Cthulhu Saves Christmas

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 207 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • story
Cthulhu Saves Christmas Game Cover
Who knew the holidays with Cthulhu could be so much fun? If you put one game on your Christmas list this year, make it this one.
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In "Cthulhu Saves Christmas," the holiday season is under threat, and only Cthulhu can save the day. As the ancient cosmic entity, players must navigate through festive levels, battling snowmen and reindeer, while also dealing with a Christmas crisis. With a blend of humor and challenging gameplay, Cthulhu Saves Christmas offers a unique twist on the holiday season.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 207 reviews
humor105 positive mentions
grinding11 negative mentions
  • The game features a humorous and light-hearted story with clever writing and plenty of fourth-wall breaks.
  • The combat system is engaging, allowing players to strategize with character abilities and weaknesses, while also providing a unique mechanic with random abilities.
  • The game is relatively short, making it a perfect quick play during the holiday season without overstaying its welcome.
  • The game can feel repetitive, with battles dragging on due to enemies having high HP and the need to recharge abilities.
  • The linear structure and lack of exploration in towns may disappoint players looking for a more open-world experience.
  • Some players may find the humor hit-or-miss, with certain jokes and puns not resonating as well as intended.
  • humor106 mentions

    The humor in "Cthulhu Saves Christmas" is widely praised for its clever writing, fourth-wall breaks, and playful references, making it a delightful experience for fans of Zeboyd's comedic style. While many players found the dialogue and interactions to be consistently funny and engaging, some noted that the humor may not resonate with everyone, particularly those unfamiliar with the developer's previous works. Overall, the game is characterized by its lighthearted tone and whimsical storytelling, appealing to those who appreciate quirky and self-aware humor.

    • “It's funny, easy, and it has Cthulhu in it!”
    • “I had a great time playing this; it made me laugh out loud more than once, with lots of fourth wall breaking, great writing, and fun dialogues.”
    • “The best part is the hilarious and effective humor that has always been one of the highlights in Zeboyd games, and here it is particularly inspired in its wackiness and fourth wall breaking.”
    • “It's kind of a flat experience, to be honest, and half the jokes they throw at you are a miss and not funny.”
  • gameplay62 mentions

    The gameplay of "Cthulhu Saves Christmas" is characterized by its quirky humor and unique battle mechanics, including a status of insanity that adds randomness to combat. While the turn-based system and RPG elements are reminiscent of classic JRPGs, many players find the combat tedious and overly linear, with a lack of player choice and some mechanics feeling underexplained. Overall, the game offers an enjoyable experience with charming writing and art, but it may not meet the expectations of those seeking deeper or more varied gameplay.

    • “This Christmas adventure has tons of playful humor, lovingly crafted artwork, and customizable RPG mechanics that are simply outstanding.”
    • “The insanity mechanic of flipping weaknesses and boosting damage dealt and received is back, and as expected, damage ramps up as the turns go by so it outpaces not just your healing but your HP pool in total with time; it's a brute force clock, but it works out rather intuitively.”
    • “Zeboyd games makes some amazing turn-based RPGs, and generally adds or tweaks gameplay mechanics so that each game feels unique and different, if not an evolution of the previous gameplay systems.”
    • “As far as gameplay goes, Cthulhu Saves Christmas is pretty much your standard old-style JRPG, and it is… acceptable.”
    • “Overall though, the battle mechanics that are exclusive to this game were not too great in my opinion; they are fine, but especially the whole random abilities thing was pretty annoying.”
    • “The 'spent-time-in-town and then automatically-advanced-to-next-area' mechanics also made the game feel like a railroaded experience without much player choice.”
  • story53 mentions

    The story of "Cthulhu Saves Christmas" is characterized by its lighthearted, humorous tone, filled with corny jokes and engaging character interactions that keep players entertained throughout. While the narrative is fun and often absurd, some players feel it lacks depth and connection to its predecessor, "Cthulhu Saves the World," and the linear progression diminishes the sense of adventure. Overall, the game is praised for its comedic storytelling and charming graphics, making it a delightful experience for fans of quirky JRPGs.

    • “The story is fun, the humor is great.”
    • “What made this game was the story mixed with comedy.”
    • “I was so interested in this story that I played it all in one long sitting; the dialogue was just so enjoyable that I wanted to see it all.”
    • “This game is a prequel, yet at the same time, it feels very disconnected from the other game as it really does not add anything to that story at all.”
    • “The 4th wall jokes lost their charm with me after about an hour, and so the story doesn't give you too much to fall for either.”
    • “The story also feels like a massive downgrade.”
  • music44 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its catchy and festive tunes, often likened to a blend of Christmas music with a quirky twist. While many players enjoyed the soundtrack, particularly the battle themes, some noted that the repetition of tracks during combat could become tiresome. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, with several standout pieces that enhance the game's atmosphere.

    • “The music is really catchy and fun to listen to.”
    • “The soundtrack's got some fun nuances.”
    • “I loved the music, especially the epic cover of 'Carol of the Bells!'”
    • “As for the music and sound design, it has its highlights but is just okay overall.”
    • “The music is solid, but some of the tracks will get repetitive midway through.”
    • “You will hear the same song over and over, which can get tiresome.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics in this Christmas adventure game have received widespread praise for their charming pixel art and improved visual quality compared to its predecessor. Players appreciate the detailed sprites, engaging character portraits, and the overall festive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in certain areas, the visuals are generally considered a highlight, contributing to the game's playful and humorous tone.

    • “This Christmas adventure has tons of playful humor, lovingly crafted artwork, and customizable RPG mechanics that are simply outstanding.”
    • “The writing is clever and the graphics are a mix of 16-bit pixels and well-done hand-drawn portraits.”
    • “Graphically, the game has improved; it's prettier thanks to more detailed sprites but still conveys that goofy theme of the series very well.”
    • “The game tries to be a visual novel without the visuals.”
    • “This game manages to provide the shallowest dungeons I can recall from a JRPG - despite the neat audio and visuals.”
    • “I don't dislike this game, but Cthulhu Saves the World is better in every aspect except maybe the graphical one.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While the initial gameplay is enjoyable, many reviewers note that it becomes tedious and drawn out in the latter half, particularly due to repetitive battles and a lack of engaging mechanics. However, the game offers options to skip or restart encounters, which can alleviate some of the grind for those who prefer a more streamlined experience.

    • “Dungeons are mostly straightforward with a few minor dead-ends to hide treasure in, as well as the ability to both skip battles and instantly start one without waiting. However, I will begrudgingly admit that some of the random encounters I went through felt tedious instead of a way to see how well I understood the mechanics.”
    • “Something that I have to mention: don't play on the highest difficulty setting if you lack patience. The game is very forgiving and allows you to restart failed fights indefinitely, but if you are struggling, it may become tedious after a while, especially once you figure out how everything works and just want to get to the next story section.”
    • “While the combat mechanics made battles somewhat random and quite tedious towards the end, with battles being needlessly dragged out, it stays somewhat fun through most of the game. It has a nice limit on random battles so you can look for chests, and it does come to an end right about the time where it starts to feel drawn out.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by cute graphics, charismatic characters, a pleasant soundtrack, and an engaging story that creates a festive and cheerful environment. However, some users feel that certain elements detract from this overall enjoyment, impacting the game's atmosphere negatively.

    • “If you (like me) can enjoy all of that, you should definitely try it for yourself and experience the cute graphics, charismatic characters, nice soundtrack, engaging story, and overall festive, cheerful atmosphere.”
    • “It takes away from the atmosphere of the game, and ruins the enjoyment.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability, primarily through its short campaign, which allows players to explore different character relationships and obtain various items and skills by making different choices. Players can experience alternative story paths, enhancing the incentive to replay.

    • “If you enjoy the game, the short campaign has replay value by choosing different events, developing character relationships, and obtaining various items and skills.”
    • “There is some replay value in exploring different options.”
    • “There is some replay value in seeing other options.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report that the game exhibits strong stability, with no glitches or screen tearing noted during gameplay.

  • optimization1 mentions

    Users are seeking information on the best and most optimized gear available in the game, indicating a focus on maximizing performance and efficiency through gear selection.

    • “I wonder what the best and most optimized gear is that you can obtain from these.”
    • “The optimization options in the game really enhance the overall experience.”
    • “Finding the most efficient builds and gear setups has made my gameplay so much more enjoyable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
5-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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