Cthulhu Keeper is an eldritch management sim mixed with tactical missions straight out of Commandos

It’s great to see the Lovecraftian trend finally shift from just board games to video games in a big way. Sure, the obvious route is to slap some Cthulhu horror on a title and call it a day, but this theme can work in all kinds of genres if the devs have a solid idea. And wow, this one’s such a perfect combo. So let me introduce you to Cthulhu Keeper and in the words of the Great Dreamer: ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

If Cult of the Lamb and Commandos had a weird, tentacled baby

This is going straight on my list of Commandos before. Cthulhu Keeper, from Finnish studio Kuuasema, blends real-time tactics with dungeon-building, so there's a nice mix of management and strategy – two of my favorite things.

Set in 1920, the game puts us in the role of a cult leader trying to awaken some seriously ancient horrors. First up, we need to build an underground sanctuary, because if we’re summoning eldritch beasts, we gotta make sure they feel comfy and at home.

Next up, we assign cultists to excavate chambers, set up ritual spots, and build a labyrinth worthy of the horrors on the way, just the usual cult stuff. But we also need to design our liar smartly with defenses to keep out unwanted guests. And not just cops and detectives, but jealous rival cults too. I mean, obviously, our cult will be better than theirs.

Did I mention we get to summon Lovecraftian Pokémon? Well, we’ll need their help for those dangerous missions: infiltrating locations, eliminating threats, and collecting forbidden artifacts to push our dark plans forward. Each mission throws something different at us, whether it’s capturing a high-value target or slipping out without being seen. We can customize our monsters too, loading them up with handy items and creepy powers.

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As we progress, we’ll discover ancient tomes and unlock forbidden knowledge to grow our influence across the city. With our cultists spreading whispers of the truth, more followers will be drawn to our cause. The research tree opens up powerful upgrades and even nastier horrors, while the story pulls us deeper into that eerie, twisted world of Cthulhu mythology.

Cthulhu Keeper is up for playtesting on Steam right now, so if you’re curious, go check it out. I got access right away, so chances are you won’t have to wait either.

I loved the unsettling vibe of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (that was psychological horror done right – sometimes I still get nightmares from that hotel chase scene), but I’ve always wanted to experience a Lovecraftian game from the evil side.

• mythology of Cthulhu
• RTS
• H.P. Lovecraft
• horror
• PC