It’s tough to run a city. Games like Cities Skylines 2, Anno 1800, and Frostpunk 2 all show that keeping your people happy while managing a settlement is a task that’s never-ending and always punishing. That’s why sometimes you might want to invoke the power of a dark god to make it all a little easier, and in the upcoming Worshippers of Cthulhu that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do – though with anything Lovecraftian, you’ll have to be careful when making grim bargains with eldritch beings.
Worshippers of Cthulhu has already made an impact with a well-received demo earlier this year which gave players a taste of how it combines city-building game systems with the eternal, maddening desires of Cthulhu. In it, you’ll treat your human city dwellers as a resource alongside traditional building materials, deciding how best to spend their short lives – in service of the city, or in service of the unknown?
As head of the cult it’s up to you to balance the needs of your settlement and those of your unnatural patron. If you want to court the power of the gods you’ll need to perform elaborate rituals, which will all incur a cost if you want to successfully gain the favor of the Old Ones. The goal of your cult is to awaken your god and see them stride across the world in righteous fury, and you’ll have to make some tough decisions if you want to succeed.
In addition to all that, you’ll have to deal with non-believers and other cities who you can meet with fire and fury, or by extending a peaceful tendril to bring them to your fold and thus into service of your god. There’s a lot to balance in Worshippers of Cthulhu, combining the more narrative-led approach of the Frostpunk series with an almost Anno-like city builder, but if it pulls it all off this might have what it takes to stand out in a very busy genre.
Worshippers of Cthulhu will launch on Monday October 21. If you want to make sure you’re ready to court a dark god, you can add it to your wishlist over on Steam.
While you wait, take a look at our guide to the best strategy games you can play for something else that’ll keep you musing over moves, or grab a peek at our recommendations for the best horror games for all the chills you’ll need.
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