By Jonathan Bilski
Why did I get so addicted to this one? An entire evening gone, entranced like I was under some spell. Cult of the Lamb, I'm totally in submission. This hard to put down rogue-like, resource manager has me...and maybe, that's a good thing.
You heard that correct, this cute as a button title is more than just a rogue-like where you got out to kill cute little unbelievers, it's also a resource management game. So, you've got to keep your flock loving you, your G-d and not pooping everywhere. There's so much poop!
Basic premise, you got your head chopped off and some sort of fallen "deity" brings you back to form a cult on worshiping them. You fight your way defeating heretics until you get to their boss, another deity and take them out too. Rinse, lather, repeat.
At the same time you've got to manage followers you save from other cults or strange little moral vignettes. That means building a place to live, sleep, eat, work and worship. That means building and managing your people your way, like some sort of functioning McDonald's. This got me as I couldn't wait to see what new structure would develop my little cult and how I should have investing in plumbing.
The only way to upgrade your little lamb is through faith. Literally, you get power-ups for a bigger arsenal and what not through devotion from your cult. So, you need to manage both them and yourself. They really do give you faith points from praying or liking you and what you've got to say. Hey, you can unlock sermons and religions rites. Who want to have a feast...or a sacrifice?
It can be tough, I screwed up and jumped the gun on building places I didn't need. I didn't have enough supplies to build essential buildings. *So make a note to save up for a stone mine and wood mill and make them first.
The rogue-like element of the game gets you pumped up for fights that require you to dodge and use different weapons and powers you've unlocked. I just got a demon helper I have gotten to try, yet. It goes by fast and can give you a thrill as you could die and get sent back to your village. And skeletons being left behind by your enemies is a nice visual and a resource you need to collect.
Back in the village you've got a lot to do. So, it's strange and fun to juggle both. The game easily could have chosen one of these aspects, manage the cult or fight your way through different quick-paced levels. To do both made a game that had me wanting to stay with my cult, but knowing I had to get out there and kick-butt and vice versa. Like being a working parent, you just want to excel at your career and hope your kids aren't dead when you come home.
formed by cute little woodland creatures, much like a storybook...and then sometime horrible things that happen in that cult. Visually, both sections draw you in by the style of the game, instead of a scary, menacing world, we're in a place with cute random animals...who might be worshiping things they shouldn't.
The darker edges make it a must, the underlying messed-up nature with these too cute animal is just too much.
I've only play a few hours, but I know if I get back into it's another entire evening gone or there goes a Saturday or Sunday.
Recommend for those seek something like a Netflix series to binge or can just pick up and play and return to.
*Note, there is poop soup unlocked fairly early in the game
Cult of the Lamb is out now on Steam, Switch, PlayStation 4/ 5, Xbox One, Series X/S.
Game provided by publisher for review purposes