Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth - Strategy Guide (Page 03)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth - Strategy Guide (Page 03).

Back out toward the prison, follow the right-hand wall down and then up.  
You'll come to a cave ending in a door to a laboratory, which opens with the 
key you took for Marsh's briefcase.  Take the med-kit, rifle bullets, lab 
notes, the green bottle of weed killer next to the lab notes, and avail 
yourself of the save point (Laboratory 88%).  The other side of the room 
contains pistol ammo, Tommy gun ammo, and a guy strapped to a table.  He 
tells you about an old passage deep beneath the temple.  He asks you to kill 
him.  It appears that killing him causes sanity loss, but leaving him alive 
may also.

The back door takes you to the prison, along with its supply of patrolling 
guards.  When you enter the prison proper, you can go left toward a hanging 
animal carcass or right.  Clear the upper level of the prison by going right.  
You'll come to a side passage with a large plant growing up the wall.  Take 
the med-kit and use the weed killer on the roots of the plant.  You can now 
climb the plants to reach a room with an alien gate, but since you don't have 
a green gem you won't be able to activate the gate.

From the room with the now dead weeds, continue around the upper mezzanine of 
the prison.  You'll pass revolver ammo on a wooden platform.  You'll also 
pass a barred window overlooking a cell where you can spot a hammer on the 
floor.  Once you've cleared the upper reaches of the prison, head back around 
and go down the spiral ramp in the center.  You'll find a pack containing all 
of your weapons (pistol, revolver, shotgun, Tommy gun, and crowbar), a bucket 
of slop sits next to some shotgun shells. There are rifle bullets near the 
back.

Unbolt the door and exit, killing any fishmen in the area that you missed 
from above.  In this circular hall you'll find shotgun shells, Thompson ammo, 
and revolver bullets.  Down a short side passage you'll also find a door 
bolted on your side.  For a bit of excitement (and a sanity hit), open the 
door--or leave it closed it you want to conserve sanity.  Nearby you'll find 
a metal wall with a small handle in it.  Hungry pounding comes from the other 
side.  Open the feeding panel and use the prison stop and the blue plant on 
it.  Close the trough.  Circle to the bolted door and enter the cell.  Take 
the med-kit and hammer.  Thus equipped, return up the central spiral to the 
laboratory.  It's time to go get that green gem you saw earlier.

Leave the lab by the opposite door.  Follow the left-hand wall, snaking down 
the ramp all the way around to the brightly lit arch with the two flags.  
Take this passage straight through to the cavern where you found the blue 
plant.  Crawl through the hole to the caves leading to the waterfall.  At the 
first intersection turn left toward the save point.  Use the hammer on the 
nearby gem.

Now retrace your steps back to the laboratory (if you come to the waterfall 
you have gone the wrong way).  Along the way, the earth will shake and deep 
ones will attack you.  The best way to handle them is to step into the hole 
next to the ledge path that I pointed out earlier.  You can stay out of their 
reach by crouching.  That way you can shoot them without danger.  A revolver 
shot to the head is effective against them.

Continue to the laboratory and on to the prison.  Another earthquake signals 
the attack of more deep ones.  You can return to the hole in the passage, or 
you can race to the room where you used the weed killer (to the right when 
you enter the prison area from the laboratory) and climb the weeds.

In the alien gate area, use the green gem on a Y shaped slot on one side of 
the ring.  Go to the other side and activate the green hexagon.  A blinding 
white gate will open.  Go through it.

Right in front of you is the alien energy weapon.  You may need to crouch to 
pick it up.  Get out of the water and practice using the weapon.  It has 
infinite ammo.  A quick pull of the trigger is enough to kill a deep one, 
which are especially susceptible to it.  Press and hold the trigger until the 
world shakes and the infinity symbol on the weapon flashes red.  Release the 
trigger to fire a fully charged shot.  If you hold the trigger too long the 
gun misfires and the shot is wasted.  Notice that if you shoot the water it 
electrifies the water.  This would be handy against the starfish cavern at 
the base of the waterfall, no?

Ahead of you is a save point (Waterfall Source Chamber 88%).  Follow the 
stream to the waterfall to find a med-kit.  Going down this way is too 
dangerous.  Return to the save point.  To the left is a tunnel leading to the 
door.  Behind the door are fishman, so prepare a weapon.

Follow the ledge overlooking the cavern where you found the blue plant.  
There are temporary living quarters off the ledge area.  One room contains 
Thompson ammo, another revolver ammo and up a ramp is a room with a med-kit 
and a pistol clip.

Follow the ledges down to the doorway with many flags, watching out for 
enemies below.  Another earthquake signals the approach of deep ones.  Dive 
into the hole next to the ledge and fight them from there.  Note that your 
energy weapon kills them with one quick shot.  When the music stops you know 
it's safe to come out.

Head back past the arch with flags and continue to the cavern where you found 
the blue plant.  Go through the small hole in the wall to the "unexplored 
area" and continue on to the waterfall (saving at the crystal chamber if you 
want).  Clamber down as you did before until you reach the two tunnels 
leading off.  The left hand tunnel leads up to where you fought Robert Marsh.  
The tunnel on the right is the one you want.  It leads to the pool protected 
by starfish.  Stand back from the pool and shoot the water with your energy 
weapon, frying the starfish Cajun style.  Head in.

Watch you step as you transverse a stone bridge over a bottomless pit.  It 
collapses behind you.  A bit farther the game auto-saves (93%).

In this area you'll find a med-kit and a save point (Forgotten Vault 93%).  
There is a hole next to the elder sign.  Carefully drop down a series of 
ledge.  When you reach the platform with the strange five-toed footprints, go 
to the left edge of the platform.  You'll see a narrow ledge directly below 
you.  To the right of it is a slope that's slightly higher.  Crouch and drop 
to the higher portion, then crawl down to the lower platform.  Turn around 
and you'll see a narrow ledge that ends with two platforms below you.  The 
platform on the left is closer and does not have footprints on it.  Step down 
to it and turn left.  There is a stone bridge.  Step down onto the large 
bounder directly below you and wait for the rock fall to stop before 
advancing.

You're about to face a very tough fight.  I found it easiest to fight from 
the far end of the bridge.  Make sure you have your energy weapon out and 
hurry across the bridge.  At the far end, crouch so the two stone columns are 
to your right and the slope is to your left.  This is important because you 
will be attacked from both sides and the slope will protect your flank.

The winds go crazy and huge floating polyps will glide toward you.  Tackle 
the one on the right first, trusting to the slope to protect you from the one 
behind you.  The polyps attack by sucking and blowing air, and can easily 
knock you off your perch.  The stone column will shield you from the 
monster's breath attack.  You must hit the monsters with fully charged energy 
shots, but remember if you hold the trigger too long the shot will misfire.  
The polyps can vanish and reappear, tending to reappear at the far right edge 
of the bridge.

If you lie low like this the polyps might not even notice you.  This gives 
you a chance to recover your sanity.  Fire off a shot to get their attention, 
but don't expect to hit them from a distance.  It works best to focus on the 
polyp on the right.  When it gets close, keep the pillar between you and it 
while you charge a shot.  Then pop out and release the shot.  It can be a 
very long process.  When you're done with the one on the right, take a pot 
shot at the one on the left and it will eventually come over to the right so 
you can use the same strategy.  You'll know you've killed them all when the 
music stops.

Climb the ramp that's been protecting your left flank.  See that rock at the 
top?  STAY AWAY FROM IT.  Twice while standing behind that rock I have 
suddenly been propelled to my death in the abyss--requiring me to fight the 
polyps all over again!

Instead, follow the ramps up, hopping up ledges.  At the very top are thick 
vines you can climb to reach an opening in a seal far above.  There are two 
med-kits at the top.  Follow the tunnel to another med-kit, and then climb 
and jump up a slope.  Watch out for holes in the floor!  Any death now will 
send you back before the polyps.

You'll find a last med-kit on a high ledge.  Near it is a tunnel with a save 
point (Temple Ventilation 93%).  Crawl out of the tube for a view of the 
temple.  There are med-kits to the far corners on your side of the bridge.  
All these med-kits are rather ominous.  On your side of the bridge is 
pedestal.  Use the Book of Dagon to translate the symbols (94%).  Isn't it 
nice that you can so easily finish the translation that Marsh has worked on 
for such a long time?

Inside the temple is a gong.  This will be important soon.  But for now go 
upstairs and surprise the sorcerers in their evil worship.  Run back to the 
pedestal where you found the Tablets of Dagon and fight them from there.  It 
gives a nice long killing field.

Head back upstairs.  That big ugly in the bubble is a manifestation of Mother 
Hydra.  There are channels that lead to her.  Your job is to release the 
water that feeds the channels, flooding her bubble so you can shoot the water 
with your energy weapon.  Doing it will be harder than it sounds.

Turn around and go up the ramp to the center statue.  There is a fish-headed 
lever behind the statue.  Activate the leaver and the water will be released.  
So will deep ones who will attack you.  Luckily the energy weapon works great 
against them.

There are four other statues in the temple.  It'll take water from all the 
statues to flood Hydra's bubble.  But the statues are too high for you to 
reach with your feeble jump ability.  If only you had the mighty frog legs of 
a deep one.

You might want to go back to the ventilation shaft occasionally to save.  You 
need to hold down the jump button to get up the slope, and then crouch to 
enter the tube.  The save point here is finicky and it must be faced from the 
right-hand side.

You'll get flashes from Hydra's point of view of you standing in the pool in 
front of her bubble.  The problem is, when you do this Jack says he can't 
concentrate and then deep ones attack.  You need to stop Hydra's mental 
assault so you can concentrate.  This is where the gong comes in.  If you 
examine the gong, Jack says if you hit it with enough force it would be 
deafening.

Shoot the gong with a fully charged energy beam from close up and then run up 
to the small pool in front of Hydra.  Shoot any roving deep ones.  After a 
few moments your point of view will switch to one of the deep ones, and this 
time you'll be able to control it!  If you control it for just a moment it 
means the gong isn't ringing loud enough.  Make sure you hit the gong with a 
fully charged energy shot.

While you control the deep one, jump up to a statue and swat the lever on its 
backside by using the attack button.  You'll then lose control of the deep 
one and have to shoot it.  Go downstairs and shoot the gong again.  Repeat 
until all the levers behind the status have been thrown.  Watch out for other 
waves of deep ones that Hydra summons to harass you.

Once the levers behind all the status have been activated, hit the pool in 
front of Mother Hydra with a fully charged energy shot and watch the shocking 
climax.  Just don't be standing in the pool when you do it!

Go to the pedestal right in front of her and take the gold disc to expose a 
save point (Hydra's Pedestal 94%).  Turn around and go to the other end of 
the room.  There is a red button under a stone plaque.  Use the Book of Dagon 
to read the plaque.  Use the charm on the red button to open the exit.

Go up the stairs.  You're now in the area where you got the rifle.  In the 
first windowed chambered you'll see the city is no longer shielded from the 
sub's attack.

Run through the falling rubble.  Go straight until you come to the decorative 
door with the many flags.  Turn right.  When you get to the ledge, watch out 
for the cracked area.  The ground will break away at your feet.  You'll have 
to jump across.  Keep going to the area overlooking the prison campfire.  
Keep to the right-hand wall and go all the way up.  A cave that's been sealed 
since Marsh captured you is now inexplicably open.  Head in and go straight 
until you reach another pedestal with a red button and carvings.  Use the 
gold disc on the red button to open a gate out.  Go through the gate to end 
the level and the game.


SHADOW OUT OF TIME (ENDING SPOILER!!!)

So what does the ending mean?   It helps to know some of the mythology.  In 
September 6, 1915 Jack first encountered the Lovecraft Mythos at the cultist 
house.  The cultists worship Yithians, and have apparently selected Jack as a 
host for one of the Great Race.  Yithians existed over fifty million years 
ago, but they are able to project their minds through time to invade the 
bodies of people in modern times.  For the six years Jack's body was 
controlled by a Yithian, Jack occupied the Yithian's monstrous form.  The 
Yithians are generally kindly and share information with those they hijack, 
which is why the Yithian is calmly explaining about the impending destruction 
of the Yithian civilization by their ancient foes the flying polyps.  Keep in 
mind all this happened millions of years in the past.  When they send their 
victims back to their own bodies (and times) they blank their minds so they 
will remember nothing of their experiences with the Yithians.  However, the 
amnesia is imperfect and the victim may have nightmares such as Jack 
experiences in the three Shadow Out of Time segments.  These scenes are all 
resurfacing memories of Jack's time with the Yithians millions of years in 
the past.

It's hard to say whether it's his memories of being a Yithian that cause Jack 
to go insane, or his guilt over Ramona's death.  Perhaps ending the game with 
an A Mythos rating can save him.


APPENDIX: JOURNAL ENTRIES

DIARY
Sep 6 1915 A Local Disturbance
1916-1921 Missing Entries
Feb 6, 1922 A Shadowed Past
Feb 6, 1922 New Client
Feb 7, 1922 Gilman Hotel
Feb 8 1922 Church Refuge
Feb 8, 1922 Jailbreak
Feb 8, 1922 The Feds
Feb 9, 192 The Order of Dagon
Feb 10, 1922 The Cutter Urania
Feb 10, 1922 The Reef of Satan
Feb 10, 1922 The Dark Depths
Feb 16, 1922 Suicide Note

A COLLECTION OF GENERAL EVIDENCE
Podium Sermon
Diary of a Cult Member
The Boston Globe, 20th August 1909
Arkham Advertiser, 6th February 1922
Diary of Brian Burnham
Innsmouth Courier, 19th June 1846
Arkham Advertiser, 7th February 1922
Diary of Thomas Waite
Ramona Waite's Coloring Book
Post Mortem Records
Diary of the Church Minister
Postcard
Registry of Births, Deaths and marriages
Ship Logs of Captain Obed Marsh
Letter from Sebastian Marsh
Diary of Robert Marsh
Diary of one of the crew
Lab Notes of Ester marsh

MYTHOS TOMES AND MANUSCRIPTS
Pnakotica
Book of Dagon
Oaths of Dagon
I'a Dagon
Ponape Scripture
Tablets of Dagon


ACHIEVING 100% COMPLETION

Achieving 100% completion isn't as hard as it seems.  The official game site 
at www.callofcthulhu.com/formus/index.php?shotopic=2153 explains how.

* Get all journal entries.
* Find the rifle in the refinery (behind an office door early in the level).
* Save Ruth in the cannery warehouse rafters.
* Make sure you keep enough sailors alive during the ship ambush.

Completion score does not appear to be affected by the difficulty level.

Triggering conversations and cutscenes does not affect the completion score.  
I apologize for misleading people in version 1.0 of this walkthrough.

Getting 100% complete does not give you a different ending.


ACHIEVING A MYTHOS RANK

To get an A Mythos Rank you must achieve a 100% completion score in either 
less than 3 1/2 hours with fewer than 30 saves, or in less than 5 hours with 
fewer than 5 saves.  You cannot achieve an A Rank when playing on Boy Scout 
difficulty.

How long it took you to finish the game and the number of manual saves you 
used affect your Mythos Rank as shown on the following table.

Hours To Finish   Rank
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 0.0-3.5 hours    A Rank (also requires 100% completion score)
 3.6-5.0 hours    B Rank
 5.1-??? hours    C Rank
 ???-??? hours    D Rank

Manual Saves      Adjustment
------------------------------------------------------------------
 0-5  saves       1 Rank Bonus
 6-30 saves       0 Rank Adjustment
 31+ saves       1 Rank Penalty
 

XBOX 360 NOTES

Dark Corners of the Earth is one of the first backwardly compatible games on 
the Xbox 360.  Graphics on the 360 are much brighter and sharper on an HD TV.  
Thanks to 4x anti-aliasing, there are no jaggies.  However, on the 360 the 
controls are very sluggish and the game suffers terrible slowdown in the 
larger areas.  There are other problems as well.  The game crashed 
consistently during the Robert Marsh boss fight, and the ending cinema had 
sound but no picture.  While the game may look nice on the 360, it plays much 
better on the original Xbox.