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‘Call of Cthulhu’ is Phantasmagorically Fantastic

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Cthulhu

Madness is everywhere in Focus Interactive and Cyanide Studio’s latest H.P. Lovecraft mythos-based Call of Cthulhu. The psychological, investigational, RPG steeps itself deeply in the world of Lovecraft, complete with Easter-eggs, winks and all the cosmic terror you can handle.

Much more based on the physical pen and paper RPG, Call of Cthulhu takes the bones of Lovecraft’s world and creates a choice-based and satisfying investigational.

The story follows Edward Pierce, a dude fighting some serious personal demons following the war. Pierce has set-up shop as a private eye in desperate need of work to save his business. It seems that Pierce’s livelihood is saved when he receives a case that involves the investigation into the death of the prominent Hawkins family on the island of Darkwater.

With the new case in tow, Pierce sets off to the ominous island to help clear the name of Sarah Hawkins, who allegedly initiated the fire that killed her husband and child.

The world is bursting with references to Lovecraft’s work. Simply glancing at books on shelves or hidden diaries reveal the rich tapestry of Easter eggs that cover the entire mythos.

The game is primarily built around conversational and stealth mechanics with the occasional puzzle thrown in to the mix. Walking around talking to the villagers of Darkwater to uncover information and looking in the nooks and crannies make up the brunt of this game. It never devolves into the familiar territory of any sort of hack-n-slash action or button mashing shooting.

Cthulhu

Choices in dialogue are subjective to their respective levels on your upgradable skill tree. For example, if you don’t have enough knowledge of the occult or enough expertise in psychology, certain talking points won’t be selectable, leaving you to choose other options that in some cases can lead to dead ends in conversations.

I appreciate that the game doesn’t pull punches in that respect. Early in the game I spoke to a bartender and because my eloquence was at a low level, I was unable to gain information or even drink in his bar. The designers, made that finality of opportunity feel very real-world inspired. You will not always get what you want, and you will have to press on and hope to make better decisions and inquiries in future conversations.

The upgradeable skill tree is built of strength, medicine, eloquence, psychology, occultism and ‘spot hidden.’ Occultism and medicine are strictly upgradeable only by finding hidden items strewn about Darkwater. The rest you are free to upgrade as the game progresses leading to an edge on certain situations that play themselves out throughout your time in Darkwater.

The game is reliant on choice and will lead to bumps and passes along your journey. These all culminate in the finale of the narrative. The choices seem slight for the most part but a flashing icon in the upper left hand corner will remind you when you made a world altering decision by informing you that the choice you made will have consequences.

Certain situations call for you to enter ‘reconstruction mode.’ In this mode, you are able to piece together hidden clues to uncover a certain chain of events. These are played out through still frame visions of what Pierce has deduced from his findings. These situations are particularly well-done, and add that extra bit of absorption into being a grizzled private eye.

Cthulhu

It wouldn’t be a Lovecraft mythos based game if it didn’t get into sanity and the loss thereof. As you progress through the game, Pierce suffers mind-fracturing hallucinations that may or not be real. The ‘sanity meter’ is introduced deep into the narrative and is something that you have to watch to insure you don’t completely lose your marbles. The on-screen effects come in the form of emerald green tunnel vision, and rising heartbeat. This is exacerbated by entering claustrophobic spaces like crawlspaces and hiding spots. If you don’t get out the dread induced situation in time, its game over and time to load from last checkpoint.

The game has a rich cast of characters that make up the Lovecraftian world. These characters act as both friend and foe. Choosing to side with you or be a thorn in your investigation. Siding with certain police officers or bootleggers further fleshes out the world, and makes the island of Darkwater feel even more lived in.

Uncovering, the truth is a special experience. Waking in fish intestine filled caves, lit with green flames and being able to connect the dots from the lexicon of Lovecraft, is singular in its effectiveness. The story already has your attention before it introduces the supernatural elements and that direction goes a long and lasting way.

Every once and while the game throws puzzles into your investigation. One of my favorite moments of the game featured a safe that I had to get the combination to. The way the game handles the clues to find the combo numbers was a great gaming experience. The puzzles aren’t difficult but they do require that added care to detail.

“an intensely Lovecraftian experience, pregnant with atmospheric dread”

A nice change from a lot of games that I play, is how Edward Pierce is not a very nice guy. A lot of his selectable dialogue options toss aside the generic hero and go for a protagonist who acts as his own antagonist. A lot of times, I was looking for a nicer way to say something, but Pierce only offered 3 ways to say it and none of them were nice. He is a bit rude, a bit brash and a bit of a drunk and I totally love that.

Cthlhu

My biggest issue with the game is that some parts of the investigation feel superfluous. For example, if you go through the trouble of finding hidden items and working things out in certain dialogue trees, it seems that even without that extra effort the following cut scene would have lead you to the same revelation regardless of your troubles. This is echoed a few times throughout the game in the form of having information laid out for you twice or by NPCs repeating the same information in a different way. It makes your hard work feel without reward.

The world is rich and fully Lovecraftian, popping at the seams with deep-cuts fans can really get lost in. The level design is painstakingly loyal to what you have read on the page. You can almost smell the confines of old bookstores, the odor of wood rot, and the pungent aroma of the sea. It’s an impressive amount of careful world building that greatly assists in the feeling of total immersion.

Call of Cthulhu is an intensely Lovecraftian experience, pregnant with atmospheric dread. It drags you in and holds your sanity for ransom. Lovecraft is not an easy thing to adapt but these creative minds got it right and give gamers something that the inhabitants of R’lyeh would be extremely delighted with.

Call of Cthulhu is out now on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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