AO Archives: Lust for Darkness

Okay, so here's a game that I wasn't sure how to classify. Why? Well, it's an erotic horror game - emphasis on the 'erotic' part of that classification. This game could've been either an AO Archives entry or a standard review.

Then again, I guess the title, Lust for Darkness, makes things a bit obvious about what we're dealing with. All that said, let's discuss this particular game.

Lovecraftian Erotica

So...Lovecraftian Erotica...two words I didn't think I'd see in the same sentence...like, ever. The visuals were based on stuff from the portfolios of H.R. Giger and Zdzslaw Beksinski. So, where does Lovecraft fit in? Well, the storyline, that's where. The plotline was inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

The game was released for Mac OS and PC in 2018, Nintendo Switch in 2019, and PlayStation 4 in 2020.

Reception-wise, Lust for Darkness got mixed reviews on PC and negative reviews on Switch. Here are some of the reviews:

"A flimsy attempt at Horny Amnesia." - PC Gamer

Commenting on the sexual content, they said:

"A juvenile, shallow fascination with sex." - PC Gamer

PC Gamer also criticized it, however, for avoiding discussions of sexual trauma, anxiety, and taboos.

"A genuinely refreshing focus on sexuality that avoided crude immaturity." - PC Magazine Australia

Let's discuss the story next, shall we?

A Sex Cult Storyline

Jonathan Moon has been searching for his wife, Amanda, for a year. One night a mysterious letter - written in Amanda's handwriting - arrives in the mail, and directs him to the Yelverton Mansion.

He goes to the mansion, like you do, and encounters a cult trying to open a portal to the world of Lust'ghaa - the land of lust or pleasure or something - I didn't understand the explanation very well. Of course, to open this portal involves an orgy...lovely.

They are, apparently, successful and Jonathan spends the rest of the game navigating between the supernatural other realm and the real world trying to rescue his wife.

What did I Like?

So...what did I like about this game? Well, there's quite a bit to like.

• Conceptually, the idea of an erotic Lovecraftian horror story is interesting.
• The game looks really good.
• Story-wise, the game is very well-written and well-paced.
• The music and soundtrack are great.

Was there Anything I didn't Like?

There were a few things that I wasn't too keen on.

• The character of Yelverton is your stereotypical villain, and it was disappointing in a way because I thought we'd get a more interesting villain.
• The puzzles are intricate, but are either ridiculously easy to work out or really obscure.
• There were a few instances where the lighting and visuals - nice as they are - gave me a nasty headache.
• The controls felt really awkward, BUT that might be because of my PC. I had to lower some settings and do some tinkering to get the game stable which probably did more than I thought it did.
• There were stealth sequences that were frustrating and felt kind of repetitive. Sneaking around to avoid monsters loses its shine very quickly.

Is Lust for Darkness Worth your Time?

This is kind of a loaded question. Lovecraftian horror is very different from your standard horror fare. I like the game just fine, let me make that clear, but it won't appeal to everyone. The name H.P. Lovecraft isn't usually associated with sex, and this game has so much sexualized imagery that it's almost funny.

Hardcore fans of Lovecraft-style stories MIGHT get a thrill here and there when Mr. Lovecraft's work is referenced - because that does happen once or twice. If you're going in hoping for sex around every corner...yeah, no, you're going to be disappointed, I think. Except for one big scene early on, sex is rarely shown.

Now, all that said, I do think that Lust for Darkness is worth checking out if you're a fan of erotic horror stuff. It's well-written, it's atmospheric, it looks great, and most of the horror stuff is subtle - a major plus in my book.

Just...don't play it when there are kids nearby, okay?