Lovecraftian horror is a compelling subgenre that delivers a unique and ominous tone, especially when incorporated in games that don’t quite qualify as horror games themselves. Influenced by the writings of H. P. Lovecraft, there have been multiple video game genres that have explored this specific brand ofcosmic horror.
Some players may even be surprised to see that strategy games have also been influenced by Lovecraft to make for some compelling titles that cause players to think strategically, rather than a sharp focus on the fear caused by such monsters. These are by far the best Lovecraftian strategy games available for players eager to explore cosmic horror with a strategic mind.
5The Tribe Must Survive
Base Building Strategies In A Lovecraftian Stone Age
Starting off strong,The Tribe Must Survivedelivers a unique take on the typical Lovecraftian setting. Many titles that are inspired by the workings of H. P. Lovecraft are often set in the Victorian period or are heavily inspired by the turn toward industrialization.
However,The Tribe Must Survivetakes cosmic horror much further back in time, encouraging players to survive in the Stone Age while surrounded by these horrifying monsters. To avoid these dangers, players must use thebase building strategy elementof the title to create structures that will keep the horrors away from their tribe while also managing the various fears from within to give their tribe even more of a chance to flourish.
Work With Survivors To Fight Off Monsters From Another Dimension
When a cruise goes wrong and monsters from another dimension start to attack, it’s up to the player to think strategically to recruit the otherresidents of the cruiseto fight back against these Lovecraftian horrors. Zen Studios, the creators ofDread Nautical, consider the combat of this Lovecraftian title to be a tactical turn-based RPG.
This encourages players to think carefully about every battle they take part in, regularly needing to think three turns ahead to come out on top. Battles are only made harder by the desperate need for resources that will deteriorate over time. This keeps players from becoming sentimental about the weaponry they possess and forces them to keep their companions calm.
3Cultist Simulator
Summon Alien Gods And Successfully Run A Cult
Cultist Simulatoris arguably one of the hardest Lovecraftian games available, especially due to its challenging strategy elements. InCultist Simulator,it is up to the player to successfully grow their cult while keeping it hidden from the police as they work toward uncovering alien artifacts and the possibility of summoning their own god that they have been worshiping.
Players are able tocreate their very own Lovecraftian cult, though it isn’t as easy as it sounds. The player must not only pay attention to the timing of the steps they perform, but must also manage multiple steps at once while also ensuring their cult doesn’t fall apart in the process.
The Thaumaturgeis a Lovecraftian game filled withmysterious ethereal monstersthat the players have control of when taking part in isometric tactical battles while exploring a supernatural Warsaw in 1905.
With various monsters to control, better known as salutors, players have countless ways to build their team and their protagonist, Wiktor Szulski, to make the most of the mystical abilities that further enhance the Lovecraftian feeling of 19th century Poland. Overall,The Thaumaturgemakes for a compelling strategy RPG, where each and every choice — both in and out of the story — makes a difference and allows the player to shape the world and future battles.
Out of all the Lovecraftian-themed strategy games, the best has to beDarkest Dungeon.This title, with a striking art style, is predominantly afantastic roguelike RPG, but the daedly dungeon battles players encounter require them to not only consider which party members to take with them, but also their position in the battle order.
Certain abilities can only be used when the party members are in a certain position, while players will also need to manage their team’s fears and vices if they hope to see them not have a panic attack during their horrific dungeon delves. The Lovecraftian element ofDarkest Dungeoncomes from the gruesome enemies players face, as well as the end bosses that are exceedingly challenging.
