Cultic immediately leapt into the top rank of indie shooters when it emerged, drenched in blood and chanting a dead language, in the autumn of 2022. In the three years since then, almost-solo developer Jason Smith has been very busy indeed. The promised Cultic Chapter Two has arrived – a conclusion which is as accomplished as it is ambitious. Almost faultless, this add-on confirms Cultic as one of the best FPS games that money can buy.
The first chapter cast players as a stubborn detective pursuing a malevolent cult in the doomed city of New Grandewel and its environs. Under Smith’s firm hand, Cultic showed but transcended its evident debt to Blood, Monolith’s 1997 Build engine classic. Chapter Two sees the detective return to continue his vendetta against the cult, slavish devotees to an evil otherworldly force known only as “The Will”.
In large part, this concluding chapter offers more of the same: queasy horror, gripping gunplay, and satisfying movement mechanics in a world seemingly doomed to permanent bloodshed and madness. But Chapter Two further hones the excellent feel and gameplay of the original, delivering even more ambitious level designs, a deeper and more menacing atmosphere, and more legitimately creepy explorations.
The levels here are the primary draw. Chapter Two is not only lengthier than Chapter One, with 13 levels compared to 10, but many of the maps are larger. Smith has not expanded Cultic into wholly unfamiliar types of locales – the grimy, doomed mood continues to prevail – but the new maps are sprawling, detailed, and inventive. “The Farm” sees the detective battle cultists across open fields, scattered camps, a large barn, and a spooky farmhouse with some unsettling supernatural properties.
“The Manor” is one of the most impressive maps, a huge and apparently deserted house packed with secrets and deeply creepy moments. It not only recalls E2M5: “The Haunting” from Blood, but also brings to mind the Resident Evil series. In general, the horror element is taken up a notch in Chapter Two. This has always been one of the things which has made Cultic stand out – the elegant, well-timed transition back and forth between ominous horror segments and cathartic all-out battles. That flow is better than ever here.
While concrete gameplay changes are few, they are significant. The high-powered revolver and semi-automatic shotgun return from the free “Interlude” update released in 2023. The revolver becomes a key tool in Cultic Chapter Two, especially during a long period before the lever-action rifle becomes available. A completely new addition is “temporary weapons”, specifically a machine gun and a rocket launcher. These can be possessed only while ammunition remains, which recalls special weapons in Sniper Elite 5. These are particularly useful against the new bosses, which are formidable and blessedly free of any annoying gimmickry.
There are also three new maps for the survival mode, excellent new music, and some tweaks to the detective’s dodge ability, which must be mastered by those looking to tackle Cultic on its higher difficulties. Happily, the technical and quality of life improvements have been made available even to those who do not yet own Chapter Two.
Smith’s stellar conclusion to Cultic is almost faultless – but not quite. Navigation can be a sometimes frustrating and time-wasting problem in these often huge new maps. There is no map function – yet – and players will sometimes wish there was one. At times it can be very tricky to tell similar areas apart, or to establish what particular switches or buttons have affected elsewhere in the level. Periods of confusion which were rare in Chapter One are unfortunately quite common here. That Smith is working on a prototype automap reflects his commitment to making Cultic as good as it can be.
It takes something special to stand out in the crowded landscape of indie, retro-style FPS games. Cultic was already special in 2022, and Chapter Two is a thoroughly impressive doubling down on every one of its many strengths. Now complete, Cultic is totally confirmed as one of the very best games of its type, an extraordinary achievement for Jason Smith and his collaborators.
