Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss Interview Reveals Outer Wilds Ambitions

You’ve likely already played or heard of Big Bad Wolf’s previous titles, such as The Council, which brought the political intrigues of a 1793 secret society to the table, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong, which explored the blood-soaked world of vampires. Now, the studio has turned its gaze toward a much more ancient and indifferent darkness: the Cthulhu Mythos.

As it turns out, this shift was more natural than it seems – and I’m not just saying that, but the Game Director himself, Tommaso Sergi, agrees! At the invitation of NACON, I had the opportunity to chat with Sergi about what players can expect from the upcoming Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, which will be out on April 16.

According to him, this time the studio isn't just telling a detective story, but is also making the player literally feel like a detective, pushing the investigation gameplay further than in any of their previous works, being like the Outer Wilds of cosmic horror. Set in a dystopian 2053, the game challenges the famous Lovecraftian notion that the “unknown” should be feared, and instead rewards the player’s curiosity and forces them to categorize the madness.

In this talk, we discussed the studio's transition into cosmic horror and what makes this title unique within the genre, from the presence of a literal AI companion (think iPhone’s Siri, but far more ominous) that reflects today’s rise of artificial intelligence to a soundtrack utilizing custom-made instruments to evoke the echoes of the abyss. And we even joked about the possibility that Cthulhu himself might have influenced the team at Big Bad Wolf to portray him!

So, without further ado, here’s the full interview – but beware, you might lose a few points of sanity just by being this close to the ancient mythos.

Interview with Tommaso Sergi, Game Director of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss

Q: Coming from a game focused on vampires to one centered on Lovecraftian mythos is quite a shift! Why was the Cthulhu universe the next evolution for the studio, and which lessons from your previous project did you bring into The Cosmic Abyss?

A: With The Council and Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong, we already had the opportunity to explore themes of horror and the fantastic. While we did not initially plan to adapt Lovecraft’s mythos, his name was already circulating within the studio by the end of our last production. The team at our publisher, NACON, is also passionate about the license, which helped bring the project into production. This choice felt like a natural continuation of our previous titles. Moving from the World of Darkness to cosmic horror allowed us to continue exploring the fantasy genre, this time by tackling one of its cornerstones. Perhaps, deep down, without realizing it, we were already feeling the call of the Great Old One.

In terms of what we learned, we were founded as a studio specializing in AA games that blend narrative and RPG mechanics, with strong expertise in branching storytelling. Over the course of our productions, this approach has allowed us to build solid experience in creating interactive stories where the player’s choices shape the adventure.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss follows this continuity, with a clear focus on pushing investigation gameplay further than in our previous titles. From the start of production, the goal was no longer to tell a detective’s story through a set of branching paths, but to fully embrace that fantasy and let players conduct a real investigation. The freedom given to players in how they investigate, along with the emphasis on rewarding curiosity as they uncover mysteries throughout the levels, are the core pillars on which we built the experience.

Q: The Cthulhu Mythos usually evokes a sense of the old and rudimentary, yet The Cosmic Abyss opts for a futuristic setting. What inspired this jump to the future, and how does a modern setting change the way we face eldritch horror?

A: Horror and science fiction form a highly compelling combination, one that has already proven to be an imaginative and powerful mix, as shown in many examples across cinema and video games. For our part, the decision to set the game in 2053 came from several reflections on the themes we wanted to explore. We wanted to echo current issues such as resource depletion, climate change, the influence of large private fortunes, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Integrating ancient creatures and relics into this futuristic world creates a strong contrast between our civilization and theirs.

The inclusion of KEY, a character immune to sanity loss and offering a different perspective on discoveries, gives us an original way to revisit the mythos while bringing new energy to the central duo. By linking the AI directly to gameplay, we were also able to modernize the classic investigator’s tools, such as the magnifying glass and notebook, and explore new mechanics. This led to systems like the Vault (our version of a mind palace), the sonar and its frequencies, character augmentations for build customization, and more.

Finally, Lovecraft set his stories in a contemporary setting, bringing horror closer to a reality familiar to the reader. We follow that same intention, projecting that proximity into a plausible near future.

Q: AI is a massive topic of debate right now. Did the current global conversation around AI influence how you constructed Key as a character, especially regarding the ambiguity of whether she is truly on the player’s side?

A: At the beginning of the game’s design, AI was still in its earlier stages, and we projected the kind of ambiguity it could introduce into our world. As mentioned previously, KEY is a fundamental component of the experience. From a diegetic point of view, KEY explains Noah’s tools, as players interact with the world through its interface. Narratively, KEY is his companion. If Noah is Sherlock, KEY is Doctor Watson, except KEY evolves.

More human than machine, KEY accompanies Noah throughout the adventure but cannot intervene directly in dangerous situations. This leaves him alone to face what he encounters, preserving the feeling of solitude. In short, KEY serves as a powerful tool for both gameplay and narration, while raising a central question: who is really the tool of whom? This question is at the heart of the characters’ narrative arc.

Q: One of Lovecraft’s core mottos is that “the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” And I found it interesting how The Cosmic Abyss rewards curiosity, encouraging the player to transform the unknown! Was this intentional?

A: Absolutely! From the very beginning, the goal has been to reward curiosity. Unlike in our previous games, we do not present explicit choices. Players need to understand their environment and uncover their own possibilities.

Exploration, observation, deduction, and object manipulation sit at the heart of progression. In each chapter, players investigate freely within open areas. The more curious they are, the more threads they can pull, allowing them to make informed decisions, protect themselves from corruption, and face the horrors that try to kill them or block their path. The story unfolds at this pace, with different climaxes and endings depending on the player’s progression and intuitions.

Q: The game avoids jump scares and combat in favor of pure psychological dread. How do you balance the gameplay (investigation and puzzle-solving) to ensure the tension stays high without relying on action sequences?

A: We want to put players in the shoes of an occult investigator exploring a universe that is completely beyond them. That is why we ruled out combat from the start. However, the absence of combat does not mean the absence of danger. Many things can kill you in R’lyeh, whether the ruins themselves or the creatures that inhabit them.

Tension also emerges from the player’s own way of investigating. Imagine exploring an environment for twenty minutes, becoming familiar with a place. Then you find a new clue that unlocks a new frequency on your sonar, revealing traces left by a creature all around you.

In an instant, the place you thought you understood changes its nature and becomes hostile again. This is one possible scenario. Players might discover these elements in a different order, or miss some entirely while following other leads. This is where one of the game’s strengths lies: allowing tension and twists to emerge from a progression that is unique to each player.

Q: The studio previously mentioned that the original soundtrack was designed with “psychological manipulation” in mind. Could you dive deeper into that and explain how it affects the player’s overall experience?

A: We were fortunate to work very early on with Nicolas Garcia, the game’s composer. It is also important to mention Dorian Pfister, our Audio Director, who played a fundamental role in creating the game’s soundscape.

The music permeates the entire experience and is composed in layers. Each layer forms part of a larger whole, while also echoing themes that appear more subtly during exploration. For example, we assigned a specific instrument to Cthulhu to suggest his omnipresence throughout the story. Players can hear it at key moments. Nicolas Garcia spoke about this in our “The Sound of Madness” dev diary.

We also created custom instruments for the game, such as water-filled percussion to evoke the echoes of the abyss, and collaborated with Tina Guo, whose cello brings a distinct energy to key moments in the adventure. Beyond composition, we carefully structured and edited the music to stay in sync with the rhythm of the experience and the different paths shaped by the player’s choices.

Q: From a narrative standpoint, how much does the Corruption system actually affect the story and the ending of the game?

A: Corruption progresses in three distinct ways. Scripted moments: strong, unavoidable narrative events that increase corruption.

Investigation resolutions: the player’s choices directly influence their level of corruption. Some resolutions preserve the character’s integrity, while others push them irreversibly toward the abyss.

The cost of knowledge: players can choose to accept a dose of corruption in exchange for energy points, which are necessary to deepen the analysis of certain clues. Corruption primarily influences the game’s endings and the resolution of the character’s narrative arc, but its impact goes beyond that. It also affects upgrades and the player’s build. Some abilities can transform, improve, or break depending on whether the corruption level rises or falls.

Narratively, it acts as a sword of Damocles hanging over the player. The endings take these variations into account, both for Noah’s fate and for the state of the world.

Q: There have been many incredible games based on the Cthulhu Mythos over the years. What do you feel makes The Cosmic Abyss a unique entry among other titles of eldritch horror?

A: It would be presumptuous to claim that our game will establish itself as a new benchmark among these titles, although we hope it will. That said, we are convinced it has a soul of its own.

Our approach stands out first through its futuristic setting and the choice of the city of R’lyeh, which allows us to reinterpret cosmic horror through the lens of a sci-fi horror thriller. This modernity directly informs the gameplay. We have adapted classic detective tools into technological versions such as sonar, an energy system, and the Vault. These are diegetic mechanics that preserve immersion while offering new and engaging investigation tools.

On the narrative side, we present a duo that is unusual for the genre: a human and an AI. The AI, by nature immune to madness, creates a strong contrast with the vulnerability of its partner. This duality, combined with the freedom given to players in how they conduct their investigations, forms the foundation of a distinct experience.

To conclude, we did not limit ourselves to adapting the novellas. We immersed ourselves in this universe to offer our own interpretation, with the ambition to surprise both long-time fans and newcomers, while remaining faithful to the source material and bringing something new to it.

Q: While playing the game, I sensed a heavy influence from titles like Resident Evil, SOMA, and Eternal Darkness. Were these games direct inspirations for the team? Could you tell us more about the references you drew upon for this project?

A: We are always very curious to play, test, and analyze what has been done in relation to the genre we are exploring. As you mentioned, SOMA and Amnesia are part of that landscape. For the first-person approach, which was a first for the studio, we also looked at Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil 7, and Resident Evil Village as case studies.

We can also cite Outer Wilds for its approach to investigation, as well as The Forgotten City. Finally, Dishonored 2 was particularly interesting to study in the way it offers alternative paths to reach the main objective without over-explaining things to the player.

Q: As we approach the launch, what specific moment, element, or mechanic in the game are you most excited to see players react to for the first time (and why)?

A: Absolutely everything! From the revelations tied to the sonar, to the “eureka” moments that come from different ways of approaching crime scenes, to the emotions players feel during the first-person cinematics.

More broadly, we are excited to see the surprise on players’ faces when they test their ideas in the game, and also when the game overwhelms them. We have filled the experience with mystery, and we are eager to see players discover it for themselves.