Call of the Elder Gods<\/a> provides exactly that, albeit to varying degrees of effectiveness.<\/p>\nCall of the Elder Gods is a first-person adventure game inspired by the story \u201cThe Shadow out of Time\u201d by H.P. Lovecraft and sequel to Call of the Sea. The game follows Harry Everhart, a professor at Miskatonic University, and Evangeline Drayton, a student at the very same institution, as they seek to understand the gaps in Evangeline\u2019s memories over the past months. During the game, players control both Harry and Evangeline, exploring various environments,\u00a0uncovering the mystery of Evangeline\u2019s memories and learning how she is connected to much bigger things.<\/p>\n
While exploring, players are usually tasked with solving environmental, observational or logic-based puzzles, much like a grandiose escape room. Harry\u2019s estate and an abandoned research facility make engaging hubs for puzzles and provide visual intrigue. Though lacking sufficient challenge, the puzzles still require adequate thought and logical connection. It is satisfying enough to keep players engaged, though those seeking real head-scratchers will find themselves disappointed with all but the final few trials.<\/p>\n
If you do find yourself stuck on any given puzzle, the game\u2019s pause menu offers a helpful collection of hints, which range from pointers to entire solutions. While this feature is not necessary, it does help nudge players along if they truly feel lost. The greatest strength of the gameplay is not its level of difficulty, it is how the puzzles inform the world of the game. Solving puzzles makes the setting feel mysterious, even when monsters and elder gods aren\u2019t involved just yet.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\nCall of the Elder Gods advertises itself as a story-rich game, but those hoping for a truly enrapturing narrative will be disappointed on this front. The central mysteries of the game seem intriguing at first, but anyone paying attention will spot the answers hours before the game reveals anything. This makes the whole journey feel strange, as though the characters aren\u2019t seeing what is right in front of them. What\u2019s more, the writing is often stiff and generic, with very little time spent on characterization. Most dialogue is spent discussing puzzles or the mystery at hand, which could be compelling for those already invested, but very little is done to make players invested in Evangeline and Harry. There are a few good twists to be found later in the narrative, but overall the story simply serves to keep the player moving forward, rather than leaving them intrigued.<\/p>\n
The narration \u2014 by the protagonist of the previous game in the series, Norah Everhart \u2014 is the game\u2019s biggest weakness. Norah often disallows any character intrigue by explaining exactly<\/em> why any given character is acting the way they are or explaining to the player exactly<\/em> what emotions are being felt by Harry and Evangeline. Considering much of the plot hinges on the relationship between the two protagonists, Norah\u2019s insights make <\/strong>many of the narrative\u2019s major emotional moments hit like a wet blanket. It\u2019s as though the player can\u2019t be allowed to come to their own conclusions about anything and must be guided to the correct conclusion by an omnipotent observer. Since players aren\u2019t allowed to puzzle through dynamics of any relationship for themselves, the emotional stakes are left feeling shallow and uninteresting.<\/p>\nThis mismanagement extends to its historical setting, which also comes in half-baked. The game takes place in the 1950s, and some aspects of the time period are important, such as Harry\u2019s previous work as a decoder for the military and his proximity to World War II, but others are integrated in ways that seem odd or tactless. Racism is brought up in the narrative, though not to any meaningful extent. There is a single encounter where Norah informs the player that a cultist is racist, but nothing comes from that information. It seems to have only been mentioned because it had to be, not because it should have been. Another obvious example is the use of the Nazis in the game\u2019s narrative. At one point, Harry and Evangeline visit a Nazi research facility, and Harry makes vague statements about hating them. The inclusion of the Nazis seem like more of an opportunity to say the obvious out loud rather than being important historical context.<\/p>\n
While the narrative may be disappointing, Call of the Elder Gods isn\u2019t a <\/strong>completely bad experience. It is bland at times, but the environments are always visually appealing and the puzzles are fun brain teasers, even if they never push you to think too hard. If you enjoy escape-room-style challenges wrapped in fully realized environments, give Call of the Elder Gods a try. If you\u2019re looking for an engaging Lovecraftian mystery, you may want to look elsewhere.<\/p>\nSenior Arts Editor Hudsen Mazurek can be reached at <\/em>hudsen@umich.edu<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\n\n\t\t<\/aside>\n
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