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Best horror game yet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: October 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Better than any other horror game I have played, this one succeeds at giving the player real chilling moments combined with the truest survival horror yet.

The first person perspective combined with the many lines of dialogue, the total lack of a HUD, and the effective and creepy graphics really put you into the experience of the game. Add to that the cut scenes which are seamlessly blended with the action, so that you can follow the story w/o feeling like you are watching a movie.

The game features good puzzles, which take investigation and not luck to figure out. I had to give some of the puzzles some thought time, but I never had to go looking for the solution online. The combat is brutal and realistic, featuring a great wound system. The Sanity system is very effective in that it adds to the gamers horror experience, and is not simply a gimmick. When you hear your character whisper "There's someone following me", you feel like watching your back.

Add to all this little touches like your character being afraid of heights and the possibility of becoming addicted to the Morphine used in the game and you have a very involving horror game.

The game is a bit on the difficult side at times. But this is as it should be... after all, you must feel like you are fighting to survive. The game is also very dark graphic-wise, and should be played w/ lights out for maximum effect.

If you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, you will love this game. Even if you are not a Lovecraft fan, chances are you will love the unique experience this game has to offer. Just wait until you are creeping along a not so sturdy wooden plank, suspended above prowling baddies far below, while you experience vertigo and hope for a quiet spot to sit and stitch up your bleeding arm...

The horror of the unknown

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 14
Date: December 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Let's admit it - most modern games baby the player. Helpful hints and arrows, spotlit items, bosses sporting "shoot me here!" spots....even top-notch titles like God of War and Resident Evil 4 fall prey to these unfortunate conventions. As games have become more complex, developers have felt the need to include these hints to keep from alienating players. Understandable, sure, but something gets lost from the immersion factor as a result.

What if someone made a game that tossed all these safety features out the window -- a horror title that abandons players in the literal and figurative darkness, leaving them only paltry clues to decipher? As the players slowly understand what is happening, they are given glimpses into a world-shattering truth that tears at the very fabric of reality, threatening to drive them mad with its ancient revelations! Maybe it's best to close your eyes and ignore what is happening....or perhaps you will discover something beyond your imagination.....

If this sounds good to you, your game has arrived.

Behold U.K.-based Headfirst Productions' oft-delayed, long-awaited title, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, based on the writings of H.P. Lovecraft and Chaosium's pen-&-paper role-playing game. This is not a title destined to be a Platinum Hit, nor is it one trying to cater to all comers. It is a challenging title that demands much of the player, and not surprisingly, pays off in many ways as a result. The Xbox has a disappointingly small number of horror games (and fewer Xbox-only ones), but Dark Corners fills that void with a flourish. It must be mentioned that you don't need to be familiar with H.P. Lovecraft to appreciate it, although fans will notice numerous nods to the author's influential work.

On the surface, Dark Corners is a somewhat awkward game: it's not that pretty to look at, tends to be buggy, and has clunky controls and combat. Fortunately, these technical issues don't have a major impact on the more important stuff: gameplay, story, and atmosphere. In fact, its shortcomings make the experience that much more haunting and realistic, making the player concentrate on the task at hand rather than gawking at eye-popping animation and effects.

As with most of Lovecraft's universe, the plot is essential, so I won't go into much detail here. You play as Jack Walters, a private investigator who's hired to find a missing person in the New England coastal town of Innsmouth. Things spiral out of control from there, as Jack quickly discovers there's much more to the town than its fishy appearance.

The game is played from the first-person perspective, and there's thankfully no on-screen icons to distract you from the surroundings. Dark Corners is all about living through Jack's eyes, and he quickly learns what you don't see is as important as what you do see. Unfortunately for Jack, what he faces is so unspeakable that it can actually drive him insane enough to commit suicide (a creepy thing to experience in first-person). There is a sanity system in place that is miles more effective than the superficial one used in the Gamecube's Eternal Darkness, and the player must be careful at all times.

Dark Corners is not a shooter. The game feels something like an evil combination of Shenmue and Thief, with some stealth content, a sprinkling of platforming, a few shooting sequences and Metroid-ish boss puzzles. It doesn't start slowly despite the fact you will not receive any weapons for the first third of the game. The feeling of dread and helplessness Jack feels as a result gives the game a horror aspect unlike anything Resident Evil, Silent Hill, or Fatal Frame can produce (and it's only slightly reduced once you do arm yourself). Jack must use his wits to survive, and the game excels at making the numerous situations and obstacles challenging in a realistic fashion. You'll have to pay a lot of attention to clues you find, the environment, even noises and conversations you hear. You will more than likely get stuck, possibly numerous times, but the solution is always logical and close at hand. Like the manual states, "You're a detective, not a soldier!" Paying attention pays off big time here.

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth has been a long time coming, but it's more than worth the wait. Fans of Lovecraft and horror in general will wonder why it took so long for someone to make a game with this kind of effective design. What Headfirst may lack in programming and artistic expertise, they more than make up for with cleverness, challenge, innovation, and atmosphere. The result is one of the best Xbox games of the year, and one of the best horror games ever made.

Immersive atmosphere, solid game play, and Cthulhu. What more do you need?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: October 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is a great game! It drips atmosphere, and is scary/nerve wracking as hell. While not a traditional shooter, the First Person perspective adds a significant layer to the immersive feel. There's a chase scene early on that is just amazing.

The game also stays true to the source material, sometimes directly, sometimes with little nods and winks. Readers of Lovecraft will see tidbits of various stories intertwined, thought the game is ultimately about someone who is ignorant of the mythos, and learns as he goes, so knowing the material is not needed to enjoy the game.

Much has been written about the HUDless system, sanity system, and the health system - so I wont go into those, other than to say it all works together very well.

The puzzles are decent (so far), and while there are some `get A for B' puzzles, they all make sense and add to the plot. I haven't felt like I was running an errand simply for something to do. It's all part of the investigation, and is believable.

The graphics have a stylistic feel to them, which hints at the time period (scratchy, and grainy), the voice acting is very good.

Better than prisoners of ice

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: October 25, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have always been a huge fan of Lovecraftian games be they PC pencil&paper or board games. This is a ferocious interpretation of H.P.L.'s legendary work. Bethesda's history of providing ridiculous amounts of sandbox play is a perfect fit with Lovecrafts characters who were usually wandering with no more ambitious goal than to see something fantastic and eerie. I recommend this game to anyone but if you have ever played GTA or Morrowind and enjoy the Horror genre then this is probably the best you can do right now.

MASSIVE SANITY HIT!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Based on author H.P. Lovecrafts many works involving the town of Innsmouth and the sea god Dagon, Bethesda struck right on target with Dark Corners of the Earth.
The game contains many different gameplay elements, manifest through different parts of the game. from stealth to investigation to shooter to an indescribable scramble for safety, this game delivers fright and fun.
My favourite aspect of the game was its "extreme first person" in other words, you NEVER leave the first person perspective, there are NO indicators or even a heads up display (no aiming reticle, health bar, sanity metre, ammo indicator, etc.) this viewpoint offers an initial challenge when it comes to aiming, but with practice it is easy to overcome.
The game is highlighted with mind-wracking puzzles, intense action sequences, a wonderful storyline, and (of course) plenty of horrifying themes and imagery. Outrunning the innsmouth townfolk was one of my favourite gaming moments.
This game also uses a feature Eternal Darkness fanss will be familiar with- dynamic sanity affects. As you progress, you're player will be exposed to horrible images and situations that will test his (and your) sanity. As you lose sanity your vision will blur, weapons will misfire, you'll hear voices, etc. Eventually you will commit suicide. (that scared the hell out of me the first time it happened!)
The health system is hard to master, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. you're player is displayed with any injuries h has sustained, and you much choose which to heal, and which to leave open. different types of damage make this fairly strategic. minor bleeding will slow you down, enough major bleeding will kill you, broken bones create bad mobility, etc.
The games plot is extremely good, and the cinematics are executed very well, again never leaving first person
IMPORTANT: another review claims that you cannot skip cinematics, apparently this person hit every button exept BACK, it will skip cinimatics.
The shooter element isn't very dominant (i was at 43% completion before i even obtained a gun) but that helps add to the horror element, and should not be viewed as a fault. the only fault i can think of is difficulty. every situation has a very logical method to complete the task (except for the final battle) but sometimes the method is a little hard to notice, or easy to overlook. just keep looking, youll figure it out eventually.
The game is well detailed and well designed and remember***
PAY ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING even trivial dialogue can serve a purpose! the game DOES NOT carry you through the puzzles, just keep your eyes and ears open and you should be ok (and the loading screen hints are VERY useful)
Overall this game is VERY good. and is a must have for any horror or cthulhu fan. i hope you find this useful

Hello?!?!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: October 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

With all of my heart, my friends, this is the best game I've played in a hundred years. It took 5 whole years to make this game, and it shows. Immersive is the word. Nothing's immersed me this way. You should try it, and see for yourself.

You have got to be kidding me!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 12, 2007
Author: Amazon User

All these people rating this game so low! Are you serious? This is the greatest horror game I have ever played. The atmosphere is amazing and it has so many intense moments. Everyone is complaining about how "difficult" and "unfair" it is. I completed the "Attack of the Fishmen" part (the one everyone seems to complain about) after three tries! Just be patient when playing this game. Some people are just too used to other types of games. That's one of the reasons why I love this game, you can't just rush through a level or mission, you need to take your time and study the environment. Everyone is going to disagree with me, but this game, in my opinion, is much better than any "Resident Evil" game or anything else. Also, I am a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's stories, and it helps to be a little familiar with some of the things in the game (mainly "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and some of "The Call of Cthulhu" are partly what this game is based on). The length is great, and it is cool how you have no weapons until almost the middle of the storyline. I agree, it is a fairly difficult game, but you won't have too many problems if you just take your time and also look for help online (I needed walkthrough help a few times).

IS THIS GAME DEFECTIVE???????

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have replaced this game three times but yet the game freezes up in the exact same spot. Nobody seems to have the same problem. These are the Natural defects that "they" don't want you to know. No other game in my collection has done this(NONE).Sigh... sad that I have to type a disclaimer for such an original game. The game is exciting but this bug I'm experiencing just fu**ed it all up. Boy, these so called game testers sure missed alot of glitches. And no, its not my xbox because 1. All of my games would be doing the same thing and 2. I just had the damn hard drive replaced. The fact of the matter is when I buy a game or anything for that matter, I want it to work.

THANK YOU

Probably the most Lovecraftian game ever to be made

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I waited years and years for this game to come out, checking in on the forum belonging to the now vanished company again and again for news about this game based on the literary works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft, the well-known author of horror and weird tales in the early 1900's. To make a long story short, through the work of a single individual with helpers, the game finally came out AFTER the company was gone, and that is the reason for the few bugs remaining in the game (there might be an update available by now, I don't know). There is though help available for how to avoid the bugs, and thereby enable you to enjoy this magnificent game. The story is mostly based on "The Shadow of Innsmouth", a classic tale of degeneration and despair, and one of my 3 personal favourites in the HPL canon.

The pc-game really is an electronic version of the classic pen & paper RPG "The Call of Cthulhu", and I enjoyed every second of it to the fullest. You will crawl and run and sneak around investigating why someone is trying to kill you in Innsmouth, what happened to a missing grocery clerk and basically what is really going on in and around town, with all kinds of scary incidents occurring. Basically, if you've read the tale, you'll now play it. The game is excellently made, and if they had only made more games so true to HPL's fantastic tales, I would be a much happier man.

The few bugs in the game are easy to crack, and once you've done this, you'll have on your hands a game that is almost right-along up there with "Planescape : Torment" in depth and story.

(I played the PC version)

oh my gosh

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

phenominal game. like the other guy, i am about 21 percent through the game but i found the chase exhilerating, like no other in any game. the blurryness is from your panic and if you do well, you won't be very blurry but if you keep looking at the guys breaking down doors that you lock behind you, or get shot a couple times, it goes downhill fast, but that is what makes it so intense. i wish they made more games like this where you actually do things and flesh out the story before going in guns blazing (like half life 1). overall one of a kind game and actually pretty scary and intene. I don't even find games like resident evil or silent hill 2 to be scary or intense like this. hell of a game with great graphics on my 360 and great surround sound with an enthralling storyline and detailed world. very good for a mature gamer who has other games like devil may cry and halo to satisfy my bloodlust.

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