Ever wanted to lead your own cult, but find the whole “human sacrifice” thing a bit off-putting? Cult of the Lamb, the delightfully dark roguelike from Massive Monster, lets you build your adorable flock of followers without sacrificing your morals (or any actual lambs). Picture this: You’re a fluffy lamb about to be sacrificed, but instead of meeting your maker, you’re offered a deal by a demonic deity known as The One Who Waits. He’ll save your life, and give you unholy powers, and all you have to do is start a cult in his name. Sound intriguing? Welcome to Cult of the Lamb, a game that’s equal parts adorable and disturbing.
At its core, Cult of the Lamb is a hybrid of a dungeon-crawling roguelike and cult management sim. You take turns wandering through randomly created dungeons and taking care of your cult members’ daily routines as the leader. The combat system is thrilling and quick-paced with different types of weapons and skills available during every dungeon exploration— ensuring it never gets monotonous but rather always keeps you on your toes. The intensity of action demands agility due to Lamb’s dodge roll; you also need to adopt a strategy when using curses that deplete Fervor.
This cult base management game takes place outside of dungeons, where you have to establish your cult’s base. The tasks at the base include gathering resources, constructing buildings, and performing rituals that ensure the followers’ faith and dedication. A good synergy between these two aspects results in a cyclical relationship: achievements in dungeons greatly determine how prosperous your cult will be, which in turn influences your gameplay. Cult bases are important for keeping followers’ loyalty— more than dungeon success — so both need equal attention during gameplay coordination.
Cult Management
One way to make a cult work is to balance three essential needs: food, health, and spirituality. Faith is also important because, without it, the members of the group may start to have doubts. You can keep their faith high by delivering sermons each day as well as completing quests and rituals. The latter can be innocent ceremonies or practices bordering on being inhuman like human sacrifices, and this depends on which principles you decide to follow.
The flexibility of letting you shape your cult is one of the most intriguing elements of this game. You can either be a kind leader who values his worshipers’ welfare or an authoritarian ruler who uses them for his own benefit. As a result, these choices affect how you play since different tenets provide unique bonuses and abilities.
Art and Atmosphere
The art style of Cult of the Lamb is both cute and morbid. The fusion of adorable cartoonish woodland creatures with sinister undertones results in an image that is memorable and visually appealing. Every nook and cranny of the game’s environments is intricately designed, overflowing with unique personality and allure; this includes dungeons as well as cult bases.
The design doesn’t stop at the graphics but seeps into many collectible items in the game like Tarot cards which give different benefits and downsides. The pictures on these cards are stunningly beautiful, contributing further to the visual charm of the game. The horror and humor blend portrayed by the art direction does more than just set the tone for the gameplay; it underscores that distinct duality in every game’s aspect.
Combat and Exploration
The dungeon-crawling part of Cult of the Lamb is where the game shines with its roguelike elements. Each time you venture into a dungeon, it’s a brand new adventure filled with enemies, traps, and treasures. The combat feels smooth and responsive, offering a range of weapons and curses to experiment with. You can pick from quick and nimble weapons like daggers or slower but more powerful ones like axes, each having its strengths and weaknesses.
As you explore, you’ll be rewarded with new followers, resources, and valuable items that come in handy for managing your cult. The dungeons also have tough boss fights that put your skills and strategies to the test. Going through these dungeons successfully is crucial for the growth and survival of your cult since the resources and followers you gather are crucial for maintaining your base.
Rituals and Doctrines
One of the coolest things about this game is the ritual system. It lets you do all sorts of ceremonies that can boost faith, get you resources, or give you other sweet benefits. And you unlock these rituals by choosing different doctrines. These doctrines shape the beliefs and practices of your cult. For example, you could pick a doctrine that allows your followers to battle it out in ritual combat, or one that boosts faith by offering up sacrifices.
The best part is that the choice of doctrines adds a ton of replayability to the game. Depending on which ones you go for, you can end up with totally different playstyles and dynamics within your cult. It’s all about experimenting and finding that perfect balance that matches your leadership style.
A Few Fleecy Flaws
While Cult of the Lamb is undeniably charming, it’s not without its flaws. The dungeon crawling can seem repetitive after playing for a while, and the base-building aspects lack some of the depth found in other management sims. Still, these minor issues are easily overshadowed by the game’s unique charm and addictive gameplay loop.
Verdict
Cult of the Lamb is a charming dark comedy that manages to mingle roguelike action with a cult simulator. It’s adorable, it’s messy, and it’s got surprising depth. With an absolute ton of character, it’s sure to wrap you up in its fluffy arms and refuse to let go. If you fancy playing a darkly humorous game that’s light on its feet, then this game is an offering you can’t refuse. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a sermon to give and a few dissenting followers to…re-educate.
Released on August 11, 2022, Cult of the Lamb is available on both PS4 and PS5 platforms.