Penetrate the Night: On Cultist Simulator

Рет қаралды 8,977

6 жыл бұрын

Twitter: / electrondance
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MUSIC
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All music from bignic's album Domina (bignic.bandcamp.com/album/domina)
Tracks used in this film: open, drone 117, drone 112, gladius, drone 104, void
Used with permission
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FEATURED GAMES
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Starseed Pilgrim - www.starseedpilgrim.com
Cultist Simulator - weatherfactory.biz/cultist-sim...
Bonbon - aethericgames.itch.io/bonbon
Overcooked - www.ghosttowngames.com/overcoo...
Minecraft - minecraft.net
The Sense of Connectedness - forums.tigsource.com/index.ph...
Cookie Clicker - orteil.dashnet.org/cookieclicker/
Domina - www.dominagame.com/
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AUDIO
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Imphenzia Universal Sound FX - www.imphenzia.com/universal-s...
Albert Clock Bell - freesound.org/s/433773/
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SPECIAL THANKS
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Andy Durdin, Gregg Burnell, droqen
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
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Penetrate the Night by Joel Goodwin (10 Jun 2018)
www.electrondance.com/penetrat...

Пікірлер: 106

@laster3753 6 жыл бұрын

This video is like an amazing indie documentary. This is just criminally underrated

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you Exora! It's the kind of thing I do. I hadn't posted anything new for nearly two years and it was time to change that.

@laster3753 6 жыл бұрын

I beg of you to try and advertise your channel more, because do not be fooled by the view count. Because this video is just plain quality ! The writing, the plot, analogies and editing is all off the wall amazing ! Keep it up and sooner than later you will get the recognition you so dearly deserve !

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

To be honest I suck at marketing - generally because marketing costs time and production already eats up more than its fair share - and I'm not exactly sure how I would push the channel out to more people. I've sent a mail off to RPS about putting it in The Sunday Papers but that's about the limit of my marketing plan :O

@samsnead7414 3 жыл бұрын

This review is like the light of the glory always out of reach beyond the walls of the mansus... But the mansus has no walls, then what of the wood?

@Electrondance 3 жыл бұрын

EXACTLY someone gets it

@samsnead7414 3 жыл бұрын

Ahhhh a Believer, although we may not have met ? Words are not needed... What are the words but a window... No! a door ?

@slingman1074 6 жыл бұрын

great to see a new video from this underrated channel!

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you pizzaboy69. Hopefully a couple more this year, too.

@Od.Pa. 9 ай бұрын

Those fascination cards in the thumbnail give me nightmares, the thought of losing everything, hours of gameplay to three cards

@Marlyjade 9 ай бұрын

This is one of my favorite games so I am happy that almost all the videos made about it are so quality. Including this! It's amazing how my favorite game is one I have never won. I am on the verge but I am so close

@brnddi 5 жыл бұрын

If you find yourself easily addicted to "complex clickers", let me warn you to never ever try Factorio. I'm sure that game has ended careers.

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

Indeed, I've heard similar reports from elsewhere :)

@SilvioPorto 6 жыл бұрын

GODDAMMIT YOU HAVE TO POST MORE STUFF

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Ha! I got into problems with A Field of Flowers recently and it had been going for too long - so energy was flagging - so I kicked off this completely different project a month ago to re-energise. I'll be back on A Field of Flowers with renewed vigour this week.

@BerkeHitay 5 жыл бұрын

I agree!!!

@forcefield6973 6 жыл бұрын

Always nice to see a new upload from you! This is the second game I hear about in this channel that looks incredibly original and refreshing. The first one was Full Bore, and man, that game was a beautiful hidden gem. Putting this on my wishlist right now :)

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Oh that's great to here someone actually followed up on Full Bore! I like to throw in esoteric/lesser-known games whenever I can but I'm never sure if pays attention to them. Cultist Simulator is fun just... be careful. It'll devour your free time alive.

@DavetheTurnip 6 жыл бұрын

It's so good to see another video from you, and boy was this a doozy. I am in awe of your writing and editing skills. After watching I'm more curious to try Cultist Simulator, and now a little scared of it :)

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dave! I think you're right to be scared of it - I love the game but it did have real repercussions on my spare time and, er, sleep time.

@ironpyrite8406 6 жыл бұрын

I was very surprised to see something new uploaded on this channel. I'm glad I subscribed however long ago.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Hi Copy Cat, yes I'm still around! We had a house move last year and it just brought everything to a standstill. I've been working on what was supposed to be the next film for many months (A Field of Flowers) but it keeps hitting snags so I made this film over the last month to liven the place up. Get rid of the cobwebs.

@mick16wtf 6 жыл бұрын

Fascinating and beautifully crafted. That was excellent content right there about lacking content in a way, great job.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you Miguel. Always a little nervous when I release a new film to the world, but happy to see it was warmly received!

@hamptonbishop132 6 жыл бұрын

Such a cool review! Happy to see this game getting some love :)

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Hampton!

@VI5ix6 6 жыл бұрын

Damn it must resist the Grail & the urge to fo east to follow salt

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

one does not simply resist the grail

@Shamino1 2 жыл бұрын

Got to NG+ before I even knew there was a Pause button. I was a very wasteful cult leader.

@Electrondance 2 жыл бұрын

Wasteful or not, that's quite an achievement. I don't think I could have pulled that off!

@willowdove6703 4 жыл бұрын

You really nailed the tone of the game

@Electrondance 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Willowdove. I haven't played for some time now - and I know it's changed a lot since I made this short film. Looking forward to giving it another spin at some point! provided I can go to bed early

@OldWorldFanatic 6 жыл бұрын

HOLY COW I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE BACK! It's a shame I can't watch this yet, since I haven't played the game and don't want spoilers, but if it weren't for you I never would have heard of it in the first place. As soon as I've played it, I'll be back to watch more.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

It's sort of spoiler light - my friend Gregg said it's the kind of game that's difficult to spoil because none of it makes sense at a distance. But don't worry, the film will still be here when you get back. :)

@OldWorldFanatic 6 жыл бұрын

Electron Dance in that case...maybe I could indulge just this once :) Also: keep up the good work. You've produced some of my favorite games-related media of all time and you deserve WAY more attention than you're currently getting.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

The video is actually full of "visual spoilers" but literally there are so many nothing will stick unless you bother to analyse frame by frame. Thanks for the kudos! I think the only way to boost attention would be to turn out films more quickly - that's sort of the way this KZfaq game works - but it's beyond impossible considering what I make.

@buttonasas 6 жыл бұрын

"I just need the level 12 lantern lore". Probably should've watched this video before commenting on the E/TX transmission video but the question posted there remains.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Glad to be of service :)

@Dalinu 5 жыл бұрын

this video is amazing, thank you for this

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, Dalinu

@hemangchauhan2864 6 жыл бұрын

In absolute awe. I've been in one of these states, but never had I thought it could be exposed so vividly.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

I am familiar with this kind of obssession over the years, but Cultist Simulator was really something different on that score. Actually, as an experiment, I tried out a clicker a few years ago. It did the same thing to me despite not getting anything positive out of the experience... and decided never to go back.

@elenachiriac-ps6xs 11 ай бұрын

I got a 3 day break from work and I spent 40+ hours playing this game.

@user-rm5dq8nt9g 10 ай бұрын

And now, after completing every main and DLC endings of this game, you should know, that this universe dont actually allow you to go. Because you know...the sequel of this game called "Book of Hours" just being released this year.

@epicgamer2727 6 жыл бұрын

Welcome back

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I was never really away :) I have been beavering away for months on A Field of Flowers and I just had to work on something different for a while.

@MaurycyZarzycki Жыл бұрын

1:11 No, actually you convinced me. I'll be back to finish watching the rest of the video after I play the game for a bit.

@Electrondance Жыл бұрын

I fear you should watch the rest of this before playing. If you cannot be a good example, you should be a horrible warning.

@MaurycyZarzycki Жыл бұрын

@@Electrondance Maybe I will, because it's been a while since a game confused me this much.

@TheShadowwalker007 3 жыл бұрын

Wow this was a great review. Perfect for the spirit of the game. I was looking for a review to help sell this game to my non gamer friend. Thank you very much.

@Electrondance 3 жыл бұрын

Ha ha, and I originally put this together to express the danger of becoming a Cult Sim addict :)

@jujuplayboy 5 жыл бұрын

You just reached 3 Fascinations. ^_^

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

also known as very doomed :)

@gustavocosta7304 5 жыл бұрын

brilliant stuff

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Gustavo!

@rRecoveryProd 6 жыл бұрын

I almost downloaded this game when I checked the first minute. Thanks for scaring me off. I really appreciated it. I've been trying to avoid games that employ blatant skinner box tactics. This also worked for Starseed Pilgrim, too.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

I'm assuming you mean I scared you off Starseed Pilgrim and not that it had skinner box tactics :) Past the discovery phase, Starseed Pilgrim is really good although some might find the final challenges too difficult (although I was pretty much in a minority with this). To be fair, I don't think Weather Factory were attempting to make some hideously addictive in this way and were taken by surprise by the impact on some players.

@rRecoveryProd 6 жыл бұрын

Electron Dance Actually, I was talking about Cultist Simulator. Also, I did like Starseed Pilgrim for a while before giving up. There aren't even Full LPs of the game on KZfaq, and only your site gave a full comprehensive guide.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

I think there was an omerta where Starseed Pilgrim was involved. Someone had to do it, especially as there were interesting design choices to discuss!

@rRecoveryProd 6 жыл бұрын

Electron Dance Omerta? What's that?

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

rRecoveryProd A code of silence! (the term is associated with the mafia)

@KrooTon Жыл бұрын

I had this game on my wishlist already... now...

@KrooTon 7 ай бұрын

Came back to say that this stuck with me enough that I went & bought the game shortly after watching it and have been playing off & on since, up to and including last night. Gonna rewatch now that I’m playing and better understanding it.

@TheWasd1234 3 жыл бұрын

this is awesome

@Electrondance 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks G 4.

@andii1701 6 жыл бұрын

So good!

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear that, AJ!

@Spellweaver5 5 жыл бұрын

It's lovely to see people pay attention to this underrated game.

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Spellweaver. Although TBH Cultist Simulator has done rather well for a rather niche indie game!

@Spellweaver5 5 жыл бұрын

@@Electrondance by measures of niche indie games it certainly did but man do I struggle to find a person to whom I'm able to talk about it. I even struggle to find a person who knows the name of Alexis, sadly. And there's so much to talk about, like the symbolism used in this game really gets to me. It makes me think in game's aspects sometimes. Isn't it amazing how archetypical and deep they all are? My aspect would be Heart or Lantern, I think. One of my friends in most certainly a moth and a winter.

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

Oh sure - IRL I have precious few people who will have heard half the games I play. This also means I have trouble engaging in Regular Folk who know everything about Fortnite and flossing. I do wish I'd spent more time *assembling* the lore of the game which is fascinating but I did get weighed down with the mechanics of it, trying to figure out how to progress. I am should play again after the recent big updates but I got my hands full with the new film that's in the final stages...

@hanswurst9866 6 жыл бұрын

Welcome back!

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

I was never really gone, just frustrated that I couldn't do any film work :)

@thisisamergin498 6 жыл бұрын

This is giving me an existential crisis.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Seek help immediately

@guykatz3592 3 жыл бұрын

So glad my attention span is barely existant so I play this game for only 2 hours then lose my interest for a day or two

@Electrondance 3 жыл бұрын

You are most fortunate

@starastrabeldelprado6842 2 жыл бұрын

Bruh ur so underrated

@justinmuller6383 3 жыл бұрын

Because of the Lockdown i am broke and Homeschooling is a clusterfuck, and i even run out of weed! i am addicted to this beautifull Game, really, please help me!

@jamesdempsey1330 5 жыл бұрын

This much production value. For sub 2k views. That is just... Wrong. You have a subscriber in me.

@Electrondance 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you James! I don't market as hard as I oughta (I don't know what that means anyway :s) but it's nice to have a sizeable small following rather than millions, if you know what I mean.

@linus1703 9 ай бұрын

This is true although the console commands and the walkthroughs are an Hoursend when it comes to spending too much time.

@Clockwork_Mk3 2 жыл бұрын

°^° Good job, no kidding

@Electrondance 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Cain!

@starastrabeldelprado6842 2 жыл бұрын

I wish you get successful

@thisisamergin498 6 жыл бұрын

The only real benifit to this game is that it was made by the guys who did Fallen London. They have admitted themselves that gamers aren't their main focus, and that most of their audience prefers books, with their games as gateways.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

I remember there was a problem where it was thrown in front of the mainstream audience via Steam's front page which led to some pitchforks. It's for a particular audience niche, indeed. And it's really good at that niche.

@thisisamergin498 6 жыл бұрын

Exactly. Fallen London and Sunlesd Sea were some of my favorite 'games' for a long while, and i like this game too, but i simply have too little time for grinds like these now. Neither do most people.

@flaetsbnort 6 жыл бұрын

That's an interesting point of view. I like CS because it's a lot like Fallen London but without the mad grind. I played it for a week and ASCENDED INTO THE GLORY. A week in Fallen London would get me little more than some rags.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

This is really my first dance with any of Alexis Kennedy's work. I've never played Fallen London: would you recommend?

@thisisamergin498 6 жыл бұрын

Absolutely. Imagine if one of those 'Choose your own Adventure' books was actually good. The world is impressive, the chronology is in perfect sync, the lore rivals the most expansive series. Your character actually develops in meaningful ways as you progress, with different traits and statscombining excellently. There are so many different branching paths that you'll never run out of things to explore. The only downside I would say is that there is a tad bit of grind if you don't take risks, but the punishment for failure is simply a slap on the wrist, albeit a hard slap. I won't go into too many details, but it's one of my favorite narrative experiences ever made, and though I can't really enjoy it now, I will always recommend it. It does have a spin off which is a bit less interesting and slower regarding another city in a similar situation, but otherwise alright. Also: the sequel game Sunless Sea ties in with your Fallen London account. TLDR: Absolutely recommend.

@GodlessXVIII 6 жыл бұрын

Really nice video. I played Domina a few days ago and I thought the music sounded familiar. As for Cultist Simulator, its design is inexcusable in my opinion. I think I get what they were going for - marrying Lovecraftian themes of madness with the compulsions of clicker games - but the end result is a sort of worst of both worlds scenario. The thematic component (what we're all here for if we're being honest) remains minimal at best throughout - yet always tantalizing enough to drive us further and further into empty resource management loops stretching for literal hours. IMO this game lacks any respect for the player's time, and I'm tempted to say is mechanically incompatible with being a functioning adult. Maybe that's too harsh, but this game merits far harsher criticisms by professional reviewers than it has received thus far. tl;dr Too much grinding, not enough pay-off. Shame though, I did enjoy the tidbits of writing here and there.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

You're not the first person I've chatted to who, in the end, become hostile to the game. The way the game "weighs" on you can feel like a burden rather than entertainment. At first I was deliriously happy but, as I made more progress, frustration started to appear and I felt like it was eating my time. I'll meet you halfway on the "incompatible with being a functioning adult" aspect; I think the fact that you can close the game at any point and your progress is saved means it at least thinks about you. The problem is a player is always juggling multiple tasks which makes it difficult to find that natural break point. I know that it was completely unintentional (I've had brief discussions with Kennedy over Twitter). I agree on the thematic component not being enough; I also expected a little more clever detective work to be done, whereas a lot of the mysteries are solved by, well, Minecraft crafting table guesswork?

@GodlessXVIII 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I guess I turned sort of hostile on it after many hours juggling timers and vague hints of narrative. And you're right about it being possible to quit at any point. But that permadeath mechanic in the context of a timer-based game?? I think I read in one your comments elsewhere that you backed up your run rather than face restarting the whole grueling process again, so I think we agree on at least some part of the design being ill-advised.

@Electrondance 6 жыл бұрын

Personally, I didn't mind the permadeath as much - but it was the unfairness of how I lost my game and why I began to back up. I lost three runs to fascination and the game didn't give me enough warning about the problem - plus trying to fix fascination is not easy, it can easily make the situation worse.