WORSHIPPERS OF CTHULHU REVIEW - WHEN ANNO 1800 HAS AN ELDRITCH CRISIS
Ever wondered what would happen if Anno 1800's developers had a collective cosmic nightmare and decided to make a game about it? Well, Worshippers of Cthulhu is here to answer that question with more tentacles than you can shake a sacrificial dagger at.
THE MOST DISTURBING HOA EVER
At its squishy heart, this is a city builder where your residents are less concerned about property values and more worried about whether their human sacrifices will please the Great Old One. It's like SimCity if your citizens were all that weird neighbor who's way too into occult stuff.
The Anno DNA is strong with this one - you'll build on grid systems, connect roads, manage resources, and keep your cultists happy. Except instead of upgrading their houses with better furniture, you're carving eldritch symbols into their backs. You know, normal city planning stuff.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh ANNO R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNSPEAKABLE
When everything clicks, it's more addictive than a forbidden tome of ancient knowledge. Managing your growing cult feels satisfyingly deep, with each decision carrying weight - literally, in the case of human sacrifices. The atmosphere is thicker than coastal fog, with a creepy soundtrack that'll have you checking over your shoulder for Elder Things.
But like any good cultist knows, devotion comes with a price. The Early Access state shows through like a thin veneer of sanity - the tutorial sometimes feels more cryptic than the Necronomicon, and the UI could use an eldritch makeover. Population management can be more frustrating than trying to pronounce "Cthulhu" correctly, and some features feel as half-formed as a shoggoth in training.
TENTACLES UP OR DOWN?
Despite its rough edges, Worshippers of Cthulhu offers something genuinely unique in the city-builder genre. It's like if H.P. Lovecraft and Sid Meier had a game design baby, and that baby was really into human sacrifice. The developers are more active than a cultist at midnight, constantly updating and improving based on feedback.
Sure, there are bugs, but they're the kind that might actually be intentional given the theme. The game needs more Cthulhu-ness in its moment-to-moment gameplay, but what's here is as promising as a whispered prophecy in a dark temple.
CONCLUSION
If you've ever looked at a city builder and thought "this needs more cosmic horror," or if you're tired of managing cities where nobody gets sacrificed to ancient gods, Worshippers of Cthulhu might be your new favorite cult simulator. Just remember it's Early Access, so expect some rough edges sharper than a ritual dagger.
8.1/10 - Like Anno 1800 if it dropped acid and joined a cult. Shows great promise, but needs more time in the sacrificial chamber.
We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way. Though we might need therapy after all these human sacrifices.