Honey, I Joined a Cult is a Peculiar Building Simulator Available on PC

Honey, I Joined a Cult is a new tycoon management simulator by Sole Survivor Games. With other similar titles like Age of Empires and Sim City, this game puts a new spin on this genre. Players are put in the role of a cult leader whose main mission is to entice people to keep giving funding to their cause. The promises of “enlightenment” and “a better life” is the bait to lure people in. With complete control over how to build their cult, players can customize everything from music, to design, and messages. This game is played via an overhead view with 16-bit graphics. Aesthetically, this game won’t break new barriers on how games should look. However, the gameplay is the sole focus of this IP, which comes in varying depth. Despite its demeanor, this title has a lot to offer in terms of making decisions and building an entire organization from scratch.

There will be a “priority management” system in Honey, I Joined a Cult. What this entails is that players will assign certain tasks to members. Then, they must do their jobs on a set schedule with the assurance that they have the proper resources to do so. On top of that, there will be a “leveling up” system in place that will upgrade members to become more effective at their jobs. The goal is to make sure the cult is growing and running smoothly. This isn’t an easy task to accomplish, either. It will take a lot of planning, patience, and micro-managing to pull this off. Thus, this game will also be a “building simulator” of sorts. Players will be able to lay out the entire structure and assign members to specific rooms accordingly. Depending on what type of cult players want to design, rooms will all play a vital role in how to recruit new members and build.

Rules of Engagement

Of course, the fundamentals of Honey, I Joined a Cult isn’t about just grinding to make a profit. There will be other outlets in play. All of the members must be taken care of, kind of a “virtual pet” in some ways. Everything from food, rest, relaxation, and play will be taken into account. Players can establish saunas, spirit chambers, bedrooms, and playrooms to energize the members for their jobs. Thus, if certain rules are broken, members will be punished. There will be NPCs that will have ulterior motives to where a screening process will be needed. Members will need to take a polygraph test and pass it before joining an organization. There will also be a discombobulator room, among other things. It will be up to the players to establish what kind of rooms they need and who should be assigned on what to do.

Recruiting members in Honey, I Joined a Cult will take some work, as players will need to march the streets and find new people. This is a strategic angle to this game which will take some tactility. Angry locals, the F.B.I., and local authorities will try to arrest and shut down the cult whenever they are out and about. Fully committed members will climb up the ranks and will eventually become pledged cultists. Which, in turn, they will always be around to do a player’s bidding. However, other members who aren’t impressed or happy will just leave the organization. There will be a covert ops room where players can plan to go on missions in town. Not only will they need to find new recruits, but also find resources to help with the evolution of the cult. Boosting morale is highly important because it will entice members to stick around and also assigned speakers will have higher confidence in their delivery. This will help members stick around a little longer while players find ways to convince them to stay.

Silver Tongued

Of course, the customization features in Honey, I Joined a Cult will be rather rotund. Players will be free to make their own wacky symbols, themes, and uniforms. Additionally, they can also establish certain relics that members can worship. To top it off, players can also make an ominous hat that higher-ranked members can wear to help convince NPCs to join. The more charmed members are, the more resources they will accumulate. Currently, there has been an Early Access available for this game, which the developers are constantly improving. There are over 90 unlockable themed items to obtain, along with 350 objects to use for building. This game is being made by only two people, so content drip-feeding into this IP post-launch will take a little time.

In any case, Honey, I Joined a Cult does indeed have the marks to build up a cult following of its own. The simplistic art design and gameplay mechanics does give it some charm that isn’t seen in too many indies today. With every theme comes particular rooms that are associated with it. Basically, a little something that offers a feature than just another skin. Something like the “free love room” found in the new ‘Peace and Love’ update, is one example. There is a variety of ways to run a cult and make an organization completely unique. The flexibility and creative factor of this game are what will most likely win gamers over. The Early Access that is now available is garnering interest and there is some potential here. Hopefully, the gaming community will embrace it in the future.

Obey and Consume

Even though Honey, I Joined a Cult may not be on very many gamer’s radars, it really should be looked into. At least, for gamers who are looking for something different. With that said, players who enjoy building simulators should definitely give this IP a go. It may be a bit rough around the edges right now, but things will iron out in due time. Honey, I Joined a Cult is now available for PC exclusively. Currently, there is no word on whether or not this game will be shifting over to consoles.