Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss (PS5) Review

April 16, 2026 - 09:46

The latest descent into Lovecraftian horror, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, arrives on PlayStation 5 with a compelling premise and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere. The game promises a chilling journey into cosmic madness, leveraging the dread of the unknown and the insignificance of humanity against ancient, slumbering gods. Visually, it captures the eerie, otherworldly aesthetic fans of the genre crave, with detailed, oppressive environments that feel both ancient and alien.

However, this promising dive into the abyss is hampered by significant gameplay frustrations. The title buries its most interesting narrative and mechanical ideas behind a veil of poorly explained puzzles and a deceptively linear structure. Players often find themselves stuck not from genuine challenge, but from unclear objectives or unintuitive solutions, breaking the carefully crafted immersion. The path forward, while appearing to offer exploration, frequently funnels players down a single route, contradicting the sense of vast, unknowable scale the story tries to convey.

Ultimately, the experience feels like a missed opportunity. There are moments where the cosmic horror truly lands, and the audio design masterfully builds tension. Yet, for every moment of genuine dread, there is a confounding puzzle or a restrictive corridor that pulls the player back to the surface, reminding them they are in a game struggling to fully realize its own ambitious vision.