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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Role Playing Masterpiece, May 11, 2001
Few role playing games capture the feel of their genre perfectly in both feel and game mechanics. Call of Cthulhu by Chaosium is such a superb game, that it has endured six editions and over 20 years publication. At its core is the Cthulhu Mythos created by master Howard Philips Lovecraft who wove stories based around a pantheon of alien gods, powerful and diabolic beings whose merest incarnation would shatter the tenuous grip we have on our `mundane' world where things like night gaunts or shantaks are minor horrors compared to Yog-Sothoth, Azathoth or Great Cthulhu himself. Around these beings are often cults- dangerous underground societies who want nothing more than to see their fabled masters arise from ages past and walk the Earth again.At it's core Call of Cthulhu is a rather mechanically simple game and characters are easy to put together so long as care as taken to understand what skills are needed with regard to the kind of game the Keeper is planning to run. Once your character is complete, make another one and don't get attached to either of them. Seriously, played smartly, most characters can and will survive physically in tact, mentally, however is another story. As the game progresses and as more and more elements of the Mythos are revealed, characters begin to have their sanity chipped away at. If they are strong (and lucky), they can overcome these lurkers in the darkness and restore some of their lost sanity. Characters can also learn magic from a vast list of spells, some are good, most are not as good. It's important to know how to bind a dimensional shambler before you summon one. Spells and magic items can be the focus of adventures as characters race to prevent a cult from obtaining an artifact that will be used in a ritual to summon Cthugha for weenie roast in Central Park one warm summer night. The beauty of Call of Cthulhu, aside from it's relative cheapness compared to other games (you only need the main source book to begin play), is that it can cover very nearly any era-1890's, 1920's (Lovecraft's era), and the present day, and good Keepers will go to some lengths to make sure their players understand what is and is not possible in the various time lines. Plus there are numerous web sites that deal with Call of Cthulhu and offer a host of resources for players and Keepers alike. It's easy to find historical information based on almost any location in the world that a Keeper may plan to run his or her campaign. Most importantly is the mood of the game itself. I've played Call of Cthulhu for fifteen years and most of the games have had great suspense, excitement, and were a lot of fun. I've played it by candle light in the dead of winter, something that adds so much to the atmosphere. Good keepers can build suspense that, like a good novel, will make your skin crawl with a healthy dose of other-worldly fear. It is also important to remember that Call of Cthulhu isn't a meat grinder that chews up and spits out characters as fast as the players can roll them up. As an alternative to swords and sorcery or lightsabers and blasters, Call of Cthulhu is an excellent RPG. Additionally, I highly recommend the works of H.P. Lovecraft as source material, plus their darn good reads.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The more things change, the more they stay the same., June 9, 2000
For those of you who own the 5th edition of Chaosium's award-winning game, you will find that not much has changed in this edition. This is good news though, because unlike many game systems, Call of Cthulhu does not need much improvement.While there are some smaller additions, such as a section on alien technology, the most notable new find is H.P. Lovecraft's short story, "The Call of Cthulhu". This has long been considered required reading for players and keepers alike, but now a Lovecraft novice can find this signature tale without needing to purchase another book (but chances are you will want to). If you do not own this game and are interested in role-playing at its finest, you are missing out. If you own an older addition, this can still be a worthwhile purchase strictly because of its hardcover format and captivating cover art. Enter the world of H.P. Lovecraft, you won't be disappointed.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best RPG I have ever played, April 30, 2002
"Call of Cthulhu" is hands-down my favorite RPG. I have been playing it for about 15 years now, and have to yet to get bored with it. In a testament to it's quality, the core rule book has gone through 5 editions without any changes to the core rules. This version, the 5th edition, is improved by higher production value, nicer art, inclusion of spells/artifacts created for various adventures over the years, and the necessary addition of H.P. Lovecraft's signature story, "The Call of Cthulhu.""Call of Cthulhu's" strength is in it's simplicity. The basic d100 system allows for near instant character creation and absorption of the rules. As an RPG, it is a non-combat game that focuses more on roleplaying and atmosphere. (Indeed, investigators who are combat happy will be short lived. "Call of Cthulhu" is famous for it's high body count.) This system has won pretty much every RPG award available. It is the "system of choice" for my regular gaming group of 10 years. Possibly the best roleplaying game ever made.
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