H.P. Lovecraft is one of the greatest horror authors of all time, with his take on cosmic horror being so impactful that it’s still influencing many works to this day. His stories toy around with the idea of humanity being nothing more than a drop in the ocean, with the opposing forces around them being so massive and incomprehensible that even trying to make any sense out of them is a wasted effort.
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Many mediums have explored Lovecraftian motifs to great effect, andvideo games are no exception here. There are several genres in gaming that have toyed around with Lovecraft’s ideas, and the popular role-playing genre has played a major role in this department. As one might expect, the best Lovecraftian RPGs are well worth checking out.
8Stygian: Reign Of The Old Ones
Stygian: Reign of the Old Onesis one of the best games anyone can recommend to fans of H.P. Lovecraft’s work. The game uses a combination of rich role-playing and tactical turn-based combat to great effect, allowing players to explore a dying world that is full to the brim with Lovecraftian influences.
There are a few bugs that can hamper the time players spend in this game, butStygian: Reign of the Old Onesis still a great game that’s worth checking out. It helps that the art style is pretty visually distinctive and makes the title more immersive to play through.
7Elderand
ALovecraftian metroidvania that is full to the brim with gore and horror,Elderandis a great title that more people should check out. The game allows players to fulfill their wildest power fantasies by using massive weapons to dismember enemies in a satisfying manner.
Elderand’s hack-and-slash combat is pretty satisfying and makes for a great time. The game itself may not reinvent the wheel of this genre, but the great combination of metroidvania elements along with a good heaping of cosmic horror makes this title quite intriguing indeed.
6Remnant: From The Ashes
The idea of a third-person Soulslike sounded like nothing more than a gimmick at one point, butRemnant: From the Ashescompletely dispelled this notion. This game’s combat is hard yet rewarding, with its enemies being numerous and diverse enough to help each firefight feel unique and engaging.
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With a sequel being announced, there’s no better time to get into the first title and experience why it’s such a masterpiece. The bosses are all pretty great to fight as well, and the fact that the game’s areas are randomly placed means that each playthrough is going to feel fresh and unique in its own way.
5Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenantisa sequel that improved upon its predecessor in a ton of ways, leading to a JRPG that is one of the darker and more mysterious entries in this genre. The game’s focus on sanity as a mechanic is pretty novel indeed, with players having to manage this metric during lengthier battles.
The game’s focus on horror coupled with its dark elements made for a unique title that is unlike most other JRPGs out there. Fans of the genre who want to playa game with some Lovecraftian elementswill be well-pleased with the experience offered byShadow Hearts: Covenant.
4Sunless Sea
Sunless Seaallows players to become a captain who investigates mysteries and trades goods between different ports in a world full of dark and brooding mysteries. The game’s atmosphere is quite thick and oppressive, with the many small stories within its broader scope being a joy to uncover.
The game can be a bit challenging at first, but it won’t take players too long to get a hang of the mechanics. This time investment is worth it sinceSunless Seais a great game to play through, withits combat and exploration being quite stellar.
3World Of Horror
World of Horrorisa great text-heavy adventure RPGthat is full to the brim with horrific monstrosities, unnerving sights, and everything else along the same lines. The game has been in Early Access for a while but still offers way more fleshed-out content than most other finished games out there.
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The game itself is pretty challenging to play through, and it may take a few playthroughs to adjust to the game’s brutal mechanics. Given how rich and intriguing the content in this game is, most people won’t mind the minor issues that will probably be ironed out in the final release anyway.
2Darkest Dungeon
Speaking of tough games,it would be impossible to not mentionDarkest Dungeonin this conversation. The game’s combat is so challenging that players shouldn’t really get attached to certain party members since they can fall within the blink of an eye.
Players should try not to be too greedy and only explore bits and pieces of a dungeon before retreating and letting the party rest up before moving on to bigger and better prizes. Sanity plays a role here as well, and some party members can downright go insane if they’re exposed to the many otherworldly sightings present in this title for too long.
1Bloodborne
Bloodborneis a great game that needs no introduction, with many people considering this title to be Miyazaki’s masterpiece.The combination of gothic and Lovecraftian elementsmade for a great time, with the hard-as-nails combat being perfectly suited for a world ravaged by the intrusion of otherworldly creatures and human greed.
Bloodborne’s bosses are quite engaging in their own right and a blast to fight, with each and every encounter demanding the player to be at the very top of their game. Aggression is the key to victory inBloodborne, and any hunter who decides to hang back instead of going in for the kill will have a rough time indeed.
