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Yesterday, I nabbed Cultist Simulator on sale for Switch, and I'm really glad I didn't pay full price. I knew going in that this game has a steep learning curve, but damn, if the permadeath isn't disheartening.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not well-versed enough in Lovecraftian lore to get all (read: any) of the references, but I love the dark and unsettling tone of the game, and the lurid details of the lore you discover. I just wish I could keep learning more, but nooo, I have to starve, or become a sacrifice, or be so consumed by dread that I volunteer my own "game over." Yes, this is a time- and resource-management strategy game, but give a gal a chance! XD
Curious as to whether I was doing anything right, I checked out a YouTube playthrough and was stunned to discover that you actually can complete the game as the starter character. Here I thought you were supposed to die the first time around, as a sort of prologue to the game, since some other characters seem to reference the Aspirant's death later on. But apparently, this is The Little Aspirant That Could, and I have bungled their path toward ascension. Oh, well. I had an easier go of it as The Physician, simply because their job is steady and requires no other resource. I played my cards carefully, building up funds and skills and lore before I even began talking to people. But I became careless and neglected to notice how much Dread was building up, and by the time I realized I was in trouble, there was no time left to buy the Physician a little opium to cheer them up. Game over. ðŸ˜
In addition to my ignorance, I'll also admit that I'm not generally patient, but can be coaxed into patience with an interesting story, so I wasn't so much bummed about losing the lore and stuff I've learned (though I was pretty miffed, tbh! It took a considerable amount of grinding.) as I was about the events I didn't get to see or try, or those I couldn't discover a use for. I locked an early follower into a cupboard out of curiosity, thinking I could release them later. They died in there. I tried intimidating another new follower with follower #1's corpse. No effect. I almost began an affair with a twitchy, knife-loving follower, but I guess I was just too vanilla for him. One of my followers kidnapped a stranger, and I was looking for some way to leverage this, but the poor fellow died in captivity. But, most frustrating of all, I finally had a sacrifice for Polly, but my Physician plunged into the depths of despair before I could see what that sacrifice could unlock.
*screamingcryingtearingouthair*
Will I give this another go? Probably, after I've had a bit of time to get over that last bit. I've heard that Book of Hours, from the same developer, has a nearly identical system without the permadeath, so I think I might try that one out before coming back to Cultist Simulator. I don't mind the work, I don't mind the trial-and-error gameplay in and of itself, but I just don't think I'm up for such a punishing game at the moment.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not well-versed enough in Lovecraftian lore to get all (read: any) of the references, but I love the dark and unsettling tone of the game, and the lurid details of the lore you discover. I just wish I could keep learning more, but nooo, I have to starve, or become a sacrifice, or be so consumed by dread that I volunteer my own "game over." Yes, this is a time- and resource-management strategy game, but give a gal a chance! XD
Curious as to whether I was doing anything right, I checked out a YouTube playthrough and was stunned to discover that you actually can complete the game as the starter character. Here I thought you were supposed to die the first time around, as a sort of prologue to the game, since some other characters seem to reference the Aspirant's death later on. But apparently, this is The Little Aspirant That Could, and I have bungled their path toward ascension. Oh, well. I had an easier go of it as The Physician, simply because their job is steady and requires no other resource. I played my cards carefully, building up funds and skills and lore before I even began talking to people. But I became careless and neglected to notice how much Dread was building up, and by the time I realized I was in trouble, there was no time left to buy the Physician a little opium to cheer them up. Game over. ðŸ˜
In addition to my ignorance, I'll also admit that I'm not generally patient, but can be coaxed into patience with an interesting story, so I wasn't so much bummed about losing the lore and stuff I've learned (though I was pretty miffed, tbh! It took a considerable amount of grinding.) as I was about the events I didn't get to see or try, or those I couldn't discover a use for. I locked an early follower into a cupboard out of curiosity, thinking I could release them later. They died in there. I tried intimidating another new follower with follower #1's corpse. No effect. I almost began an affair with a twitchy, knife-loving follower, but I guess I was just too vanilla for him. One of my followers kidnapped a stranger, and I was looking for some way to leverage this, but the poor fellow died in captivity. But, most frustrating of all, I finally had a sacrifice for Polly, but my Physician plunged into the depths of despair before I could see what that sacrifice could unlock.
*screamingcryingtearingouthair*
Will I give this another go? Probably, after I've had a bit of time to get over that last bit. I've heard that Book of Hours, from the same developer, has a nearly identical system without the permadeath, so I think I might try that one out before coming back to Cultist Simulator. I don't mind the work, I don't mind the trial-and-error gameplay in and of itself, but I just don't think I'm up for such a punishing game at the moment.
