Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 246 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 166 out of 246
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 246
  3. Negative: 31 out of 246
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  1. MosstheBoss
    Apr 17, 2008
    7
    Good ambiance and mood all over. Story is well based on Lovecraft's literature with interesting additions. Voice acting and dialogs are good and reinforce the atmosphere and time setting in the early 20's. Concept is quite unique blending 3 or 4 major genres, and it is one of a very scant group of games based on the Cthulhu mythos. The "however" is that, at least once along the Good ambiance and mood all over. Story is well based on Lovecraft's literature with interesting additions. Voice acting and dialogs are good and reinforce the atmosphere and time setting in the early 20's. Concept is quite unique blending 3 or 4 major genres, and it is one of a very scant group of games based on the Cthulhu mythos. The "however" is that, at least once along the game, all of these genres perform ifalteringly when compared to the average of games using as their core one these styles. Puzzles unintuitive or strangely easy (you are done and do not realize it); shooter erratic and with an infinite amount of respawns; stealth with unreadable patrols to almost render this nice possibility unfeseable; etc. Anyway in most cases the game pulls through and no matter how frustrating it could become, and how close to real insanity it may push you towards, you very soon forget and forgive, since it has the virtue of truly making you curious of what is yonder the next, very dark, corner.… Expand
  2. GregoryW.
    Oct 12, 2006
    7
    Great atmospheric game with some intense action scenes. The story is really what drives the game; without it there would be little value to it. I kept playing through all the bugs and difficult sequences just to find out what happens to Jack. After finishing the game I am more interested in reading H.P. Lovecraft than playing another Lovecraft based game. Be warned this game is one of the Great atmospheric game with some intense action scenes. The story is really what drives the game; without it there would be little value to it. I kept playing through all the bugs and difficult sequences just to find out what happens to Jack. After finishing the game I am more interested in reading H.P. Lovecraft than playing another Lovecraft based game. Be warned this game is one of the more difficult out there. Many long portions are played over and over again due to save system. The save system is designed to make the game more intense, but in the end it make it more tiresome than anything. I ran into one big glitch while fighting the Great Ones on the ship. The Great Ones would stop coming, but all my shipmates would continue firing at nothing. For some reason the game would not go to the next portion. I had to restore to a saved game from just as I got on the ship to resolve the problem.… Expand
  3. CthulyDoo
    May 16, 2006
    7
    Graphics? Who cares? The graphics are on par with Call of Duty and there was nothing wrong with those or the fun to be had in that game. Don't get hung up on that. This is NOT a shooter, this is an adventure game, so if you want non-stop zombie killing this isn't the place to go. The game is creepy and does capture Lovecraft (almost). This isn't the early Alone in the Dark Graphics? Who cares? The graphics are on par with Call of Duty and there was nothing wrong with those or the fun to be had in that game. Don't get hung up on that. This is NOT a shooter, this is an adventure game, so if you want non-stop zombie killing this isn't the place to go. The game is creepy and does capture Lovecraft (almost). This isn't the early Alone in the Dark style...this is more horror movie based than fantasy. What bothers me, like Call of Duty did, is that the game appears "wide open" but in reality is restricted and has a "stiffness" to it where you need to stay near the path the game presents. The one other thing that bothers me like Call of Duty is that I get headaches from this graphic engine for some reason...no problems in any other first person games, just this style. I liked a lot of the atmosphere that was put into the game and it is fascinating at times with some of the creatures that appear. Having no HUD does make you feel like you are inside of the game world and when I got to Innsmouth and saw a guy peeing in an alley and another digging through the trash, that really suprised me and shows the depth these guys put into the game. Still it is difficult trudging at times through the game and I doubt I could feel motivated to sit all day and play; some of the "fun" is missing for me. Lovecraft stories aren't really about "fun" though, they are about the fantastic vs. puny humans. Yet at times I felt like this was more slaughterhouse than exploration of the quantum-occult wolrd that Lovecraft was best at telling. I give it a 7 (10 means perfection to me, which I think few games are)...not bad but the game needed a little something more to it.… Expand
  4. Alumin88
    Feb 5, 2015
    6
    A game that could have been so much more is what I can say about this video game....

    The atmosphere, the audio, just incredible. All through the first chapter of the game it dares you deeper and deeper into it's dark story and is one of the most unnerving video games I've played in the longest time. The gameplay in the first chapter is a First person clues to find, people to talk to    A game that could have been so much more is what I can say about this video game....

    The atmosphere, the audio, just incredible. All through the first chapter of the game it dares you deeper and deeper into it's dark story and is one of the most unnerving video games I've played in the longest time. The gameplay in the first chapter is a First person clues to find, people to talk to investigation, teasing you with ammunition boxes scattered around the levels having the player eagerly anticipate when they'll finally get to use their first weapon. This, unfortunately is the worst element of the game. The gunplay,

    Once the player is given his/her first gun there is a heavy focus on it's gunplay, it incredibly awkward to aim and hit enemies and when you FINALLY accomplish killing said enemy another will regenerate in his place, meaning a lot of wasted ammo and no sigh of relief knowing that there's one less brute to deal with. There's a stealth mechanic but it's buggy,

    This game had so much potential, buckets of it. It's atmosphere is perfect, it's story progression is great, I'd say if it had ditched the gunplay/action sequences altogether and focused more on it's puzzle solving /clue finding it'd deserve a 7.5. but because of it's bug ridden and awful gunplay experience it gets a solid 6/10 from me.

    Oh, and the graphics are just fine, perfect for the game's mood.    … Expand
  5. H.Lokesz
    May 25, 2006
    6
    Nice athmosphere, bad gameplay. Looking for savepoints never worked before and never will do in the future. Without a quicksave some parts are too frustrating. This is an adventure but when you are chased there's no time to search for desired sequence of actions. So, you have to start over 20 times before you know where you should go. And don't make jumping errors. Bad purchase. Nice athmosphere, bad gameplay. Looking for savepoints never worked before and never will do in the future. Without a quicksave some parts are too frustrating. This is an adventure but when you are chased there's no time to search for desired sequence of actions. So, you have to start over 20 times before you know where you should go. And don't make jumping errors. Bad purchase. I'll wait for a quicksave patch or else I simply dump the game.… Expand
  6. metacriticFAN
    Feb 3, 2012
    6
    Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of The Earth (Steam PC) Released 2006 (Head First Productions / Bethesda Softworks)
    Played date 2012.02
    Genre: Horror Adventure Overall Score: 6 Controls: 7 Graphics: 7 Story: 9 Audio: 10 DRM: Steam [Playthrough] I was interested in getting to know about the Cthulhu World through the eyes of game artists but I had never read any of the books or played the    Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of The Earth (Steam PC) Released 2006 (Head First Productions / Bethesda Softworks)
    Played date 2012.02
    Genre: Horror Adventure

    Overall Score: 6
    Controls: 7
    Graphics: 7
    Story: 9
    Audio: 10
    DRM: Steam

    [Playthrough] I was interested in getting to know about the Cthulhu World through the eyes of game artists but I had never read any of the books or played the RPGs; I went in expecting nothing. I really enjoyed this story and the mood set by the game, in fact for the first four hours the game was freaking me out. All hell started to break loose in the game.... there are many difficult sequences that end in death and require reloading....but as I was in it for the game-story-environment so I held in there. I leaned heavily on a walk-through to get through the game - but I could never finish it.... the last sequence was just to hard ! ! ! Play this on â    … Expand
  7. philthymcnasty
    Aug 1, 2013
    5
    I understand that its a horror game and all, but i HATE checkpoints. when the game crashes and you haven't been near a check point in a while, you will understand what i mean. this is a nice game with a nice story, but it is RUINED because it is dependent on finding a glyph on the wall to save. I am busy and have to stop what i am doing sometimes to do something important, and the checkI understand that its a horror game and all, but i HATE checkpoints. when the game crashes and you haven't been near a check point in a while, you will understand what i mean. this is a nice game with a nice story, but it is RUINED because it is dependent on finding a glyph on the wall to save. I am busy and have to stop what i am doing sometimes to do something important, and the check point system is garbage. SHAME ON THE DEVELOPERS.… Expand
  8. Basem101
    Aug 21, 2013
    6
    a very linear game with not that good story and very weak and boring gameplay the graphics as well are not good the only good thing about this game is the atmosphere other than that nothing special here
  9. GregB.
    Apr 2, 2006
    6
    Very slow, and very dated graphics. Has some atmospheric moments, but for the most part, an difficult to push through game.
  10. Salk
    Jul 24, 2014
    5
    This is the same review I made for the Xbox version of the game, which is the one that people should play. The PC version is plagued by bugs, some of which utterly critical. Crashes are frequent. The game itself can not be recommended on this platform (tested on Windows XP SP3).

    An overall very interesting and worth being played game. Especially for H.P. Lovecraft fans. What works:    This is the same review I made for the Xbox version of the game, which is the one that people should play. The PC version is plagued by bugs, some of which utterly critical. Crashes are frequent. The game itself can not be recommended on this platform (tested on Windows XP SP3).

    An overall very interesting and worth being played game. Especially for H.P. Lovecraft fans.

    What works:

    - A number of ideas: the sanity factor, the screen without HUD
    - The use of Lovecraft material for creating the game
    - The overall atmosphere of dread and isolation
    - The puzzles: they are often very well made and fairly engaging
    - The decision of relying on aiming down the sight (no in game crosshair)
    - The damage system being divided into 3 categories (bandage, splint, suture, antidote)

    What doesn't work:

    - The graphic is sometimes too blurry and muddy, making difficult to not only spot some items but even simple orientation
    - Respawn (I loathe it as game concept)
    - Lack of polish (it is obvious that corners have been cut and the ambition of the project reduced greatly from how originally anticipated)

    What is so-so:

    - The level design is most of the times very good and well focused (best chapters: Chapter 2 - Attack Of The Fuccing Fishmen, Chapter 3 - Jail Break and Chapter 7 - Dangerous Voyage) but sometimes there is an annoying lack of feedback about the need of backtracking (without much of a valid reason) while some other levels are much less spot on (Chapter 5 and Chapter 11 come to mind)
    - The AI: sometimes the enemies are in front of me but don't see me for some strange reason
    - Voice acting (some are good, wrong choice of tone for the protagonist who sounds too matter-of-face in most situations)    … Expand
  11. OliverAfton
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    This game was the first I've ever played on PC and the potential it is still unique today, until after the debut of "Call of Cthulhu" (2018), but it's sad how many bizarre glitches there are, of the kind that even cause the lost of the save files.
  12. MikeB
    Mar 11, 2009
    5
    Fascinating but buggy as hell. A good game ruined by bad QA.
  13. Woundheir
    Oct 14, 2013
    7
    This game is very linear, and would have been better with a few more options. That being said, it is still an amazing horror game. It is very dark, and will have your heart pounding. For a game made in 2006 it's graphics are really amazing. Although there really are no graphic optimizations for PC (console port) it does look good. It doesn't have xbox 360 controller support either, muchThis game is very linear, and would have been better with a few more options. That being said, it is still an amazing horror game. It is very dark, and will have your heart pounding. For a game made in 2006 it's graphics are really amazing. Although there really are no graphic optimizations for PC (console port) it does look good. It doesn't have xbox 360 controller support either, much like most original xbox game ports.

    It does have a lot of bugs with windows 7. You can't alt-tab, or it will crash. Sometimes something important just flat out won't work. I was in a chase scene and a vital ladder was just impossible to climb. It ruins the immersion quite a bit repeating a chase just because a ladder did not work. That being said, it is still a lot of fun. Without the bugs I would have given a 9. I would love to see a remade version of this that was actually made for PC.

    I do think some of the negative reviews are a bit ridiculous in that they complain about gameplay. This game is mainly about being immersed in the horror story. It is a good thing that they kept everything else fairly basic. You aren't playing some black-ops sniper with perfect aim, mysterious auto-respawn powers, and no back story. And there is a dedicated cut-scene skip button... the people who are complaining about that simply haven't looked in key bindings.    … Expand
  14. MXMXVRGMS
    Mar 2, 2014
    7
    It makes you suffer a lot...without help ( You tube) you won't get there at all...A great idea turning a HP Lovecraft's story into a game...What about Stephen king?
  15. MaxieZeus
    May 6, 2023
    5
    İts amazing that this game even functions given how many game breaking bugs there are.

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PC Game of 2006
26
#26 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
11
#11 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. PC Gamer
    55
    Fans of the Cthulhu Mythos may go straight to heaven with such a faithful adaptation of Lovecraft's spine-chilling years. Others may find that Call of Cthulhu drives them to the mountains of madness. [July 2006, p.55]
  2. Gamer 2.0
    74
    An undeniable effort. It can be fulfilling and mightily rewarding, but there are too many frustrating moments to say it’s a classic.
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  3. GameSpy
    70
    Despite the occasional missteps, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is a more than fitting tribute to its literary inspiration. It's also a great way for fans of real horror to give themselves the heebie-jeebies for a dozen hours or so. Just don't play it late at night, alone.
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