Cult of the Lamb

This one will likely prove off-putting to some due to its themes, but its darkly comic vibe and clever mix of dungeon adventuring and community simulation should prove satisfying to those who are open to it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, cult-building is the most interesting -- and funniest -- part of Cult of the Lamb. Erecting temples and farms and gathering berries and fish make for pretty familiar tasks, but things are spiced up here via the cult's individual members, who make strange, impromptu requests (such as asking for a meal composed of poop) and who can suddenly turn on you and become a disruptive presence if you don't take time to properly reeducate or bribe them. Offering sermons and coming up with new rituals and doctrines to affect their behavior and loyalty creates the feeling that you're in charge and that your decisions directly influence the development of the cult, subtly illustrating how some religious rules clearly exist solely for the benefit of the organization and its leaders in the process. Indeed, it makes for a surprisingly authentic recreation of cult life, and might even make thoughtful players consider the meaning and purpose of organized religions and their myriad doctrines.

The combat and adventuring elements are less original and captivating, but they're still fun. The action is fast-paced with cool magical effects for things like black ichor and tentacles, and worthwhile rewards (resources, money, faith) come quickly. There's not a lot of strategy beyond learning enemy patterns and honing your response times to land attacks, but you're forced to change weapons and magic frequently, and randomly drawn tarot cards can provide fun little combat modifiers -- like doing more damage during the day or doing damage to everything on screen whenever you get hit. Plus, it feels like there are always loads of mini-quests -- from fishing tasks to building specific structures -- to complete while working toward the ultimate goal of restoring the power and glory of your cult's god. Cult of the Lamb was never going to have mass appeal, but players open to its black humor and critical eye are bound to have a bit of fun creating their own community of cultist creatures.