Out of the Blue Games already proved with Call of the Sea that it could blend puzzle solving with cosmic horror influences in a way that felt approachable rather than oppressive and scary, and Call of the Elder Gods pushes that formula further while also leaning more heavily into psychological unease. Set across collapsing realities, ancient ruins, and isolated academic halls, the story follows Professor Harry Everhart and student Evangeline Drayton as they investigate visions, disappearances, and artifacts tied to forces far older than humanity itself. The narrative succeeds because it balances its Lovecraftian inspirations with more grounded emotional stakes, particularly around grief and obsession, though the plot occasionally becomes so focused on layered mysteries and metaphysical concepts that some emotional beats lose their immediacy beneath the dense lore.
The game’s strongest moments come from the way its puzzle design ties directly into exploration and environmental observation. Rather than relying on inventory overload or obscure adventure-game logic, most solutions emerge naturally through careful attention to symbols, architecture, notes, and spatial relationships. Swapping between Harry and Evangeline introduces some clever dual-character mechanics as later discoveries can recontextualize earlier areas, and several larger puzzle chains deliver genuine satisfaction once everything clicks into place. At the same time, the pacing occasionally suffers from stretches where progression becomes overly dependent on slow backtracking or deciphering vague environmental clues, especially during some of the more abstract late-game sequences.
What keeps those slower sections from becoming frustrating is the flexibility of the hint and accessibility systems. Out of the Blue clearly understands that puzzle games attract players with very different tolerance levels for challenge, and the customizable assistance options make it possible to tailor the experience without completely trivializing the core design. The journal system is especially useful in helping players organize discoveries without turning every solution into an automatic checklist. However, there are moments where the balance swings too far in the opposite direction, with certain prompts revealing a little too much too quickly and reducing the sense of discovery that the game otherwise works hard to cultivate.
Call of the Elder Gods also benefits enormously from its audiovisual presentation. Unreal Engine 5 gives the game an impressive sense of scale and texture, whether exploring icy wastelands, flickering libraries, or impossible cities that seem suspended outside of time itself. The art direction consistently captures the tension between beauty and cosmic dread, often making environments feel mesmerizing before they become unsettling. Some visual flourishes occasionally come at the expense of performance smoothness on PlayStation 5, though, with a few minor technical hiccups interrupting immersion during transitions or larger scenes. Even so, the overall presentation remains striking enough that those issues rarely overshadow the atmosphere being built.
The voice acting does a great deal of heavy lifting in maintaining that atmosphere as well. Yuri Lowenthal and Cissy Jones bring warmth and vulnerability to Harry and Evangeline, helping the story avoid becoming emotionally detached despite its focus on unknowable horrors and existential themes. Conversations feel natural, and quieter moments often land better than the game’s larger revelations because the performances keep the characters grounded. Eduardo De La Iglesia’s soundtrack complements this approach perfectly, shifting between melancholy orchestration and more ominous ambient layers without overwhelming the scenes. Still, there are points where exposition-heavy dialogue slows the momentum, particularly when the narrative pauses to explain mythology that was arguably more effective when left partially ambiguous.
Mechanically, the controls remain mostly intuitive on PS5, with exploration and interaction feeling responsive throughout the campaign. The interface design is clean and readable, which becomes increasingly important as puzzles grow more intricate and environments more visually dense. Yet some interactions can feel overly sensitive when examining small objects, and there are a handful of moments where identifying the correct interactive hotspot becomes less about deduction and more about knowing where to point. These frustrations are relatively minor overall, but they do occasionally disrupt the otherwise smooth rhythm of observation and experimentation the game strives for.
What ultimately makes Call of the Elder Gods compelling is how confidently it commits to its identity. Rather than turning its Lovecraftian inspirations into constant spectacle or action-heavy horror, it remains focused on curiosity, isolation, and the fear of knowledge that perhaps should remain buried. Not every puzzle sequence lands perfectly, and some narrative detours risk overcomplicating what works best as a character-driven mystery, but the game consistently rewards patience and attention. For players who enjoy atmospheric puzzle adventures with strong worldbuilding and a steady sense of cosmic unease, Out of the Blue has delivered a worthy successor that feels larger, stranger, and more ambitious than its predecessor without losing the intimate storytelling that made the studio stand out in the first place.
Score: 8.0/10