Call of the Elder Gods

Although it may not reach the heights of other narrative-puzzle contemporaries released since Call of the Sea, Call of the Elder Gods is still an entertaining test for your noggin, wrapped in an adequately engaging Lovecraft-inspired story. Harry and Evangeline would say otherwise, but it’s okay to embrace this game’s insanity-inducing madness with open arms.

Overall, Call of the Elder Gods is a good time for any fans of cosmic Lovecraftian tales and Puzzle solving. The characters are entertaining and the environments you visit are pretty. Yes, outside of the puzzles the gameplay turns into a walking sim, but it doesn't hurt the game too much for it to be an enjoyable experience.

The Cthulhu Mythos echoes throughout Call of the Elder Gods, which faithfully replicates the gameplay of its predecessor, Call of the Sea, yet offers a more robust structure and an equally intriguing narrative. Some gameplay elements could have been utilized more effectively to lend greater personality to this sequel; nevertheless, it is bound to appeal to fans of the genre—as well as to those who enjoyed the controversial first installment of the saga.

A fiercely imaginative puzzle solver that builds on all the best elements of Call Of The Sea to deliver a genuinely challenging, Lovecraftian-flavoured adventure.

Another treat for fans of Cthulhu, Lovecraft, and puzzles. Extremely varied in its puzzles and settings, only held back by its narrative and budget.

Call of the Elder Gods is predominantly a puzzle game, so it’s a huge relief they are the best part of the experience. Almost every contraption in the game gives players a decently sized environment to explore in order to gather context clues and notes, many of which also neatly double as bits of lore. Players are forced to explore around and gather evidence in order to piece it all together.

Call of the Elder Gods is a mature and highly rewarding evolution of the foundation laid by Call of the Sea. Out of the Blue Games delivers a vibrant, puzzle-driven adventure that explores Lovecraftian lore through a surprisingly intimate and poetic lens. While the dual-protagonist mechanics feel somewhat underutilized and a few puzzles stumble in execution, the excellent narrative, the satisfying lateral-thinking challenges, and a beautiful handling of themes like grief and the afterlife make it a must-play. A thoroughly captivating journey that smartly closes old chapters while hinting at a promising future.

Call of the Elder Gods is a tough adventure puzzler that follows in the footsteps of the first game while expanding the memorable cast, story, and locations to create another enjoyable mystery that unfolds in unexpected ways.

With equal emphasis on narrative and sequences of puzzles, Call of the Elder Gods makes good use of the Lovecraftian legacy, reinterpreting it with a presentation that dispenses with horror and prefers the mystery of adventure. It's a game that seeks to be enjoyable, without the pressure of fear, time constraints, or overly complex puzzles, being challenging only to the extent that it makes us think a little, even if its tools and talkative characters can be overly didactic.

Call of the Elder Gods pulls from Lovecraftian mythos to create a pulpy adventure game packed with head-scratching puzzles and plenty of intrigue. While it works to build off of 2020’s Call of the Sea, it doesn’t take advantage of its multiple protagonists in interesting ways. Though the complex solutions can clash with the pace, Out of the Blue’s fascinating world ultimately makes for a brisk journey that begs for a concluding chapter that goes all out, answering all the secrets planted throughout the series.

While this might not be my usual type of game, I had a great time with it nonetheless. Elder Gods is crammed with gorgeous set pieces, clever puzzles, and engrossing writing. I got stuck more than I would have liked, which threw off the pacing. Between that and the adventurous tone, this game wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Even so, Call of the Elder Gods was a delightful time. If you’re in the mood for an eerie eldritch adventure, this game would be a great choice.

The story's closure and major points leave me cold, but I look back on the bulk of it and I'm still left marvelled by the awe-inspiring sights, the creative puzzles that soar in quality at their best, the moments of personal banter between Harry and Elizabeth that made me smile. For every step back it takes, there are two steps forward, and even if some don't cover that much distance, it leaves at a spot that seems worthy of its status.