What is this game? Call of Cthulhu is a horror roleplaying game by Chaosium, first published in 1981 and now in its seventh edition. Based on the cosmic horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, players take on the roles of investigators - detectives, scholars, journalists, and adventurers - digging into mysteries that were never meant to be solved. The deeper you go, the more your grip on sanity loosens. It uses a percentile dice system with a signature Sanity mechanic that makes every revelation feel consequential.

Why do we love it? Call of Cthulhu does something most RPGs don't: it makes you feel small on purpose. The horror isn't in the monsters - it's in the moment you realize the world is far older, stranger, and more indifferent than you thought. Sessions feel like living inside a classic pulp novel, full of fog-soaked docks, forbidden libraries, and the particular dread of knowing just a little too much. Few games have aged as well, or earned as much loyalty from their players.

Why is it our game of the month? May marks Chaosium's 50th anniversary - fifty years of games that shaped what this hobby is. Call of Cthulhu is their crown jewel: a game still actively played, still genuinely scary, and still finding new fans four decades after its debut. The 50th Anniversary Slipcase edition just arrived at Netherbook, and there's no better time to pick it up - whether you're a longtime investigator or someone who's never rolled for Sanity in their life.