Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth

[metadigital]

 

Since I have heard very little about this, I am fairly sure it will be awful. Anyone heard any different?

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Blurbs from the Xbox version which has been out for a while.

 

Call of Cthulhu -- Dark Corners of the Earth is a first-person horror game that combines intense action and adventure elements. You will draw upon your skills in exploration, investigation, and combat while faced with the seemingly impossible task of battling evil incarnate.

 

Other than fighting, you have the ability to interact freely with characters and the gaming environment. To increase the sense of immersion, there is no interface or 'HUD' on screen at any time during normal gameplay. Instead, more intuitive methods are available for you to assess your condition, ammunition levels, and other relevant information. The combat within the game is extremely realistic, with a detailed damage and healing system that breaks down the healing process into conditions and treatments - rather than having the typical FPS 'health packs' lying around everywhere.

 

The game also allows you to stamp your own style onto the proceedings via an advanced AI system that can react to your method of play. Cthulhu enemies can roam freely around the environment - opening doors and tracking you down single-handedly or in groups. To stay alive you won't just be able to outshoot them, you'll need to outthink them as well.

 

You will have to keep your mental health in check as you are exposed to the increasingly shocking images of the Cthulhu Mythos. You will need to combat enemies using the environment, powerful and evil artifacts, Alien technology, or by fighting with weapons that are completely authentic for the period.

 

Set during the 1920s, Call of Cthulhu is based on the Cthulhu Mythos of HP Lovecraft, an American writer of fantasy and horror. Lovecraft's stories tell of unthinkable evil, psychic possession, and mythical worlds and his work has profoundly influenced numerous fantasy and science fiction writers, including Stephen King and Anne Rice.

 

The technology powering Call of Cthulhu has provided Headfirst with the means to present an incredibly detailed and accurate depiction of the sights and sounds of this unique 1920's New England setting. A diverse range of cutting edge special effects is utilized to ensure both unprecedented levels of realism and an exact portrayal of your mental degredation.

 

Features:

 

Diverse array of levels from quaint towns to alien locations, including Deep One City

 

 

Dynamic Sanity system resulting in hallucinations, panic attacks, vertigo, paranoia, and more!

 

 

Incredibly detailed real-time graphics with atmospheric lighting and dynamic shadows

 

 

Intelligent gameplay involving puzzle solving as well as combat and exploration

 

 

1920s weaponry and vehicles as well as evil artifacts and alien technology

 

 

Lovecraft's famous monsters and locations

 

Gamespot gave it an 8.3 (great) Xbox version again

 

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/adventure/cal...x.html?q=cthulu

[Lare Kikkeli]

it's gonna be a direct xbox port with no or very, very little support. so no patches. i'm def gonna check this one out though, i love lovecraft.

[metadigital]

Cthulhu enemies can roam freely around the environment - opening doors and tracking you down single-handedly or in groups.

Opening doors? OMG, who'd a thunk that game monsters could do that! Hee hee, I like sticking a large box in front of doorways to stop the AI-controlled enemies in Half-Life 2 from flanking me ... ^_^

They Say 7.8 (56 reviews):

IGN **  8.2 / 10  Nov 4, 2005

Gamespy **  4 / 5  Nov 1, 2005

Gaming Target **  8.6 / 10  Jan 16, 2006

Worth Playing **  7.9 / 10  Dec 27, 2005

Game Revolution **  B  Dec 14, 2005

Game Zone **  8.5 / 10  Nov 8, 2005

TeamXBOX **  8.1 / 10  Oct 27, 2005

Eurogamer **  8 / 10  Oct 25, 2005

HonestGamers **  9 / 10  Mar 6, 2006

Frag Land **  83.5 / 100  Mar 2, 2006

My Gamer **  7.6 / 10  Jan 30, 2006

G4 **  3 / 5  Jan 24, 2006

Daily Game **  7.5 / 10  Jan 15, 2006

Electric Playground **  6.5 / 10  Jan 8, 2006

GameCell UK **  7 / 10  Jan 8, 2006

Xbox World Australia **  80 / 100  Jan 5, 2006

Game Planet **  4 / 5  Dec 25, 2005

GamingTrend **  74 / 100  Dec 23, 2005

Games Asylum **  7 / 10  Dec 22, 2005

Game Critics **  8 / 10  Dec 21, 2005

Game Industry News **  4.5 / 5  Dec 21, 2005

DarkStation **  8 / 10  Dec 18, 2005

XboxSolution **  8.1 / 10  Dec 13, 2005

Loaded Inc **  8 / 10  Dec 12, 2005

Armchair Empire **  7.9 / 10  Dec 10, 2005

Gamers Temple **  87 / 100  Dec 8, 2005

Game Over Online **  85 / 100  Dec 8, 2005

Extreme Gamer **  7.5 / 10  Dec 5, 2005

eToychest **  95 / 100  Dec 5, 2005

PGNx Media **  9 / 10  Dec 1, 2005

Xbox Addict **  4.5 / 5  Dec 1, 2005

Boomtown **  9 / 10  Nov 28, 2005

Gaming Nexus **  8.6 / 10  Nov 22, 2005

GamerDad **  4.5 / 5  Nov 21, 2005

Cheat Code Central **  4 / 5  Nov 17, 2005

Next Level Gaming **  77 / 100  Nov 17, 2005

Ace Gamez **  8 / 10  Nov 15, 2005

Thunderbolt **  7 / 10  Nov 10, 2005

IC-Games **  85 / 100  Nov 7, 2005

Jolt Online Gaming UK **  9 / 10  Nov 7, 2005

Into Liquid Sky **  A-  Oct 27, 2005

Clubskill  8.4 / 10  Jan 27, 2006

Contact Music  8.5 / 10  Nov 29, 2005

Console Game World  85 / 100  Nov 23, 2005

Ninemsn Games  6.5 / 10  Nov 21, 2005

GameMethod  89 / 100  Nov 21, 2005

InsidePulse  5 / 10  Nov 3, 2005

Official Xbox Magazine **  6.5 / 10  Jan 1, 2006

Game Informer **  6 / 10  Jan 1, 2006

Computer Games Mag **  3.5 / 5  Feb 1, 2006

Edge Magazine UK  4 / 10  Dec 1, 2005

Games Master UK  76 / 100  Dec 1, 2005

Xbox World Mag UK  47 / 100  Dec 1, 2005

Official Xbox Magazine UK  7.8 / 10  Nov 1, 2005

XBM UK  7 / 10  Nov 1, 2005

** = Only These Sites Count Towards Average Score. Visit Game Rankings for criteria

Quite a few low marks in there, like:

Electric Playground ** 6.5 / 10 Jan 8, 2006

Ninemsn Games 6.5 / 10 Nov 21, 2005

Game Informer ** 6 / 10 Jan 1, 2006

Edge Magazine UK 4 / 10 Dec 1, 2005

Xbox World Mag UK 47 / 100 Dec 1, 2005

 

If the port is lousey than the game is definitely just for the die-hard fans.

 

Edited for dyslexia.

Edited March 7, 2006 by metadigital

[Volourn]

Since when did (plus a few other low scores you missed)become 'quite a few' expisiclaly when you list dozens of others...

Edited March 7, 2006 by Volourn

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Quite a few low marks in there, like:

Game Industry News **  4.5 / 5  Dec 21, 2005

Xbox Addict **  4.5 / 5  Dec 1, 2005

GamerDad **  4.5 / 5  Nov 21, 2005

Edge Magazine UK  4 / 10  Dec 1, 2005

Xbox World Mag UK  47 / 100  Dec 1, 2005

 

If the port is lousey than the game is definitely just for the die-hard fans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

4.5 out of 5 is a low mark ?

 

If anyone has played it, Darque probably has.

Edited March 7, 2006 by ShadowPaladin V1.0

[astr0creep]

I was very enthusiastic about this game when it was first mentionned a long while ago. Then it was released on XBox and pffit. Nothing. I can't wait to play it. Looks like Undying on steroids.

 

[metadigital]

Quite a few low marks in there, like:

Game Industry News **  4.5 / 5  Dec 21, 2005

Xbox Addict **  4.5 / 5  Dec 1, 2005

GamerDad **  4.5 / 5  Nov 21, 2005

Edge Magazine UK  4 / 10  Dec 1, 2005

Xbox World Mag UK  47 / 100  Dec 1, 2005

 

If the port is lousey than the game is definitely just for the die-hard fans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

4.5 out of 5 is a low mark ?

 

If anyone has played it, Darque probably has.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oops. Dyslexic dog-worship. :">

[Volourn]

"4.5 out of 5 is a low mark ?"

 

LOL Great catch. I can't believe I missed that. What a doofus both Meta and I are for being tools.

[metadigital]

Hey! I am not like you!

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

For something that wasnt hyped at all those look like pretty solid scores.

[astr0creep]

And it's from Bethesda :D

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

And it's from Bethesda  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I didnt even look who made it

[Archmonarch]

Bethesda was just the publisher. Ive played this game and while there are some problems with the gameplay, the atmosphere and sanity system are great. You really get the feeling of Lovecraft. It stays pretty true to the Cthulhu mythos, taking place in Innsmouth and the occasional segment in Arkham.

[Volourn]

"Hey! I am not like you!"

 

That's true. You are worse in this instance as you were actually using those 4.5/5 scores as 'proof' of its horrible mass of reviews (all 5 or so of them lol).

[metadigital]

Just so long as I'm not compared to YOU!

[Ellester]

Diverse array of levels from quaint towns to alien locations, including Deep One City

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is this from the Mound? I don't remember anything below Innsmouth? Just the monsters coming from the sea was what I remembered and interbreeding. The Mound was around Kansas with the underground city, and another underground area I remember was in Australia. But then again I haven

Edited March 7, 2006 by Ellester

[Slowtrain]

I was following the game for all those years in dev hell, and I was always very excited about it. I couldn't believe when the time came and it was actually released. Sinced then I've heard a lot of less than enthusiastic things about it. I'll probably pick it up in the bargain bin some day. And I'm a hardcore Lovecraft devotee as well. So I advise caution and read some reviews before you buy. If you know what you are getting into, thewn you will probably be ok with it, if you don't, you'll probably be pissed off and angry.

[zer"0"]

So.., this has been out for the xbox already, then this is just the release of the PC port. Right?

 

Any word if its just a straight up port or will there be changes to

interface, controls, resolution support etc. in regards to the PC version?

 

Atmosphere and the Lovecraft feel are the most important for me.

If the Great Old Ones make an appearance, I' may go insane. In a good quiet way, of course.

 

 

Been waiting for this a long while now.

[Lare Kikkeli]

So..,  this has been out for the xbox already,  then this is just the release of the PC port. Right?

 

Any word if its just a straight up port or will there be changes to

interface, controls, resolution support etc. in regards to the PC version?

 

 

as i said, a direct port with no patches coming out.

[Slowtrain]

So..,  this has been out for the xbox already,  then this is just the release of the PC port. Right?

 

Any word if its just a straight up port or will there be changes to

interface, controls, resolution support etc. in regards to the PC version?

 

Atmosphere and the Lovecraft feel are the most important for me.

If the Great Old Ones make an appearance, I' may go insane. In a good quiet way, of course.

 

 

Been waiting for this a long while now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yes, the pc version was dropped after the publisher change and the version that had spent all those years in development as a pc title was forced into an X shape. This caused quite a few problems with the finished game. There was no word orignially that a pc version would even be released. I guess its nice that it has now been confirmed, but its toobad it never wil be what it could have been.

 

ANyway, as I suggewsted before, I recommend you read reviews and talk to people who own it. The game has a lot of problematic issues. It also has good things too. The question you have to answer is do the problematic things bother you or not.

[mkreku]

as i said, a direct port with no patches coming out.

How do you know this?

[Slowtrain]

as i said, a direct port with no patches coming out.

How do you know this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I hadn't heard this, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

A lot of time was spent turning it from a pc title to an xbox title. I don't think they want to spend any money developing or supporting it as a pc title. I don't think they want to spend any more money on it all. Frankly, its a bleeding miracle the game ever made it to the shelves.

 

I am going to wait for a review of the pc release, assume that is the finished product, and decide at that point how much I am willing to spend. I'm sure I'll get it eventually. The thought of running around in Innsmouth is just cool.

[astr0creep]

as i said, a direct port with no patches coming out.

How do you know this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I hadn't heard this, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

A lot of time was spent turning it from a pc title to an xbox title. I don't think they want to spend any money developing or supporting it as a pc title. I don't think they want to spend any more money on it all. Frankly, its a bleeding miracle the game ever made it to the shelves.

 

I am going to wait for a review of the pc release, assume that is the finished product, and decide at that point how much I am willing to spend. I'm sure I'll get it eventually. The thought of running around in Innsmouth is just cool.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You can also "try" before you buy.

[Lare Kikkeli]

as i said, a direct port with no patches coming out.

How do you know this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

with headfirst gone, it's pretty hard to imagine beth hiring a team just to do a patch. of course it's possible, but very, very unlikely.

 

 

also : http://www.callingcthulhu.com/

 

 

"The good news that the PC version is still happening (Bethesda has confirmed this). The only reason why we will be able to find a PC version in stores real soon is because TheHoodedClaw, who was Lead Engineer on the project, stayed behind and made the finishing touches all on his own. For free. Why? Because he cares about DCotE a lot (those reading the official forum will have noticed this) and didn't want to disappoint those who have been waiting for so long for the PC version. However, do not expect any graphical tweaks or extras on your PC. This will be a straight port from the Xbox."