Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet

Get past the clunky controls and opaque puzzles, and this classic Lovecraftian adventure is worth it for Illsmouth's damp, oppressive atmosphere alone. Even its unfriendliness feels less like a flaw and more like another piece of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Hard to recommend this game in this day and age. If Shadow of the Comet is known as dear classic of the 90's point & click era, it is definitely a product of its time, complete with tiresome mechanics asking a pixel-perfect placement to interact with objects, cryptic puzzles with no rhyme nor reason, nonsensical plot points and an intrigue that devolves ultimately into a Lovecraftian boss rush. This "port" being a simple ISO emulated (poorly) under DOSBox doesn't do the game any favor either. As it stands, this Shadow of the Comet is a piece of video game history that only the most nostalgic or curious retro-gamers would want to (re)discover.

Lovecraftian Chaos The whole concept of this mess is illogical - you do not have a clue what to do when, where, why. Even a walkthrough may not help, as even the map is confusing. On top of that, there are a lot of (literally) dead ends. Avoid.

Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet captures you with its story from the very beginning, and the cast of characters helps with this through interesting conversations that make you want to learn more about them and the city of Illsmouth. The graphics are also pretty good for the time, especially considering how old the game is. However, the menu and interacting with the world really show its age, and some of the puzzles are either too obscure or make very little sense. You can easily get stuck for hours without a guide. The lack of replayability and branching conversations is also a bit disappointing. Overall, it’s an okay game if you want to experience the Cthulhu Mythos, but come prepared with patience and don’t be afraid to use a guide. PS: The music is also very eerie and sets a good tone to the game.

This is definitely an aged game and has some tank controls and the like; however, it does have that charm and gold that I am always looking for in these type of adventure games. It is difficult and the controls are tough to learn but once you play for an hour or so, it gets easier and more natural. This is definitely a game I would recommend to towards that like slow burners and I am one of them! This is making me want to run a Call of Cthulhu TRPG session again. Good stuff and just got on the 2nd Day of the game, and I am loving it! Check it out!

Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Comet is a classic Lovecraftian adventure that still delivers where it counts. Yes, it’s dated, but compared to many point & click games of its era, it’s a bit less cumbersome and easier to settle into. The real strength here is the story: a slow-burn mystery set in a deeply unsettling version of New England, packed with paranoia, cult intrigue, and that signature creeping dread. It does a great job capturing Lovecraft’s tone without feeling like a shallow reference fest, letting the horror build naturally through exploration and dialogue. The atmosphere is thick, the world feels cohesive, and the narrative pulls you along in a way many games of the time struggled to achieve. It’s not without its rough edges, but if you’re into classic adventure games or cosmic horror, this is an essential piece of the genre’s history that still holds up surprisingly well.