Worth: $17.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Intro:
Slick, engaging and confident in its execution …
At first glance, being a cult leader sounds like a pretty sweet gig. You’re surrounded by adoring acolytes who hang on your every word, you get to delegate all the boring tasks and, hey: orgies 24/7, if that’s your thing. And all for the low, low price of spouting messianic bullshit at regular intervals! The reality, however, is a very different thing, at least according to the delightfully bent new video game from Aussie devs Massive Monster, Cult of the Lamb.
Cult of the Lamb is a delightfully demented mix of rogue-lite and cult management sim. The player takes control of an adorable lamb who has been sacrificed to a hideous, chained Elder God, but is brought back to life with dark powers to hunt down the four creatures who killed it. To do this, you’ll need to go on various dungeon runs, nabbing resources and upgrades, and build your cult, brainwashing followers and performing various arcane rituals.
In practical terms, this means the game plays half like Hades and half like Animal Crossing, albeit a version that involves bloody sacrifices and poop eating. It’s a fascinating, oddly subversive gameplay loop that on paper shouldn’t work, but in reality is totally absorbing. Combat is fast-paced and simple, and while it doesn’t evolve much, it remains compelling throughout. The acolyte management sections are even better, showcasing a side of cult leadership which is anything but glamorous.
The game’s cutesy art style and gorgeous music also add a lot to the proceedings, combining in a package that seems to have come out of nowhere and blown the socks off millions of players.
Cult of the Lamb isn’t a particularly long game, you can probably polish off the story in 12-15 hours, but you can keep playing afterwards and you probably will – because it’s just a good bloody time!
Slick, engaging and confident in its execution, Cult of the Lamb is a beaut little rippa of a title, made all the more appealing because it comes from Aussie indie developers. And while it may not have you sacrificing your soul to the Dark One, you’ll definitely want to drink the Kool-Aid on display.
