There are a lot of upcoming games inspired by the universe of H.P. Lovecraft and his Cthulhu mythos. From the Sinking City, to Call of Cthulhu itself, you'll soon be able to step into the muddied boots of private investigators from the early 20th century to figure out just what those ancient alien threats have been up to. But you don't have to wait for them if you want to get a taste of tentacles right now.
Alongside fantastic tabletop RPGs like Call of Cthulhu and Pulp Cthulhu, you also have board games to try out like Arkham Horror, Cthulhu Wars, and Mansions of Madness. There are great videogames inspired by that universe too though and while they might not all be direct Cthulhu-games, they evoke the true eldritch horror of a Lovecraftian experience.
Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth
While it might be well behind the times graphically, Call olf Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is a deeply atmospheric title that uses its aged aesthetic well. Character are creepy, lighting is dark and forboding, and though it might have a little too much combat for a truly Lovecraftian experience, it still blends action with investigation well. It also features arguably the best chase scene in any game ever made, with players forced to barricade doors and leap from windows as they try to escape their pursuers.
Sunless Sea
Set in the "underzee," an underground ocean of immense size and bizarre proportions, Sunless Sea sets you up as the captain of a vessel who must explore the world and participate in its stories. You'll get new ships and weapons, but you'll find new, bizarre creatures to interact with too as you stray further and further from Fallen London, your home base. With creatures below and around you in the deep waters, you'll never quite feel safe as you watch your crew's madness grow and your fuel reserves run low.
Darkest Dungeon
Horrifyingly difficult at times, Darkest Dungeon can be a punishing roguelike -- but that's the true essence of Lovecraft too. You'll need to push forward against all odds, even letting everyone die as you do so in order to build up your hamlet and delve into the depths of your family's fortunes beneath the manor house that you once called home. Few games get the atmosphere of Lovecraftian lore right, but everything from the aesthetic, to the music, and amazing voice over and writing make Darkest Dungeon one of the best.
X-COM: Terror from the Deep
Ancient, cold, and unforgiving like the Great Old Ones themselves, Terror from the Deep is X-COM Enemy Unknown's harder, undersea sequel. It's deeply unfair at times and save scumming is a valid tactic to consider, but if you delve right into the horror of an alien threat crawling out of the waves to wipe out humanity, you'll find a Lovecraftian experience like few others. Better yet, as a '90s classic you can pick it up for a few dollars and it will give you hundreds of hours of gameplay if you get into it.
