Cult of the Lamb (Steam) Review

A Focused Cult-Raising Experience

There are few games as compelling as the general pitch for Cult of the Lamb, a top-down action roguelite with a cult-raising simulator where the two gameplay loops support each other. The art direction is absolutely gorgeous and fun, laced with animation flair, cute character design, and horrendous monsters. It is a game that kept me playing for many hours but by the end, I was surprised to find few reasons to return to it. That said, I am desperate for an expansion or sequel.

In its current state, Cult of the Lamb is a well-crafted title that is absolutely worth the asking price, I just expected more.

As described more in detail in my preview of Cult of the Lamb, there are two gameplay systems available. On one side, the player manages a steadily growing cult of critters, catering to their needs and whims. However, various choices and rituals can turn cultists into more of a resource for nefarious purposes with the potential for literally dismantling characters into items. This is an addictive gameplay loop that involves a lot of item management, gathering resources, crafting buildings, and generally checking things off of a list of quests that is extremely satisfying. This quaint town simulator, plus the game's outset of introducing four major villains to march towards, compels one to repeatedly dive into the action-oriented randomized dungeons. 

While the action portion of Cult of the Lamb is fun enough, it is certainly the weaker element of the two core gameplay mechanics. Players primarily clear rooms of enemies with melee weapons or cult-themed spells like ripping up the ground with tentacles or shooting fireballs but unfortunately Cult of the Lamb lacks the decision-making that makes roguelike games so compelling. While it’s easy to compare Cult of the Lamb to Binding of Isaac, that comparison just doesn’t work considering how complex Isaac’s power-ups are in a way that creates surprises and depth. Cult of the Lamb rarely gives the player more than two choices at a time and railroads the start of each run into a single weapon and spell. Getting an unwanted weapon at the start feels terrible but because the game is so straightforward I was able to auto-pilot most runs. At least one can decide out of three weapons/spells in the final battle. 

The linear nature of the game, despite a huge tree of cult upgrades and a blend of doctrine choices that are often both negative in some regards, makes Cult of the Lamb a more introductory title for the plethora of games similar to it. Interestingly enough though, there is a stellar framework that could lead to more dungeon-centered runs with more meaningful choices. Even a boss rush could be interesting. 

It is a shame because the art of the game is so beautiful with expertly crafted bounciness and the right amount of gore to make it all delightfully unsettling. The game is playful in its exploration of macabre elements such as death and fecal waste. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn’t do much outside of creating an addictive set of systems, making Cult of the Lamb a pretty one-note experience. Again, this is a fantastic game for players that are new to this genre and a lot of people have been praising it. I just find it frustrating how close this game is to being truly amazing. Yet, I have confidence that the developers Massive Monster can either expand this title or come back in a big sequel. 

I was surprised that I didn’t have more of a takeaway after about twenty hours of playtime. For most of that time, I was completely hooked and eager to see what was at the end of the journey. Managing the cult, sacrificing members for dark benefits, fishing, chatting with a mushroom-addled ant, and taking down beings of sinister power was all exciting. Sadly, the game’s end was so predictable and didn’t satisfy me as much as I had hoped.

Cult of the Lamb is exactly what it sells itself as. Most players will determine if it's for them by the trailer, pick it up, and probably have a great time. 

SCORES

GAMEPLAY - 7/10

VISUALS - 10/10

SOUND - 9/10

CONTROLS - 8/10

REPLAY VALUE - 7/10

OVERALL - 8.2/10

Learn more about Cult of the Lamb on the official website. Screenshots were captured via native Steam features. A digital Steam copy was provided for the purpose of review.