Indie games are a valued part of the gaming community. Many video games made by big companies get a lot of attention, but they can overshadow those from smaller studios. Countless indie games have grown in popularity thanks to trends and phases, but not everyone is lucky enough to see their games get attention.
2022 was a big year for indie games, but Cult of the Lamb sits on top of the pile. This fun action-adventure roguelike has become instantly popular and loved since its release in August 2022. Its premise focuses on cult building and managing, but it goes so much deeper than that. For avid gamers looking for an indie game that ticks all the boxes, Cult of the Lamb is the one to check out.
10 It spans multiple genres and thus appeals to a wide audience
Cult of the Lamb will appeal to fans of multiple genres, giving it a broad player base and demographic spread. Juggling more than one genre is a perfect selling point for a game. Not only does it appeal to multiple people, but it also gives everyone the luxury of playing to their mood at that time.
There’s the chaos of the roguelike dungeon crawling with frenzied dodge rolls and attacks, the ever-changing atmosphere of managing the cult itself, and even mini-games to waste the day. Fish and Knucklebones are just two examples of the latter, and players can easily relax and get lost in them.
9 It’s a strong entry into the Roguelike genre
It can have multiple genres, but Cult of the Lamb is a strong roguelike in its own right. There’s nothing fancy in its roguelike features, but what it does, it does well. Not only are there multiple settings for the dungeons, but each setting is procedurally generated for a different experience every time. The addition of path choices helps to further this concept that each playthrough is different in some way.
Dying while traversing the different dungeons doesn’t mean the game fails completely, but it does have several ramifications that will encourage players to avoid death at all costs. It can undo some of the cult’s hard work, as followers can lose faith in a leader who shows weakness.
8 No other 2022 game has tried the premise of cult management
Managing a cult isn’t exactly high on the list of concepts players are so eager to experience in their games. Yet Cult of the Lamb introduces the strange and wonderful world, tells the player the basics and then makes him run with it.
While managing a city or town is by no means a new concept, cult-making introduces factors that need to be monitored. It goes beyond just maintaining happiness as the player has to keep faith and food levels high while looking out for sick followers. With so many things that can go wrong if not maintained correctly, it makes players think rather than impatiently building everything right away.
7 It has the perfect combination of cute art styles and dark intentions
It will always be an interesting role to play as a cult leader. The word itself and the general concept carry connotations of misguided teachings that can influence one’s beliefs. In Cult of the Lambthe player starts a cult in the name of The One Who Waits, a divine being who never seems particularly trustworthy.
But either way, the player forms a cult in their name, and the rest is history. The game’s art style and character design are cute on the outside, but juxtaposed perfectly by the will of the cult. Cute characters can be sacrificed, mistreated or banned if the player wishes. On a player’s whim, the cult may go dark, despite its cutesy aesthetic.
6 Traversing the dungeons can actively take advantage of the cult management side of the game
Braving the dungeons also has its rewards. Not only does it progress through the main story, but players can also find rare loot, areas rich in building resources, and even new followers to recruit for the cause. Simply focusing on building and managing the cult can be fun for many players, but by being short on money and other resources, the game gives the player a playful push toward battle.
While a bad run in the dungeons can hurt the cult leader’s relationship with his followers, a good run helps work towards the next major upgrade within the cult. The different genres flow seamlessly into each other instead of acting as separate entities.
5 It makes perfect use of the day and night cycle to improve the overall experience
The day and night cycle is a proven addition to games from multiple genres. It helps to create a realistic experience for players as they try to immerse themselves in the world. However, with the concept of a full day cycle comes the pressure of decisions that have to be made every day.
Stardew Valley and Minecraft are perfect but very different examples. Players must choose their priority for that particular day and show patience by putting off other things for another time. Cult of the Lamb also shows this pressure. A journey through the various dungeons can take days and force the player to forgo at least one sermon and possibly earn faith. Still, it helps the overall experience as you can’t always win in every area.
4 The game has an excellent soundtrack and great sound design
While the visuals and key content of Cult of the Lamb are impressive enough to keep players entertained, they are supported and perfectly tuned to the right music and sounds. The soundtrack is varied enough to capture different moods similar to the gameplay. Some of the songs are relaxing, intense and haunting, and even songs that give a mysterious air to the proceedings.
The sounds that accompany actions and interactions are equally strong. Cult of the Lamb takes the Sims approach in having nonsensical audible dialogue, but it is supported by coherent text. It is also similar to the speech in Animal Crossing. Either way, it supports both the cute characters and the ominous tones of a cult at the same time.
3 Cult Of The Lamb has all the replayability a player could want
Cult of the Lamb has extraordinary replayability. Players can rush through the story if they want to, but then they’ll miss out on creativity and fun. A second playthrough can allow a player to not only select a different difficulty level, but also pursue different unlockable items within the cult customization.
The possibilities don’t even stop there. Players are given a choice to accept evil deeds befitting a cult’s barbaric nature or to appeal to everyone’s good side to maximize faith. Ruling with fear can be a fun playthrough that makes it even harder to maintain overall luck, which could lead to a more fun second playthrough.
2 The game has the perfect pacing and length
There have been multiple strong indie releases in 2022, with strayed and Tunic one of the most notable. However, Cult of the Lamb excels above these two examples in his total playing time. While the primary objectives can deliver around 15 hours of gameplay, attempting to complete the game to its fullest would easily surpass 20.
Many other indie games exceed this playtime, but it’s no small feat to maintain a top-quality gaming experience for 20 hours or more. Cult of the Lamb has enough to immerse the player in the world, while never being welcome for too long.
1 It has a personal finesse about the customization
Being able to name and customize characters is certainly not unique to Cult of the Lamb, but this personal approach adds to the total package. When the player finds a potential follower, he can change his name and appearance, despite already having become acquainted with his true self.
Players can choose whether to embrace random names and character designs or even stick to certain themes. Whatever the decision, the player has the power to shape the members of their cult according to their vision. While a lot of customization is offered, the potential recruit will have positive and negative qualities that cannot be changed.
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