Kult, Divinity Lost: Sin and Salvation.

I think I became aware of Kult through Seth Skorkowsky, Bridgett Jeffries, and Scott Dorward (all Call of Cthulhu celebrities) so I thought I’d check it out. The artwork was amazing, and the more I found out about the game the more interested I became.

The game is set in Elysium, a version of the modern world, except that there is a broader, sinister reality that most people are blissfully unaware of. This is a bit like the standard Lovecraftian cosmic horror theme, but there are important differences. For a start, Lovecraftian horror is set in a hostile cosmos where human morality is irrelevant. The greater reality in Kult is similar to the standard Judaeo-Christian concepts of heaven and hell, and themes of sin and redemption are common. There’s extensive use of the imagery of the Kabbalah, and of angelic and demonic entities throughout the book. These entities manipulate and feed off us as we stumble blindly through our lives, ignorant of the true nature of reality (yes, it does sound a lot like The Matrix). Players will naturally want to break through the veil of ignorance (take the red pill, as it were), realise the true nature of reality, recover their stolen identity, and then combat the malevolent forces controlling human existence. Or join them. Or do something else.

I learned that there was a limited-edition Kickstarter edition with uncensored artwork. I’d never heard of a gamebook that required censorship, so became super curious. I managed to track down the only retailer stocking it, in Sweden, as I recall, and paid way too much money. But hey, I like books.

And when the book arrived, I was super impressed. Clocking in at 367 pages, this is a tome. Considering the game system is a Powered By the Apocalypse (PBtA) variant, and therefore super simple, there’s heaps of space given over to the setting, how to play the game and, of course, a ton of art. The pages are filled with silver and gold borders and highlights, the layout is considered and filled with evocative imagery, and the writing is crisp and clear (most of the time).

And the art? Well, there are a lot of naughty bits in there. Fair enough, it’s an edgy game for edgy people who do edgy things. It all makes sense for a game that embraces themes of sin, trauma, loss and despair. Of course, happiness and fulfillment are possible too, but this is a horror game, so, yeah, let’s just focus on the misery, shall we? Much better!

Finally, I saw the art for the monstrous entities toward the back of the book. Oh, dear. Let’s just say I’m amazed someone would put this in a game book, that it is completely unsuitable for anyone whatsoever, but that it makes total sense for the game, and that I salute the creators. These entities are truly horrific and disturbing on multiple levels, and are exactly what they’re supposed to be.

Check out our other reviews: https://stygian-muse.com/