Cult of the Lamb plays better than ever thanks to multiple free content drops, free feature updates, and a handful of paid DLC packs that offer players a taste of a new aesthetic. The Pilgrim Pack is no different in quality – it’s beautifully designed, the comic is just as charming as the game, and I love Massive Monster’s first tentative steps into adding East Asian content into Cult of the Lamb.
It’s been…two years…since I originally reviewed Cult of the Lamb on the PS5. Two years. Boy, how time flies. It feels like yesterday when I got my first taste of the silliness of Massive Monster’s roguelite. I am still not over the ridiculousness of an NPC asking me to serve them a meal made of feces. It’s…insane. Thematically correct, too.
I’ve followed Cult of the Lamb’s growth and refinement over the past year. I’ve seen its Twitter (yes, Twitter) account wage a war against Rovio’s Angry Birds account. I’ve seen its subreddit explode with memes galore. Heck, I’ve seen several updates to the game make their way to players over the past two years. Massive Monster has demonstrated that they’re in it for the long haul with Cult of the Lamb. I’m so glad that they’re committed to expanding its universe to the point of creating animations and comics!
It’s such an adorably dark IP. It’s perfect for those with dark senses of humor like you and I.
Last week, Massive Monster announced and released the newest expansion to Cult of the Lamb: the Pilgrim Pack! For $6.99, this pack comes with:
- The Pilgrim Comic (in its full glory)
- A sidequest for your current save
- 5 new decorations to spruce up your cult
- 5 new Follower forms
- 2 new outfits for your followers to wear
- A NEW FLEECE FOR YOUR LAMB!
If you’ve been paying attention to Cult of the Lamb’s prior DLC packs, the Pilgrim Pack costs slightly more. On the other hand, this DLC pack is the first (so far) that features a new quest and a comic. Just from what I played, this is a worthwhile update that adds some good depth to Cult of the Lamb’s universe alongside some nice aesthetic elements that have yet to emerge.
The Pilgrim comic can be accessed from the title screen and is a delightful little interactive story about twos woodland creatures, Jalala and Rinor, making their way through the Lands of the Old Faith in search of Jalala’s brother. At several points in the story, I had the opportunity to make a decision on where my little friends should go. All the while I encountered familiar faces (and voiced, too!). There’s also an in-game quest that involves Jalala, too. Avoid spoilers as much as you can – I’m glad that they’ve added an in-game quest to bring Jalala to life.
It’s slightly unfortunate that the comic wasn’t a true “choose-your-own-adventure” in the sense that my choices mattered – they didn’t matter. The outcome was always the same. However, it’s beautifully drawn and ever so charming to make it worthwhile for those who’re invested in the universe of the Lands of the Old Faith.
I loved the new decorations in the Pilgrim Pack. All of them are East-Asian-inspired, including things like mini pagodas, bonsai, and bamboo stalks. I know that some folks are very interested in these designs, myself included. I just wish that there were more decorations beyond those five, however. These decorations feel slightly out of place next to some of the other earlier decorations, so it’s not yet possible to create a complete East-Asian themed cult, but there’s enough to start.
The new follow forms include the panda, skunk, anteater, camel, and echidna. I loved the Panda, but I wish that other animals such as a koi, loris, tanuki, and/or kappa. The camel and anteater felt out of place with the East-Asian skewed decorations, too.
My biggest complaint about the Pilgrim Pack is that it didn’t go all in on a single thematic. Knowing that Cult of the Lamb is a game about satirizing religion and cults, going all into a single thematic would let players easily reach a fully realized cult of their own designs. I don’t think that the existing aesthetic is subpar, per se, but thematic cohesion is important for those who’re seeking the ability to construct something from their mind’s eye. Taking a half-measure in the form of a few decorations and one or two related animals feels like a missed opportunity.
If you’re looking for a meaningful expansion for Cult of the Lamb, this is the closest DLC pack to date that inches toward a bigger paid expansion – at least compared to its predecessors. The fantastic thing about Massive Monster is that they’ve made quite a few free improvements and feature additions to Cult of the Lamb, so this DLC pack along with its siblings are opportunities to support the development team more than anything. That said, if there was a larger form expansion in the future that adds multiple quests, biomes, and expanded Cult of the Lamb’s universe, I would have no problem with them asking for a higher pricetag.
I’ll be honest – $6.99 ($8.99 on console) is more than appropriate for this DLC pack. The comic in its animated and voiced glory is worth the bump in price compared to the prior packs. The addition of a new quest is worth the price, too. While I wasn’t too thrilled with the lack of thematic cohesion and depth, there was enough to satisfy my desires for some décor that made it worthwhile.
If you haven’t yet dove into Cult of the Lamb, now is the best time to jump in and see what Massive Monster has done with their IP. In my original review, I mentioned that it’s quite the fun roguelite and cultbuilding sim. Two years later, Massive Monster has made a wealth of free changes to make the game play better than ever, be it UI adjustments (like blessing a clump of followers instead of just one at a time!), co-op play, new achievements, new weapons, new Doctrines, new quests, new resources, new skins, and so much more. You can also encourage your little followers to…sin…in lustful fashions. You know what I’m saying – sex cult stuff. Stuff that I wouldn’t necessarily describe in detail on this here website.
In reviewing this DLC expansion, I’ve rekindled my love for Cult of the Lamb, investing another 15 hours into the game this past weekend. It brought me back to the fold and got me hooked on its gameplay loop that effortlessly blends cultbuilding and roguelite combat.
I can’t go back and update my original review, but what I can do is say that Cult of the Lamb plays better than ever thanks to multiple free content drops, free feature updates, and a handful of paid DLC packs that offer players a taste of a new aesthetic. The Pilgrim Pack is no different in quality – it’s beautifully designed, the comic is just as charming as the game, and I love Massive Monster’s first tentative steps into adding East Asian content into Cult of the Lamb.
