Murder mystery, Lovecraftian horrors and tactical RPG elements - it is all coming together in the upcoming Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace. Asmodee Digital, who certainly knows a thing or two about making games inspired by board games, is doing it again. They are taking the hugely popular board game Arkham Horror and bringing it to life in this murder mystery.
With cameos from many well-known characters and a Lovecraft-tinged universe, fans of H. P. Lovecraft seem to have a lot to look forward to in this new original story. But before the drama begins, here is everything you need to know about the game.
Trailer
Told by the murder victim herself, Professor Tillinghast, players are given just a little taste of what they can expect from the game in the latest trailer. Some of the locations are shown off, as well as a selection of the horrors waiting around each corner.
Through the new trailer and a recently released gameplay trailer, players can spot some of the characters that are likely contenders to join the investigation squad, such as Roland Banks, Father Mateo, Jenny Barnes and many more. 12 eligible investigators await the players on release.
The Story So Far
The game takes place in the 1920s and starts with the death of your friend Professor Tillinghast, an astronomy professor. She is found lying dead in her mansion in the middle of a bizarre crime scene, the victim of a horrendous murder, but not much else can be determined at first glance. In true whodunit fashion, the player must put together a squad of investigators by choosing from 12 characters, some of whom are the most iconic protagonists within the Arkham Horror universe. Each character comes with their own set of abilities that they need to put to good use to find out more about what went down, all done in the board game style that the murder mystery is based upon.
From here, the investigation takes the squad to several different Lovecraftian locations outside of the mansion, such as the Miskatonic University, the psychiatric hospital Arkham Asylum and the danger-filled bayou. The squad descends further and further into the mystery that only seems to stretch deeper the more they learn through gathering clues and interrogations. As it turns out, the answers to the mystery ahead cannot be found strictly in this realm. The squad needs to look beyond their own sanity and will confront cults, mind-boggling science and monsters in their hunt for the truth.
Gameplay
Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace is a narrative-driven RPG. To solve this case, the player has to find clues, carry out investigations and try to survive all nine chapters of the story.
To do just that, players will be thrust into battle with a wide array of enemies. They can choose from different weapons - both melee and ranged - as well as magic spells to get through their battles. All fights will be carried out in a turn-based fashion.
While all of this is going on, the team of investigators must keep an eye on their sanity. The horrors they meet along the way will put their mental state to the test, and if the player is not careful, it could throw them into the dark abyss of madness, causing traumas to the characters, which will affect the whole investigation.
Developed and published by Asmodee, Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace releases March 23rd for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.