The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu feels like one of the more original takes on cooperative horror we’ve seen in quite some time. Rather than leaning on firearms and frantic action, ACE Team combines extraction mechanics with seventeenth-century exploration, sending players into a cursed South American jungle where greed and madness are just as dangerous as the creatures lurking between the trees. The overarching story remains fairly understated, unfolding primarily through journals and environmental storytelling rather than lengthy cutscenes, but the setting itself does an excellent job of carrying the experience. Every expedition into the jungle feels like another desperate gamble for treasure, and the constant uncertainty over what is real gives the adventure an identity that’s genuinely distinct from most modern co-op horror games.
That identity largely comes from the game’s excellent insanity system. Rather than simply applying visual filters or obvious status effects, prolonged exposure to the jungle gradually erodes your perception of reality. Hallucinations become increasingly convincing, teammates appear as monsters, valuable equipment transforms into worthless objects, and even voice communication can no longer be trusted. Combined with the proximity voice chat, this creates wonderfully tense moments where paranoia spreads naturally through the group instead of relying on scripted scares. Few games manage to make players doubt each other this effectively, and it’s easily The Mound’s strongest gameplay mechanic.
Outside of its psychological tricks, the core gameplay revolves around careful resource management and risk assessment. Before every expedition, weapons, food, medical supplies and lighting equipment need to be divided among the team, with limited inventory space forcing meaningful decisions about what deserves to come back to the ship. The deliberately old-fashioned weaponry reinforces this slower pace, as muskets require lengthy reloads and ammunition remains scarce throughout every mission. Unfortunately, this deliberate design sometimes crosses the line into frustration. Combat often feels sluggish rather than tactical, melee attacks can lack precision, movement feels unnecessarily restrictive, and the absence of mechanics like dodging or blocking frequently leaves encounters feeling more unfair than challenging. Instead of encouraging mastery, some deaths simply feel unavoidable.
The extraction loop itself offers satisfying moments of tension, especially when deciding whether to cash in collected treasure or push deeper into increasingly dangerous territory. However, the longer we spent with the game, the more repetitive that structure became. Objectives rarely evolve in meaningful ways, progression systems remain relatively shallow, and while unlocking new areas provides some variety, many expeditions eventually begin blending together. Solo play also struggles considerably, as AI companions rarely provide the coordination needed to overcome the game’s toughest encounters, making it clear that this is a title designed first and foremost around a dedicated group of friends communicating over microphones.
Visually, The Mound succeeds far more often than it fails. The dense jungle environments create an oppressive atmosphere, dynamic lighting and weather help maintain constant tension, and the unsettling creature designs fit the Lovecraftian inspiration without simply relying on familiar tentacle clichés. Audio deserves even greater praise, with environmental sounds, distant whispers, unsettling creature noises and positional voice chat all combining into one of the game’s greatest strengths. Playing with headphones or a good surround system significantly enhances the experience. Unfortunately, the presentation is held back by technical shortcomings. Performance can become inconsistent during busier moments, occasional bugs interrupt immersion, and the overall level of polish doesn’t quite match the quality of the underlying artistic direction.
Despite its rough edges, there’s no denying that ACE Team has created something refreshingly different. The combination of extraction gameplay, cooperative survival and psychological horror produces moments that few other multiplayer games can replicate, especially when hallucinations begin undermining communication within the team. At the same time, inconsistent combat, punishing balancing, repetitive progression and technical issues prevent the game from fully realizing its considerable ambitions. Players willing to embrace those imperfections alongside a regular group of friends will likely discover a memorable horror experience, but anyone hoping for a polished solo adventure may find themselves battling the game’s frustrations as much as the horrors hiding within its jungle.
Ultimately, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is one of those games where the ideas are arguably stronger than the execution. Its paranoia-driven mechanics and oppressive atmosphere regularly deliver unforgettable moments that showcase ACE Team’s creativity, but they coexist with systems that often feel underdeveloped or insufficiently refined. If future updates can smooth out the technical issues and tighten the combat while preserving the unique tension at the heart of the experience, this could become a standout cooperative horror title. As it stands on PlayStation 5, it’s an intriguing expedition that’s well worth considering for groups of horror fans, provided they’re prepared to accept a journey that’s every bit as rough as the jungle they’re exploring.
Score: 7.0/10