Stepping into Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss was something of a strange prospect for me, because personally, I can’t help but be a little bit sick of Cthulu. It may be a case of familiarity breeding contempt, but by now Cthulu has saved both the world and Christmas, been a sucker for love, a plushie and a terrible South Park episode that any resonance he may have once had has been thoroughly sanded off.
However, despite my skepticism, I’m always interested to see what a studio has to offer, even if it’s Cthulhu. So it was fortunate that CGM was invited to both a virtual and hands-on preview of Big Bad Wolf’s Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss. What’s on offer is an interesting mystery game using the Cthulu mythos to add an extra layer of horror and intrigue.
Guiding us through the presentation was the game director for Cthulhu: The Dark Abyss, Tomaso Sergi, who spoke about the design philosophy behind the project. “This combined all the elements that we love in Lovecraftian stories. There are mysteries. There is the myth. There is this ancient alien presence that was on Earth before us, and we didn’t know about it. And there is the discovery, and the realization that we are small in the face of this vast universe.”
“This combined all the elements that we love in Lovecraftian stories.”
And the game certainly gives you that feeling right from the start, in both the micro and macro sense. As you begin the game, you’re thrown into a mystery involving a colleague who went missing after acting somewhat erratically. It instantly makes the player feel like a small part of something much larger—including futuristic tech, a mysterious organization, and more. Before long, you’re pulled through a portal to R’lyeh, and you’re given a glimpse of the epic scale of the task before you.
But, the main aspect of Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss is its detective elements. “Here on Cthulu, we thought that the mystery that represents the novels of Lovecraft and what he discovered…We didn’t really want to tell you a detective story. We wanted you to play a detective story.” And the game does an excellent job of capturing this feeling both in its gameplay and in its execution.
The game gives players a solid sense of sleuthing as they investigate objects and documents, logging important information in their Vault as they piece together the evidence of their investigations. Naturally, every interactable object comes with descriptive text that adds small layers of intrigue to the proceedings, but its the way the game gives players the tools to gather that information that really makes Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss stand out.
“Cthulu: The Cosmic Abyss certainly has a solid sense of atmosphere…”
According to Tomaso Sergi, “We wanted to take back old-fashioned detective tools like the hand lens, the notebook and the board where you can link clues together, and modernize them.” In this way, players are given a sonar tool that can be used to locate objects of a similar type after analyzing their material makeup. A second assist comes from a personal AI assistant named Key, who not only highlights points of interest but also guides players along logical paths when they get stuck.
The team at Big Bad Wolf also wants players to experience Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss in whichever way suits them best. That is why the game includes a suite of accessibility options at the start. From highlighted clues and unlimited energy for analyzing objects to less severe penalties for certain choices, players can take in the atmosphere without worrying as much about their ability to solve puzzles.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss certainly delivers a strong sense of atmosphere. From the outset, players are dropped into dark, isolated spaces as the fear of the unknown creeps ever closer, both figuratively and literally. As the limits of the protagonist’s sanity are pushed, players must make crucial decisions during their investigations that, depending on how carefully they proceed, may lead to a “good” outcome or push them further into madness.
It is still early, and the team needs to iron out a few kinks, but Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is shaping up to be an engaging experience. As Tomaso Sergi said, “We wanted to tell and write something that could go a little further because we stand on the shoulders of a giant like Lovecraft, whose novels have had such a lasting impact.” He added, “We made choices. We hope, we really hope, that you like it and discover all the mysteries.”
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is scheduled to launch on April 16, 2026, for PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
