Two weeks ago, we discussed the Lovecraftian horror of Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.
Last week, we discussed the ridiculous parody RPG, Breath of Death VII.
Now let’s bring the two together and discuss the ridiculous Lovecraftian parody RPG, Cthulhu Saves the World.
Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII were both developed by Zeboyd Games, so the two have a lot in common, from their little twists on classic JRPG gameplay to their humor. They’re also sold together in a bundle. I’d say Cthulhu Saves the World is the funnier of the two, although I might be biased since it’s filled to the brim with Lovecraft references.
(Like Breath of Death, it has a longer parody name, but I’d rather not type it all out.)
The premise is simple. Cthulhu awakens and rises from the lost city of R’lyeh to spread insanity and destruction, but he’s defeated. His powers are sealed away. The only way he can ever regain them is if he becomes a hero… and so, Cthulhu sets out to rescue people, find lost dogs, and save villages until he is recognized as a true hero and can regain his power.
It’s wacky, ridiculous, and fun, filled with nods to H.P. Lovecraft, RPG tropes, and just about everything else.
Even monster descriptions include humor and references, like enemy crabs that are immune to massive damage from weak points, or vampires that don’t sparkle in the sunlight.
You regain all your HP after each battle, but only a fraction of your MP, and enemies are dangerous enough to make you think through the best way to defeat them without expending too much MP. 1-Ups are rare, and are used to restart a battle if your entire party dies. Potions can restore a dead character, as can certain powerful healing spells.
Enemies grow stronger with each turn, so you’ll want to finish battles as quickly as possible. However, some of your attacks are more powerful based on your current combo count, which makes the number of hits you deal important as well.
The only criticism I have is that every dungeon is a maze. Even the limited number of random encounters per area, an enjoyable feature overall, doesn’t remove all the frustration from the numerous mazes. By the end, I stopped exploring for treasure chests and just focused on getting through each maze.
Nevertheless, Cthulhu Saves the World is the sort of game you’ll play more for its humor than its gameplay, and it does not disappoint. There are also bonus modes you unlock once you finish the main story. Like humor? Like Lovecraft? Like RPGs? Then play Cthulhu Saves the World.
…and don’t forget, every comment you make on a Celebrating All Things Spooky blog post before November 1, 2016 gives you a chance to win your own copy of Cthulhu Saves the World and Breath of Death VII!
