Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure

About

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure is a single player puzzle game with horror, fantasy and comedy themes. It was developed by Stuck In Attic and was released on August 7, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,163 reviews

story294 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Beautiful hand-drawn graphics and animations that evoke nostalgia for classic point-and-click games.
Engaging and humorous story with clever writing and well-developed characters, especially the talking cat.
Puzzles are mostly logical and straightforward, making the game accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.

The story can feel convoluted and the ending is unsatisfying, leaving many questions unanswered.
Some voice acting is inconsistent, with a few performances feeling amateurish compared to the rest of the cast.
Puzzles are generally easy, which may disappoint players looking for a more challenging experience.

story
704 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The story of "Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure" receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging characters, humor, and unique take on Lovecraftian themes, while others criticize it for being convoluted, poorly paced, and lacking coherence. Many appreciate the charming art and voice acting, but feel that the narrative suffers from disjointed plot points and an unsatisfying conclusion. Overall, it appeals to fans of quirky, story-driven adventures, though it may not meet the expectations of those seeking a tightly woven plot.
- “The story was epic, I'm so glad I went on this wild ride!”
- “The world is big and you'll explore multiple areas full of secrets and puzzles while unraveling the crazy story which culminates in a way you would've never guessed.”
- “The story is cohesive while having a degree of variation via some amount of choices at the important plot points.”
- “The storytelling isn't very smooth and some of the supporting characters (most notably the villains) are barely developed.”
- “The story is a mess, especially the ending.”
- “The story is convoluted and hard to follow.”
humor
434 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Gibbous – A Cthulhu Adventure" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its quirky, whimsical style reminiscent of classic point-and-click games like "Monkey Island." While some found the dialogue and character interactions genuinely funny and engaging, others criticized the humor as forced or cringeworthy, with jokes that often fell flat or relied too heavily on pop culture references. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted take on Lovecraftian themes, appealing to fans of both humor and adventure gaming, though its comedic effectiveness may vary widely among players.
- “However, I only have the English dub to work with, and this game is just miserably unfunny most of the time.”
- “The dialogues are painfully long, filled with unfunny and often nonsensical lines that make the plot feel disorganized and unengaging.”
- “I get that it's supposed to be funny, but it ends up becoming annoying pretty fast.”
graphics
315 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
32%
1%
The graphics of "Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning hand-drawn art style, vibrant colors, and smooth animations, reminiscent of classic point-and-click games. Many reviewers highlighted the charming character designs and detailed backgrounds, noting that the visuals significantly enhance the overall experience, despite some minor issues with visibility and color repetition. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing to its appeal and nostalgic feel.
- “The graphics are absolutely sublime.”
- “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.”
- “Gibbous has an outstanding 2D artwork and absolutely beautiful animation.”
- “Although the art style is pretty and the characters are well animated, the gameplay is just too plain.”
- “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.”
music
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the game's mood. While some found the soundtrack to be catchy and immersive, others noted moments of monotony and a lack of variation in certain tracks. Overall, the music is considered a strong element of the game, contributing to its charm alongside the visuals and humor.
- “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 art is amazing, the music is fantastic, the combination of cultures and lore is original, and the humor - in all its forms - is awesome.”
- “The music sets a great mood and graphics and animations show amazing dedication to detail.”
- “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.”
gameplay
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
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 criticize the linearity, excessive dialogue, and lack of innovation within the genre. Overall, the experience is mixed, with enjoyable elements overshadowed by repetitive mechanics and a reliance on familiar tropes.
- “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 like playing as Kerwan or Ketype, where Kerwan has a kitty who can get things from high places or squeeze through certain areas, and detective Ketype has the ability to look into the past of objects. This all helps to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting.”
- “Great game with fun puzzles, dialogue, and interesting mechanics that make sense for the medium without taking away from the fun of the game.”
- “The gameplay is solid, too. You can expect typical point and click gameplay, a good story, and nice hand-drawn graphics.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
22%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming art direction, engaging music, and immersive world-building, effectively blending humor with a Lovecraftian vibe. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the graphics and sound, which contribute to a unique and captivating experience, though some note that the atmosphere can become overwhelming at times. Overall, the game successfully creates a delightful and intriguing environment that keeps players engaged throughout.
- “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.”
- “If you expect a Lovecraftian atmosphere or deep puzzles, you might be disappointed.”
- “The atmosphere is creepy but in a cartoony style that still evokes some playfulness.”
- “While the story goes off the rails a few times, the characters and the weirdly genuine Lovecraftian atmosphere kept me engaged enough.”
character development
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
48%
19%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the unique character designs and the emotional engagement they bring, others criticize the lack of depth and coherence in character arcs. Many feel that the story starts slow and remains shallow, with abrupt behavior changes that detract from a satisfying narrative progression. Overall, while the artwork and animation are praised, the character development is seen as an area needing 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.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many expressing frustration over lengthy dialogues, repetitive actions, and monotonous interactions that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the game's graphics and voice acting, the excessive clicking and drawn-out jokes contribute to a sense of fatigue, making the adventure feel more laborious than enjoyable.
- “What should have been a charming, witty adventure ends up being tedious, especially with the cat character, who promises sass but delivers monotony.”
- “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.”
- “Some achievements are just pure luck or tedious repetition of actions you don't need to do.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
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 emotional impact. The music enhances immersion and contributes to the emotional atmosphere, but the effectiveness of the narrative varies significantly among players, with some feeling it lacks depth. Overall, the game is appreciated for its whimsical take on Lovecraftian themes, though not all players connect with its emotional moments.
- “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.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with most players reporting smooth performance and no significant issues. However, some users experienced minor stuttering during animated cutscenes, and while the voice acting is uneven, standout performances do emerge later in the game. The graphics and technical aspects received a solid score, indicating effective optimization.
- “Ran perfectly and without any performance issues.”
- “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; 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.”
- “As for performance and bugs, I had no issues at all in those regards, so well done for optimizing it so nicely.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
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 all players seeking extensive replayability.
- “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.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Overall, the game's stability is praised, with most players reporting a smooth experience free from significant bugs or glitches. A few minor UI issues were noted, but they did not detract from the overall gameplay. Players generally found the game to run well, allowing for an enjoyable experience without major interruptions.
- “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.”

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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure
Thesixthaxis.com
80%

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12h Median play time

11h Average play time

8-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure is a puzzle game with horror, fantasy and comedy themes.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 11 hours playing Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure was released on August 7, 2019.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure was developed by Stuck In Attic.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure is a single player game.

Similar games include Unforeseen Incidents, Broken Age, The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, Deponia, Kathy Rain and others.

Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure

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