Dagon: The Complete Edition Review

Genre: Adventure game

Developer: Bit Golem

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S

Publisher: Feardemic

Initial release date: October 10, 2024

H.P. Lovecraft has had a huge influence on game creators, ranging from indie to AAA. His work has influenced modern sci-fi, horror, and fantasy games.

However, many players may be unfamiliar with the individual who inspired the mythos. He was an American author who wrote a lot in the early twentieth century. His work initially had a cult following in pulp publications and among fellow authors, but he never achieved mainstream fame during his lifetime. Only after his death, in the 1970s, did his work attain widespread popularity. In his youth, he held certain unpleasant beliefs on race and class, but these views shifted when his political attitude altered following the Great Depression.

Dagon: Complete Edition allows you to enjoy some of his short works, including Dagon and three DLC adds.

Several short stories.

Dagon begins with a warning: this is not your typical game with hard gameplay. It’s more of an interactive experience, similar to going through a narrative and progressing sequentially from page to page. If you’re not a lover of Lovecraft’s stories, this game may not appeal to you.

The primary story, Dagon, is one of Lovecraft’s earliest writings, published in 1917. It incorporates themes of madness and extraterrestrial sea monsters that will appear prominently in his later work. The story is told by a morphine-addicted man who lives in fear in a filthy room. He describes being captured by the Germans while serving as a naval commander during World War I. He flees aboard a small boat at night and, after several days at sea, is stuck on a foul-smelling bed of slime. He climbs a hill and finds a deep ditch, where he encounters a bizarre monolith.

Lovecraft is a riveting writer, and the plot is both strange and intriguing. The three DLC stories are shorter and less structured than Dagon, but they remain enjoyable. One story is around a man who becomes lost in a moonlit garden and is drawn to calamity. The second story was written by Lovecraft at the amazing age of seven. The last tells a dream about a railway carriage and a demonic encounter.

The simplest of gameplay

The gameplay is straightforward: you are shown a scene from the story, which is either animated or static. You can look about while listening to the narration. When a section is completed, a little circle appears, directing you to the next section. The stories also include hidden clues that reveal real-world information about Lovecraft and his work.

Visually, Dagon: Complete Edition is striking and evocative. The settings effectively convey the alien mood of Lovecraft’s novels, with especially amazing skies and lighting effects.

And the voice acting is excellent. A competent narrator is essential in a narrative-driven game, and this game features a talented cast who give fascinating performances. The music match the narration and heighten the spooky atmosphere.

If you enjoy compelling storylines, you’ll love Dagon.

I value excellent narratives in games, and Dagon: Complete Edition provides an engaging interactive storytelling experience. It’s a storybook come to life, and I’d love to see this idea applied to more classic authors and stories. However, the game’s peculiar appeal and lack of standard gameplay may not suit everyone.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 85%

Controls: 88%

Aesthetics: 94%

Content: 87%

Accessibility: 84%

Value: 86%

Overall: 88%

VERY GOOD!

Summary:

Dagon: The Complete Edition is an accurate and frightening version of H.P. Lovecraft’s work provides a narrative-heavy experience that immerses players in a dark, atmospheric realm. With magnificent visuals and sound design that perfectly capture the atmosphere of Lovecraftian terror, the game excels at providing an immersive storytelling experience. While it lacks traditional gaming aspects and is very short, it’s a good pick for genre aficionados and those seeking a more passive, story-driven experience. The game may not appeal to everyone, but those who enjoy dense, evocative storytelling should try it.