game is filled with emotional weight, leaving players reflecting on their choices long after the credits roll.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is derived from the contrast between its appropriately eerie Cthulhu atmosphere and the comically poor combat mechanics. Players find the tutorial amusingly informative, suggesting it should be integrated into the main campaign to enhance the overall experience.

    • “The look and the atmosphere are perfect for a Cthulhu game, but the combat mechanics are hilariously bad.”
    • “The funny thing is, if you actually listen to the tutorial, it explains everything. I think the tutorial should be implemented into the campaign rather than just being an option later, as it helps a lot with the UI.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players express uncertainty about the grinding aspect of the game, noting that while it may become tedious as the campaign progresses, they hope the game's charm will sustain their interest.

    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which really takes away from the enjoyment.”
    • “The constant need to grind for resources is exhausting and detracts from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
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