"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -  H.P. Lovecraft.

Cosmic horror, otherwise known as Lovecraftian horror, is a genre of horror that's been popular since its creation by H.P. Lovecraft in early 1920. Centered around the ideas of "horror beyond our imagination" and often delving into areas like the seas and the stars. With its popularity has come mixed success in the gaming industry - from video games to tabletop role-playing games. With a new upcoming release of "The Cosmic Abyss"  from Big Bad Wolf Studios on the horizon,  Let's delve into some previous entries of the incomprehensible.

Call of Cthulhu Tabletop (1981)

Published by Chaosium in 1981, Call of Cthulhu is a unique Role-playing game featuring its own unique features, such as sanity and luck rolling, and has quickly become one of the most popular modules for TTRPG players looking for a more horror-inspired adventure. Call of Cthulhu is currently on its seventh edition from 2014.

it deviates from other standard role-playing games somewhat as while it is skill-based like many conventional TTRPG's, with player characters getting better with their skills overtime, COC adds an additional layer that they can only improve  as long as they stay functionally healthy and sane. They do not, however, gain hit points and do not become significantly harder to kill, further signifying the dangers of cosmic horror - it is not something one overcomes, merely survives.

The Thing (Ps2, 2002)

a squad-based third-person shooter survival horror video game developed by Computer Artworks, The Thing (based on the 1982 film by John Carpenter) offers another aspect of cosmic horror often delved into - the concept of the unknown. Those familiar with the original story knows the horror of not truly knowing who the Thing is, or what it is. The game is based three months after the events of the film, the game took heavy inspiration from things like Alien and Half-Life. 

While the game itself doesn't feature heavy themes of cosmic horror and focused more on action themed gameplay, the concept of The Thing has been greatly rooted within the cosmic ideology of horror - with striking visuals of otherworldly monsters and a danger unknowable to the player.

It was met with overall good reviews, ranking 77/100 from Metacritic, and has recently received a complete remaster in 2024.

Bloodborne (2015)

Stepping into the video game industry now with a Bloodborne, a critically acclaimed deviation of Fromsoft's Dark Souls, using a similar aggressive combat mechanic from the series, and amping it up further with health regeneration and the introduction of trick-weapons.

But where Bloodborne really shines is in its story. The fictional world of Yharnam features an excellent vision of Cosmic horror, something games often miss the mark on. From ancient eldritch gods empowering the blood used to treat citizens of Yharnam, to uncovering an unknowable nightmare's vision of the hunt, Bloodborne's greatest use of cosmic horror comes from its "insight" mechanic - the idea that in gaining more insight, elements of the game are revealed to the player that further enrich the story presented.

Many applaud Bloodborne for its unique approach to the concept of cosmic horror, though with its ten year anniversary recently passing with little acknowledgement from Sony, many fans have been left wanting more, and disappointed at the lack of love for an IP exclusive. 

The Sinking City (2019)

Developed by Frogware Games, the sinking city is a more directly inspired game from H.P.Lovecraft's writing. With action-adventure gameplay, The Sinking City is based in a fictional town of Oakmont, and follows detective Charles. W. Reed in a hunt for clues to the cause of the terrifying visions plaguing him, and becomes embroiled in the mystery of Oakmont's unrelenting flooding.

Featuring an investigative system that affects the nature of the quests players can pick up and figure out, the Sinking City was met with mixed reviews on release, due to "slow and frustrating" gameplay, but was praised for its lack of hand-holding and interesting narrative. 

The concept of piecing together a cosmic story is one rooted greatly in its inspiration, the idea of being able to slowly unravel a greater mystery not meant for the mortal mind to understand. The glimpse into the unknown, and finally the pursuit and infection of madness on the human mind - all themes that are prevalent in The Sinking City.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss (planned for 2026)

The latest offering to the cosmic horror genre by Big Bad Wolf Studios and being published by NACON comes Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. A teaser trailer was released march 6th, 2025:

2053. Across the globe, the occult threat grows ever more blatant, and strange, incomprehensible events multiply. As the Earth's surface resources dwindle, powerful corporations turn to the uncharted depths of the oceans, unaware of the ancient horror they are about to awaken.

In this tense Lovecraftian thriller, you play Noah, tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. With the help of your AI companion, Key, explore the vast, labyrinthine prison of R'lyeh—an ancient, sunken city of cyclopean proportions—and resist the creeping madness caused by Cthulhu's influence. At its core lies a secret that could shatter your understanding of reality.


Set to release in 2026 and powered by Unreal Engine 5, The Cosmic Abyss promises "abominations that will push your sanity to its limits" and an "unforgettable Narrative Experience".  But will it hold up?  Big Bad Wolf Studios are known for publishing Vampire: The Masquerade - a game that received mixed reviews. Will The Cosmic Abyss hold up to the eldritch horror it promises? We so far haven't got much more information: we're just excited about a new cosmic horror experience on the distant horizon!

Let us know if you're excited for the game! We look forward to unraveling more incomprehensible madness that makes cosmic horror so enjoyable and terrifying,