This is easily the most atmospheric horror game I've played since Resident Evil. Deconstructs the player. Fantastic!
I've been eying this game for a while because of some very descent reviews and because I've been a big fan of Bethesda's RPGs. Certainly Bethesda hasn't been known for nailing other genre's (Wet seems to have gotten mediocre critic reviews, their Star Treks are nothing special either) but I've been looking for something to play while I await Dragon Age Origins, so thought I'd finally give this one a whirl.
I can't believe I put it off for so long!
Review:
Interaction/Combat: (9.5/10)
What separates this game from its competitors is the extent to which much of the game you don't possess a weapon of any kind whatsoever. Its a great take on a game requiring a certain level of combat, witholding that which you think you need to survive - forcing you to survive not by combat but by stealth, patience, and thoughtfulness. Certainly the early Resident Evils were among the first to really limit ammo, which resulted in a nervous paranoia about preserving what firepower you had. Call of Cthulhu ups the ante. By forcing you to play (at least 50%) of the game unarmed, a much greater sense of fear is produced in the player, and it pushes the player to really step into the frame, inhabit the protagonist, and constantly look out for enemies. I can't remember the last time that I was actually nervous about facing an enemy in a game (as opposed to running up to them to shoot them in the face). This juxtaposition is fantastic. When you finally do get a decent weapon, ammo isn't a problem, but since the enemies are fairly strong, you will definitely be looking for holes in the ground and high ledges to shoot from - needing to stay as far away as possible (since reloading takes time, and as a character you are very weak and can easily die). While this certainly contributes to the game's difficulty, among other things, it definitely makes the interaction compelling.
Gameplay/Level Design: (9/10)
I've already mentioned the superb work done in reserving combat sequences for moments of climax, but i think its rather representative of the overall gameplay. The level design (from taking away your weapons, to some fantastic boss fights, to the bouts of insanity) are all set up admirably by the layout of each level. Great detail has gone into general layout such that it isn't always clear where to go (think Resident Evil, wandering around the mansion) but where you are able to figure it out, largely by trying to avoid enemies. Bosses are great - some of the most memorable i've encountered in any game ever - and the puzzles are well done, not too hard, but forcing you to constantly keep your eye on your surroundings. Areas such as the bridge over the void, towards the end of the game, use the environment to a great degree in forcing you to search desperately for a spot you can be reasonably safe while huge enemies come at you, and the high winds threaten to blow you into the abyss. The use of save points also works incredibly well here - and i can't say that often. In fact, the save points serve to really heighten the overall experience of desperation - but they come just often enough to ensure that it isn't at all frustrating.
Atmosphere/Aesthetics/Narrative: (10/10)
Brown was never so frightening a color. Yes, there are definitely lots of browns, grays, and blacks for much of the game, the sky and buildings muted in reserved tones. From the beginning, the color scheme sets the atmosphere for the rest of the game. Be prepared to (purposefully) strain as you look about you, trying to decipher if that shadow holds an enemy from your hideout. Be prepared to stay the hell out of the light at all times, for fear of being spotted and killed. And then, just when you least expect it, you enter a space that is strange beyond recognition - wild greens, yellows, and reds capturing the frame and at once startling and wondrous. To the extent that the visual quality, artwork, and sound work together to immerse you in the game, Call of Cthulhu succeeds by a wide margin. As with the combat, the color pallet is often lacking but in a purposeful reserve, awaiting the right moment when you are mentally prepared by the story to then witness the surreal moments of the story through the eyes of the protagonist.
Speaking of the protagonist, the narrative here is fantastic (at least if you're remotely intruiged by noir detective stylings, science fiction horror, and a crisis of identity). While parts of the narrative seem to skip and not necessarily follow an easy line, each chapter masterfully draws you deeper into the mystery, closer to insanity, further down the well. The pacing here is stupendous. You feel the rise and fall of suspense, only to be arrested by some extraordinary vision of madness (as your eyes set upon the boss who you will battle and the screen is tilting back and forth you it feels you can hardly stand). Its these moments of climax, where your life flickering out, and where your character can't consciously believe what he's seeing, and you're face to face with the supernatural that the game achieves its ambition. I don't want to spoil the story too much here, but needless to say this game is supremely atmospheric and draws you in like few can.
Overall/Tilt/Value: (9.5/10)
Call of Cthulhu does so much right, and does it in an innovative fashion, that I'm rather blown away. The sequences of insanity are incredibly effective (often even more than Eternal Darkness's effects) especially since they're tied to looking at the supernatural horror which you must overcome. To be forced to look away at the moment that you need more than anything to dissect your target, and to be shaking so hard that you can hardly aim your rifle, is incredibly well done. As I previously stated, I can hardly think of a game I've played that ushered from me such suspension of disbelief - and a mental projection into the body of the protagonist. To boot, the game is intense, well paced, devious at times, and mind-blowing when it comes to the boss fights. An absolutely fantastic game that I won't forget anytime soon.