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Cultist Simulator similar games & best alternatives

Cultist Simulator

PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac, Android, Linux • 2018

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Quick resume

Seize forbidden treasures. Summon alien gods. Feed on your disciples. Cultist Simulator is a game of apocalypse and yearning. Play as a seeker after unholy mysteries, in a 1920s-themed setting of hidden gods and secret histories.

Global score

80/100

Genres

Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure, Card & Board Game

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    Pros

    • Deep, immersive lore and storytelling
    • Unique, experimental gameplay mechanics
    • High replayability and long play sessions
    • Engaging challenge and discovery
    • Atmospheric music and art

    Cons

    • Steep learning curve with no tutorial
    • Can be frustrating and punishing
    • Tedious card management and ui issues
    • Random failures can feel unfair
    • Not accessible for casual or hand-holding players

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

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      "Players have freedom to choose skills, build bases, explore, and create their own goals without hand-holding."

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    • Competence

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      "The game challenges players to learn complex mechanics, solve puzzles, and manage resources effectively to succeed."

      Capsule for Do No Harm Do No Harm

      "The game challenges players to master complex mechanics and overcome obscure, difficult puzzles with feedback through progression and failure."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -4

      "Focus is on personal exploration and challenge rather than competing with others; no mention of multiplayer or leaderboards."

      Capsule for Blue Fire Blue Fire

      "Focus is on personal discovery and progression rather than comparing to others; no mention of multiplayer or leaderboards."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

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      "Many players report long sessions, habitual play, and strong attachment despite minimal gameplay."

      Capsule for Paint Drying Simulator Paint Drying Simulator

      "Many players report long sessions, habitual play, and high attachment despite difficulty and repeated failure."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -5

      "Entirely single-player experience focused on individual play without collaboration."

      Capsule for how do you Do It? how do you Do It?

      "Entirely single-player experience focused on individual play and personal goals without collaboration."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      4

      "Strong customization of cult base, followers, and doctrines; players creatively manage and decorate their cult."

      Capsule for Cult of the Lamb Cult of the Lamb

      "Players create their own cults, experiment with card combinations, and shape unique narratives through emergent gameplay."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control over other players; interactions are individual and self-directed."

      Capsule for Microtopia Microtopia

      "No evidence of exerting control over other players; interactions are solitary and self-directed."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      5

      "Strong escapism through immersive story, atmospheric world, and emotional engagement, providing distraction from real life."

      Capsule for BioShock Infinite BioShock Infinite

      "Strongly used as a form of escapism with immersive lore, atmosphere, and distraction from real life."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -5

      "Players engage voluntarily out of curiosity and intrinsic interest; no obligation or external pressure noted."

      Capsule for Paper Beast Paper Beast

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and curiosity; no obligation or external pressure noted."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around experimentation and discovering new mechanics through trial and error."

      Capsule for Leap Year Leap Year

      "Core gameplay revolves around trial and error, discovery, and testing unknown mechanics."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      5

      "Strong emphasis on discovering new areas, secrets, and narrative surprises; players explore unfamiliar environments."

      Capsule for Frog Fractions: Game of the Decade Edition Frog Fractions: Game of the Decade Edition

      "Players explore mysterious lore, hidden mechanics, and new narrative paths through experimentation."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      3

      "Character customization is minimal but players express themselves through choice of narrative focus and interpretation."

      Capsule for We Know the Devil We Know the Devil

      "Players customize their cult’s focus and narrative path, though visual customization is minimal."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      5

      "Strongly rooted in dark fantasy, eldritch horror, and surreal narrative with supernatural elements and imaginative fiction."

      Capsule for Fear & Hunger 2: Termina Fear & Hunger 2: Termina

      "Strongly rooted in imaginative occult fiction, eldritch horror, and supernatural themes."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -5

      "No social or community gameplay elements; experience is solitary."

      Capsule for Black Myth: Wukong Black Myth: Wukong

      "No social or community gameplay elements; experience is solitary."

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      5

      "Players learn complex systems, improve skills, and develop strategies over many hours."

      Capsule for ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery) ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery)

      "Players learn complex systems, improve skills, and deepen understanding over many hours."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with long sessions and no physical activity involved."

      Capsule for Painkiller Overdose Painkiller Overdose

      "No physical activity involved; sedentary gameplay with long sessions."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -3

      "Requires active management and attention; not a background or idle game."

      Capsule for Age of Gladiators Age of Gladiators

      "Requires active attention to manage timers and card placements; not a background or idle game."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional social interactions."

      Capsule for Eastern Exorcist Eastern Exorcist

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional social interactions."

    • Leadership
      Insufficient data

      No nearest game available

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      5

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating items, upgrades, skills, and resources to advance character and story."

      Capsule for cyberpunkdreams cyberpunkdreams

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating resources, items, and unlocking new narrative and gameplay elements."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      -3

      "Game is often stressful and frustrating rather than relaxing."

      Capsule for Vangers Vangers

      "Game is often described as stressful, frustrating, and intense rather than relaxing."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      3

      "Atmospheric music and art provide sensory stimulation, though gameplay is often tense and demanding."

      Capsule for Lobotomy Corporation | Monster Management Simulation Lobotomy Corporation | Monster Management Simulation

      "Atmospheric music and art provide sensory stimulation, though gameplay is mostly text and cards."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems; focus is on individual experience."

      Capsule for System Shock System Shock

      "No social recognition or status systems; focus is on individual experience."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      5

      "Narrative immersion is central, with rich storytelling, character development, and lore."

      Capsule for Minute of Islands Minute of Islands

      "Narrative immersion is central, with rich lore and emergent storytelling through gameplay."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      5

      "Requires careful planning, problem solving, and strategic decision making to succeed."

      Capsule for Captain of Industry Captain of Industry

      "Requires careful planning, resource management, and problem solving to succeed."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      3

      "Fast-paced gameplay with tension from timer and risk of failure creates thrill."

      Capsule for Timberman Timberman

      "Players experience suspense and tension managing timers and avoiding failure, though not extreme thrills."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      4

      "Players perceive high value due to extensive content, replayability, and long playtime."

      Capsule for Disgaea 4 Complete+ Disgaea 4 Complete+

      "Players perceive high value due to deep content, replayability, and long play sessions."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      2

      "Includes combat elements near the end and horror violence, but not focused on destruction."

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      "Some elements of combat and sacrifice are present but are part of occult narrative rather than focus on destruction."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      4

      "Players must manage resources and avoid threats to survive."

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      "Players must manage threats, resources, and avoid failure to continue playing."

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Relaxation, Survival, Violence, Fellowship. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Expression, Exploration, Story.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 30/04/2026