Gibbous is a Lovecraft horror-adventure in the style of a classic Disney film

We said last year that we're tired of Lovecraft. Sure, the man told some singularly horrific tales, but there's more to the genre than tentacles, the gaping maw of madness, and virulent racism. We want something different! Gibbous is kind of a compromise in that regard: It's a Cthulhu mythos-inspired tale of terror done in the style of an animated Disney film, complete with a talking cat.

The game begins with detective Don R. Ketype tracking down reports that the Necronomicon, that famous, forbidden tome, has surfaced among cults roaming the gloomy alleys of Darkham. But before he can find it, it comes into the possession of a local librarian, Buzz Kerwan, who accidentally transforms his cat, Katteh, into an abomination—which is to say, a cat with the ability to vocalize its feelings.

Gibbous is done in a "traditional 2D animation" style across more than 60 hand-painted scenes, and will feature 70 "fully voiced" characters—including one portrayed by Doug Cockle, the voice of The Witcher Geralt. Developer Stuck in Attic hasn't revealed exactly who he's portraying, but it's definitely not the hero.

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It was successfully Kickstarted in 2016, which is still relevant now because a demo is available on the Kickstarter page. The demo is obviously not up to date at this point but it showcases the visual style and gameplay, and some of the oddball humor the game is obviously going to bring to bear. I've played with it for a few minutes and despite its age I think it looks promising.

Gibbous is set to come out on August 7 on Steam and GOG. Pricing hasn't been set yet but the developers said it will probably come in at $20, with a ten percent discount during the first week, and $25 for a deluxe edition with the soundtrack, digital art book, and prequel comic. More information is up at gibbousgame.com.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.