Destructoid - Madness as a mechanic and Lovecraftian games

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” – H.P. Lovecraft, 1927.

Destructoid examines the recently released games Darkest Dungeon,
Sunless Sea and Bloodborne.

This malaise is one of insidious evil and sublime design. Horror, I declare, has permeated into the video game realm. Tendrils, tension and eldritch beings can be found everywhere I look. From the Early Access darling, Darkest Dungeon, to Sunless Sea and From Software’s recently released Bloodborne, some of 2015’s most well-received games are imbued with the kind of horror that can only be described as Lovecraftian.

Before examining the games mentioned above, it’s important to address the concept of Lovecraftian horror. H.P. Lovecraft was an undeniably important writer, perhaps even the most influential inkslinger in the horror genre. Lovecraft’s work introduced readers to a world where madness could be found in every facet of his fiction. Lovecraft’s characters often walked a fine line between sanity and mental degradation, questioning their perception of time, space, and humanity after encounters with indescribable beings complete with tentacles and universe-expanding knowledge.

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On the most basic level, all three games are markedly different. Sunless Sea tasks players with navigating the mysterious Underzee, an underground ocean full of difficult choices and strange beings. Bloodborne takes the revered Souls formula and paints it in a swath of blood and fast-paced, action-oriented combat. Darkest Dungeon carries itself as a dungeon-crawler and insanity simulator as players dive into the unfathomably evil depths of an ancient manor.

Despite their genre-defined differences, spending time with these three games reveals that they share many similarities. The most important, the Lovecraftian trope du jour, is that all the games feature madness (or a similar word) as a gameplay mechanic.

More information.

I still have to play Sunless Sea - anyone tried this one?

Pretty interesting game, you play as a ship captain, with a small crew that explores a underground sea. The writing is interesting and exploration is fun, very atmospheric. I wouldnt suggest this if your looking for action, as it tends to be pretty slow, but if you enjoy a unique world with tons of story in it, this game will be great for you.

ps this is referencing to the Sunless Sea game