Juliet Childers - Softonic English

Paint Tool SAI review: not like Photoshop in the best way

No Paint Tool SAI review is complete without breaking down its core features and comparing it to rival programs. Let’s learn all about this digital art program from its surprisingly small size to its even more surprising capabilities.

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What is Paint Tool SAI?

Systemax first launched this software in 2008, but it still clocks in at just 2 MB. The raster graphics painting and editor software works on Windows PC running 2000 or later. Updates to the base program require Windows Vista or later instead.

The program allows users to draw and develop layers using various tools to create digital art. Though mainly focused on painting and drawing, SAI does provide some image editing with Brightness/Contrast and Hue/Saturation adjustments.

Is Paint Tool SAI free?

While free to download, Paint Tool SAI is not totally free. It requires a one-time payment of $50.81 USD or 5500 JPY for a software license after a trial period of 31 days. However, after this purchase, you’re good to use the program as you see fit.

image of the Paint Tool SAI user interface

Simple interface and small size

Due in part to its no-frills UI, Paint Tool SAI maintains a very small digital footprint. No rival program comes close to its size of just 2 MB. What’s more: it only requires 128 MB of RAM to operate. If you are editing and creating on a lower spec piece of hardware, this program may be the best option for you.

Other competitors, as reviewed below, take up significantly more space or require more RAM to operate.

Key features for a Paint Tool SAI review

As you can see in the image above, this program is not limited in scope when it comes to artist imagination. YouTuber Mirey’s showcased the program’s features in a Paint Tool SAI review for a commission. As with any kind of digital art creation software, SAI includes all of the features you’d need to do so.

Here is a list of key features that stood out for this Paint Tool SAI review:

Full digitizer support
Anti-aliased drawings
Data protection for layer tools
Airbrush and brush
Able to adjust color luminescence and saturation
Able to view small versions of drawings

Intel MMX technology support
Selection and drag tools
Can move and lock layers
Touch-sensitive pencil tool
Large color spectrum
Very lightweight software in terms of required hardware specifications

Perhaps the best feature is how Paint Tool SAI empowers you to draw with a digital pen. Illustrating using mobile devices or tablets allows artists to feel more free and uninhibited while creating animations like cartoons or anime.

image of Paint Tool SAI review rival logos

Paint Tool SAI review: competitors

Adobe Photoshop

This program is significantly more powerful than Paint Tool SAI, but that’s by design. Paint Tool SAI is focused on drawing and painting while Adobe Photoshop can do far more. It features more format types, text layers, shape tools, gradients, transparency, and lots more. It is ~710 MB in size with a required 8 GB RAM minimum to operate.

Photoshop also offers better image editing options than Paint Tool SAI. However, it costs significantly more as a one-time purchase. The monthly subscription fee for just Photoshop is $20.99 USD per month or $19.99 USD per month for Lightroom and Photoshop with 1TB of storage.

Adobe Illustrator

This program has some of the same issues as Photoshop regarding price. Though a powerful program, Illustrator is $20.99 USD per month, so users will hit the comparable price of Paint Tool SAI quickly. However, it offers better versions of all of the illustrating capabilities than Paint Tool SAI.

If cost is not an issue for you, then you may consider Adobe Illustrator instead. It is ~1.76 GB in size and requires at least 8 GB of RAM to operate.

Gimp

This open-source raster graphics editor is free-to-use having debuted all the way back in 1998. While Paint Tool SAI is fantastic in some areas and lacking in others, GIMP is more well-rounded overall. It is also available for macOS, Linux, and Windows PCs.

Many users consider GIMP one of the best free tools available thanks to features like color mixing, layering, gradient features, and more. If you want a real contender against Paint Tool SAI, consider giving GIMP a try — especially if you don’t have a Windows operating system. It clocks in at 250 MB in size and recommends at least 128 MB of RAM to run.

Krita

Similar to GIMP, Krita is more well-rounded than SAI when it comes to the services offered. The biggest benefit Krita offers is a more intuitive interface. It also features HDR editing support, mirroring tools, PSD compatibility, and a more robust color palette.

It is also free and open-source as developed by the Open Source Raster Graphics Library project. Krita requires at least 2 GB of RAM and 300 MB of storage space.

Canva

Many people may be familiar with the originally browser-based editor known as Canva. It has a free option available to all with an intuitive interface, thousands of templates, an image cropper, various pay structures for paid subscriptions, and more.

However, it does lack things like full digitizer support and tools that make drawing with a tablet more natural. This may be due to the fact that Canva focuses more on design for things like social media posts, posters, and other graphics vs. creating digital art.

When using the desktop or mobile app, Canva recommends that you have at least 150 MB of storage space free. For the desktop app, Canva requires 1 GB of RAM minimum on Windows and 2 GB of RAM on Mac.

image of the UI for the Paint Tool SAI review

Verdict on Paint Tool SAI review

Though not the most robust program for creating digital art, Paint Tool SAI remains one of the most lightweight options out there. If you want to paint, draw, or otherwise create art, it is fantastic. Download Paint Tool SAI for free and try it out yourself.

However, if you are looking to make collages or edit photos, you should consider other programs.

PROS

Not very taxing on hardware so it’s great for lower spec setups
Great option for use with a tablet
No frills interface
Includes linework layers to reduce the amount of manual linework required
Very affordable when compared to some alternatives

CONS

Only available in English and Japanese with German translation
May lack the variety of tools that other similar (but usually more expensive) programs have
Only dedicated support is via email at support@systemax.jp

Developer: Systemax Software Development

Publisher: Systemax Software Development

Top Features: Full digitizer support, low hardware footprint, and great for tablets

Platform Reviewed: Windows PC

Hard West 2 review: What if demons plagued the Oregon Trail?

If ghosts and demons found themselves in a Spaghetti Western, it would be Hard West 2. The game brings together XCOM: Enemy Unkown style turn-based combat with RPG elements similar to Dragon Age: Origins. But it all takes place in a western-style, locomotive-powered world in Oregon.

Quick shooting outlaws, Native American tribes, and settlers all fall victim to a Ghost Train led by a demon named Mammon. It’s up to Gin Carter and his gang of spiritual-ability wielders and bullet slingers to set things right.

Hard West 2 background

The original studio behind Hard West is CreativeForge Games out of Poland. Another development studio called Ice Code Games (also Polish) produced this sequel title. As such, players familiar with the original game should expect changes in tone, style, writing, and combat mechanics.

New players should be able to drop into this hand-painted world of ghouls and flying bullets fairly easily. The three game modes (easy, hard, and nightmare) allow you to tailor your turn-based gameplay experience.

Setting & tone

While lots of supernatural things occur in Hard West 2, the game never feels very eldritch or spooky even. The atmosphere is ghostly, at times, but overall, the game feels more Western than Ghost Story (if you want a genre).

Hard West 2 story

The original game had a less straightforward story than its sequel. Fans of the unique narrative devices and non-linear story in Hard West may find Hard West 2’s pivot into linear story-telling a bit jarring. However, others may find the straightforward objective-based narrative easier to grasp.

It all revolves around Gin Carter — a generic feeling, gambling outlaw with big ambitions. He gathers his haphazard “posse” or group to fight Mammon and potentially help others in the world.

How long to beat Hard West 2

This title is an RPG, so your decisions can affect your gameplay to some degree. However, the base campaign is fairly straightforward and can be completed quickly even at a leisurely pace.

Main campaign: ~19 – 23 hours
Main campaign with side quests: ~22 – 25 hours

Hard West 2 performance

The game runs very smoothly even on older hardware. The overworld can tend to lag if you try to move the camera while also moving units. But overall, the game does not stutter or lag.

Combat can get a bit overwhelming from a visual perspective, but this is not reflected in gameplay performance.

Hard West 2 gameplay & functions

This title includes a very simple UI with Inventory, Cards, and not much else. The Overworld and combat UI have a running Quest list for reference in the top left. Each character icon can be found in the bottom left with the action hub in the bottom center of the screen.

This simplicity helps the world feel more engaging and makes it easier for players to disappear into the game.

Though there is not much in the way of character customization, trinkets and cards help flesh out this aspect of the game.

Cards & trinkets

RPG veterans will instantly know how trinkets work as they are like accessories in other titles. These items grant characters additional stat boosts such as increased hit points, speed, or luck capacity. The cards, however, play a more integral role in a character’s combat prowess.

For instance, in the above image, you can see that Laughing Deer requires a Pair for his “Wild Run” ability. But a Flush will empower “Wild Run” even more. Each character gets unique abilities based on which cards you equip on top of the basic boosts such as additional hit points, luck, speed, etc.

Key mechanics

Companion Loyalty Points: the character screen will show a person’s abilities and stats, but also what their closeness level is with Gin. Having better relationships with people can give them new abilities or buffs.
Ability Points: players familiar with turn-based titles will know that ability points are how you do things in fights. Typically, each character has just 3 ability points and things like attacking, moving, or using items take between 1 and 3 points each.
Bravado: the Bravado system lets players chain kills by refreshing all ability points spent upon slicing down an enemy. It’s crucial to accomplishing certain side or main objectives.
Luck: this system featured heavily in Hard West 2, but feels like an afterthought now. If characters miss shots, they gain Luck that can be used later on to increase hit or crit chance on enemies.
Combat vs. Charisma: since this is an RPG, players sometimes have the option of simply talking their way into or out of a situation instead of fighting. Though the occurrences are fewer or depend on companion loyalty points, it’s a nice option to have when you do.
Sidequests & Bounties: as with other RPGs, Hard West 2 features many optional sidequests. This includes hunting down other outlaws — usually for money or loot.

World, sound, & character design

World design: Familiar without feeling stale

Fans of the Western genre will appreciate all of the references and easter eggs found throughout the game. But the developers also did a wonderful job making the world feel desolate while still possible to survive. The characters surviving off the land are hardened, but not crass. They work hard and they’re rough around the edges.

Each shack you discover or town you encounter feels original. In fact, these supplementary characters can often feel more real than the playable characters.

Sound design: Inoffensive music with great effects

All games with weapons should feature satisfying noises such as bullet drops, shots firing, etc. Hard West 2 makes Bravado streaks feel ultra worth it with great sound effects. The combat music hums in the background with all of the focus on character action.

However, everything else in the game feels like an afterthought. There is not much in the way of music or Overworld sound effects such as whistling, wind, or even a cheeky hawk call.

Character design: Out of touch with reality but in touch with the game’s world

The playable characters in Hard West 2 fit the setting and tone very well. Quest-giving NPCs are usually just talking heads with painterly-style avatars. Enemy types do become very familiar over time, but combat doesn’t become boring as a result. The biggest issue with characterization is with Lazarus, Laughing Deer, Cha’lish, Flynn, and the combatants known as the Shadow Dancers.

Flynn’s voice lines vacillate from peculiar and unfitting to dark and edgy for seemingly no reason. She will say “Smart!” when you move her somewhere. Gin’s characterization is also a bit by-the-book. He’s like Dutch from Red Dead Redemption 2 with less personality.

In the same vein, Cha’lish, Laughing Deer, and the Native American enemies have stereotypical writing with lackluster voicework. Though the character backstories are interesting, this can distract players and sap them out of the Hard West 2 world.

Some players may also find that Lazarus falls under the “Magical Minority” trope where a person of color (usually a Black or African American person) is connected to the supernatural or acts as a magical guide for the main character.

Verdict: Hard West 2 is fun if you can look past some…quirks

For the full price of $29.99 USD, Hard West 2 feels like a solid value if you want a turn-based RPG. The setting of the weird, ghostly West is quaint, but never feels truly lived in. Despite this, the combat will keep you coming back for more.

The attention to detail in the Overworld, unique weapon designs, and other elements like Flynn’s hypermobility or Cha’Lish’s spirit distraction ability invigorate the experience.

PROS

Fans of games like XCOM 2 will appreciate the addictive turn-based combat and unique character abilities.
The RPG elements, while simplistic, feel rewarding all the same.
Discovering things across the Overworld injects a fun variety into the text-based character interactions.
The inventory system is refreshingly simple and there are many opportunities to find stores balanced with scavenging money and resources.

CONS

The representations of women and Native Americans are not as nuanced as they should be. Lazarus may also fall under the trope of the “magical minority” for some.
Fans of the original game may not appreciate how diminished the Luck system has become in favor of the Bravado system.
Missions can feel very feast or famine in that, if you do not set up the dominos to fall all at once, you can snowball quickly into failure.
The battle UI is not always clear between moving and attacking. Much of this confusion comes down to awkward camera angles.

Developer: Ice Code games

Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment (formerly Gambitious Digital Entertainment)

Game Modes: Single-player

Game Engine: Unity

Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC: fun for the whole chaotic family

No stranger to Total War: Warhammer III, the Champions of Chaos DLC offered new challenges to add to our consideration of the overall game review. Our original expert review covers the base game extensively from core mechanics to every playable faction.

But the DLC takes it to a new level for lore heads by adding new faction lords: Valkia, Festus, Azazel, and Vilitch. Each one serves a ruinous God and fights to conquer fortresses until everyone else serves them, too. But is this DLC worth the commitment?

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Let’s review what the DLC adds, the characters, and how it affects the gameplay experience.

Total War: Warhammer III background

Our full review goes very in-depth into the lore behind the game with the death of the bear god Ursun. The game retains the same playable factions with their various leaders including the original representatives of the four ruinous Gods:

Kairos Fateweaver (Tzeentch)
Skarbrand (Khorne)
N’kari (Slaanesh)
Ku’gath Plaguefeather (Nurgle)

The Champions of Chaos DLC merely adds more flavor to the base campaign and some new combat mechanics and skill tree options.

image of Azazel in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Champions of Chaos story:

Instead of following the plot of the campaign in the base game, the DLC switches things up. On the same map, it pits the four legendary lords in a conquest of the land of Zanbaijin as they harvest souls for their chosen God.

Finding the legendary city will prove their loyalty to make them the ultimate champion. Yeah, sure, okay — because the Ruinous Gods are known for honoring whatever promises they make to people.

images of new units in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Champions of Chaos unit additions of note

The DLC tosses many new units into the pot across all disciplines. While many share similar designs and stats, the versions for each faction maintain the traits and abilities of the God they serve. For instance, Khorne’s units will tend to have higher attack damage while Tzeentch’s version has a barrier.

The biggest differences surround the abilities and passives they’ll have. But in general, the chosen units added and their descriptions are as below:

Chaos Warshrine (different abilities and traits based on faction)

a support monster that acts primarily as a vehicle and bullet sponge
siege attacker
can fear troops, encourage allies, and gain resistance as enemies die near it
“Favour of the Ruinous Powers” adds +10 leadership to any unit in its proximity

Sibilant Slaughtercade (Slaanesh Regiment of Renown)

features poison attacks, useful flanking bonuses, and high mobility
“Soul hunters” provides damage buffs with kills
anti-infantry unit with vanguard deployment
armored and shielded

Bilious Thundergruff (Nurgle Regiment of Renown)

chaos giant with poison attacks and terror
features a unique gas-based ability that functions as a vortex spell. It damages nearby units while also reducing armor that jumps to a total of 5 units nearby

Knights of the Brazen Throne (Khorne Regiment of Renown)

armor-piercing
frenzy
causes terror and fear
anti-infantry unit with high armor and powerful charge

Severed Claw Aspiring Champions (Tzeentch Regiment of Renown)

barriered, armor-piercing unit useful against large units
only 16 in a unit
feature melee attacks and magic attacks
“Encourage” ability provides +8 leadership to nearby units

Chosen of Slaanesh

armored and shielded sword infantry unit
features Slaanesh buffs “Immunity to psychology”, 10% physical resistance, and “Strider”
Hellscourge version adds more defense, charge defense, and charge reflection

Chosen of Nurgle

armored and shield axe infantry with poison attacks and damage reduction
tank version has higher health and melee defense with just 23 speed
“Great Weapon” version wields a Great Axe, is armored, and armor-piercing

Chosen of Khorne

armored and shielded axe infantry unit with frenzy
includes fire damage but lacks armor-piercing
high health for excellent front-line defense
the dual weapon version is more focused on damage over the defense with a bonus against infantry

Chosen of Tzeentch

armored, shielded, and barriered sword infantry unit with magic attacks
“Halberd” version adds anti-large attacks along with a charge defense ability

Warhammer 3 Champions of Chaos Faction differences

image of Vilitch's victory screen in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Tzeentch & Vilitch the Curseling

Vilitch, a jealous twin turned worm-with-mouth grafted onto the now mindless body of his brother thanks to Tzeentch, has hybrid abilities. He can cast spells while also dishing out damage with melee attacks. He’s a bit of a warlock as he excels at fighting alongside units on the front line while also casting spells.

He leads the Puppets of Misrule and his abilities include:

“Fires of Change” – includes all spells associated with Tzeentch
“Paragon of Change” – this regenerates barriers on nearby friendly units
“The Twisted Twin” – adjusts buff based on which twin is fighting. When playing as Vilitch, you get additional spell mastery. When playing as T, you get enhanced melee damage and defense. The effects increase the longer you are in a specific mode
“Vessel of Chaos” – returns barrier points as you cast
lacks armor-piercing attacks but allied forces receive Winds of Magic benefits
has a barrier to enhancing toughness and facilitating infantry domination
can convert some battle losses into Souls
vassals receive barrier hit points
capable of stealing +15% of other Lords’ experience

Slaanesh & Azazel, Prince of Damnation

This legendary lord thinks very highly of himself despite being a total glass cannon. With just five armor, his capable melee attacks and spellcasting require more finesse. But he can fly…

He leads the Ecstatic Legion and his abilities include:

“Temptator” – reflects melee damage and boosts damage resistance
“Demonblade” – boosts base weapon damage, but also lowers enemy morale and leadership buffs with the “Discouraged” trait
“Lore of Slaanesh” – includes all spells associated with Slaanesh
“Domineering Aura” – further demoralizes enemies by reducing melee attack and defense. Increases in intensity the longer there are troops being discouraged or afraid
can cause both terror and fear in enemy troops
the only demon among the legendary lords
+80 diplomatic relations with Cathay, Empire, Bretonnia, and Kislev
can seduce enemy units before battle
vassals obtain “Immunity to Psychology”

image of Nurgle in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Nurgle & Festus the Leechlord

Festus could best be described as a wizard when it comes to his combat stats. He isn’t the most robust chaos lord with low armor stats and spell-casting abilities. However, he does have enhanced melee damage, though, to get out of some sticky situations.

He leads the Fecundites and his abilities include:

“Healing Elixirs” – heals Festus and any nearby units while active (constantly active when selected)
“Harbinger of Pestilence” – damages enemies within close proximity continuously unless/until you switch back to Healing Elixirs
“Pestilent Potions” – useful damage debuff against enemies that provides toughness to up to five friendly units up to 100 meters away
can be played as a more support classes character with healing or as a damage booster to help troops take out enemies more quickly
plague brewing abilities and +three turn plague duration with local armies
vassals obtain poison attacks

image of Valkia in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Khorne & Valkia the Bloody

Think of Valkia as the ultimate barbarian. Her melee-based abilities pack a punch with solid stats all around. She’s best played as a frontline commander who occasionally dives into battle leveraging her invulnerability power.

She leads the Legion of the Gorequeen and her main abilities include:

can use Bloodletting and Frenzy
“Spear Slaupnir” – a wind spell useful against infantry
“Demon Shield” – makes Valkia invulnerable for 13 seconds
“Scarlet Armor” – reduces enemy armor along with their armor-piercing abilities
“Gaze of Khorne” – bestows additional buffs to her including leadership aura, base damage, and armor-piercing abilities
she can fly
bonus damage versus large targets
additional magical damage on her melee attacks
receives +50% souls when sacrificing captives
vassals also gain Frenzy

image of settlement structure UI in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

New mechanics in Champions of Chaos: gifts of chaos, warbands, & dark fortresses

Vassals & dark fortresses

Upon encountering villages or controlled outposts, you can defeat the reigning powers and establish a Dark Fortress region. This grants whatever Norscan faction you overtook as a permanent vassal acting in your stead. As long as you maintain dominion over their lands, they will follow you.

This, naturally, puts importance on establishing more fortresses and taking over regions. You also need to build structures, but this can be automated if you want it to be.

image of skill tree UI in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Warband upgrades & skill trees

As a Champion of Chaos, players will be able to recruit forces upon capture instantly. They can be from nearby provinces or rewarded to them from Chaos Gifts. That means that Marauders can receive the mark of Chaos and ascend to Chaos Knights if desired. You can also dedicate them to a specific God.

Each champion also features customizable skill trees as pictured above.

image of chaos gift UI in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Chaos gifts

As you grow your power and sacrifice souls to your Ruinous God, you’ll receive gifts of chaos. These boons require Souls in exchange but can offer great power and benefits. Gain souls by winning battles and you can even obtain demonic reinforcements.

images of legendary lords in Total War: Warhammer III Champions of Chaos DLC

Verdict: Chaos makes everything better

Die-hard fans of the Warhammer series will love the additional lore the Champions of Chaos DLC provides. Newbies might also appreciate the truncated campaign and useful tutorial tips. Checking out Total War Warhammer’s beginner tips might help, too.

More casual players may not get as much out of the additional Ruinous God champions. However, it’s just $15.99 USD full price, so it’s not too much of an investment if you just want to check it out.

PROS

Makes the game even more accessible for new players
Excellent for fans of Warhammer lore and the various legendary lords
New campaign may run faster than the Ursun-focused campaign in the base game
Playable in the Immortal Empires campaign

CONS

Cluttered UI suffers from the same issues as the base game
Cost may turn some less-hardcore players away from the DLC
Players focused on expansion may struggle with DLC gameplay that’s more centered around fortress captures
Some of the “new” units appear more like reskinned versions of units in the base game – test

Developer: Creative Assembly

Publisher: Sega

Game Modes: Single-player & multiplayer

Game Engine: Warscape Engine

Cult of the Lamb review: cult violence but make it cozy core

That’s right – Cult of the Lamb takes all the difficulty of a rogue-like and pairs it with cutesy characters, base-building, and sim-like mechanics. The art style and soundtrack give the game unique appeal, but there’s more behind the would-be sacrificial main character than meets the eye.

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Let’s dive into the game to see why Cult of the Lamb might appeal to more than just fans of games like Binding of Isaac.

Story, setting, & tone

The setting of this game is very simple in that it’s established from the beginning moments of the game. You are a sacrifice to other-worldly gods for something called the “Old Faith.” Except, you aren’t quite sacrificed; instead, something calling itself “The One Who Waits” revives you at the cost of creating a cult in its name.

To that end, you roam around various areas controlled by Old Faith followers, recruiting people to your cult and slaying heretics. This may not have Warhammer levels of lore, but the game establishes its story much more by “showing” than “telling.”

Characters, though their existences seem bleak, have personality and a certain whimsy about them. The pairing of this levity with darkness keeps the narrative from feeling too overbearing or simplistic.

image of The One Who Waits in Cult of the Lamb

Cult of the Lamb performance

Massive Monster built this game on the Unity engine, so it runs very smoothly. The only hiccup I encountered was when I first loaded into the game. It did not natively detect my monitor’s aspect ratio and I had to set it manually. In the grand scheme of things, however, this is not a deal-breaker.

Most computers should be able to run it well along with the consoles on which it is available:

Nintendo Switch
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5

Cult of the Lamb gameplay and functions

Since Cult of the Lamb is rogue-like, players do “runs” or attempt to beat the game until they run out of life. When that happens, they must start all over at the beginning of the game. However, as you progress through the game, you’ll get more powerful spells, weapons, and other perks. This can help you progress through the game.

But the other facet of Cult of the Lamb is the cult management simulator aspect. The player must take care of their “flock” so to speak, by feeding them and providing for them regularly. However, this works to your advantage as your followers can aid you in battle.

image of base building in Cult of the Lamb

UI and interface

The UI for this title is uncluttered and straightforward. As with most rogue-likes, it’s best played with a controller. This might make the building aspects a bit cumbersome for players used to the freedom of a mouse and keyboard, but Cult of the Lamb smartly approaches this challenge.

As you can see above, players can place their structures in set places. The red squares indicate occupied spaces (by resources in this case) while the green spaces indicate buildable land.

When it comes to combat and inventory, there is a simple radial menu players can access that displays whatever items they are using at the time. You can upgrade or swap out your weapons and spells/curses throughout the game as you discover them.

Control schema

Cult of the Lamb offers multiple control schemas for different playstyles. The default is a fairly standard setup, but you can customize it if desired. Again, this game is experienced best with a controller.

image of combat and Tarot Cards in Cult of the Lamb

Key mechanics & combat

Players have three core mechanics for combat:

attack
dodge roll
unleash curse

The enemies are very mobile from the very beginning of the game, so you’ll need to learn how to time your dodges. The penalty for missed attacks can also be pretty punishing if you don’t time things right. In that vein, the game rewards players who take the time to learn enemy movements and tactics.

Beyond that, there are the Tarot Cards players can unlock as seen above. These provide buffs such as additional hearts, damage modifiers, and more. If you played Hades, think of it as the buffs you get from the various gods in the game.

image of Old Faith gods in Cult of the Lamb

Cult of the Lamb world, sound, & character design

It isn’t often that you get a beautifully colorful world with such a dark mission in a game. After all, you are running around as an inter-dimensional god-powered prophet slaying non-believers and recruiting followers at any cost. But you’re such a darn cute little innocent lamb!

Therein lies the crux of the game’s core design intent.

Sound design: pivotal to the experience

Many early reviews have raved about the phenomenal soundtrack in Cult of the Lamb. It’s almost a requirement of any good rogue-like game at this point since players spend a great deal of time exploring the game world. Though the game is procedurally generated, it ultimately has players treading similar ground.

The soundtrack keeps things fresh and provides adrenaline boosts in key moments during big fights. It can also set the atmosphere while you are constructing your cult camp. See if you can identify musical motifs for different characters.

The characters speaking different languages is another detail that can’t be missed. It adds to the feeling that these are real people in a real-world dealing with…terrifying cult monsters.

Character design: behind those cute smiles are sharp fangs

Despite being an adorable farm animal, the protagonist is a murder machine. Every character exudes this juxtaposition in Cult of the Lamb. There is always just something a bit off about many of the characters that the player meets. Clauneck, for example, seems welcoming and helpful. But why is this dude chillin’ in a forest infested with zealous cultists handing out buffs?

The Old Faith gods are also quite the sight. They invoke classic themes of horror like spiders, eldritch creatures, and more. Again, there is a juxtaposition to the player character (a lamb) who will one day defeat them. And that requires followers.

Part of the fun of the game is playing with how you build your base and care for those followers. You can also customize them, give them unique names, and deal with various positive and negative traits.

World design: a lived-in, beautiful disaster

Though there isn’t a dedicated overworld, Cult of the Lamb still has a lot to offer in terms of world design. The individual encounters, while simple in their setups, keep things interesting with different set dressings, enemies, and obstacles.

The cult camp you can create is also highly customizable. Though a bit flat, the character that your followers bring to the space does a ton of work to make things feel more chaotic (in a good way).

This, in tandem with the four different areas of the Old Faith realm, offers the player lots of variety to experience. Overall, the whimsy, color, and richness of the world design help the characters feel all the more real.

image of the overworld in Cult of the Lamb

Verdict: Cult of the Lamb is great for any gamer

Cult of the Lamb really does have something for everyone. Fans of games such as Valheim or even The Sims will appreciate the base-building and follower monitoring mechanics.

The combat may prove a bit frustrating at times, but this game is meant to be played over and over again. Ideally, you will get farther each time you play it. And with a game so easy to pick up and put down, it’s simple to do just that.

PROS

Fantastic art style
Incredible soundtrack
Straight-forward control schemas
In-depth tutorial system
Great replayability thanks to procedurally generated maps and customizable builds in each run

CONS

Useful, but limited accessibility features
Rogue-likes aren’t for everyone
Fans of keyboard and mouse sim games may find the controller more cumbersome

Developer: Massive Monster

Publisher: Devolver Digital

Game Modes: single-player

Engine: Unity

Best beginner characters in MultiVersus for new players

The fighting game smashes together characters from all over animation — but not all of them are the best beginner characters in MultiVersus. Though the game has familiar mechanics, everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Dive in with a little insider knowledge to see which character playstyles work best for you. Let’s break down the best characters in MultiVersus for beginners.

For the best beginner characters in MultiVersus, start with Shaggy

Cost: 1500 Gold or 700 Gleamium

The hapless Scooby Doo investigator really brings it on the battlefield. Categorized as a bruiser type, Shaggy excels at getting in your face and retreating quickly. You can put down lots of damage with his basic attack alone. In tandem with his “Zoinks!” ability, you’ll do even more damage and you can heal others by throwing them sandwiches.

If you want to get a feel for the game physics, the maps, and how the game handles overall, beginners should try Shaggy first. Unfortunately, Shaggy does not start out as an unlocked character.