Cult: Choose Your God Wisely (2018) Board Game

Cult: Choose Your God Wisely is a board game released in 2018 by Cryptozoic Entertainment. Designed by Konstantin Seleznev, the game falls into the horror and religious category, making it a unique and intriguing choice for players interested in themes of cults and ancient deities.

Game Components of Cult: Choose Your God Wisely

Priests: Players send these to important locations in the Eternal City.

Locations: Various sites in the Eternal City that become accessible as the game progresses.

Miracles and Intrigue Cards: These can change the outcome of conflicts and provide additional benefits.

Chapels: Used for building and spreading influence.

Mob Tokens: For leading the city’s mob uprising.

Dark Rituals: Necessary for summoning the cult’s master.

Eight Dark Gods: Each with unique abilities and requirements.

How To Setup Cult: Choose Your God Wisely

To set up the game, players need to prepare the game board, which represents the Eternal City. Each player chooses a dark god to worship and receives the corresponding priest tokens and starting resources. The locations on the board are made accessible gradually as the game begins. Players also shuffle and distribute the miracles and intrigue cards. The objective is clear: be the first to summon your god, build chapels, or lead a mob uprising.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Resource Management: Manage resources to recruit followers, perform rituals, and bribe officials.

Area Control: Send priests to locations to gain influence, followers, and benefits.

Card Play: Use miracles and intrigue cards to alter conflict outcomes.

Conflict Resolution: Determine winners at each location based on priest strength and card effects.

Multiple Victory Paths: Win by building five chapels, leading a mob uprising, or performing a dark ritual to summon your cult’s master.

Player Experience

Players often find **Cult: Choose Your God Wisely** to be an engaging but flawed game. The gameplay involves strategic placement of priests and clever use of cards, which can lead to exciting and unpredictable outcomes. However, many players and reviewers have noted significant balance issues, with some gods and abilities being far more powerful than others. This imbalance can lead to frustration and uneven gameplay experiences.

Pros

Strategic Depth: Offers multiple paths to victory and complex decision-making.

Thematic Immersion: The dark, cultist theme is well-implemented and engaging.

Replayability: Different gods and card combinations provide varied gameplay experiences.

Cons

Balance Issues: Significant disparities in god abilities and card effects.

Rule Clarity: Vague or overly specific rules can cause confusion.

Frustration: Uneven gameplay can lead to frustration among players.

Personal Thoughts on Cult: Choose Your God Wisely

**Cult: Choose Your God Wisely** is best suited for experienced board game players who enjoy strategic games with complex mechanics and are willing to tolerate some balance issues. It’s not ideal for new players due to its complexity and potential for frustration. However, for groups that enjoy competitive, thematic games with a darker tone, this could be an intriguing addition to their collection, provided they are aware of the game’s shortcomings.

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