The stars seem to be quite right. Beware.

Do you know what this beautiful picture is all about? Do you? Of course you don't. Visit its creators' site and find more about it.

I don't feel like discussing pretty pictures. What I want to -briefly- write about is The Call of Cthulhu. Not the original short story trilogy by Lovecraft per se (in case you 've never heard of Call of Cthulhu you definitely need to go to school; yes,again, and MU seems like an appropriate idea), but more about its gaming and not-so-gaming related cross-media adaptations.

The oldest, and already enjoying its 6th edition, is Chaosium's excellent Call of Cthulhu RPG. It is a beautiful, idiosyncratic and very simple Roleplaying system, that features the best (ever) published scenarios and a rather impressive way of handling player character insanity. I can't recommend this game enough, but I can warn you: there is also a d20 version of CoC. Please avoid it.

Chaosium and Fantasy Flight Games have (avoiding more d20 flops) also produced a board game (actually updated and "deluxed" an older one). Arkham Horror. In its current version, it is one of the best board games for the horror aficionados, with a rich rules set and great production values. It might even remind you of R. Knizia's Lord of the Rings.

Then we have Shadow of the Comet, not a Lovecraft-inspired, but a true, 100% Lovecraft adventure game for the PC, crafted by French developers Infogrames, back in the early nineties. According to many, one of the better horror adventures ever created, it does have its little interface problems (the mouse controlled version is actually worse), but it oozes atmosphere, like an octopus oozes er... octopus-fluid. And you really shouldn't have any problem finding and downloading the game. It's really easy. Really. And since you'll be all playing this game, and you all think you might need a walkthrough, which you will, here is one.

Finally, and if you really want to feel Lovecraft's cosmic terror, take a look at what some LEGO bricks can create, especially when positioned in their arcane-mystical places. (Yes, I do know that LEGO bricks are not a game-thingy, but a toy-thingy. Still. They can be fun, and even used as Warhammer scenery).

-Related Gnome's Lair articles: A vintage review of D&D 1st edition, board game reviews of Zombies!!! and Class Struggle, Freeware board games, a look at Warhammer video games, a freeware adventure game review, Museum Monday.



Related Tags: Call of Cthulhu, CoC, Movies, Movie, Lovecraft, Game, Games, Adventures, Adventure games, Shadow of the Comet, Chaosium, Lego, Board Game, Board Games, Arkham, Miscatonic, Fantasy, Fantasy Flight Games, Horror, Video Game, Video Games