Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,118 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • graphics
Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure Game Cover
With a beautiful art style and a great cast of characters, Gibbous – A Cthulhu Adventure could be a modern day point-and-click classic.
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In "Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure," play as a detective and a librarian trying to stop an evil book from awakening Cthulhu. Solve puzzles, explore a richly detailed world, and experience a thrilling and humorous Lovecraft-inspired story. Navigate through hand-drawn 2D environments and make choices that impact the game's outcome in this point-and-click adventure game.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,118 reviews
story287 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Beautiful hand-drawn graphics and animations that create a charming atmosphere.
  • Engaging and humorous story with witty dialogue and memorable characters.
  • Well-designed puzzles that are logical and enjoyable, making the game accessible for all players.
  • Some voice acting is inconsistent, with a few performances feeling amateurish.
  • The ending feels rushed and leaves many plot points unresolved, hinting at a sequel.
  • Puzzles may be too easy for seasoned adventure game players, lacking the challenge found in classic titles.
  • story686 mentions

    The story of "Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its quirky humor and engaging characters, while others find it convoluted and difficult to follow. The narrative weaves Lovecraftian themes into a light-hearted detective tale, but some feel it lacks coherence and depth, particularly towards the end. Overall, while the art and voice acting receive high praise, the story's execution leaves room for improvement, with many hoping for a more polished sequel.

    • “The story is cohesive while having a degree of variation via some amount of choices at the important plot points.”
    • “It's got an intriguing story, great artwork and locations, fantastic voice acting and some really quirky characters and humor.”
    • “The story was great, it gave those looking for something Lovecraftian, and then spun it their own way.”
    • “The story starts strong but later it seems the potential of quirky characters wasn't used much, plus the Lovecraftian references are lost on you unless you are an avid reader of the man.”
    • “The convoluted storyline is perhaps for an older audience, but at the end of the day, the storyline was way too complicated and long-winded for me.”
    • “The story is a mess and the jokes are a non-stop onslaught of stale Lovecraft jokes.”
  • humor412 mentions

    The humor in "Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its charming, quirky dialogue and clever references to Lovecraftian lore and classic adventure games like Monkey Island. While some found the humor genuinely funny and engaging, others felt it fell flat or relied too heavily on juvenile jokes and puns, leading to a sense of forced comedy. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted take on dark themes, with a variety of humorous moments that may resonate differently with players.

    • “An enjoyable point and click adventure game with a lot of charming humor and well done art.”
    • “The humor of the game is great, and the cat is hilarious.”
    • “The story is engaging, the humor is the right kind of silly for me, and the voice acting for the different characters is excellent.”
    • “I get that it's supposed to be funny, but it ends up becoming annoying pretty fast.”
    • “In contrast with all other adventure games, I quickly learned not to 'examine all'; the descriptions are boring and unfunny, and many of the hot-spots have no real function.”
    • “But the script is so cringe and unfunny, unfortunately.”
  • graphics303 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their charming, hand-drawn art style and vibrant animations, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures. Many reviewers highlighted the attention to detail and the overall aesthetic appeal, although some noted issues with color repetition and visibility of interactive items. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's humor and storytelling.

    • “The artwork, locations, and character design were all really beautiful and motivated me to keep playing this game because I could tell that a lot of love went into it.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the story thrilling, and there is a lot of humor.”
    • “Gibbous has an outstanding 2D artwork and absolutely beautiful animation.”
    • “The art style and color palette gets repetitive after a while, and I discovered mid-game that there is an option in the settings to switch off the way-too-dark screen (who made that???).”
    • “Unfortunately, the visuals are one-tone, with most of the game bearing the signature orange-yellow-brown-black set of colors regardless of where in the world the characters are.”
    • “Together with the persistent art style and the ever-repeating colors and shades, each location feels akin to the last - by their looks, I couldn't tell apart Paris, Forum Maris, and Fishmouth.”
  • music118 mentions

    The music in the game receives a generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the game's mood. While some noted moments of monotony or a lack of variation in tracks, others highlighted standout pieces, such as the credits song and specific thematic compositions, as particularly memorable. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong element of the game, contributing to its immersive experience.

    • “The music is very good with plenty of great tracks that fit the mood of the game very well, the voice acting was good, at first it takes a little bit of getting used to, but after a while you actually really enjoy it.”
    • “The music and art style coalesce into a sensory adventure, which is something I was emphatically not expecting out of a point-and-click.”
    • “The art is stunning, the music was delightful.”
    • “The music, the costumes, character archetypes, and the jokes were all spot on and genuinely made me miss home.”
    • “You'll hear a few different songs, but the exploration one is the same, which I personally was not fond of.”
    • “It's indie, I'm sure there were budget and time reasons for this, but there are many times where you casually walk off screen and the next instant dramatic music is playing, perspective's changed, the setting has completely changed, and it takes you a couple of moments to figure out how you even got here.”
  • gameplay100 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a traditional point-and-click adventure, featuring standard mechanics such as exploring environments, solving puzzles, and interacting with characters. While some players appreciate the clever puzzles and unique character abilities that add variety, others find the gameplay too linear and simplistic, with a reliance on clichéd dialogue and a lack of innovation in the genre. Overall, the experience is mixed, with enjoyable elements overshadowed by repetitive mechanics and underutilized features.

    • “The gameplay is very good; it is your standard point-and-click puzzle game, but it's quite enjoyable, especially with how it handles puzzles. It also introduces unique gameplay elements like playing as Kerwan or Ketype, where Kerwan has a kitty who can retrieve items from high places, and detective Ketype can look into the past of objects. This all helps to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting.”
    • “Great game with fun, clever puzzles, engaging dialogue, and interesting mechanics that enhance the experience without detracting from the enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, featuring typical point-and-click mechanics where players explore locations, interact with objects, and solve puzzles. The graphics and gameplay are top-notch, making for an enjoyable experience.”
    • “Although the art style is pretty and the characters are well animated, the gameplay is just too plain.”
    • “Writing is pretty bad (in the 'not engaging at all' sense); puzzles are silly; dialogues are most of the time unnecessary (read: absolute waste of time); characters don't have any charisma; gameplay is just too linear. All in all, other than the art, the game just fails to be interesting.”
    • “Sadly, there really isn't anything new that would push the genre forward, which it desperately needs, like story choices or adding some different gameplay mechanics.”
  • atmosphere47 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming art direction, engaging soundtracks, and immersive world-building, effectively blending humor with a Lovecraftian vibe. Players appreciate the detailed graphics and character designs, which contribute to a unique and captivating experience, while the overall ambiance is described as both playful and eerie. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to create a strong emotional connection through its atmospheric storytelling and clever writing.

    • “The charm, the looks, the atmosphere, almost everything is great.”
    • “What a lovely game, graphics are cool with nice and colorful arts and the music is superb, really great atmosphere.”
    • “Packed full of atmosphere and has its own unique 'feel' to the game world.”
    • “Avoid if you expect Lovecraftian atmosphere or deep puzzles.”
    • “The atmosphere is creepy but in a cartoony style that still evokes some playfulness.”
    • “Some will say that this amount of time is absolutely normal for this kind of game, others will disagree with them, but there is one thing I can say for sure - that whole atmosphere of the game makes you want to stay there longer and the player really bonds to the characters.”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while many praise the unique and beautiful character designs and animation, several users express disappointment with the shallow story and lack of meaningful character growth. Some players feel that the characters are engaging and humorous, but others note abrupt behavior changes and a need for deeper connections and development throughout the narrative. Overall, while the artistic elements are celebrated, the storytelling and character arcs leave room for improvement.

    • “The artwork, locations, and character design were all really beautiful and motivated me to keep playing this game because I could tell that a lot of love went into it.”
    • “The story and character development absorb you and drag you into the world that was created.”
    • “Tl;dr it's a very laid-back game with strong character development, humor, and a compelling story that will have you speculating for what's next.”
    • “However, the character design itself felt a little rote.”
    • “Despite the wonderful art style and animation, sadly the story is very shallow and starts slow, stays mediocre with no character development, and slaps you with a very unsatisfying ending.”
    • “There is no character development in this game, but there are out-of-nowhere behavior changes.”
  • emotional13 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players; while some find it heartwarming and capable of evoking laughter and tears, others criticize the characters as dull, undermining the intended emotional impact. The music enhances immersion and contributes to the emotional atmosphere, but the overall effectiveness varies significantly based on individual experiences with the story and character development.

    • “Great game, funny story and characters, it even made me shed a tear at one point.”
    • “I laughed, I cried.”
    • “Speaking of background music, Gibbous uses classic instruments to create an emotional and mysterious atmosphere.”
    • “Not so much a 'game' as a very shallow and boring story.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when it comes to navigating locations, exhausting dialogue options, and completing repetitive tasks. While some appreciate the depth it adds to the experience, many feel that the interactions and puzzles can drag on, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, making the game feel lengthy and monotonous at times.

    • “My main issue is that if you're exhausting every dialogue option and every description – as is common in point & click games – the game gets very tedious and lengthy.”
    • “I can't believe I'm writing this down, despite giving a thumbs up, but this was a really tedious experience.”
    • “Some achievements are just pure luck or tedious repetition of actions you don't need to do.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with most players reporting smooth performance and no significant issues. While some users experienced minor stuttering during animated cutscenes, the majority found the voice acting and performances to be decent, with standout moments despite some unevenness in delivery. The game has been praised for its effective optimization, contributing to a positive gameplay experience.

    • “Ran perfectly and without any performance issues.”
    • “As for performance and bugs, I had no issues at all in those regards, so well done for optimizing it so nicely.”
    • “Graphics, performance and tech analysis score: 8/10.”
    • “The only downside is I have some stuttering in the animated cutscenes, but that could be my machine; and aside from a few missed jokes, I haven't lost anything.”
    • “The dialogue is mostly lifeless; the detective and the cat are capable of quality performance since they are the very few that have a character, but even that does not last.”
    • “Overall impressions & performance: most of the voice acting is pretty decent, but the performances are a little uneven.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the ability to revisit achievements and enjoy character switching, others find it limited due to its short length and lack of significant content to explore again. Overall, it offers some replay value through dialogue choices and puzzles, but may not satisfy those seeking extensive replay opportunities.

    • “Definitely replayable, which is good, because unlike other reviewers, I did miss quite a few achievements the first playthrough!”
    • “There's some replayability with the dialogue and the puzzles are usually fair, but still challenging.”
    • “Good replay value.”
    • “For fans of the genre, I'd say the 20€ price tag is worth it, but for others, I'd recommend waiting for a sale because the game is rather short and doesn't offer a lot of replayability.”
    • “No apparent replay value.”
    • “Basically no replay value.”
  • stability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is praised, with most users reporting a smooth experience free from significant bugs or glitches. A few minor UI issues were noted, particularly when multitasking, but these did not detract from the overall gameplay. Players generally found the game to run well, with no major progression bugs affecting their experience.

    • “Competent adventure game (it runs well, no glitches) with gorgeous art, animation, and music.”
    • “Not lazy, not buggy, not boring, not short.”
    • “Besides some UI glitches I have encountered, especially when switching to different windows (played alongside my kids doing crazy stuff around), I would not play it all along to receive 100% of achievements.”
    • “- one buggy achievement”
    • “You definitely won't be annoyed at a lot of graphical glitches or similar things, because there simply aren't anything of that sort in the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

12hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
8-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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