Cultic: Chapter One

Hey Poor Player ( )

Cultic is an astonishing achievement for a one-man studio. It has the creepy, sinister atmosphere of the finest horror titles, packed with the cathartic carnage of the best FPS games. It’s an odyssey into the heart of darkness, with the path blasted open by dynamite. Far more than just a worthy spiritual successor to Blood, Cultic is a descent into pure madness that you won’t want to miss.

Gaming Nexus (8.8 out of 10)

With Cultic, the nostalgia hits hard. So hard that it was easy to overlook some of the lighter features of the game. Enemies are mindless cult fanatics, sometimes with a gun, other times with an ax, and on occasion dressed in more than just robes. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that Cultic made me feel like I was sitting on a kitchen chair in my friend’s house, taking turns trying to clear levels like I was ten years old. When I find something that gives me that goosebump feeling of nostalgia, I eat it up. Cultic made it feel like Thanksgiving; I can’t wait to see what the solo developer, Jason Smith, cooks up for chapter two.

Brutal Gamer (86 out of 100)

Cultic is a retro title that does everything spot-on. It's well designed, looks as though it belongs in the 90s (that's a good thing), and plays incredibly. While it's a classically-designed FPS for sure, it also offers some modern niceties like weapon upgrades. If you miss the heyday of the genre, definitely give this one a look.

The Games Machine (Italy) (8.5 out of 10)

Cultic è stato sviluppato dal solo Jason Smith, ma a vederlo, e sopratutto a giocarlo, sembra sorprendente pensare che dietro ci sia una sola persona. Frenetico, divertente, a volte un po’ spaventoso, non lunghissimo ma sempre di ottima qualità (e la seconda parte della campagna verrà aggiunta gratuitamente in futuro). Se vi piacciono gli fps old-school, non dovreste perdervi Cultic.

Tech-Gaming (82 out of 100)

Cultic might look like a '90s FPS, but a variety of play styles, weapon upgrades, and a fluid framerate on modest hardware, makes the action feel modern.

Gameplay (Benelux) (81 out of 100)

Een beetje vreemd is dat dit nog maar het eerste hoofdstuk is van wat later een nog grotere game moet worden. Dat is vrij normaal aangezien het hier een solo-dev betreft, en wat er geboden wordt, is al meer dan voldoende om heel wat pret mee te beleven, maar wanneer en in welke vorm de rest zal volgen, blijft afwachten.

The Jimquisition (8 out of 10)

Cultic’s shameless revelry in gore is delightful. Its array of guns is conservative in number but tightly focused in design, each weapon built for purpose and tangibly effective as a result. Pacing is a little one-note and insistently dingy visuals can be offputting at times, but the whole package remains a top notch retraux shooter. I had tremendous fun throughout, and while I’d like to see a little more unique personality from future installments, I haven’t had my fill of the action on offer here. This certainly isn’t the inevitable game that finally wears out the subgenre’s welcome.

TechRaptor (8 out of 10)

Cultic is a creepy romp through tombs, towns, and other terrorizing areas. Tight gunplay, fantastic stylized visuals and a somber soundtrack are only held back a bit by the dumb AI and relatively trivial combat encounters.

Cubed3 (8 out of 10)

One of the finest retraux FPS games available, CULTIC pays homage to titles like Blood, and actually surpasses them. From running, jumping, sliding, and reloading, to chopping heads, firing and reloading weapons, and throwing explosive dynamite or flesh-burning Molotov cocktails at the feet of robed fanatics, everything feels awesome. The levels are large and decently non-linear, and the atmosphere, visuals, as well as the OST, are top notch. Solo-dev Jason Smith has every right to feel proud of this wonderful ode to the era it was inspired from.

Use a Potion! (8 out of 10)

Cultic is an engrossing first-person shooter that captures the old-school Build Engine vibes perfectly with its sinister and varied action. There’s plenty of room for strategy thanks to its clever level design and varied weaponry, whilst the vicious enemies will constantly keep players on their toes in the fight for survival. Whilst I’d argue that some of the levels could feel a little bit *too* big and the visual style will be divisive amongst players, Cultic is a lot of fun and an essential play for fans of 90s shooters.

IGN Italia (7.9 out of 10)

Cultic è un valido esponente dei cosiddetti boomer shooter e che si rifà platealmente a Blood, convincendo sia per il sistema di combattimento (vario e divertente), sia per il ritmo indiavolato e il level design articolato. Ci sono alcune asprezze da sistemare e i più esperti ci impiegheranno davvero poco per finirlo, ma considerando il prezzo di vendita, la natura ultra-indie del progetto (un solo sviluppatore) e un secondo capitolo gratuito in arrivo, non ci si può davvero lamentare.

PC Invasion (INC Gamers) (7.5 out of 10)

Cultic: Chapter One nails most of the classic FPS checkboxes. Some frustrations get in the way, but this is well worth the cash.

Destructoid (7 out of 10)

Solid and definitely have an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.

CD-Action (6 out of 10)

Choć Cultic garściami czerpie z dziadka Blooda, względem kultowego shootera studia Monolith robi krok wstecz, serwując sycące strzelaniny w monotonnych i nieciekawych okolicznościach przyrody.

Third Coast Review (3CR) N/A

Cultic is a decent retro shooter that pays homage to classics like Blood: and it does a pretty good job. I wish the enemy art was a little more interesting, and there was less of a “retro” filter over the whole thing. But the gunplay is great, and the level design is well done—despite the levels being on the larger side. If you like old school build engine games, especially games like Blood, you’ll find something to like with Cultic.

DreadXP N/A

In a gaming landscape absolutely saturated by boomer shooters, you have to be exceptionally innovative or do the classic stuff exceptionally well. Cultic is rare in the sense that it does both. It innovates while staying true to its roots. It dazzles with deep systems but comforts with old-school standards. It is an exceptional game, and well worth your time.

Entertainium N/A

Even with just one episode at present, Cultic leaps into the top tier of retro-style shooters, alongside the likes of Ion Fury, Dusk, and Amid Evil. Jason Smith’s deep knowledge and intuitive feel for these games runs through every element here, and with more episodes eventually on the way, it could yet reach even greater heights. Get sized up for robes – this is a cult worth joining.

NookGaming N/A

I only have two real issues with the game. The similar feel of the levels in nature is one of them. The only other is the episodic nature of the game leaving me I’m chomping at the bit to get Chapter 2, especially after the way this one ends. Aside from those, Cultic: Chapter One is an essential purchase for horror and shooter fans alike. It’s up there with the absolute best games of 2022.

GameQuarter N/A

CULTIC Chapter One is een zeer solide shooter die mij meer kon raken dan ik in eerste instantie had verwacht en dat is wel iets, want mijn verwachtingen waren hoog. Deze game is door één persoon gemaakt en die heeft fantastisch werk geleverd. Hoewel het verhaal niet zo heel veel spektakel met zich meebrengt, is het solide. Het level design zit over het algemeen genomen goed in elkaar, hoewel het soms wat lastig is om de weg te vinden. De game duurt misschien wat aan de korte kant, maar liever weinig dat die zeer goed is, dan te veel van wat slecht is. Het beste vond ik de soundtrack, die perfect bij de game past.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun N/A

Cultic is a crunchy retro-inspired FPS that builds upon the foundations of Blood to deliver a viscious, violent delight.