As Louis Grunewald, a quiet linguistics professor from the Miskatonic University, you will confound the forces of darkness before time runs out—but should Professor Grunewald be eliminated for some reason, you can successively assume the identity of a new investigator. There are four ready-made investigators provided for this purpose, enabling you to take on differing roles as circumstances change in your search for the truth: Louis Grunewald, a linguistics professor from the Miskatonic University, Lydia Lau, a story-seeking reporter for the New York Sun, Devon Wilson, a sailor on leave from the US Navy, and Ernest Holt, a wealthy industrialist.

This adventure is guaranteed dangerous. But, no matter how skillfully you avoid death or madness, your investigators will fail if they do not prevent the turning of the world and the freeing of the City of the Old Ones from the ice.