The second chapter of 3D Realms and Jasozz Games’ retro FPS Cultic arrives this month

A long-awaited expansion for the excellent horror FPS, CULTIC: Chapter 2 finally arrives on the PC this month.

Gettin Cultic with it

Launched in 2022, CULTIC hailed from the legendary 3D Realms and developer Jasozz Games. More than just a pedigree, it served up a first-person shooter that called back to some of the best-loved titles of yesteryear. In particular, it had a feel that we thought was kinda/sorta similar to 1997’s Blood. But picture that classic first-person shooter a lot less comical, and grittier.

We were crazy about that original, which we reviewed with an 86%, saying that “Cultic is a retro title that does everything spot-on”. So yeah, we were waiting with bated breath for the followup, which… took some time. Nevertheless, it’s finally here, or about to be at any rate.

CULTIC: Chapter Two is en route to PC fans for launch this month, launching on September 18th. And yes, it’s looking just as gloriously dark as the first.

Awakening in the cold, dark morgue beneath the besieged police station, you find yourself in the middle of a cult-controlled New Grandewel, with corpses littering the streets, flames billowing from the windows of torched buildings, and cultists infesting every inch of the city you once protected. Fight your way through all-new maps in CULTIC: Chapter Two – a full expansion campaign boasting larger, more detailed maps, new weapons and enemies, and more secrets and surprises to discover.

3D Realms press release

Bigger and badder

CULTIC: Chapter Two “continues and concludes” the story from Chapter One, and now boasts more of just about everything. That starts with the arsenal, which has been beefed up. The CULTIC Interlude’s Revolver and SASG have returned, along with something new called “temporary weapons”. Those would be the mounted machine gun and bazooka, both of which sound like they should be able to dish out some serious pain.

There’s more though, as CULTIC: Chapter Two also brings in new moves for The Outsider. The dodge system has seen a revamp, complete with a new “tackle” mechanic. According to the press release, this should allow players to get in their foes faces, and even stun them. The idea there is to give players the chance to get more aggressive in combat, and grant them a few precious seconds. Even a hard-nosed PI needs to reload, after all.

Speaking of buying time too, shields have seen an overhaul as well. 3D Realms says that tower shields can be toted about much easier in Chapter Two, and will have a series of uses. Players can plant one in the ground to create cover, or use it on the fly with a one-handed weapon. And while it can’t be thrown, it can even be “launched into an enemy’s face with a well-timed kick or tackle.” That’ll leave a mark.

Along with all of what you just read through, CULTIC: Chapter Two will round things out with a trio of survival maps. Those will feature “some of the best arenas from the new chapter to test your skills and fight against waves of enemies, including the new additions to the cult’s roster!”

Improvements ahead

Along with the DLC, Jasozz Games has also been working in a series of retroactive improvements. Those will drop along with the expansion, as a part of what’ll be patch 2.0. While Chapter Two will be a paid expansion, everything in the update will be free to add to your own game. This won’t be a minor update either, as 3D Realms says fans should expect “a significant amount of optimizations” included.

Those will allow for the “more densely populated maps with more detailed lighting” in both the expansion and Chapter One. There’s also been a “polishing pass” made to that original release, which both squashed bugs and addressed assorted issues, plus overhauled both visuals and decor.

So if you’ve already played Chapter One to death, you still might want to go back on the 18th for another run, and see what’s changed with the 2.0 patch.