Review - Cultic

Developer: Jasozz Games

Publisher: 3D Realms, Atari

Available on: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2

Review System: PlayStation 5

There are plenty of boomer shooters out there, both old and new. Night Dive Studios has been releasing a plethora of classic shooters, such as Star Wars: Dark Forces. Trigger Happy Interactive has released Turbo Overkill, which combines the high-octane energy of 90s sci-fi into one unbelievable experience. In this day and age of indie games, it is wonderful to have developers put their own spin on what a boomer shooter is and what it can be.

Jasozz Games has decided to do something different with Cultic, a dark first-person boomer shooter with an early 90s darker aesthetic, where one man goes against an entire cultic army. Featuring a unique aesthetic and crunchy combat, Cultic is a mammoth shooter with plenty to enjoy, but only the bravest will survive this twisted tale of devilish worship and otherworldly monstrosities.

A Dark Tale

Deep in the woods, in the city of New Grandewell, there is a gathering. People have been disappearing, never to return. There are rumors and whispers of a great reward, and for those seeking meaning, they are drawn in like moths to a flame. However, the disappearances are piling up, and so are the bodies. For one man, this is unacceptable. A detective looking for a shot at justice grabs his sidearm and ventures into unimaginable darkness. 

Cultic is a modern retro-FPS, or boomer shooter as it is commonly referred to in games. This style of first-person shooter uses a retro-inspired presentation and gameplay, drawn from the gaming era of the 90s. This era is when the first-person shooter was born, with 3D levels and 2D gaming sprites to convey a sense of immersive gameplay and combat. There were many shooters of this era, from Doom to Duke Nukem to Quake, which recently got a new update.

Demonic Forces

The goal of Cultic is to fight, explore, and survive in this onslaught of cultists that are working to bring a dimensional power into our world. This cult is using this power to achieve superhuman strength and power, but some of this power twists and breaks those that are imbued with it. This power, The Will, mutates the living into grotesque monsters. 

Cultic combines several releases into one complete package. is a high-octane boomer shooter first and foremost. Cultic: Chapter One was released in 2022, with the Interlude releasing in 2023 and the conclusion, Cultic: Chapter Two, releasing in 2025. This latest release of Cultic combines the entire experience into one cohesive demonic adventure, with a whopping 23 levels to shoot through and explore. 

This is My Boomstick

Cultic is a boomer shooter, first and foremost. Players have access to a variety of weapons from the trustworthy handgun to the ol’reliable sawed-off shotgun, but there are also assault rifles, sniper rifles, and grenade launchers. The weapon roster is a bit limited, but for those who take their time exploring a level, there are weapon parts to uncover. 

In each level, there is a workbench. Keen-eyed players can use uncovered weapon parts to upgrade and refine their arsenal. These include more damaging bullets, burst fire, and a stock for better accuracy. These upgrades are extremely helpful, though disappointingly, they do not change the appearance of your weapon in the game, a missed opportunity.

Choices and Options

Cultic does tout itself as a game with a variety of opportunities to eliminate enemies. These include laying traps or being methodical in approaching. For me, I oftentimes preferred the more direct action of just going in guns blazing and using my plethora of TNT and Molotov cocktails to crush enemies. However, Cultic has something of a survival horror element here. 

Unlike the games it is drawing inspiration from, Cultic is a game about being much more patient and thoughtful as opposed to mindlessly gunning down the enemies. Enemy cultists, even basic ones, are tough to crack. Their deadly accuracy with weapons and sheer numbers are tough, and that is before mutant enemies, like monsters and zombies, step into the mix. I found myself running out of ammo and relying on my hatchet just to survive. This makes firefights something of a challenging predicament. On the one hand, they are unavoidable. On the other hand, engaging the enemy can waste precious bullets if one is not careful. Even on Normal, Cultic is a tough game. 

An Old Fashioned Feeling

This starts with the game's presentation. The game is dark, and oftentimes, the environments are difficult to navigate. Flipping the lighter reveals limited light, and while there is a torchlight that is unlocked later on, Cultic does an effective job of giving players a very uneasy feeling. The outdoor environments may be lit by the blood moon, but that still makes seeing a challenge. Though this kind of visual obstacle is for the best, as it adds to the eerie atmosphere. Despite this, the lighting in the game is sharp. One instance involving truck headlights and a horde of zombies in level 3 still sends shivers down my spine. 

Cultic has an old-fashioned, rustic kind of presentation to its other elements. There’s a worn-out, darker element to its browns and greens. The weapons all have a used feel to them. It feels like the character is truly grabbing and fighting with whatever he can find. The submachine gun and sniper rifle look pulled from an old WWII armory. It’s an interesting take on direction and world-building as opposed to using a sci-fi or modern military setting. It’s a world without night vision scopes or smartphones. It’s a world of true, strong grit and a tough stomach. 

Just Like the Good Old Days

The low-polygon aesthetic and sprites give the entire game this uncomfortable feeling, like you just discovered this game on an old PC game box inside of a chest in an attic and it was never meant to be uncovered. The music, also composed by Jasozz Games, is incredibly dynamic. I found myself just plain creeped out during firefights and exploration. Meshed with the imagery, Cultic plays less like a boomer shooter and more like an old-fashioned horror game. It’s a remarkable mixture of the two elements. 

The environments may be dark, but the levels all have a highlight to them, as well as their own personality. The shipyard has an entire freighter ship to explore and eliminate enemies in. The Crypts are filled with skeletons and monsters, including zombies that swim and attack you underwater. There’s plenty of challenge in navigation and exploration. It is very easy to get lost, and only by using the breadcrumbs of slain enemies can you hope to get your bearings and find your way through. 

Light in The Dark

It does leave the question if Cultic is a little too dark and whether there should have been waypoints that players could see on-screen. I have to stress how easy it is to get lost, especially in levels involving caves and mines. Fortunately, there is a Quick Save and manual save function, as well as a generous checkpoint system. 

Pretty visuals are nice, but the gameplay has it where it counts. Shooting is impactful and crunchy, like you are holding a weapon of death that is meant to put down anything on the other end. A good sign of a very good first-person shooter is the handgun. In any game, it is the weakest, but it is a trusty sidearm for when your other weapons run dry. Fortunately, between the burst fire and handling, it’s a good handgun. The same can be said for the rest of the arsenal.

Light Them Up

There are plenty of surprises in Cultic. Boss fights are nightmare fuel. The Interlude is a 40-minute gambit in a police station. There’s a thrilling sniper section halfway through the game. There is a lot to enjoy here, but plenty of surprises and secrets beneath its dark layers. Much of it is best left to be seen and experienced, and it all culminates in a heck of an ending.

Shooting feels damn good. There is a genuine sense of excitement when running and gunning, especially when taking down a group of cultists or a pesky mutant that is hampering your progress. The game seems to highlight nailing headshots, which reveals a gory animation if a headshot is pulled off, along with bone-crushing sound effects. There’s even an achievement for taking 200 headshots. Cultic makes taking cultists down a barrel of fun.

A Barrel of Fun

Other tactical opportunities include using objects. There are lanterns that can be picked up and thrown to ignite enemies on fire. Hatchets can be thrown to decapitate an assailant. Players can even pick up barrels, throw them, and then use a well-placed shot to blow it up. Baiting enemies is another way to thin out the large groups of enemies players fight in the game. Ultimately, Cultic is a swell time, from its thunderous boomstick to nightmarish fiends. 

Cultic is pretty awesome, but there are some nitpicks here and there. Cultic is a video game that embraces video game logic. You can’t light TNT underwater, but you can shoot enemies underwater, and even throw hatchets. One frustrating part in the crypts had me do a bunny hop on a pole to grab weapon parts and secrets, which took me a good ten minutes to nail.

Mutant problems

Perhaps the one true frustration with Cultic I have is with the telekinetic mutant. The mutants are challenging in Cultic. One spews blood from its abdomen. One looks like a bull that has had its skull cracked open. Another mutant is a psycho with its chain thrower. Then there are the cultists that are laden with armor and highly resistant to bullets. There are plenty of others as well, but the worst one is the telekinetic mutant. 

At random times, the game will alert you to an object. Usually, this object is a box or barrel. The barrel floats and is flung at you, causing damage. This is the result of the telekinetic mutant. They are easy to kill but hard to find, and they continuously throw objects. They are easily the most annoying part of Cultic. It sucks to clear an entire cave of enemies, only to die because of a ghastly floating barrel smacking you in the head. 

Mind Bullets

The telekinetic mutant moves and even tries to crush your skull through its telekinetic powers. You can be in the middle of the firefight, and then hear your skull get crushed as the screen turns red. It can be something of a cheap death or a frustrating aspect to the game. However, this is part of the challenge, and it grew on me over time. I just had to be more careful. Also, on normal, the character can self-heal to 25 hit points. 

Cultic is a game about confronting your demons, no matter how challenging it may seem. You’ll run out of bullets when you need them most, and the telekinetic mutants can be a pain. However, when you’ve cleared an entire chasm full of mutants with nothing but a grenade launcher and whatever else you have on you, it’s in those moments when Cultic really shines as a standout shooter.

Cultic

I had a great time playing Cultic. This complete package is a great value for those looking for an incredibly solid boomer shooter. The visuals leave quite the impression, and the eerie atmosphere can stand toe-to-toe with today’s horror games. The gameplay is incredibly satisfying, though it does require patience and attention with the scarce ammo. It’s a remarkable game that is well put together. 

Jasozz Games clearly made something heartfelt and put all his passion into the work, making the shooter he would love others to play. He did a fantastic job, and I encourage everyone to take this dark journey of great shooting and redemption. Ready your sidearm and suck in that gut. You got cultists to take care of!

CULTIC IS A MUST-BUY

A review key was provided for review