Horror games, like The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu, have always felt like an almost cruel form of torture to me. They provide scares, whether through gruesome creature design, jump scares, or a lingering sense of dread or anxiety. Horror movies can be amazing, but games are unique in that they require constant player input to continue. No matter how scary, players must push through their fears to see the journey through to its end.
Co-op horror is a little easier on the mind, with friends potentially providing assistance, whether it’s through laughter in the voice chat, actual in-game help, or simply by creating safety in numbers. Developer ACE Team wants to invert that advantage with The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu, based on the H.P. Lovecraft novella “The Mound”, where your friendship, communication, and cooperation will be tested.
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From publisher Nacon, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu will push players to the brink, leaving them unable to trust anyone, including their own senses. After a few fun, chaotic sessions in-game, I’m looking forward to more expeditions and scares when the game releases.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu keeps players on their toes with different expeditions and scares.
After a prologue featuring the titular Mound and some horrific creatures, players are able to jump into the game’s standard loop. Selecting one of four characters, whose differences are only cosmetic, players will find themselves aboard a Spanish galleon. From here, they can buy items for future expeditions and select their next expedition.
During our sessions, we had a few scattered campsites to pick from, but the developer mentioned that players would unlock more as they succeeded in their expeditions. They went as far as to say that these expeditions would eventually lead us to the Mound, allowing players to actually ‘beat’ the game if they were resourceful enough to survive such an encounter.
Once our group had selected a destination, we ransacked the equipment on the galleon, picking up weapons, healing items, and armor. The developer noted that while weapons are vital to survival, combat in general should be avoided whenever possible, a point we learned the hard way. Once we were set, we boarded a rowboat and loaded into the game.
The galleon serves as a point where players can grab what they need before venturing off into the unknown.
Appearing either on a beach or in a previously established fort, our group – accompanied by an ox-drawn cart – set out into the jungle on the hunt for treasure or any useful resources. We found relics crafted from a strange metal, along with frogs, mushrooms, weapons and armor left behind by other ill-fated explorers. Since players have limited space to carry items, we relied on the ox-drawn cart for storage. It also provided a lifeline back to our exit point, leaving a trail of white powder in its wake.
Of course, a treasure hunt wouldn’t be exciting without some obstacles in the way. The jungle featured in The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu was thick and overgrown, occasionally making it difficult to find a path forward. Armed with a sword, I slashed through the vegetation, though I quickly learned that wasn’t a good idea either. The more destructive or rambunctious we were, the more the jungle woke up, as a recurring message let us know.
We also drew the attention of undead creatures in The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu, some of which could attack quickly and from a distance using tentacles sprouting from within their chest cavities. Defeating them only granted a brief reprieve, unless we took an extra step to burn or bless the corpse. Even when there weren’t any actual enemies around, the atmosphere in the jungle was oppressive, creating a sense of dread.
The jungle is not safe, and the angrier it becomes, the more difficult your expedition becomes.
True to any story from the Lovecraft mythos, sanity was a precious resource. Taking damage not only drained our physical health, but it also affected our mental health. The lower your sanity, the more you saw things that weren’t really there. A pit of spikes might appear as a statue bearing treasure, or a corrosive explosive might be concealed entirely. This is where communication really matters, because when things really hit the fan, you’ll need constant reminders of where your expedition mates are.
In the worst expedition we ran, the jungle was very upset with us, sending several undead in pursuit. To make matters worse, all of our teammates also appeared as the monsters, and if I hadn’t seen the change occur before my eyes, I probably would have attacked my allies. It would be a memorable lesson that friendly fire exists. If you need any more motivation to keep your allies alive, any dead ally that isn’t revived promptly can become corrupted, which spawns them as computer-controlled zombies on the hunt for their former teammates.
Sanity is precious, and if you don’t take care of yourself and your teammates, the consequences are dire.
While that expedition ended in hilarious failure, the others were successful, allowing us to return to the ship with valuables and giving us credits to use for more items. These range from maps of the expedition zone, which were a big help in finding hidden paths, to an odd metal artifact that lets the user find nearby treasure. These take up a slot in your inventory, so it’s best to spread them amongst the crew so everyone can support the group in their own fashion.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu was a lot of fun, even when the horrors were bearing down on us. The unique setting, horror aesthetic and sanity mechanic are rife with potential to create plenty of exhilarating and memorable moments when it releases.
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu releases July 15, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
