Cultic (2022)

going ahead and calling this a 5-star, even though I am disappointed with chapter 2 in a purely me-problem kinda way. I am, to quote brian david gilbert, a squishy little baby when it comes to horror games, and the spoopy segments of chapter 1 were right on the edge of what I could handle. like, I hacked them alright, but it's because there was enough power fantasy on either end that I experienced them more as "tense" than "scary." chapter 2 nudges the spoop/shootemup balance towards the former and, while it still was never too much to handle, it made me less enthusiastic to boot the game up and try another level. like I've played chapter 1 all the way through like four times, friends; I do not think I will do the same with chapter 2.

this is not a flaw in the game. this is just a moderate divergence between the devs interests and my own.

but I don't think any game whose first half I played four times deserves less than the full five stars (not that stars matter; they don't!). cultic is absolutely top-tier boomshoot mayhem. I would rank it among the best throwback shooters ever made. in fact I would rank it above most - it may not be, in any measurable sense, "better" than dusk, but it is more my jam. I'd say both are a level of quality where "better" ceases to be a relevant modifier and preference comes down to one's jamminess.

cultic is amazing. chapter 2 is more skilled, ambitious, inventive, and sizable than chapter 1. and, as a whole package, it's really indescribably excellent. I am sad I will probably stop playing it now.

(I am also sad at how long I tried to strategize the final boss before realizing point-blank shotgun blasts are ridiculously op.)

Cultic is a love letter to classic shooters, clearly drawing inspiration from Blood with its bleak visual style, starting off in a grave, and featuring cultists, dynamite, and a lighter. However, it brings its own modern twists with mechanics like reloading, weapon upgrades, and physics-based interactions. For instance, you can roll an oil barrel down a hill to take out a group of cultists, which adds a fun layer of strategy. Sliding is another fresh addition, enhancing the movement dynamics.

I was pleasantly surprised by the length and variety of the first level alone. You journey through a police station, a campsite, mines, and even a lair inhabited by a chainsaw-wielding maniac, all within the same stage.

The combat feels spot-on. The enemies aren’t overly tough and have a slight delay before firing, but if you’re not careful, they can still take you down quickly. Overall, it remains a faithful homage to Blood, with a strong focus on dynamite.

In the beginning, the game features a mechanic reminiscent of Doom 3, where you have to hold a lighter in dark areas, limiting you to one-handed weapons. But a few levels in, you acquire a proper flashlight, which is a welcome upgrade. The first boss fight caught me off guard—it’s a German tank! I didn’t see that coming after battling cultists, skeletons, and demons. The arsenal is also intriguing, with WWII-era weapons like the FG42 and Sten, despite the game being set in the '60s. This seems to be a nod to Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

One surprising feature for a retro shooter is the inclusion of sniper mechanics. You can actually hear the enemy snipers cocking their rifles before they shoot. The flamethrower becomes incredibly valuable in the second episode, offering a fantastic ammo-to-damage ratio and an impressive range.

I wouldn’t have minded a third episode, honestly. I wrapped up the game in about five hours and didn’t tire of the mechanics, which is rare for me. But the story is neatly packaged, mostly conveyed through the journals of a private investigator infiltrating the cult and a researcher collaborating with them. The final boss is a “wall boss,” but it’s rendered in 3D and well-animated, so I have no complaints.

I'm really liking this 'Doom clone' (more, like a 'Blood clone', actually). It does absolutely nothing new and the plot is so secondary to the gameplay that it didn't even need to exist. But the combat is great, I love the atmosphere and the level design is absolutely amazing. Is the best of the 90s FPS.

But again... I've seen all that before. From Doom to Blood to Resident Evil 4 and Dusk. Innovation is not necesary for a good game. But then it would never be a great game.

You can read my full review in spanish here.

And no. I'm not calling it a 'Boomer shooter'. Fuck that.