Devolver Digital has impressed the gaming world yet again withCult of the Lamb, its latest reveal at Gamescom 2021. This oddball game from Massive Monster features a possessed anthropomorphic lamb leading other woodland animals in a cult devoted to the being that empowers them. Betweenbouts of building up a small village, managing the townsfolk, and leading cult activities, players can take the Lamb out into the world to fight rival cults and gather resources. It strikes a deliberately dissonant tone and promises to be a very interesting action-roguelike when it comes out.
However, it brings to mind another game:Don’t Starve. This title is a highly acclaimed survival-horror game developed by Canadian indie developer Klei Entertainment. Initially released for PC in 2013, the game spread to consoles over the next five years and has been receiving a steady flow of content updates. Its cute but grotesque art style is somewhat similar to that ofCult of the Lamb, but comparing the two games further shows that their similarities are more than skin-deep.
RELATED:Games to Play If You Like Don’t Starve
Similarities Between Don’t Starve and Cult of the Lamb
When looking at these two games, it is striking how similar the two of them look. Both games use cartoony-yet-sinister art styles, even if specifics like color usage are different.Don’t Starvealso focuses mostly on human protagonists, whileCult of the Lambuses animals. However, they both share a grim horror poking up from underneath the cuteness.Don’t Starveis more dark and bleak, whileCult of the Lambleans on the grotesque. Their tones are also fittingly dark, with plenty of comedy splashed in thanks to the frequent color commentary fromDon’t Starvecharacters and the clashing appearance ofLamb’s animal people with the atrocities they commit.
That similarity seems to extend to the gameplay as well.Cult of the Lambis not a survival game, but it is adungeon-crawling roguelike with randomized elementsand base-building. All of these pieces are in focus inDon’t Starve, and the core loop of both games looks to be very similar. Players do their best to build up home bases, prepare equipment or buffs for the journey, and then set out to explore new areas, gain new supplies or followers, and eventually reach some sort of goal. Along the way, they’ll be fighting plenty of grotesque monsters end encountering various wildlife, so they need to make sure that they can make a trip and get back home in one piece.
Differences Between Cult of the Lamb and Don’t Starve
With that in mind, the titular Lamb is a lot better equipped to survive their adventures.Cult of the Lambtraded survival horror elements in for a healthy dose of action-horror, giving the Lamb an unbreakable weapon and various dark arts to deal with enemies.Don’t Starvesurvivors need to carefully manage what they do and do not fight, and what they use to do so.
They also need to manage their hunger, light levels, and even sanity, a notion that would be laughed at by the horror-adoring cult. Monsters in both games aren’t messing around, butCult of the Lamb’s foes also sprinkle shmup elements into their assaults like one ofDevolver’s other roguelikes,Enter the Gungeon.Don’t Starveencounters are more simplistic but no less tense.
Cult of the Lambalso comes equipped with an element thatDon’t Starveboth does and does not share, and that’s collaboration.Cult of the Lambappears to be a singleplayer game thus far, but the interplay between the Lamb and their followers is an important part of the game. The Lamb directs and assists their cult in building up a small village and worshipping the dark entity that brought them together. The Lamb also ventures out into the world to fight on the cult’s behalf, bringing spoils, power, and new followers back home.
Don’t Starvecan potentially be a much lonelier experience in singleplayer, with only the occasional friendly mob and follower keeping the player company. Things can potentially be muchmore sociable inDon’t Starve Togethermultiplayer, especially in a game type or with certain characters that encourage NPC socialization. Still, the most important people inDon’t Starveare the players themselves, and not any helpful NPCs. This distinction gives both games dramatically different tones and should endearCult of the Lambto a different audience.
Cult of the Lambreleases in 2022 for PC.
MORE:10 Tips For Building The Best Base In Don’t Starve Together
