Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss

Released

Release Date: April 16, 2026

Adventure, FPP, Science Fiction, Horror, Cthulhu, Under Water, Singleplayer

A science-fiction horror adventure game, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's works and created by the authors of The Council and Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong. In Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss we end up in the underwater city of R'lyeh, full of cosmic abonaminations posing a threat to our character. We play as the secret Interpol agent looking for the missing workers.

7.0

OpenCritic

5.8

Steam

Rate It!

Ratings

 Videos: 10 

Images: 11 

Gameplay
Story
Game engine

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is the third game from Big Bad Wolf studio. It made its debut with The Council project in 2018, and then created Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong in 2022. Once again, we are dealing with an adventure game, this time in the atmosphere of science fiction horror, based on the literature of H.P. Lovecraft and belonging to so-called Cthulhu mythology.

Gameplay

In Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss the action is viewed from a first-person perspective (FPP). While exploring a place called R'lyeh, we primarily focus on solving puzzles, as well as following clues and gathering evidence. We can piece together the acquired data thanks to the hero's deductive abilities, which we develop over time.

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This is not the end, because encountering underwater nightmares (led by monsters lurking in the depths) causes the protagonist's mental condition to start deteriorating, gradually succumbing to the influence of Cthulhu. Therefore, we must be careful not to let the horrors completely distort his perception of the world.

It's worth remembering that there is more than one way to reach the goal here, and which one we choose depends on us.

Story

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss takes us to the future. In 2053, Earth's natural resources are depleted, forcing corporations to search for them deep beneath the surface of the oceans. A group of miners working in the depths of the Pacific goes missing without a trace. We play as Noah, an agent of Ancile. It is a secret Interpol unit specialized in investigating occult matters. Noah is sent to the scene.

The protagonist, accompanied by an AI assistant named Key, ends up in R'lyeh, an ancient, massive city-prison. Noah must not only learn the truth about the fate of the underwater facility's workers, but also face the cosmic abominations that await him here. How the adventure ends partially depends on our actions and the choices we make.

Game engine

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss runs on the Unreal Engine 5.

Platforms:

PC Windows

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Developer: Big Bad Wolf

Publisher: Nacon / Bigben Interactive

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Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X, 12 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 8 GB Radeon RX 590, 16 GB HDD, Windows 10/11 64-bit.

Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-12600K / AMD Ryzen 5 7600, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 3070 / 12 GB Radeon RX 6750 XT, 16 GB SSD, Windows 11 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss Video Game.

7.0

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 44% of Critics. There are 39 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Completexbox: 80 / 100 by Jordan Campbell

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss was an enjoyable experience that will click with some but won’t be for everyone. The atmosphere of the game and the puzzle-solving really clicked with me. Parts of the game require some brainpower to get around, but that is the most engaging part. From a horror perspective, it’s quite tame, so if you’re looking for jump scare action, this might not be your jam. If you’re looking for tense, eerie and an uneasy time with great dialogue, clever puzzles and decent storytelling, then it’s worth a buy. You can pick up a copy for Xbox Series X/S HERE.

Full Review

Life is Xbox: 85 / 100

Cthulhu: Cosmic Abyss is a great example on how to make a game centred around interactive storytelling fun. While it may lack some of the action and combat orientated takes of previous Cthulhu games, Cosmic Abyss thrives in its environmental storytelling and deep investigative mechanics, that give it an addictive, and engaging style of gameplay that is rarely explored in gaming. Strong supportive characters, with a likeable main protagonist, made me feel connected to them, and their personal battles they went through with the Eldritch God Cthulhu.

Full Review

COGconnected: 65 / 100 by Lou Sytsma

There’s a compelling game here but maybe it’s for a very specific type of player. In the end, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss feels like a strong concept held back by execution.

Full Review

58%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mixed (306)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Atmosphere and Graphics: Many users praised the game's graphics and overall atmosphere, noting it successfully captures a Lovecraftian vibe.
Intriguing Story: The narrative is considered engaging, with references to Lovecraft's mythos and a compelling plot that keeps players invested.
Unique Puzzles: The puzzles are described as challenging and thought-provoking, requiring players to think critically and investigate thoroughly.
Investigation Mechanics: The game features a detective board and a sonar mechanic that enhances the investigative experience, allowing for detailed clue management.
Replay Value: Some reviews highlighted the presence of multiple endings and the option to approach puzzles in different ways, adding replayability.

The main cons of the game

Major Bugs: A significant number of users reported encountering game-breaking bugs, including issues with object interactions, disappearing items, and crashes.
Clunky Gameplay: Several reviews mentioned that the movement and controls can feel awkward and unresponsive, detracting from the overall experience.
Frustrating Puzzles: While some enjoyed the complexity, others found certain puzzles overly difficult or obscure, leading to frustration.
Poor Navigation and Clue Management: Many players felt that the game lacks sufficient guidance, making it easy to get lost or miss crucial information.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Quality of Life Improvements: Users suggested the need for features like a "restart mission" option or better checkpoint management to alleviate the frustration caused by bugs.
Enhanced Clue System: There were calls for a more intuitive hint system that could highlight missed clues or provide clearer directions when players are stuck.
Improved User Interface: Some feedback indicated that the menu systems and inventory management could be more user-friendly to enhance the overall experience.
Localization Issues: Some players noted a lack of localization options, such as voice acting in different languages, which could improve accessibility for non-English speakers.

Summary

In summary, while Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has a strong foundation with its atmosphere, story, and puzzle mechanics, it is currently hindered by technical issues and gameplay clunkiness that prevent many players from fully enjoying the experience.

Summary generated on: April 26, 2026

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