A hitherto untapped resource in the world of video games, H.P. Lovecrafts Cthulhu mythos is the perfect backdrop for a twisted tale of Gothic horror. But in attempting to hook fans of the authors shadowy works and a gaming audience weaned on the visceral thrills of Resident Evil, the developers have fallen short of creating the perfect Lovecraft experience.
For mood and atmosphere Dark Corners is spectacular, shunning the gratuitous gore of The Suffering and Silent Hills supernatural menace in favour of more traditional, psychological chills, where a pervading sense of dread comes from stumbling around dark corridors as unseen horrors shift in the shadows, and exploring a remote fishing village where the cold eyes of suspicious locals watch your every move.
Dark Corners scares are also enhanced by an ingenious rumble effect that makes your controller pulse and rattle in your hands as the heros heartbeat races, and unsettling visual devices that convey the protagonists slow descent into madness, making the game feel unique beside this seasons more established fright fests.
But with clichéd puzzles, bog-standard gunplay and shockingly poor voice acting that shatters the gloomy mood established by the visuals, Dark Corners will disappoint all but the hardiest Lovecraft devotee.