Stygian: Outer Gods has finally entered early access, granting a small taste of what eldritch horrors are to come — and it’s utterly unsettling, for better or for worse.
Eldritch games bring a new perspective to the survival horrors many are used to. Instead of jump scares, they rely on psychology, sanity, weakness, and, of course, offer some extremely twisted locations that you wouldn’t want to put on a postcard.
Stygian: Outer Gods has all this and more, offering a (sadly) short taste of what’s to come in its early access. What follows is an enjoyable adventure where death is around every corner, but so is a fair share of frustration from its controls, sound, and overall length.
Stygian: Outer Gods screenshots
What is Stygian: Outer Gods about?
Playing as Jack, a former anthropologist and soldier, you’re thrust away from the life you know into Kingsport, a haunted town that previously caught the interest of Jack’s missing father and is the current focus of old friend Victoria, who persuades you to join in her expedition.
At its core, Stygian: Outer Gods is a single-player survival horror RPG reminiscent of the Call of Cthulhu TTRPG, H.P. Lovecraft himself, and games like The Sinking City.
You’re tasked with uncovering the mystery of your father’s disappearance and later forced to save the doomed Kingsport from the arrival of the Black Day, and its nefarious, mythos-stricken inhabitants.
Throughout your survival, you must solve puzzles, defeat monsters without succumbing to death or madness, and manage your limited resources wisely. While it’s a compelling concept on paper, execution is where Stygian: Outer Gods really comes up short.
Unsettling in story and gameplay
For the most part, Outer Gods retains its unsettling nature throughout. You’re taught very early on that you and your little knife are no match for Kingsports residents and must sneak around the town until you gain power.
Unfortunately, this was stunted by the unimpressive RPG gameplay elements laced throughout the adventure. Attacks felt rigid and slow, regardless of the weapon, and movement felt jarring with occasional framerate drops, an average stealth mechanic that didn’t really hide you, and a slower running speed.
Of course, you can’t expect everyone to be an Olympic runner, but the main ethos of anything Cthulhu is running when things get dicey, and in Stygian, you’re usually dead before you can make sense of the monster you underestimated.
Your sanity also plays a vital role in exploration, decreasing (cueing distracting voices in your head) and increasing slowly, providing a soundtrack to your adventures that feels both unnerving and impactful. After all, you’re always on the lookout for danger, even when there’s nothing obviously threatening.
However, that unsettling nature also extends to one of the other major gripes with Outer Gods — its sound.
At the beginning of the game, you’re placed into Jack’s apartment. The ominous ticking of the clock and almost soothing crackle of the fire are immediately immersive. Jack explores his thoughts and feelings, and Victoria’s recruitment does the same.
However, once you get into Kingsport, that dissolves. Some lines are voiced while others aren’t, making for a jarring experience and leaving me wishing for a Fallout-style, fully-voiced experience from every NPC. While there aren’t too many NPCs in six hours of early access, when they did speak, the immersion and unsettling design flourished.
An atmospheric ode to Cthulhu
Where Outer Gods really hits it out of the park is with its atmosphere. It’s palpably unsettling, with danger feeling like it’s around every corner (and often it is). Puzzles are the right level of solvable, and every feature feels filled with mystery.
Dexerto / Misterial GamesOften, you discover a locked door and find yourself searching high and low for the key, uncovering even more disturbing rituals and sacrifices on the way.
As a fan of Call of Cthulhu and all things Lovecraft, Stygian: Outer Gods feels like a passionate rediscovery of the eldritch, expertly implementing consistent hesitation and an uncomfortable journey in every way.
Sure, the story feels a little lackluster right now, but early access means there’s always time for it to be fleshed out more.
Is it worth it?
Stygian: Outer Gods is a game that diehard Cthulhu fans will enjoy. But is it polished enough for those less familiar in its early access state to appreciate? Not really.
It’s unsatisfying to play as an RPG fan, and while its atmosphere is stellar, as a survival horror lover, I was expecting more scares. However, as a Keeper for Call of Cthulhu, it struck a chord and embodied that unsettling design every good eldritch game needs.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a short adventure that’s bound to improve, then Stygian: Outer Gods is a great choice.
As an early access title, we’ll be updating this review and including a score when it officially releases, as it’s currently subject to change.
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