Unnatural Selections #77: what reviewers are saying about recent 5-star Chaosium community content (Call of Cthulhu)

The 'Unnatural Selections' series is our regular round up of notable Chaosium reviews worth a look.

Here's what purchasers have said about these recent independent Call of Cthulhu releases in the Miskatonic Repository at DriveThruRPG. Our creators love to receive reviews and ratings, so if you do like something you see, do let them – and the rest of us – know!

MISKATONIC REPOSITORY (Call of Cthulhu)

Beyond the Stars (Royce Wilson, $2.90 PDF)

"Well-written and presented scenario with a hard-boiled noir vibe that has a refreshingly original take on The King In Yellow (no insanity-inducing theatre productions involved here!)." - CB.

Prowler at the Threshold (Jane Routley, $3.30 PDF, $6.42/$9.69 softcover standard color book)

"I bought this game and we played it through in a single evening. In short we had a great time. The scenario is a complete modern era one shot with good pregen characters and a nice clear mystery... We held an epic house warming that no one will forget, well, those who survived won't forget it. An excellent CofC scenario that I recommend. It would also be simple to use as a kick start for a campaign in any time since the 1950s." - RT.

The Secret Song of Lake Billings (Aaron Hawke, $2.49 PDF)

"Had a great time playing this, really loved the character and the setting was great. Classic 80s horror movie kinda vibes. would recommend." - OW.

At the Gates of Carcosa (Quico Vicens-Picatto, $3.00 PDF)

"Wow, what an excellent, smart, detailed adventure. Apparently, the author does all of the art too. Wow, he is a talented artist. I got the Author's first title, On Air it was a shorter one shot but I thought it was brilliantly done. When I saw he put out a second one I was hopeful. At the Gates of Carcosa lives up to the expectations he created with On Air. My party all agreed that when Chaosium releases any further Modules we are going to be sure to play through it. It is easy to tell after two of these the Author is detailed and has been running Cthulhu campaigns for a very long time." - CH.

William Bailey's Haunted Mansion: A Call of Cthulhu Adventure (David Waldron, Shannon Nichols, ($4.95 PDF, $8.95/$13.90 softcover standard color book)

"This is an amazingly well researched piece dripping in local history. The author's passion really shines through. The scenario is very cleanly laid out and easy to read and upon running it I discovered just how smoothly the scenario runs once it's going. A good one for those who love to get into character. Watch this author, I bet they have even bigger and better things on the horizon." - RK.

Ghost Trade (Matt "Doc" Tracey, $5.99 PDF)

"For only the second published scenario of the author this is a great tale of isolation, fear and uncovering a mystery that has drawn in the players." - OW.

Dreams of Ghaa-Xothal (Michael Babbs, $29.99 PDF)

"The short version: I'm impressed. It deserves a very positive review. The longer version: The story wasn't what I was expecting at all. It's well thought out, nicely written and will definitely be a challenge (I think it is verging on Pulp Cthulhu in places). It does have some familiar themes, but it adds a twist that makes them surprising. The adventure itself is well presented for an amateur production, the scene descriptions are well written (and frankly very welcome because I can sometimes struggle to set scenes and this wll help), and I particularly like the dreams listed in the appendix that will add an interesting dimension to the game." - RS.

The Art of Hygge (Poul Holmelund, $3.99 PDF)

"This is a really interesting scenario, with the unique feature of a custom included Spotify playlist, including instructions on how to use it. The investigation is laid out well, with clear steps to follow and plenty of interesting handouts. I also find the concept really interesting and not something I've seen before, both in set-up and in execution of the final mythos confrontation... It's a unique concept, a fun setting, and the story is very engaging. It'll provide an entertaining, and horrifying, one session game for your players.." - SH.

Japan - Empire of Shadows: A Call of Cthulhu sourcebook for 1920s Imperial Japan (David Trotti, $19.95 PDF, $39.95/$49.95 softcover standard color book, $49.95/$54.95 hardcover premium color book)

"I got into Call of Cthulhu because I love the 1920s. The mix of horror and history just appeals to me. So I was very excited to finally see a title set in 1920s Japan, a time and place that has been begging for a great sourcebook... At 400 pages, this book is the ultimate resource for any Keeper thinking about taking their players to Japan or Asia. It may even be the ultimate resource for anyone who's ever been interested in pre-war Japan. Beautifully laid out, colorful and easy to navigate, this is something anyone thinking of running Masks of Nyarlathotep or The Children of Fear should absolutely pick up to flesh out Shanghai and East Asia. It could use a "standalone" scenario in the back, but with the three narrative threads and its already hefty 400 pages of great setting material, you'll get no complaints here. Great job!" - DF.

Signal to Noise - A 1980s Analog Horror Scenario (Colin Richards, $9.99 PDF)

"Fantastic scenario. Very creepy and engaging story, enhanced by some of the best handouts I’ve seen including videos that really set the scene for the scenario. The way it’s written is excellent, it makes prep very straightforward and I really appreciated the multiple options for the second half so that I could edit in and out depending on time taken so far and players triggers. The first half was also very detailed and the author has done a great job of laying out the clues. 10/10." - OW.