CULTIC

About

You died? So what? Tuck your guts back in and gear up to fight your way through the ranks of a mysterious and twisted cult. You, your guns, and your dynamite will have to shoot, slide, blast, duck, dodge, and maybe throw a gib or two to survive in this old-school-inspired shooter.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,322 reviews

music803 positive mentions

optimization12 negative mentions

Incredible atmosphere and level design that keeps players engaged and on edge.
Satisfying gunplay with a variety of weapons that feel impactful and rewarding to use.
A unique blend of horror and action elements, reminiscent of classic games like Blood and Resident Evil 4.

The game is relatively short, with only one chapter currently available.
Some enemy AI can be inconsistent, leading to moments where they get stuck or behave oddly.
The color palette can make it difficult to spot enemies at a distance, affecting gameplay clarity.

music
1,471 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
3%
The music in "Cultic" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its blend of eerie ambient tracks and energetic combat themes. While some players noted that certain tracks can feel repetitive or mismatched with the game's darker tones, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is a standout feature, effectively contributing to the game's immersive experience. Many also highlighted the impressive fact that the entire soundtrack was created by a single developer, further elevating the game's appeal.
- “The music is incredible, the guns are satisfying, the gameplay feels tight with solid movement mechanics and fantastic sound design, and the small story pieces are well-written and interesting.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, goes from somber tones, dread tracks, upbeat sounds that push the player forward and some sections that are just pure ambient sound (silence).”
- “The music fits the atmosphere perfectly.”
- “The music is pitiful.”
- “The music clashes hard with the overall mood of the game.”
- “My only real critique is that the music does not match the tone of the game; the grim body horror and evil cult plot elements do not mesh with the melancholic, mournful nature of the music.”
gameplay
1,338 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The gameplay of "Cultic" has been widely praised for its fluid mechanics, engaging combat, and a satisfying blend of retro and modern elements. Players appreciate the variety of weapons, the strategic use of movement mechanics, and the atmospheric level design that enhances the overall experience. While some minor issues exist, such as the handling of certain mechanics like dynamite, the game is considered a standout title in the boomer shooter genre, offering a compelling mix of action and exploration that keeps players coming back for more.
- “The gameplay is relentless and exhilarating, with waves of enemies and relentless action that keeps you on your toes.”
- “Cultic is a great homage to the original blood with its own personality, unique art style and great gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fast and brutal with an excellent selection of weapons to use.”
- “However, the limited weapon and enemy variety makes the gameplay loop slightly tedious, despite how satisfying it is to pop heads.”
- “I was dreading the next gunfight more than I anticipated it, and every fight was really more of an annoying slog than a fun moment of gameplay.”
- “While cultic draws inspiration from blood, it falters in key areas, notably the dynamite mechanic.”
graphics
1,302 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The graphics of "Cultic" have received a mixed yet generally positive reception, with many praising its retro aesthetic that effectively combines pixel art and voxel elements to create a unique atmosphere reminiscent of classic FPS games like "Blood" and "Doom." While some players appreciate the game's gritty, chunky visuals and the way they enhance the horror elements, others find the color palette and sprite clarity can sometimes hinder gameplay, making it difficult to spot enemies. Overall, the art style is seen as a standout feature that complements the game's intense action and horror themes, despite some minor criticisms regarding visibility and graphical fidelity.
- “The graphics are great and the color palette is very unique if you take it all in.”
- “The art style is genuinely good, being very akin to Blood in both color palette and vibe.”
- “The graphics are suitably chunky, meaty, but it works well with the setting; the art style is gloomy, tense, and filled with a sense of mystery and dread.”
- “The graphics are a bit overly mottled-brown, which isn't something I miss about shooters from the eras this game takes influence from, and I think it could've been left in the past.”
- “Is bad and the pathfinding is atrocious; the visuals (low poly + pixel art + color palette) are not suited for long distance kills, it literally hurt my eyes to try to see the enemies from far away, which is a problem since the game is supposed to let you play as you want; and the bosses are pretty underwhelming, you can easily abuse their A.I.”
- “Graphics are rubbish even for a 90's retro aesthetic but gameplay/gunplay is fun.”
atmosphere
1,211 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
The atmosphere in "Cultic" is widely praised for its compelling blend of horror and action, creating a deeply immersive experience that evokes feelings of dread and tension. Reviewers highlight the game's art direction, sound design, and level layouts as key elements that contribute to its unique and engaging atmosphere, often comparing it favorably to classic titles like "Blood" and "Resident Evil 4." Overall, the game successfully balances intense combat with atmospheric storytelling, making it a standout in the retro shooter genre.
- “The atmosphere is fantastic, it's like a mix of Silent Hill 1 and RE4.”
- “The atmosphere that this game creates is incredible and each level didn't feel repetitive.”
- “The atmosphere is where Cultic really shines.”
- “The oppressive atmosphere and the use of lighting and sound are expertly utilized in Cultic’s presentation.”
- “Cultic does a remarkable job at conveying a creepy atmosphere, and delivers some solid horror moments that slow the pace down without becoming monotonous.”
story
804 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
The story in "Cultic" is primarily delivered through environmental storytelling and collectible notes, creating an engaging backdrop for the action-packed gameplay. While the narrative is relatively simple and can feel sparse at times, it effectively immerses players in a gritty, cult-themed atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the intriguing elements of the plot, despite its optional nature, and express excitement for future chapters that promise to expand on the story.
- “The story is very intriguing and while kind of cliche at times (I think on purpose), everything is paced well.”
- “The story itself seems to be the cult is dedicated to a parasite, it makes its hosts more durable and gives them regenerative power, but instills in them an obsessive desire to serve its goals.”
- “The story is simple yet intriguing.”
- “The story is basically optional; aside from the interlude (which you can skip), you have to read letters you find littered around to really have any clue what's going on.”
- “I understand the plot isn't that important in a game like this, but since the game chooses to have all these hidden documents dropped around the levels for the player to read, then it's a bit of a shame that even at the end of the game the story hasn't moved an inch from what we were told during the first 10 minutes.”
- “The story is weak and generic, and the level layout can be a little confusing, but the shooting and enemy design is absolutely incredible.”
replayability
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
72%
4%
The game offers significant replayability despite its short completion time of around 3-6 hours, thanks to various difficulty settings, hidden secrets, and a survival mode that encourages players to revisit and improve their skills. Players appreciate the unique level design and engaging gameplay, which keeps the experience fresh and allows for multiple playthroughs, including speedrunning challenges. Overall, the combination of content, upgrades, and achievements contributes to a high replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for players.
- “The level design is unique and atmospheric; the general pacing of the game never drags on or gets stale, which contributes to the game's replayability. I've had the game for a week and I've already completed it 5 times, which is rare for me because I usually replay a game once or twice and then move on to the next one.”
- “The campaign does a good job of keeping things interesting for the player all the way to the end, and the addition of an endless mode and custom difficulty settings and mutators give the game lots of replayability.”
- “Replayability: the variety of weapons, enemies, and challenges, as well as the presence of secrets and hidden areas, encourages players to revisit the game to fully explore all aspects and improve their skills.”
- “The game can be completed in 3-5 hours if you're going for 100% completion, and there isn't much replay value outside of just wanting to play it again.”
- “The lack of replayability through a lack of modes comes on top.”
- “Not to mention with the secret hunting and escalating difficulty, if you're into masochism, there is much in the way of replay value; including the survival mode which is exactly as it sounds, but on a timer so it acts more as a time challenge.”
humor
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Cultic" is generally more subdued compared to its predecessor, "Blood," with a focus on a serious tone and horror elements rather than overt comedic moments. While there are instances of dark humor and funny gameplay mechanics, such as using enemy eyeballs as weapons, the game leans towards a more atmospheric and creepy experience, with humor taking a backseat to the overall narrative and gameplay. Players appreciate the clever references and occasional funny moments, but many note that the game lacks the iconic, quirky humor that characterized "Blood."
- “I loved blowing things up and killing enemies in funny ways, and there's definitely a lot of easter eggs in this game that you'll find.”
- “You can use the detached eyeballs of enemies as a weapon to kill other enemies, which is both hilarious and badass.”
- “Admittedly one of the reasons I also wanted to do this review was when I threw a dynamite bundle at a bunch of cultists and one of them ran right toward the bundle and kicked it back at me, that precious moment of 'oh f***' made me laugh so much because it was new, it was something I wasn't expecting.”
optimization
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
70%
16%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting occasional performance issues such as frame rate drops, stuttering, and inconsistent performance across different levels. While some users report smooth gameplay with no crashes, others express frustration over the game's inability to fully utilize high-end hardware, suggesting that significant optimization work is still needed. Despite these concerns, a portion of players found the game polished and enjoyable, indicating that performance may vary based on individual systems and settings.
- “Overall good performance both on PC and Steam Deck.”
- “Everything is absolutely top shelf: enemies, weapons, maps, aesthetics, atmosphere, etc. I never encountered even a single bug or performance dip.”
- “Sure, the performance could dip to 50 fps occasionally, some textures were misaligned, enemies sometimes got stuck on props, but nothing that noticeably hindered my enjoyment.”
- “The game seems to have some performance issues; freezing up and crashing from time to time and odd framerate dips that I can't pinpoint the cause of, but nothing that rendered it totally unplayable.”
- “Only complaints thus far is game performance as is doesn't seem to properly utilize high-end hardware as well as it could as I struggled to even maintain a locked 120 fps cap at 1440p regardless of quality settings or display mode in most levels resulting in sticking to a locked 60 fps for the most consistent experience motion and input wise which I prefer.”
- “Performance can occasionally be lower than expected, and can occasionally vary substantially in scenes with long draw distances.”
grinding
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
10%
81%
Reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While some players find certain aspects, like secret hunting and key collection, to be tedious, others appreciate the fluid gameplay, varied level design, and rewarding exploration that mitigate the grind. Overall, the game is praised for its satisfying combat and engaging mechanics, though some elements could benefit from more variety to avoid repetitiveness.
- “The game really rewards exploration and the secrets aren't tedious to find.”
- “It's all I ever wanted from a boomer shooter, including no tedious platforming sections.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I recently discovered a secret that gives you a new gun, but it was tedious performing the action to acquire it. I worked it out many minutes before I actually unlocked it.”
- “However, the limited weapon and enemy variety makes the gameplay loop slightly tedious, despite how satisfying it is to pop heads.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance on various hardware, including lower-end machines and the Steam Deck. However, some players have encountered minor bugs, such as texture glitches and occasional environmental issues, though no significant crashes or freezes were noted.
- “Great level design, great art style (old school low poly aesthetic), satisfying weapons with visceral feedback, ambient sound design and music is also top notch and last but not least the game is bug free which these days usually isn't the case.”
- “Game runs great for me.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “Pretty fun but still very buggy.”
- “There were a few texture glitches (also flickering).”
- “Only negative things I can point out at the moment are the few glitches; sometimes I got stuck in the environment while the chainsaw dude was slicing me to death, unable to even slide out.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional response through its atmospheric visuals and audio, creating moments of unease and spookiness. It tells a heartfelt story about a young man's struggle with anxiety, interspersed with engaging lore that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the balance of action and quiet moments, which not only provide nostalgia but also a sense of satisfaction and empowerment in gameplay.
- “With just enough quiet moments in between the action to tell an engaging and heartwarming story about a young man struggling with his anxiety.”
- “Made me feel like living a little longer.”
- “A sincere and heartfelt love letter to blood.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game is praised for its lack of intrusive microtransactions and advertisements, providing a straightforward experience without essential online or multiplayer components. Players appreciate that the only advertisement present is related to a specific weapon, and overall, the game is seen as a refreshing departure from typical cash grabs in the genre.
- “Massive thanks for such a fun shooter with no BS microtransactions or essential online/multiplayer components.”
- “This game is just a giant advertisement for the Mauser C96.”
- “In all seriousness, there are a lot of nostalgia-abusing cash grabs out there, but this isn't one of them.”
- “You pay a dollar more to listen to music without ads.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers express a desire for more character development for the player character, noting that the game's grim and oppressive atmosphere, enhanced by its art style and character designs, could benefit from deeper narrative exploration. The contrast between sinister and goofy character animations also highlights a need for more cohesive character portrayals.
- “I would like some character development for the player character.”
- “The deep earth and rust tones, combined with the chunky art style, made the world seem quite grim and oppressive, especially when combined with some of the more grotesque and sinister character designs.”