Jul 28, 2011

Cthulhu Saves the World Review

I was never particularly fond of JRPGs you know; never even cared for Link's 16-bit adventures on the SNES. Cthulhu, on the other hand, now that is another matter entirely. The lovable Great Old One has always been among my, let's say, top five mythical beasts, a fact that combined with an incredibly cheap price and a high-flying indie flag led to my playing of Cthulhu Saves The World. Oh, and the Breath of Death VII CRPG the developer kindly bundled with it made the choice of buying said bundle even easier. Apparently and after 15 hours of playing with the thing I can say it was a wise choice indeed.

Cthulhu Saves The World is, happily, much more than a retro-styled, top-down RPG with turn based combat. It is a truly funny retro-styled, top-down RPG with turn based combat. It's one of the few games and possibly the only RPG I've played on a PC that sports humour that is actually any good. Really. I verified this with the help of at least three (they were four) male and female test-subjects; they all laughed and thought that the heroic version of Cthulhu the game so obviously enjoys ridiculing is a great idea indeed.
Cthulhu and a groupie about to enter an inn. Typical fantasy fare.
What's more the game itself is rather good too, though definitely not exactly my kind of CRPG. It's pure hack-and-slash with minimal exploration, only slightly confusing dungeons and simplistic combat. If it weren't for the demented plot, the brilliantly hilarious cut-scenes, the hundreds of hidden jokes, the excellent and deep combat system, and the fact that the game wisely rewards gamers with something different every hour or so, I'd have probably given up on it, and would have lost one of the most ridiculous game finales this side of Monkey Island 2.

Oh, yes, also the chance to discover one single gold piece in well hidden chest in one of the later dungeons. How very silly eh? Almost on the same level of silliness of not sporting an in-game map... 
Ah, yes, the obligatory battle-screen featuring Cthulhu, some demonic hounds and a T-Rex.
As an added bonus the graphics are excellent in their retro, pixel-artsy way and the music will definitely evoke that 80s console music feeling; not that I particularly adore it, but, well, some do. And after you beat the game, you'll unlock a ton of extras and new game-modes to make sure your purchase lasts you another 10 to 15 hours. Now, that definitely is what I'd call value for money. 

Verdict: A hilarious, rich, incredibly cheap and actually good RPG. Get it.

Related @ Gnome's Lair:

13 comments:

  1. Waits for Gnome to enter Inn.....
    ........
    .......
    How'd you get groupies?

    (...scurries to Wikileaks... types Gnome, jrpg, crpg...computer light flashes....helicopters can be heard overhead.....)

    oops! that should have been Wikipedia... :(

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  2. You have strange friends, Gnome, and I mean it in the endearing way.

    Well, I guess my friends would also laugh at this game, but my friends are weird. :)

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  3. @ Elderly: Well, technically, it wasn't me. It was Cthulhu; I just tagged along. Which reminds me you should google "Wikileaks Stories"...

    @ Barts: Yes, they are weird aren't they, gods bless their soul. One in particularly is our official painter and her work will appear in a most lovely game!

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  4. Hope it will be worth it. There's too much time invested in it already and it wont be out for a few months. More info will be appearing on the Lair soon dear Barts...

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  5. (waves to Barts....)

    Hi!

    Gnome you are indeed something else,

    (searches amongst his bag of words....astounding, inspirational, wonderous, commendable, brave, innovative.....)

    ....speechless Mr.Gnome

    (bows to the venerable and legendary figure...)

    I'll just sit here, if you dont' mind and marvel at your glorious escapades...

    not your ordinary Gnome...

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  6. Now, don't make me blush Elderly dear or there wont be any tea for you and you will have to make two VVVVVV levels by tomorrow.

    Oh, and thank you so much too...

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  7. (....jumps up, runs to fridge, takes out two ice bags, runs back to Gnome, presses ice bags on Gnomes Cheeks......)

    ...sorry!.... not the vvvvv levels, and the tea 8(! ....

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  8. Very well then. Here's a lovely cup. And some biscuits!

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  9. phew!!.. yes thank you, :)

    ..you think it's safe to drink the hallucinogenic tea AND eat the psychotropic biscuits? or have you changed the recipe...

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  10. Of course not! Don't insult me!

    Everything here is either hallucinogenic or a hallucination itself.

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  11. ...okay okay sorry, it's been a while, so much is different, so much the same, just that, well I get dizzy when i mix my drugs.....

    ....Hmmm! munch!! just as tasty as I remember..

    THUD!!!!

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  12. (calls ambulance and orders a pizza)

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