It is safe to say that games featuring any Lovecraftian elements need no primer before deciding to play them. With Stygian: Outer Gods, the eldritch horrors resurface once more as a first-person survival game that takes place in the same universe as the previous Stygian game – Reign of the Old Ones. Though not a direct sequel, the sense of dread and doom is palpable from the get-go, making this a proper entry into the list of Lovecraftian games.
Mechanics:
As expected, the essence of all things Lovecraft/Eldritch is the presence of unimaginable horrors at every turn, and an air of helplessness that cannot be shaken off. Outer Gods implements this atmospheric inclination by having the player, a researcher named Jack, be as vulnerable as humanly possible. Introducing basic role-playing game elements, the player quickly realizes that Jack is by no means a hero, as he has a stamina bar that depletes rather quick, his bare hands as weapons, and a semi-useful knife.
Moreover, the use of “sin cards”, which are character points that grant the character perk points, like in Fallout, provide a way to thwart the Eldritch aspect of the game, which keeps the RPG aspect alive as well as provide more depth as the player progresses. Furthermore, these points will provide the player help with the puzzles in the game, so knowing how to accommodate for each trait will affect the overall experience, which is an interesting approach when taken into consideration.
Gameplay:
In typical horror fashion, the combat in the game is not the most intricate nor polished. It is meant to be frustrating and as human as possible, which the game did an amazing job at implementing. However, considering how combat is beyond punishing, meaning it doesn’t take much for enemies to send you to the main menu, this can result in a bad experience. Overall, the goal is to survive, and it’s not supposed to be easy.
As for the rest of the game, the exploration aspect is what has kept this and the rest of the Lovecraftian games, and Outer Gods certainly shines in this category. I’ve yet to see a survival game that requires to player to realize they must stack boxes together to progress through the game, and this game certainly did this remarkably. As far as the setting is concerned, I believe this game did a good job at encapsulating the Lovecraftian elements both in setting, and in survivalism.
Graphics:
For what is worth, Outer Gods did a good job at translating from the pages of Lovecraft’s stories. That is to say, the ground, the sky, and the enclosures all portrayed a sense of isolation, gloom and uncertainty. From the visibility of the fog, the reach of the lamp’s light, and even the sound designs all excel at making sure you’re inside the Mountains of Madness.
Conclusion:
In short, Stygian: Outer Gods is a proper approach to interpreting Lovecraftian horror into a video game. The story revolves around Jack looking for his friend, Victoria, who tells him that his father is alive in a place named Kingsport, which is where all the horrors begin to unravel. For anyone who enjoys survival rpgs, this game does a decent job at following the formula, with a decent story to follow. For anyone who enjoys Lovecraftian games, the story of this game is a proper installment in the series, but the gameplay may take away from the appeal.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
