Cultist Simulator

A dark, engrossing, and challenging narrative card and crafting game.

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Cultist Simulator is a narrative-driven card game that immerses you in a world of mystery and intrigue. Play as a seeker of eldritch knowledge, managing cards to learn spells, summon beings, and evade investigators. With its rich storytelling and strategic gameplay, Cultist Simulator explores the thrill and peril of pursuing the unknown.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,581 reviews

gameplay319 positive mentions

grinding479 negative mentions

Incredible writing and atmosphere that immerses players in a mysterious world.
Unique gameplay mechanics that encourage experimentation and discovery.
High replayability with multiple endings and paths to explore.

Steep learning curve with no tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics.
Can become tedious and grindy, especially in the mid to late game.
RNG elements can lead to frustrating game overs after long play sessions.

gameplay
1,628 mentions
20 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Cultist Simulator" is characterized by its unique card-based mechanics that require players to manage resources and time while navigating a complex web of interactions. While many players appreciate the depth and challenge of discovering the mechanics through trial and error, others find the steep learning curve, lack of tutorials, and repetitive gameplay tedious and frustrating. The game effectively blends its mechanics with its narrative, creating an immersive experience, but this often comes at the cost of clarity and accessibility, leading to mixed feelings about its overall enjoyment.
- “The card-based mechanics provide a compelling and complex experience, though the steep learning curve may be challenging.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun for the first four hours, when you don't know what exactly is going on.”
- “The mechanics are designed to keep it from you.”
- “The gameplay is tedious and the story the cards tell is not fleshed out enough or detailed enough for me to really care.”
- “The gameplay loop boils down to rng grinding for cards you need off of random events, while also fending off constant, non-changing attention checks.”
- “The gameplay is monotonous, tedious, and somehow manages to be both too fast and yet also horribly, horribly slow.”
story
758 mentions
31 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story in "Cultist Simulator" is rich and deeply woven into its gameplay, offering a unique blend of emergent storytelling and Lovecraftian themes. Players engage with a narrative that unfolds through card interactions, requiring them to piece together lore and character arcs from fragmented text, which can be both rewarding and frustrating due to the game's complex mechanics and grindy nature. While the writing is praised for its depth and creativity, many reviewers note that the gameplay often detracts from the storytelling experience, making it a niche title best suited for those who appreciate intricate narratives and are willing to invest time in deciphering them.
- “The game tells an amazing story based on which path you choose, and the brutal aspect of permanent consequences make for lots of ups and downs.”
- “Cultist Simulator offers a captivating story and visually stunning artwork that immerses you in a mythical world of discovery.”
- “The story is rich and hilarious.”
- “The gameplay is tedious and the story the cards tell is not fleshed out enough or detailed enough for me to really care.”
- “It's a shame, because the concept and storytelling are pretty close to being interesting, but the gameplay really lets it down.”
- “The story is simply not worth figuring out the mechanics.”
grinding
483 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as tedious, repetitive, and frustrating. Reviewers note that the gameplay often devolves into a monotonous cycle of resource management and waiting for timers, which can lead to a sense of stagnation and wasted time, especially after the initial hours of discovery. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and writing, the excessive grinding and reliance on RNG mechanics detract significantly from the overall experience, making it difficult to recommend for those who dislike grind-heavy gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Not tedious like grinding in RPGs.”
- “It wasn't the card-based gameplay, it wasn't the grinding.”
- “The game is a grinding, RNG-ridden mess that can end hours of painstaking toil in mere moments.”
- “The gameplay loop boils down to RNG grinding for cards you need off of random events, while also fending off constant, non-changing attention checks.”
- “The game has a great theme and a lot of potential but is very grindy and repetitive.”
atmosphere
296 mentions
60 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively capturing a sense of mystery and dread reminiscent of Lovecraftian themes. Players appreciate the rich lore, evocative writing, and atmospheric music that enhance the overall experience, although some note that the game's mechanics can detract from the enjoyment. Overall, the game's ability to create a compelling and atmospheric world is considered its strongest feature, drawing players into its intricate narrative and occult mysteries.
- “This game is infused to the brim with atmospheric lore, maddening puzzles, and an unparalleled sense of discovery.”
- “The writing is evocative and manages with a very low-tech engine to conjure the setting and atmosphere far better than many high-budget horror titles would.”
- “The game does not attempt to teach you anything and honestly seems to actively make it harder to understand by using complex language and words that you do not understand, coupled with strange poetic sentences, which make for great writing and Lovecraftian or mythical atmosphere, but makes it tough to understand the mechanics.”
- “The atmosphere slowly and gently surrounds you - like a silent fog - until you are completely immersed in the creepy and addicting world of Cultist Simulator.”
- “The repetition slowly causes you to ignore the flavor text, which disconnects you from the narrative and atmosphere.”
music
276 mentions
57 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in its lore and aesthetic. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack complements the gameplay, creating a sense of tension and intrigue, although some mentioned it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of evocative music and sound design significantly contributes to the game's unique atmosphere and storytelling.
- “The music is fantastic, and it supports the feel of the game beautifully.”
- “The atmosphere, music, flavor text of the game are all wonderful and add greatly to the gaming experience.”
- “With its haunting soundtrack, brilliant writing, and endless replayability, Cultist Simulator is simply amazing.”
- “The music will begin to feel grating and the RNG frustrating.”
- “There's a decently haunting music selection, though it could do with a track or three more to keep it from being repetitive.”
- “The music is fitting but I wish there were more tracks.”
graphics
245 mentions
46 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Cultist Simulator" are characterized by a minimalist yet captivating art style that effectively complements its atmospheric storytelling and lore. While some players appreciate the unique aesthetic and beautiful artwork, others find the lack of detailed visuals and animations limiting, leading to a perception of repetitiveness. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a blend of simplicity and charm, appealing primarily to those who value narrative depth over flashy graphics.
- “The artwork is brilliant (though eerie).”
- “Cultist simulator offers a captivating story and visually stunning artwork that immerses you in a mythical world of discovery.”
- “The aesthetic of the game is fantastic, with watercolor art fading into the background on certain actions, card art being detailed and interesting for the space it works with, and the music is thematic and responsive to what's going on.”
- “I honestly do not see the allure of this game since all the visuals and audio are lackluster at best.”
- “You spend almost the entire game staring at cards on a static table and the cards themselves have no real artwork or animations.”
- “This is not a game for people who value fancy graphics over in-depth story.”
replayability
109 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a high level of replayability, driven by its numerous endings, diverse starting conditions, and engaging community content. Players appreciate the depth of exploration and experimentation, although some note that once the mechanics are fully understood, replay value may diminish. While many find the game rewarding with its intricate lore and varied gameplay, others express concerns about repetitive elements that can limit long-term engagement.
- “The community around this game is so creative and niche, and scrolling through the community tab and looking at the game through someone else's eyes immediately makes it 100x more replayable than it already is.”
- “Completionists will find tons of replayability from the numerous secret endings and new game+/alternate starts, but a full playthrough will likely net you tens of hours of fun in just experimentation and exploration.”
- “With its haunting soundtrack, brilliant writing, and endless replayability, Cultist Simulator is simply amazing.”
- “If you are okay with spending money for a game that is not very replayable, but has a great first play-through experience that is focused on learning through experimentation, then I would recommend this game.”
- “After getting one ending, however, the rest can be reached in the same manner, easing the difficulty, but also reducing replayability.”
- “Once you progress far enough in the game that you aren't discovering new things (which is a few hours in), there is also essentially zero replayability.”
stability
34 mentions
9 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and a generally unreliable user interface, particularly on Linux. While some players find the gameplay engaging despite these issues, many express frustration over game-breaking glitches and frequent crashes, leading to a consensus that the game is currently too buggy for a smooth experience. A few users noted improvements in certain areas, but overall, the stability remains a significant concern.
- “Runs great on Linux Mint.”
- “The UI is clean and functional; I had one issue where a save was corrupted, but apart from that, it was a bug-free experience.”
- “Cultist Simulator is a badly optimized and very buggy phone port.”
- “Unplayable and contradictory to its goal as a broken, buggy game.”
- “Absolutely plagued by bugs and glitches.”
humor
21 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its clever and dark writing, often leading to hilarious moments and unexpected discoveries. Players appreciate the blend of meta humor and funny captions, which enhance the overall experience, making it both engaging and entertaining. The game's rich narrative and quirky elements contribute to a unique comedic atmosphere that keeps players laughing throughout their journey.
- “The writing is consistently top notch and frequently pretty funny; music and sound design are top notch, and even after you've mostly mastered it, the main loop remains rewarding and fun.”
- “The story is rich and hilarious.”
- “Very funny at times, made me literally laugh out loud.”
emotional
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a complex and overwhelming experience, evoking feelings of confusion, excitement, and even discomfort. Players report a deep engagement with the narrative, likening it to a Lovecraftian journey that elicits both triumph and turmoil, while the beautifully crafted prose enhances the emotional rollercoaster. Overall, the game leaves a lasting impact, making players feel both cursed and enlightened, reminiscent of their first encounters with the Cthulhu mythos.
- “My first victory with Forge made me feel like I'd cracked the code to the universe.”
- “It seems really overwhelming at the beginning, but once it gets rolling, it is really an emotional rollercoaster.”
- “All of the action really takes place in your own head as the results of your combinations are revealed in gripping and emotionally charged snippets of prose.”
optimization
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting frequent performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and interruptions caused by autosave features. Many players feel that the game lacks essential organizational tools and overall polish, leading to a frustrating experience despite its potential. Overall, the optimization appears to be inadequate, especially given the game's simple graphics and the hardware capabilities of most players' systems.
- “I found a soothing solace in each ritualistically recurring performance within the game, as the eerily calming music offset every angst and irritant I had over the design itself, until I found myself still clicking away at the same repetition as the sun rose through my bedroom window.”
- “Can't wait to play more and watch YouTube videos on how others solved the desk space optimization challenge (didn't want to look until I finished at least one of the lines).”
- “It usually runs smoothly and it's fine.”
- “The performance is often surprisingly bad, especially after playing for a few hours (and my desktop profoundly exceeds the specifications for the game).”
- “Even when it isn't stuttering or slowing down, the autosave (by default every 5 minutes) frequently prevents all other actions: you'll be going to drag a card into a slot, and it simply won't go in, and then you'll notice the tiny autosave icon in the corner, and have to grab the card again.”
- “For some reason the game is crashing every 10 minutes or so and I've tried everything on the dev's support page but none of that helped me, so the game is clearly in need of some optimization for Windows 10.”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as predatory and reminiscent of manipulative free-to-play models, with players likening it to cash grabs and scams. Users express frustration over intrusive ads and a design that prioritizes incremental profit over player experience, creating a feel akin to a "skinner box" environment.
- “They are, in other terms, predatory cash grabs and Kickstarter/early access scams.”
- “And I don’t begrudge him that, but his design sensibilities since then have continued to evolve in a manipulative, incremental skinner box vein that you usually find in free-to-play mobile games with microtransactions.”
- “It feels like playing a game of scrolling and trying to remember wiki pages while ads pop up that you have to move.”
character development
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment in the character development aspect, noting a lack of depth and progression throughout the game. While the initial setup hints at potential for growth, the mid-game phase is described as too brief, leading to a disorganized endgame that detracts from meaningful character evolution. Overall, the game fails to deliver the deep character exploration that players were hoping for.
- “The progression of the game feels mismanaged by the devs - a slow start (nice) gives way to a very short mid-game, which I would term the discovery and character development phase that is very short-lived.”
- “However, it's possible that those snippets are simply a thin veneer of occult verbiage on top of the gameplay, especially since I didn't encounter any character development.”
- “The progression of the game feels mismanaged by the devs - a slow start (nice) gives way to a very short mid-game (what I would term the discovery and character development phase that is very short-lived) which in turn gives way to a cluttered mess of an end game that can seemingly linger on indefinitely until you find the correct combination of cards.”
- “I originally got this cool Navidson Report feel and desperately wanted some deep character development.”