I bought this back in the day and have nothing but fond memories. It's a fast-paced fantasy RTS with some original/weird elements and superb voice acting. The graphics engine was literally ahead of its time, as the "Insane" graphics setting was pretty much unplayable back then, yet a few years later the hardware had caught up enough to make that setting viable. That being said, I have to remove one star due to the technical problems on modern rigs. While you can run the GOG version out-of-the-box, there are serious problems with the AI. The AI just won't do much at all, making it pointless to play the game vs the AI - unless you as a customer fix the problem yourself. As strange as it might sound, the issue is the frame rate; if it's "too high", the AI will fail to function properly. Make sure that the game's using a refresh rate of 60 Hz or lower, either by simply (temporarily) changing the Desktop refresh rate or using a utility that takes care of such things automatically. Nvidia's Control Panel did not solve the problem, however.
As an HP Lovecraft-enthusiast, "Cultist Simulator" immediately caught my attention when I by pure chance stumbled upon it. However, when I started my first game I had pretty much no clue whatsoever of what I was doing, which was one of the main reasons to why I exited the game right after I quickly lost. However, the next day I felt that I should give it a second chance. This time around I felt intrigued. Although I still didn't have much of a clue of what was going on, I could discern the glimmer of a good game somewhere behind all of the confusion. After a couple of additional attempts at figuring out the game, I finally started to truly appreciate it. The game itself is basically an abstract, bizarre and rather surreal card game, one unlike any other I've played. Its Lovecraftian inspiration is of course obvious, but I can't help but wonder if the devs also have a genuine interest in esoteric and mystical matters. The game's lore is engaging enough to serve as the base for a full-fledged RPG, with the dream world "The Mansus" playing a central role. Elements such as insane painters, occult manuscripts and artifacts, abandoned hospitals and, of course, clandestine cults fit the Lovecraftian theme perfectly and so does the game's haunting music. The graphics are functional, yet the stylised portraits add some kind of otherworldliness that suits the game quite well. The cryptic nature of the game is intentional, but I feel that the devs overdid things a bit. However, the game does provide hints and I really recommend new players to read all text carefully. Also take note of if and when the texts change due to your actions. Clicking on cards and card slots will list various properties related to that card or slot, information that might very well might be crucial if you wish to get the hang of this game. All in all a confusing, but ultimately rewarding game for those that have the time and patience to give it an honest chance.
