60
An inaccessible and difficult-to-use card game that hides a genius core underneath the questionable design decisions. It reveals the its unexpected depths and can keep the attention of only the most patient players. [Issue#287]
55
Lovecraft-inspired, one-of-a-kind, original-looking… boring grindfest.
80
At first glance Cultist Simulator looks like a card game, but in fact it’s a fusion of a puzzle game with a text adventure game. With its extraordinarily atmospheric writing, ability to merge simplicity with depth, and different paths it’s fun for hours. It’s a shame the later stage relies on grinding too much and can become tedious. [07/2018, p.80]
8
Cultist Simulator es un juego deliberadamente hostil al jugador. Su sistema de cartas es opaco, poco accesible y diseñado para desorientar: no enseña, insinúa; no guía, castiga el error. La interfaz parece un acertijo más que una herramienta, y el aprendizaje no se basa en la comprensión, sino en la repetición y la pérdida. Pero una vez atraviesas esa fricción inicial, emerge algo raro y valioso: una libertad real. El juego no te propone rutas claras ni objetivos nobles; te deja existir dentro de su lógica y descubrir qué tipo de monstruo estás dispuesto a ser. Cuando empiezas a entender sus mecánicas, el sistema se abre y revela una estructura sorprendentemente flexible, casi sandbox, donde las decisiones no están moralmente codificadas, solo narrativamente cargadas. Lo más potente es su tono: mala leche pura. Cultist Simulator no romantiza el ocultismo, lo presenta como decadencia, obsesión y desgaste. No hay épica, no hay redención: hay deterioro, sacrificio y deseo de poder mal entendido. Pocos juegos se atreven a sostener esa incomodidad sin ironía ni suavizado estético.
10
It is one of my favorite games of all time. Cultist Simulator isn't for everyone, it is for the ones tha like to mess around and try things that nobody told you to try since there is absolutely no in game tutorial. I found very rewardind to try and fail and try again until you make it, my first victory was at 60 hours fo playtime, beu every minute playing Cultist Simulator was worth it.
8
It could be 10 if the dev can make the pacer faster. Now it costs too much time to finish a round of game.
Cultist Simulator
Released On:
May 31, 2018
Metascore
Mixed or Average
71
User score
Mixed or Average
7.0
My Score
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Metascore
Mixed or Average
35% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
65% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jun 1, 2018
90
Cultist Simulator is a posthumanist spiral that, like its endless card combinations, is greater than the sum of its parts.
Aug 2, 2018
80
At first glance Cultist Simulator looks like a card game, but in fact it’s a fusion of a puzzle game with a text adventure game. With its extraordinarily atmospheric writing, ability to merge simplicity with depth, and different paths it’s fun for hours. It’s a shame the later stage relies on grinding too much and can become tedious. [07/2018, p.80]
User score
Mixed or Average
54% Positive
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
25% Mixed
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
21% Negative
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
Mar 28, 2025
10
It is one of my favorite games of all time. Cultist Simulator isn't for everyone, it is for the ones tha like to mess around and try things that nobody told you to try since there is absolutely no in game tutorial. I found very rewardind to try and fail and try again until you make it, my first victory was at 60 hours fo playtime, beu every minute playing Cultist Simulator was worth it.
May 22, 2019
10
There is a lot of reading, but all of the reading is definitely worth it. There is no real tutorial in this game and you have to figure everything out yourself, for the most part. If you play a lot of games and are looking for one which doesn't hold your hand, here it is. The support from the developers is actually really amazing and it's indicative of a passionate team which wants to make their game as good as possible. They update the game frequently and, when they do, it's always for the better. The gameplay can be best described as balancing more and more spinning plates as time progresses. You need to keep track of an increasingly different number of things and if you can't keep up you'll lose. There are many different ways to "win" the game, but none of them are easy. You need to read everything you're given carefully, but I think that this game is definitely worth the asking price. It's a unique, polished plate spinning simulator which uses the lovecraftian inspiration brilliantly rather than being weighed down by the cosmic horror. You have to be patient and stick with it but, once the initial learning curve is over, you'll definitely have a lot more fun with this game than many of the reviews calling it a "boring inaccessible grindfest" would have you believe. It's rare for a unique idea to be executed well by a passionate team which continue to support their game in meaningful ways long after it has been released and it would be a shame to let it slip past your radar because of some reviewers got "stuck" or were looking for a more "standard" gaming experience.
Jun 4, 2018
78
If you already enjoyed previous Fallen London escapades like Sunless Seas, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Cultist Simulator as well. It’s certainly not the easiest game to break into, but then again it was never really meant to be either. Cultist Simulator isn’t afraid to keep its greatest rewards locked away for only the most patient and clever players to find, and there’s a lot of potential enjoyment to be had for players who relish the journey as much as the destination.
Jun 12, 2018
70
Cultist Simulator is the kind of game where “Just one more turn,” easily becomes “Four hours later…” It’s addicting even when it’s difficult and frustrating, and extremely satisfying when things finally start going right for you. If you’re even slightly interested in it, the price is right to try something that’s completely original and unlike anything else out right now.
Jun 4, 2018
67
The quality of Cultist Simulator‘s writing and intriguing setting coupled with its arduous gameplay made me wish I was reading a surrealist novel rather than grasping at some sort of narrative with all these disparate cards. While I can appreciate the game’s own attempt at experimentation with its indefinite gameplay, tabletop format, and fragmented story, I could not find much enjoyment in constantly wondering what I was doing and asking myself why I was still playing.
Dec 31, 2018
60
An inaccessible and difficult-to-use card game that hides a genius core underneath the questionable design decisions. It reveals the its unexpected depths and can keep the attention of only the most patient players. [Issue#287]
Jul 2, 2018
50
With so little gameplay and almost no visual flair, the combination of broadly described ideas and impetus on the player to find their own story just don't come together. It's like the bare bones of a game without any of the meat.
May 16, 2019
10
The reviews here inspired me to create an account just to review this gem. Yes it has grind, yes there is no tutorial (which is a good thing for its setting), but Cultist Simulator is, by far, one of my favorite games. This game is niche, but I've never played anything as engaging, enjoyable of addictive. I love games like Darkest Dungeon and X-com for their resource management side and rich lore but what I love about these kinds of games is that they don't hold you hand and THEY LET YOU FAIL. I love the fact that there are situations where you cannot progress without losing something you've worked for - this is something cultist simulator provides. Another amazing part of this game is the lack of a tutorial, which increases the immersion 20 fold, you have to discover what is going on, learn the systems, and find ways to overcome challenges with no hand holding. This is one of the only modern games i've played that has done something like this and it was incredibly refreshing and enjoyable. the systems here are very intuitive as well, there were many times in game when I thought "i should be able to do this" and I was able to do exactly that. There were so many moments where I was simply blown away by the design of this game. One of my favorite games ever. Raised the bar for all other resource management games I'll ever play. This game may not be for everyone, but I absolutely love it. (will try to come back and edit this / add more explanation in a bit)
Jun 10, 2018
5
I play this game around 20 hours. First it look fabulous, but later it turned that mechanism dont work like they should be. Especially in early game mechanism connected with Hirelings and early followers they - they do not actually work with hunters and evidence ( on level 5 very rear successful , on level 2 no successful). When I play I have feeling that nothing I can do with hunters and evidence using mechanic connected with hirelings and follower. Only fast "tech" is one right way to deal with this. My advice for this game wait for game balance and future DLC it has potential but right now its partly broken. And one more thing - no wiki about this game and mechanism is very big disadvantage.
Apr 2, 2021
4
La idea de Cultist Simulator está guay: ir gestionando la vida de un personaje y su culto y todo eso y, a medida que lo haces, tus decisiones y acciones van generando la historia. Sin embargo, la falta de un tutorial claro que permita entender cómo jugar y el hecho de que la interfaz es relativamente poco clara, hacen que el proceso de aprender a jugar y tomar el control de la vida del personaje es una sucesión de pruebas y errores hasta que poco a poco vas viendo cómo funciona. Y, por el camino, personalmente, a mi me aburrió todo, se me hizo demasiado repetitivo y eso que ni siquiera he jugado tantas horas. Gráficamente el juego es pobre, con un diseño gráfico para cartas y demás que es más bien rudimentario. El sonido le ocurre un poco lo mismo. Y, al menos en mi tiempo jugando no encontré ningún bug. El resultado es que me parece una buena idea, pero pobremente ejecutada. Un 4.
May 10, 2020
4
The idea was great - rich build-your-own-narrative slow-paced adventure. The execution is... ruined by weird controls, repetitiveness and other means to prevent the player from enjoying robust plot. Scrap the narrative, make actual gameplay more manageable and less slow/less reprtitive (there are game modifications for this) - and you'll get a solid timekiller for an evening or two. But that's not how this game is advertised... Difficult to learn, difficult to master, difficult to enjoy. 2 extra points for crazy soundtrack. Not for everyone - but OST alone (with a price of OST alone) may justify purchasing it.
Jul 22, 2020
2
Never got anywhere. Its all about paying attention while doing trivial and repetitive actions. Its the combination of tedious repetitive actions and needing to pay attention at all that time or the card house your building falls down. It basically made me feel dumb for missing the obvious and bored when got it right. Id just wanted some Chutulu roleplay but was bound by a boring gameplay that hid everything i found intresting behind walls of tedious tedious gameplay.
SummarySeize forbidden treasures. Summon alien gods. Feed on your disciples.Cultist Simulator is a game of apocalypse and yearning from Alexis Kennedy, creator of Fallen London and Sunless Sea. Play as a seeker after unholy mysteries, in a 1920s-themed setting of hidden gods and secret histories.
Platforms:
- PC
- iOS (iPhone/iPad)
- PlayStation 5
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox Series X
- Xbox One
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date:May 31, 2018
Developer:
Publisher:
