Game: Lust From Beyond
Platform: PC
Genre: survival horror, psychological horror, erotic horror
Style: heavy Lovecraftian influences
Verdict: Recommended
Buy: Steam
I originally received a review copy of Lust From Beyond to review for MonsterVine.

If Lust for Darkness feels like an introduction to the world of Lusst’ghaa and the cults trying to reach it, then Lust From Beyond is the fulfillment of its promises, a full horror game that follows the events of Lust for Darkness and further explores the concepts introduced there.

This time, the main character is a man named Victor, whose visit to the mysterious town Bleakmoor leads to him being caught up in the machinations of two rival groups seeking Lusst’ghaa, the Cult of Ecstasy and the Scarlet Lodge.

While Lust From Darkness is not directly based on Lovecraft’s work, Bleakmoor has clear Innsmouth inspirations, as well as a section that pays homage to the game Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth.

Like the original, Lust From Beyond goes all in with its lore to portray a solid cosmic horror story rooted in sex. In Lusst’ghaa, this comes in the form of alien sexual imagery, while the Cult of Ecstasy and the Scarlet Lodge bring in the human side of sexuality… though often even more monstrous when it comes to the Scarlet Lodge and the brutal lengths its members will go to.

Now, I actually played them in reverse order, playing Lust From Beyond earlier this year for my review and then picking up Lust for Darkness this October during a sale. That might have influenced my perception, but I almost saw Lust for Darkness as a prototype for what Lust From Beyond would become.

Everything the first game introduced, Lust From Beyond expands upon. There is more sexual content, including an occasional sex mini-game. There is more exploration and puzzle-solving, as well as new gameplay additions in Lusst’ghaa. There are more enemies, and even a modicum of combat.

So if you’re intrigued by the concept and won’t shy away from macabre and sexual imagery (sometimes together), Lust From Beyond is a satisfying cosmic horror game that makes the most of its bizarre universe.

(An M-rated version is also in development for both PC and consoles.)

Buy: Steam