Review: Dagon: Complete Edition (Nintendo Switch)

Based on the works of writer H.P. Lovecraft, Dagon: Complete Edition would best be described as a visual novel. Interaction is limited to clicking parts of the screen to advance or find trivia hotspots. Those looking for adventure won’t find a lot here, but fans of the written word may want to give this one a closer look.

I’m not very familiar with the works of Lovecraft, a fellow New Englander who had a difficult life and got more fame after his death. But I am familiar with his inspiration (Edgar Allen Poe) plus subsequent media that Lovecraft himself inspired. I’m also familiar with visual novels as something of a bookworm. Lastly, I drift towards horror games that lack demonic elements, and are less focused on blood, jump scares, and violence. Dagon is more about an unsettling atmosphere and leaving you to your own interpretation, something indicated by its lack of an M-rating.

While I call this a visual novel, it’s more like a collection of visual short stories. The titular Dagon (from 1917) is one such example. It’s loosely named after the Philistine god (sometimes associated with fish), most famous for having his houses of worship and statues repeatedly collapsed by the Almighty. The story keeps the murky fish angle to some extent but largely goes off in a unique direction, to its benefit. Drugs and sun exposure are a daunting duo for a man adrift at sea. I won’t spoil anything, but again it’s a short story. I wouldn’t call it a breezy read, but it’s too brief to be heavy-handed. The narrator adds an appropriate gravity to the proceedings.

To make this collection “Complete” DLC has been added in the form of additional Lovecraft adaptations. All are just as brief (“suitable for one gaming session” as advertised) but add diversity to this collection. They also introduce diversity in narration, although you can also read along (with adjustable font). One DLC is an adaptation of a short story from when Lovecraft was only seven, fittingly narrated in a younger-sounding voice. Another is an excerpt from a letter an adult Lovecraft wrote to a friend describing a nightmare. Here, it attempts a grown-up New England accent with reasonable results.

At points, you can click spots for trivia on the historical background of Lovecraft’s work and the writer himself. Interesting, but even though I only found about two-thirds on my playthrough, these aren’t strong replay incentives to experience this release. Though perhaps it will be effective in getting people into the existential writings of the author.

Dagon: Complete Edition is intriguing in the way many visual novels are. While its brevity helps it avoid some issues common to the genre, it also lessens the impact it can have. Can the atmosphere conveyed through this presentation compete with your own imagination? The written word only translates so well in this medium. Still, the visuals complement it well (with a zoom option), the cast of narrators is varied and capable, and the HD rumble implementation is immersive.