Cultist Simulator (2018)

Incredibly complex and intersting game. It can be very confusing and can require a lot of trial and error to figure out if you dont use the wiki. But what makes this game so great is the writing. Alexis Kennedy, the writer for this game and one of its two developers, just has this way of making even the normalest sentences sound interesting. The entire world of the secret histories he created is just incredible, so much so that it has a trpg set in its world. Just like the character you play as you slowly learn more and more about the secrets of the world. If you enjoy well written games (or even books since this game kinda feels like playing a book) give this game a try and check the wiki if youre stuck.

Two more points I couldnt fit into the text. This game has inspirations from Lovecraft but it does its own thing mostly. You wont find Cthullu or Aszathoth which can be important for some people looking for some more original games that dont reuse old storys/characters. Secondly, even though this game has Simulator in the game, it is not one of those bad glitchy Unity Simulator games.

Honestly enjoyed my time with the game with only having a minor victory (through DLC). I had fun trying to survive with different jobs and attempting strategies to win.

My main issue with this game is that while the beginning of the game can be explained through game play, but it comes to a point where the player may have no idea what to do. I have hit the wall multiple times and when talking with friends who have played the game they told me to look at the wiki. While not all "Wiki games" are bad games there is a flaw within the game play because of that.

Over all not a bad game the atmosphere is amazing there is just that flaw on how to win.

Cultist Simulator - First Impressions

What a pleasantly great make-your-own-story card game. While the fundamentals of how the card systems work aren’t too hard to grasp, I found myself quite enjoying this addicting balance and interesting decision making that came into building your own cult and living with the terrible short sighted decisions I made along the way. I managed to get the mundane job ending within the first hour, which was funny considering how little of a point it makes. I have a bit of misgivings on the luck factors (I had the passion->opportunity cards cycle SIX times, what a time waste) but overall it’s very good and very cool. Shelved of course for now, I look forward to going back to it later.

At first I didnt love this game. I actually quit it, said 'not for me'... but a couple weeks later I heard a podcast called Three Moves Ahead where they discussed a similar ambivallence about Cultist Simulator... and somehow, through the experience, I and the podcasters talked ourselves back into it, and it was one of my favorite games of 2018!

If you arent feeling it, let me give you this advice: dont worry if you dont know what you're doing.

You're dealing with inhuman reasoning and dream logic. It /shouldn't/ be easy to understand initially. Over time, however, you will come to understand the world on its terms, not on yours.