H.P. Lovecraft’s works are hard to put into film or games properly. Attempts have been made over the years with some decent attempts, and some flat-out missing the point. Bit Golem and Feardemic have done something I have not seen done before, making a 100% faithful adaptation of not one but three of Lovecraft’s short stories! This is Dagon: Complete Edition.
Dagon: Complete Edition puts players into one of Lovecraft’s most iconic short stories, Dagon where they can experience the story firsthand as it’s narrated to them by the tale’s protagonist.
Now, onto the game itself! Dagon: Complete Edition‘s controls are impossible to not master as the game mainly involves the player observing their surroundings, zooming in on objects, and clicking on prompts. This is the main part of the gameplay, the player just controls the camera and when the narration stops and it’s allowed, you can look around to see if you can find any hidden elder signs that when found, tell you interesting facts about Lovecraft and what was going on around the time he wrote some of his well-known stories.
The lack of a traditional soundtrack adds to the game’s feeling of menace along with the voice acting of the narrator who adds a lot to the game, making it feel like a twisted bedtime story being told to us. What I really like about Dagon: Complete Edition is that it includes all DLCs, along with a console-only one titled What the Moon Brings which is based on another one of Lovecraft’s short stories (or in this case, it was more of a poem I guess.), the other DLC based on Lovecraft’s earlier works (when he was 7 actually) is The Little Glass Bottle and the DLC The Railway Horror which is based on one of Lovecraft’s nightmares.
Overall, as a big Lovecraft fan, Dagon: Complete Edition is a must for anyone who loves cosmic horror and its roots in Lovecraft.
Dagon: Complete Edition is out now for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
