Elena Erasmi
Before starting this review of Cthulhu’s Abyss, I want to thank Giovanni Micolucci (Vas Quas Editrice) for sending us a paper copy of this volume; along with the basic manual, we also received several supplements that we will analyze in this article.
If after reading this review you are interested in purchasing, you can find Cthulhu’s Abyss on Amazon for €10.90. Also on Amazon and always at the price of €10.90, you can find the version to play solo, Cthulhu Alone. I also recommend you follow the author on his Facebook and Instagram pages.
Review of Cthulhu’s Abyss: the Manuals
Before talking to you specifically about each individual manual that was sent to us, I would like to explain its contents in general terms.
The first is clearly the basic manual of Cthulhu’s Abyss; composed of 69 pages and with beautiful graphics in my opinion, it illustrates the rules for playing. There is clearly no shortage of various types of ideas and advice. The simplicity that characterizes it on all fronts makes it very easy to read. Furthermore, a detail that I appreciated is the sensation that the cover gives to the touch.
We then have a slightly more voluminous manual, Cthulhu Alone, the solo game mode for Cthulhu’s Abyss. With a total of 139 pages, it gives us the chance to experience this game with dark and mysterious tones even without a party. On the cover stands out a Great Ancient One with a bright green colour, with a young woman in front with an intimidating look. This volume also has no shortage of illustrations that immerse us in its pages.
Finally, there are two expansions, 1977 Aliens and Project Chimera. They are smaller volumes, but really interesting, especially for fans of aliens and related mysteries. In the first, the reference context is the Cold War, with the race of the two superpowers to be the first in technological progress and discoveries. The second introduces us to a top secret American government organization.
A General Overview of the Aesthetics of the Core Book
The main themes dealt with by Lovecraft, such as sanity and the degradation of human society, are perfectly represented in the numerous illustrations. Another thing we often notice are the creatures in his stories (often with a large, very large amount of tentacles).
Cthulhu’s Abyss has no artist credits, as the images are generated via AI. We find a retro style with references to past centuries, which overall makes the setting look good. The absence of the supervision of even just one natural person who retouches the images causes some elements to be distorted (frontal bodies with upside-down limbs, etc), affecting the aesthetic level of the product; a shame because they would have been retouched recently. Apart from that, the style is a bit mixed; sometimes it presents soft chiaroscuro, in other cases very clear blacks, but all in all, it can also happen with products illustrated by various authors.
Review of the Aesthetics of the Expansion Volumes
Cthulhu Alone presents a more uniform aesthetic, with a choice of style closer to that of a TV series when it comes to characters. They are therefore less close to typical period illustrations, but more captivating for players accustomed to products such as Carnival Row and Penny Dreadful. The use of AI does not preclude a homogeneous style, giving a clear imprint to the product. Unfortunately, overall the square images at the bottom of the page are a bit out of place, where a 16/9 format would have yielded more.
On a graphic level, 1977 Aliens is the best volume. Although the transparency image that gives some movement to the page is missing, the size of the images is correct to blend in with the layout. The style is unitary and coherent and the choice of prompts was made in order to have characters that recall science fiction classics and series such as The X-Files. If we really want to find a flaw, we feel the lack of a designer who corrects the most well-known AI errors by bringing the illustrative part to a more professional level.
Project Chimera, unfortunately, takes a step backwards compared to 1977 Aliens due to excessive trust in AI. Instead of completing the process of aesthetic improvement by bringing attention to the quality of the images and retouching the errors typical of AI, here we have a greater number of errors that lower the level of the finished product.
A Decidedly Lovecraftian Setting
The thing I appreciated most about this game is certainly the setting that the author tries to convey to us. Both in the basic manual and in the expansions, what the writer from Providence said is very clear. The description of the places and characters is engaging and clear.
As we will explain better later in the mechanics, sanity and cosmic horror infest man’s mind. Healthcare, over the course of events, is progressively lacking. As they lose their sanity, the characters discover more and more terrifying things that don’t belong in their world.
In the 1977 Aliens expansion, the atmosphere that characterizes the basic manual and the solo version of the game is somewhat lost, but this benefits an innovative and non-trivial setting, entering science fiction.
Cthulhu’s Abyss Mechanics Review
The mechanics are certainly very simple to understand, but they cannot be defined as truly innovative
Each time you make a check, you roll two d6s and add the results. Furthermore, a +1 is also taken into account if the character’s profession is included in the test. This information can be noted in the character sheet, which you can see below.
It also contains the majority of the regulation. While I appreciate this brief summary of the rules, it also makes the card a little confusing. It doesn’t help that it lacks any graphics and has a lot of text in a small space.
In both normal and investigative tests, even if a good result is not obtained, relevant information is collected. I understand the intent of not wanting to lead the investigation into a dead end, but more weight on failure can be valuable in an investigation game. It creates more opportunities where you can role-play your character in an attempt to uncover new leads.
Other Technical Aspects of the Game
We aren’t given too much information regarding character creation. The manual suggests a list of names, professions, and ideas for the characters and the parties in the form of questions. We are also suggested to start the game by describing a physical and a character trait that tells something relevant.
The Sanity value with which you start playing is equal to 10. In situations where you risk losing some, you roll a 6-sided die (of a different colour from the others) and, if you get a result greater than 3, one SM point is deducted. Furthermore, to aid immersion, we need to narratively describe how our character was affected by the horror.
In trials, you can collaborate with other players by lending a die. The player who rolls will then have to choose the two highest results. Conflict between two characters is also possible, and the one who obtains a higher result on the 2d6 roll will win. If a draw is achieved, both characters will suffer the consequences of the conflict. For each of these mechanics, the manual provides us with practical examples to better understand the various rules.
Concluding the Review of Cthulhu’s Abyss
Concluding this review of Cthulhu’s Abyss, I would like to say that overall it is a good product (indeed, they are good products, given the abundance of material). Furthermore, the price is very honest.
The setting is consistent with the writings of Lovecraft and the other founding authors of the genre. I believe the critical points of the game are some aspects of the balancing and the character sheet.
I recommend this game to lovers of the genre, to those who appreciate a type of game more aimed at investigation and narrative than at fighting or important mechanical development of the character.
