Dungeons and Elder Dragons: Lovecraftian Monsters of Guild Wars 2
There is something about the combination of high fantasy and Lovecraftian themes that just works. It’s a strange mishmash of themes, after all. Many of Lovecraft’s terrible elder beings were more interdimensional aliens than distinctly magical. Yet, something about it clicks. Perhaps high fantasy is a genre that works best with big, reality ending stakes. The trope of an ancient evil faced down by a party of adventures is inherently silly, yes. Regardless, sword and sorcery go hand in hand with risen eldritch beings of immeasurable power.
Such is the case, too, with Guild Wars 2, the MMORPG by ArenaNet. The game is currently free to play.
The Crapsack World
Guild Wars 2 is easily a post-apocalyptic story. It embodies that trope of the Crapsack World. Things in the world of Tyria are so bad at this point that the end of the world is a very real threat to the present collections of races across the land. One could argue that this may be a welcome reprieve for them. How so?
To begin, after the defeat of the first of several Elder Dragons, the Great Destroyer, five other Elder Dragons awaken 250 years later and besiege Tyria. Your player story begins in this period where, essentially, five Elder Gods are exerting their will on Tyria. Their corruption bleeds into every story you experience in the game.
For example, the Human race, typically the lynchpin of high fantasy narratives, is in rapid decline. There is only one human kingdom remaining. Elder Dragon disasters have wiped out a large portion of humanity’s cities and settlements. Compounding this is a long and bitter feud with the Charr.
The Charr, a brutal and warlike race, have reclaimed their own original lands after a long struggle against the Humans. Yet, their lands, battle-scarred by the machine of war, are also haunted by the ghosts of humans who died in this struggle. Though humans are Charr are not in an active war, the uneasy truce between humans and Charr is constantly at risk. Any semblance of peace is far from lasting.
The Norn, a massive offshoot of humanity, have been pushed out of their own frozen homelands by the Elder Dragon Jormag. Another race, the Asura, fled to the surface of Tyria, chased out by the Elder Dragon Primordus. These small inventors have access to incredible energy magics and golemancy and have injected dangerous technology into an incredibly unstable society.
Most curious of all is the arrival of another race to Tyria, the Sylvari. This plant people are only about 25 years old since their first arrival and come from a collective dream. Even stranger, they may have some connection to the Elder Dragons.
Here there be Elder Dragons
The main Lovecraftian appeal here is the Elder Dragons. These are beings of unimaginable power. The official wiki for Guild Wars 2 describes them as primordial beings who engage in cyclical destructive periods followed by slumbers. This period of awakening is referred to as a “Dragonrise.” Here players must contend with being so ancient and otherworldly that their patterns of behavior revolve around millennia and who seem to have a synergistic connection to the magic of the land. Tyria has its own share of spellcasters, but that is nothing on the grand scale of power these dragons represent.
These dragons are the greatest consumers of energy in Tyria, but also the greatest providers. To challenge these dragons is to challenge reality itself. They are so influential that even constellations in the sky seem to be altered by their awakening. The sense of scale in influence and even mass itself is disproportionate and fitting of a title such as Elder Dragon.
Guild Wars 2 has six Elder Dragons. Zhaitan, representing death and shadow drives the primary actions of the base game. Primordius waits in the depths of Tyria controlling fire and conflagration. Jormag forced the Norns from their icy homeland and controls ice. The crystal dragon Kralkatorrik controls a large desert territory. Lastly, Modremoth, a plant dragon, is the creator of the Sylvari.
What is worse is what we don’t know…
Only the names of five of these Elder Dragons have been revealed in the game thus far. There seems to be a sixth cosmic horror slumbering beneath the waves of the Unending Ocean. Some claim to know of its approximate location, and some refer to it as the deep sea dragon, but any documentation of it is lacking. An in-game scroll, damaged, only reveals that the Elder Dragon’s name begins with an “S.”
Signs of this sixth dragon are everywhere in the game and they are disconcerting at best, terrifying at worst. There is something primal and vastly unknowable about the ocean, and the dragon who makes its home beneath the seas must be horrific indeed. So horrific that aquatic races such as the gentle Quaggan have fled their ancestral lands, which were destroyed by creatures on the influence of this great and terrible dragon.
Based on just how terrible it must be to live on Tyria, the presence of this sixth dragon is a potentially thrilling addition to an already strongly Lovecraftian video game.
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Gaming
Lovecraft Meets Junji Ito in WORLD OF HORROR
WORLD OF HORROR is a cosmic horror roguelite game developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games.
WORLD OF HORROR is a cosmic horror roguelite game developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games. The game is available on macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. This review will cover the Steam (Windows) version of the game.
You must explore the strange goings on around Shiokawa, Japan. It appears that eldritch forces have influenced the town in incomprehensible ways. So, attempt to comprehend these forces and maintain your sanity to save the town. Plan your investigations, choose between cases, and fight for your life.
There are a few game modes but three difficulty spikes. The easiest is a specific case with some random events. This mode teaches you the basic mechanics of the game. The harder difficulties give you access to an apartment and choices on which case you investigate. Completing objectives earns you customization options for the customized mode.
What I Like About WORLD OF HORROR
Running on GameMaker Studios, the pixelated aesthetic shows influences from Lovecraft and Junji Ito, though the latter more so than the former. WORLD OF HORROR haunts its viewers with its aesthetic, allowing the pixels to evoke those horror legends.
Random generation remains a key feature of the game, with various options and choices giving a massive variety. Your character also has some limited customization to access perks and further development. I will bring up some weaknesses later, but it is surprisingly vast. Adding to this variety, WORLD OF HORROR provides mod accessibility.
The combat allows for a great deal of thought and planning. You select your character’s actions within an action bar and perform the tasks (or combos) to beat an opponent. This JRPG style provides variety in action that makes it engaging and unique.
The random generation and variety make each playthrough different. You might acquire a devastating katana in one playthrough only to bleed out unceremoniously in another.
While not a terrifying gaming experience, WORLD OF HORROR strives to provide an eerie and intense experience. At this, the game is a success. The weird and unnerving collide to invest the player in this strange world.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
Body horror deserves a mention, but the aesthetic and pixels doesn’t particularly evoke realism. Regardless, many designs evoke body horror.
Aside from this, here are some points of consideration. First, WORLD OF HORROR uses JRPG turn-based combat, which seems a point of division among some gamers. However, there are enough interesting mechanics and complexities beyond clicking an action and waiting your turn.
Second, WORLD OF HORROR isn’t a cult detective. You’re experiencing events and choosing how your character responds. Some sage wisdom I heard for WORLD OF HORROR is to focus on the whole campaign instead of a single case. Failing a case isn’t a game over, so prioritize your character’s longevity.
What I Dislike About WORLD OF HORROR
Only a few issues hindered my experience. Some scenarios replay on a single case, let alone a playthrough, which becomes repetitive. Some scenarios have multiple solutions to add variety or require perks to access new options, but that’s not always true. This issue makes the randomization taxing at times.
This next issue is likely a bug or an oversight. After losing my reason (sanity), I found myself still able to investigate despite the game claiming that means death. An unrelated event finished me off, but I can’t help but assume this is a bug.
Final Thoughts
WORLD OF HORROR has its quirks but earns massive replay value and surprising depth. It’s a unique and ambitious indie title worth the price. If Junji Ito’s style or cosmic horror is your particular brand of horror, WORLD OF HORROR delivers an experience you’ll likely enjoy. Though this combination synergizes well, few games combine these elements successfully.
(4.5 / 5)
Step into the mind-bending world of Eldritch Automata as we sit down with Game Designer Nick Francia at GenCon 2024!
Uncover the secrets behind this Lovecraftian mecha-masterpiece and get a glimpse of what’s to come.
In this exclusive interview, Nick Francia shares:
• The intricate game development process • Inspirations behind the eerie Lovecraftian elements
• Unique mecha-infused gameplay mechanics Calling all Lovecraft fans! Dive into a world where eldritch horrors meet steam-powered marvels.
Eldritch Automata promises an unforgettable gaming experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
👉 Ready to embrace the madness? Check out our playable demo at a con near you! #EldritchAutomata #GenCon2024 #LovecraftianGaming #IndieGameDev
Prepare for a spine-chilling experience as Jim Phoenix delves into the shadows with Trick or Treat Studios at GenCon 2024!
In this exclusive interview, we uncover the terrifying secrets behind their latest bone-chilling creations: “House of 1000 Corpses” and “Halloween II” board games.
These games aren’t just about rolling dice – they’re about immersing yourself in the blood-curdling atmosphere of beloved horror films. With unique survival (and kill!) horror mechanics and cooperative gameplay, you’ll feel the terror coursing through your veins with every move!
But wait, there’s more! With the Kickstarter to House of 1000 Corpses shipping soon, we have an in-depth review coming up for that game, Halloween II–AND…Chucky. BOOMMM!!!
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