How narrative elements can help in creating mood in a game. This post will analyse the case of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth. The game is made upon horror novels of H.P Lovecraft, so designers needed to keep the gameplay scary. This is how they dealt with the issue.

On the video can be seen walkthrough part of the second chapter of the game. The main character penetrates sewage canals under the city. During progression of his quest he updates the player on certain aspects that are worth attention, or responds to players actions by stating facts. Suddenly, character discovers a body ling about which causes a shock and his heart starts beating faster. Since then in the speakers the player hears blood throbbing in characters ears. Also player sees a girl in one of the side canals, but she runs away before any contact is initiated. To the throbbing add childrens voice echoing in pipes, the character starts getting paranoid. In the tunnels appears the girl and quickly disappears. Player watches some unclear flashbacks from the time when main character was closed in Arkham Asylum. All those aspects keep building up a claustrophobic atmosphere. When the character gets more psychotic his vision blurres, ocasionally screams and mumbles, visibly gets crazy.

The interface is not clattered with any cursors or health bars. Health of the character is shown actually by his behavior, if he gets shot in the leg, he would stared limping, hit in the head - would obscure the vision with blood, wounded arm - would aim less precisely and so on. Lack of any on screen controls helps in creating the feeling of helplessness.