While horror is one of the most explored genres of games, the cosmic horror elements of the genre are often overlooked by developers looking to create a tone for their game. This is likely due to the extreme sensations that the subgenre has historically meant to invoke being difficult to make work in a video game setting. Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, while seemingly borrowing much from the standard horror formula used in games, combines it with the face of unknowable horror, promising for a unique experience. Recently, the game received a prologue trailer to fill gamers in on what they can expect.
The trailer hits all the beats one would expect for finding out about a cosmic entity. The point-of-view character uncovers a strange symbol while searching for someone named May. The discovery later gives way to a much more unsettling find of a strange substance lining the walls that pulls the character through a portal. The trailer ends with small glimpses of a monster and people taking actions to try to protect themselves, all while a panicked woman describes the situation growing more hopeless.
Information from Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss‘s Steam store page allows viewers to make further inferences based on the information from the trailer. The main character is named Noah, investigating disappearing miners in the year 2053. In keeping with the source material, the game will also play into the loss of the main character’s sanity, with the events around him becoming more taxing the deeper he descends. The description also makes a note that player choice will directly impact the investigation, adding even more pressure to do it right.
One of the main draws of the cosmic horror genre is the ability to inspire interesting concepts alongside fear in those who engage with it. Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss looks to combine this approach with classic tactics of horror video games. Players will have the chance to unravel the plot when the game releases on April 16th, 2026.