Call of Cthulhu – No Time to Scream by B.W. Holland, Bridgett Jeffries, C.L. Werner

Game Review

Seth Stauffer

Gaming is fun, but to newcomers, it can be intimidating. Everyone who has ever played a tabletop roleplaying game started at one point. They saw a core rulebook and asked themselves, “How many pages of rules do I need to know?” That first turn running a game is often even more daunting for inexperienced players. To that end, Chaosium has published No Time to Scream, three short modules to help new players learn the iconic game Call of Cthulhu (CoC). Three easy first steps in the dark, twisted horror H.P. Lovecraft; three first possible break-ins for the uninitiated.

This book is oriented towards helping newcomers learn Call of Cthulhu, and it largely succeeds. Before any modules are presented, there’s a great rule primer on how CoC operates. This is an ideal way to begin. A word of caution, though: just because this is for new players doesn’t mean it is for children. The three scenarios are all excellent. Each one has a distinct feel and is a throwback to the malevolent Lovecraftian tales horror fans know and love. 

The first asks players to interrogate a university professor and determine the cause of his strange behaviour. What’s more, there’s something else hiding in the house that might have it in for the players if they can’t locate it first. The whole adventure is set at the professor’s home, curtailing the setting where players can explore, keeping everything contained in a small area.

For the second module, players explore a morgue and deal with a bizarre murder. The catch in this mission is that the players are set against a clock. They need to explore the entire morgue and track down every trace of the killer before people show up for work the next day. This includes clever guidelines for keeping players on track and maintaining pressure. 

Third is an investigation into a bootlegging operation set in Alaska. If the weather and terrain don’t reach the PCs, what’s lurking up there just might. Sending PCs to an illegal distillery is a fun idea—a Lovecraftian gin mill! However, the threat is straight out of a classic Lovecraft tale. It is fun to twist a wild part of history into something disturbing.

The layout and presentation are well done and complimented by vivid, full-colour art. The appendices are informative. Plus, there are the typical freebie downloads available online. It’s a well-made product.

What could have helped were the general guidelines new Keepers need when running a game. For example, there are tips on how to keep the players focused. The design of the individual modules is effective at helping offset some of these issues, but it can only solve some things. No design is perfect, and players will find a way to derail a session, no matter how well-conceived the material is. Some of this was visible, like tips on pacing in ‘Bits and Pieces,’ but like the rules primer in the introduction, a few helpful Keeper guidelines would have been nice.

This book would also be great for veteran players, and it’s probably worth having on hand when a group wants a shorter session. There isn’t much the book lacks except a bit of general advice for newbie Keepers. Otherwise, it’s the kind of product every game should have and is great for just about anyone. Losing your mind has never been so easy.