Developer: PsychoDev
Publisher: PsychoDev
Platform: PC, Switch
Tested on: PC
Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness – Review
Travel back to 1920’s Arkham with private detective Lone Carter in PsychoDev’s Lovecraftian point ’n’ click adventure Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness. The game is written by a Lovecraft expert, and is based on the eponymous novella, but features many references to other of his stories. It also includes many easter eggs that only the geekiest of Lovecraft geeks will get (like Lone Carter’s name being one of them).
Story
Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness is based on and inspired by the works of classic horror author H.P. Lovecraft. Mountains of Madness is the second entry in the Chronicle of Innsmouth franchise and is set 10 years before the events of the first chapter of which we see a recap of in the prologue’s cutscenes. You will also get the opportunity to play as the Mad Arab Abdul Alhazred, author of the dreaded Necronomicon, later on in the game and at some point as H.P. Lovecraft himself.
Here in Mountains of Madness, you continue on following the footsteps of private investigator Lone Carter and will mainly play as him. Bloodied and worn-out after his encounter with the Mythos, Carter slowly regains his consciousness near the shores of Innsmouth. He manages to get himself up and returns back home, only to find himself haunted by terrible visions, nightmares hinting at ineffable, horrifying truths.
Back home in Arkham, he gets involved in a complex plot that intertwines different characters, places, and even eras. This game is a mystery story involving a series of deaths and disappearances, where your skills as a detective will face the cosmic horror and dread of the Cthulhu Mythos. You need to find the truth, but the truth might be too much to bear.
Graphics
If you’re familiar with H.P. Lovecraft, you will know how dark and sinister his stories can be. Mountains of Madness definitely succeeds in carrying over this gloomy and eerie vibe in the game’s atmosphere. Mixed with its retro pixel art style that is inspired by the early 90s’ Lucasarts classics, it actually feels quite nice to wander around in the game since it sometimes feels like you’re in a painting. The surroundings feel uneasy but also quite… charming.
The occasional cutscenes in the game are also a treat because they are presented with different stills with a cartoon-ish art style. It’s a very nice break from the repetitive point-and-click gameplay and sceneries. It was a great choice to divide the storytelling in such a way, instead of solely relying on gameplay.
Sound
The game has a brilliant unsettling original soundtrack that perfectly fits the Lovecraftian ambiance. Mountains of Madness also has an entertaining voice-over to help with the story-telling, making it much more pleasant to get acquainted with the story and all the characters. All this immensely helps with the immersion. Too bad that some voice actors sound so stiff.
Gameplay
Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness is your typical point-and-click adventure game, with a pinch of sinister mysteries and crime-solving. The game consists of – as the game genre literally says – pointing your mouse and clicking. Thankfully, besides finding items in every scene, you also have the opportunity to choose from different dialogue options during your conversations.
Like in any point-and-click title, you must find items or interactive points in your surroundings. The items you find can be picked up and saved for later in your inventory. To make everything easier to find, the game provides a fast key (clicking down your mouse wheel) to show you all the interactive points in that particular scene. This, however, blatantly shows all the points, making it a bit too easy. So it’s suggested to ignore this feature, except for moments where you get really stuck.
Next to finding items and picking them up, you also have to investigate the scenery and find points you can interact with. Those points can differ from puzzles to i.e. unlock a chest to combining items with said points. These puzzles can absolutely test your wits. You surely have to crank up your deduction skills. The puzzles are clever and can be challenging, but they are still quite logical.
Conclusion
Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness is your typical point-and-click adventure game. It’s not that revolutionary but interesting nonetheless. What makes the game stand out is its outstanding soundtrack and its ode to H.P Lovecraft. The mysterious and thrilling story, vibe, references, … they are all on-point. The inspiration that PsychoDev took from the early 90s’ Lucasarts classics is also very appreciated and feels pleasantly nostalgic. The game has a good pace because of its variety with the cutscenes and puzzle-solving. Overall, the game was very enjoyable to play.
Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness – Review,
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