Call Of The Elder Gods, a point-and-click adventure and sequel to the acclaimed Call Of The Sea, stands out as one of the best indie games of the month for those willing to tackle its old-school puzzles. This Lovecraftian narrative puzzle adventure occupies a unique niche in the gaming world, a rare feat given the sheer volume of titles released annually. As a direct sequel to 2020's Call Of The Sea, it reunites players with Norah, wonderfully voiced by Cissy Jones, a woman suffering from a mysterious disease who tracked down her missing husband Harry on a remote Polynesian island in the 1930s.
Story and Characters
In Call Of The Elder Gods, Norah, though technically dead or transformed into a fish person depending on the first game's endings, returns as a narrator overseeing two new protagonists. The main hero is Evangeline Drayton, a student at Miskatonic University in the 1950s, searching for answers about a three-month memory loss. Her quest leads her to an older Harry Everhart, a grouchy professor living alone in a massive Gothic mansion. Harry hides a compelling backstory familiar to players of the first game, and as the duo delves into the world of the Elder Gods, they uncover secrets about the Yith race, Earth's history, and Evangeline herself.
Gameplay and Puzzles
The game draws from H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Out of Time, broadening the scope of its predecessor with more ambitious storytelling. It eschews true horror for dreamlike elements: alien races, forgotten worlds, and flying saucers. The burgeoning relationship between Harry and Evangeline forms the core, with players switching between characters to solve puzzles and explore shared history. The puzzles are complex, requiring full attention. Each level is a lovingly crafted escape room with multiple layers of clues. From opening Harry's greenhouse to exploring underwater caves or a Nazi base in Norway, every level feels distinct with gorgeous 1930s-style graphics, a haunting score, and numerous interactive objects.
There is no time pressure; characters move slowly, and puzzles are untimed. The game offers two difficulty options: one with a notebook that automatically logs clues and provides hints, and a fiendishly difficult mode without any guidance. A hints section helps stuck players. The narrative stumbles towards the end under the weight of Nazis, cults, and alien races, but the puzzles remain the key strength, delivering solidly for old-school graphic adventure fans.
Verdict
In Short: A fiercely imaginative puzzle solver that builds on Call Of The Sea's best elements, delivering a genuinely challenging Lovecraftian-flavored adventure.
- Pros: Puzzles are fun and rewarding; graphics evoke a gorgeous 1930s sense of time and place; the relationship between Harry, Evangeline, and Norah is surprisingly affecting.
- Cons: Characters move achingly slowly, making the adventure drag; the plot stumbles under its own ambition towards the end.
Score: 7/10
Formats: PlayStation 5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Price: £19.99
Publisher: Kwalee
Developer: Out of the Blue Games
Release Date: 12th May 2026
Age Rating: 12
