The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu – Lovecraft-inspired co-op survival horror game launches

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After a long wait, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu officially launched on July 15, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is the latest project from Chilean developer ACE Team, best known for Zeno Clash, Rock of Ages, and The Eternal Cylinder, and is published by Nacon.

As its name suggests, the game draws direct inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, blending horror, survival, and cooperative multiplayer gameplay.

The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (Image source: Steam)
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (Image source: Steam)

Story: A Conquistador-era expedition

The game is set during the age of the Conquistadors. Players take on the role of an expedition team hired by Captain El Capitán aboard a galleon. Their mission is to gather as much treasure as possible, search for missing explorers, locate an ancient fortress, and, if fortune allows, survive the perilous journey home.

From the moment the expedition reaches the jungle, an unsettling sense of dread hangs in the air. Within this cursed wilderness, priceless treasures and ancient mysteries are guarded by incomprehensible entities, ready to punish anyone reckless enough to trespass into their domain.

Setting out on a galleon expedition (Image source: Steam)
Setting out on a galleon expedition (Image source: Steam)

Co-op gameplay for up to four players

The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a co-op horror adventure that supports up to four players. Before each expedition, the team signs a contract with the captain to obtain equipment, share weapons and supplies, and choose the next area of the jungle to explore. The deeper the group ventures, the greater the dangers become.

Once ashore, players are truly on their own, relying only on spatialized voice chat to coordinate with teammates against unpredictable threats. Along the way, they can discover abandoned fortresses and recover journals to unlock them as new starting points for future expeditions. The ultimate objective is to reach The Mound, a legendary site rumored to hold unimaginable riches.

Working together against terrifying threats (Image source: Steam)
Working together against terrifying threats (Image source: Steam)

The madness system: Your own mind is the greatest enemy

The game's standout feature is its madness system, which alters the player's perception and draws heavily from the oppressive atmosphere of H.P. Lovecraft's works. As madness increases, the jungle begins to manipulate what players see and hear. Mysterious forces distort the senses, blur the line between reality and illusion, and sow distrust among teammates.

In other words, players gradually lose confidence in whether anything they experience can be trusted. This mechanic creates a far more intense and unpredictable co-op experience than traditional survival games.

With nearly two decades of experience crafting distinctive game worlds and a compelling Lovecraftian setting, ACE Team's The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu stands out as a promising choice for fans of cooperative horror games.