Curse of the Old Gods

About

A mystery adventure game set in a present-day Lovecraftian universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

gameplay2 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique aesthetic that pays homage to classic cosmic horror and point-and-click adventures, creating a nostalgic atmosphere.
It offers multiple endings and achievements, encouraging replayability and providing a sense of accomplishment for players.
Despite its simplicity, the game has an intriguing story that can engage fans of Lovecraftian themes.

The inventory system is laggy, and the visuals are often described as underwhelming and confusing, making it difficult to locate key objects.
The writing and character development are criticized for being shallow and cliche, lacking depth and originality.
Some players found the gameplay mechanics frustrating, with unclear objectives and a lack of meaningful interaction.

story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the characters and flow, while others criticize it for being linear, cliché, and lacking depth or originality. Although it holds some intrigue and is entertaining, many feel it falls short of the expectations set by Lovecraft's mythos and lacks significant twists or surprises. Overall, while the narrative is engaging enough to maintain interest, it does not offer a groundbreaking or particularly memorable experience.
- “No need for great graphics when there's an interesting story.”
- “I liked the story, I liked the characters; it's not the best rational story you could find, but it's not too cheesy or too far-fetched (within Lovecraft's mythos, of course).”
- “The story flows well and gives some intrigue to hold my attention right to the end of the game.”
- “I didn't like it; the story wasn't enough, gameplay was kinda boring, and the scoring system almost forces you to do whatever the designer thought.”
- “I was hoping for a bit more development and surprises in the story.”
- “The story was quite linear and cliché, with few twists or surprises, no development of atmosphere, and no depth or poignancy.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic retro aesthetic reminiscent of early cosmic horror and point-and-click titles, while others find the visuals underwhelming and laggy, particularly in the inventory system. The addition of a black and white art style has been positively noted, catering to those who disliked the original bright color palette. Overall, while the visuals may not be technically advanced, they evoke a sense of nostalgia that resonates with many players.
- “Unique aesthetic, made with clear love for the old days of cosmic horror and point-and-clicks.”
- “There is something undeniably appealing about this combination of actual retro graphics--as in, not faux-retro high-resolution pixel art but rather actually resembling early efforts at using digitized photographs in games--and simple adventure gameplay with a midi soundtrack.”
- “The look appeals to my nostalgia both for 80s era games, and the 80s aesthetic in general.”
- “The inventory is laggy as hell when you open it, and the visuals are underwhelming, to say the least.”
- “Had the developer chosen either true EGA (16 colors out of EGA 64 color palette) or 256 color VGA and spent a few extra weeks on touch-ups, dithers, and outlines, the game's visuals could have easily matched the aesthetics of early Dynamix games such as Rise of the Dragon or Heart of China, which took a similar approach of using digitized video as a baseline for in-game art.”
- “EGA graphics is limited to 16 colors, but those may be chosen from a much less restrictive fixed palette of 64 colors.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game primarily consists of stock tracks, which some players feel detracts from the overall immersion. However, the combination of retro graphics and simple gameplay, paired with the midi soundtrack, still manages to create an entertaining experience despite these limitations. Overall, while the music may not be original, it complements the game's aesthetic and charm.
- “There is something undeniably appealing about this combination of actual retro graphics--as in, not faux-retro high-resolution pixel art but rather actually resembling early efforts at using digitized photographs in games--and simple adventure gameplay with a MIDI soundtrack.”
- “Who would have thought that purple/blue deep-fried stock images and stock music make for such a dramatic and entertaining experience.”
- “It's undeniably a mountainous task for a single developer to do all the game's art, music, and code while keeping up with a reasonable release schedule; and quite understandable to be tempted to cut some corners.”
- “The music is all stock as well.”
- “Some stock music and images can lessen immersion.”
- “There are stock images and music used which can lessen the immersion.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is characterized by a nostalgic blend of authentic retro graphics and straightforward adventure mechanics, complemented by a midi soundtrack. However, some players find it lacking in depth, with a boring scoring system that feels restrictive, while others appreciate unique mechanics like time manipulation and premonitions of death.
- “There is something undeniably appealing about this combination of actual retro graphics--as in, not faux-retro high-resolution pixel art but rather actually resembling early efforts at using digitized photographs in games--and simple adventure gameplay with a MIDI soundtrack.”
- “There is a mechanic I think is either linked to time or linked to actions you take, which gives you premonitions of death. Then you wake up backwards in time, which is a nice touch.”
- “I didn't like it, the story wasn't enough, gameplay was kinda boring and the scoring system almost forces you to do whatever the designer thought.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is generally appreciated for its simplicity and charm, effectively creating a pleasant environment with minimal elements. However, some reviewers criticize the linear and clichéd story, noting a lack of depth and emotional resonance that detracts from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “It's not very complicated, and it creates a very nice atmosphere with very little.”
- “The story was quite linear and cliché, with few twists or surprises, no development of atmosphere, and no depth or poignancy.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
The game offers high replayability due to multiple endings, encouraging players to revisit it to fully understand the mechanics and explore different outcomes.
- “Each playthrough offers new choices and experiences, making it feel fresh every time.”
- “The variety of paths and outcomes encourages you to dive back in and explore all the possibilities.”
- “You have to play it a few times to realize what to do, but the replayability is high with different endings.”
- “Once you've seen all the content, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough, lacking enough variation to keep it interesting.”