Cult of the Yellow King

About

Cult of the Yellow King is a single player strategy game with a horror theme. It was developed by Metaphor Games and was released on December 12, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Cult of the Yellow King is a cosmic horror idle game where you lead a cult to summon the eldritch Yellow King, sacrificing your humanity with each click. As reality decays, you unlock disturbing tales and watch the world warp with yellow eyes. Embrace a haunting journey of unmaking through prayer, sacrifice, and grim ascension.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

music15 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

The game features an exceptional Lovecraftian atmosphere, with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The writing is immersive and well-crafted, effectively capturing the eerie essence of cosmic horror and keeping players engaged with its lore.
Despite being in early access, the game shows great potential for future updates, with a responsive development team and a roadmap that promises improvements.

The gameplay loop can feel monotonous and lacks depth, with many players expressing frustration over the slow progression and unclear mechanics.
There are significant issues with the user interface and quality of life features, making it difficult for players to access critical information and manage resources effectively.
Many players have reported bugs and glitches, particularly with the prestige system, which can hinder progress and lead to a frustrating experience.

music
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
38%
10%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many users praising its ability to create an immersive and atmospheric experience that enhances the overall gameplay. The soundtrack, described as phenomenal and fitting for the game's themes, contributes significantly to the eerie and foreboding ambiance, making it a standout feature. While some found the music oppressive, the majority agree that it elevates the game's aesthetic and emotional impact, with many expressing a desire to explore the artists further.
- “The art direction and music are top-notch, creating a unique atmosphere.”
- “With a foreboding feeling and a fitting soundtrack, it puts you in the headspace of someone dealing with Lovecraftian nightmares.”
- “The music, the art style, the writing... everything just comes together so beautifully.”
- “I had a moment where I turned my volume up from zero and spent like 20 seconds deciding that it was in fact the idle game I had been playing that was playing the metal music I was hearing.”
- “You lost me at that annoying soundtrack.”
- “Music is oppressive.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The game's story is praised for its unique twist on Lovecraftian themes, offering an immersive and eerie narrative that enhances the gameplay experience. While players appreciate the well-written lore and atmospheric elements, some express a desire for a more streamlined progression to access the story without excessive grinding. Overall, the narrative adds depth and engagement, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The lovecraftian setting works very well and it is nice to see this kind of game with an actual story (a well written one even!).”
- “The game is neat, it's immersive and interesting, and its story and atmosphere are wonderful.”
- “Unlocking new things results in a small bit of story sometimes though, which truly has such a great vibe.”
- “The game would be honestly enriched, in my mind, by moving at a reasonably steady clip and just giving you that story.”
- “What I mean by that is that there is a story it wants to tell, but how you progress in that isn't clear.”
- “This is mostly tied to story logs, which don’t appear again after the first time, and the number of times you prestige.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and disturbing aesthetic, effectively capturing the dark and atmospheric themes inspired by cosmic horror. Users appreciate the combination of superb artwork, somber colors, and fitting music, which together create an immersive experience. While there are some suggestions for improving the user interface, the overall visual presentation is considered fantastic and integral to the game's appeal.
- “Aesthetically, this game is fantastic.”
- “The visuals and feel of the game is absolutely fantastic.”
- “The writing is immaculate and the visuals are disturbing, but I also can't look away.”
- “The art style is very unique and leans into the twisted imagery of Hastur and the Yellow King.”
- “The visuals and feel of the game are absolutely fantastic.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
9%
27%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the essence of cosmic and eldritch horror. The combination of top-notch art direction, a fitting black metal soundtrack, and somber visuals creates a unique and captivating experience that enhances the storytelling. Overall, players find the atmosphere exceptional, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Great game, eerie and creepy with an atmosphere that really captures the cosmic/eldritch horror of the King in Yellow.”
- “The art direction and music are top-notch, creating a unique atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere the developer has created is exceptional!!!!”
- “It nails the atmosphere, but is like... almost not a game.”
- “The immersive metal soundtrack really gives that gloomy, eerie, maddening atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere the developer has created is exceptional!”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The gameplay has been criticized for its monotonous and frustrating mechanics, with players feeling that the loop lacks balance and excitement. While the game features appealing art and potential, the current experience is marred by slow progression and unclear objectives, leading to a sense of tedium rather than enjoyment. Many hope that future updates will address these issues, but concerns remain about the game's ability to evolve into a more engaging experience.
- “Basically this game has prestige loops with different objectives each time, kind of like challenge modes in most other idle/incremental games but baked into the core prestige mechanic.”
- “The gameplay could feel a bit more rewarding, though.”
- “Lately I've been really tired of these idlers/incrementals only being 2-4 hours of gameplay which is nothing for the genre.”
- “While the gameplay loop feels a bit monotonous right now, I truly believe the developers will flesh it out and solve this by the 1.0 release.”
- “That being said, there are some issues during extended gameplay that may or may not break the game.”
- “And to be honest, looking at the development map, it seems like the gameplay is not going to be evolving to become fun.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits stability issues, including a problematic interface and several glitches, which detract from the overall experience, despite the strong writing.
- “The interface needs a lot of work, and the game has a fair few glitches.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced multiple bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be meaningful and somewhat addictive, as it complements the gloomy storyline. Many are engaged in the grind, with some actively working towards higher prestige levels, indicating a sense of investment in the game's progression.
- “Currently grinding towards the 3rd prestige, so I feel like I've got enough time under my belt to speak on the state of the game as I've experienced it.”
- “You basically have a gloomy storyline that makes grinding, clicking, and idling meaningful - and somewhat addictive.”