Culdcept is a game that is easy to pass by. From its strange name to the packaging that gives nothing away, one might think that it is nothing more than a “filler” game on the shop wall. I probably passed it up a thousand times, not even giving the box a second look, until I finally picked it up out of gaming desperation on a Saturday night when everything else was checked out. I am now glad that I did, as it’s one of the most unique and challenging gaming experiences I’ve had in a long time.
Culdcept is a tactical game that mixes elements of Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering with sprinkles of Risk and Pokemon. At first, the gameplay seems outrageously complex, and the fact that the guide reads like stereo instructions doesn’t help. But after a good hour or so of play, the basics can be picked up. Don’t give up if it takes you a few attempts at making it through the first couple of levels; it’s all part of the learning curve of this game.
The gameplay is held together loosely by the story of Culdra, the supreme Goddess and her creation “Culdcept”, the book of creation and destruction. He who controls the book, controls the power, yadda, yadda… A familiar and uninspired RPG theme, but it doesn’t hinder the ability to enjoy the game. Younger players might even find the wacky characters amusing.
The object of the game is to move around a track, earning magic points by taking over land. However to obtain land, one must spend magic points, so it’s a constant balancing act. Think of it as a “you have to spend money to make money” concept. Along the way, your opponents will try to steal your land by summoning monsters from their book (i.e. deck), casting spells, and using items. You may only have 50 cards in your book at any giving time, and deciding what cards to use out the 480+ cards available to collect is one of the most challenging and fun parts of the game. After completing a level, win or lose, you are rewarded with even more cards to add to your collection, which builds up quickly.
One downside to this game is it’s not the type of game you pop in for a quick battle before bed or before going to work. These battles take time, especially in the latter part of the game, where they can take several hours. You can save mid-battle, but if you do so, you’ll lose certain features such as stats, battle replay, and medal acquisition, so use at your own risk.
Culdcept’s graphics are certainly nothing to write home about, being barely above PSone level. The characters are blocky and the menus quite basic, but this is a game about playability, not pretty CG. The cards themselves are quite interesting though, being drawn by well-known Japanese artists such as Naoyuki Kato and Hiroaru Kaida.
The sound is also unimpressive. The repetitive music grated on my nerves early on, but since the sound does not affect the gameplay, this was easily remedied by muting the television and popping in my own CD.
Culdcept offers a fabulous multi-player mode, allowing up to four people (with a multi-tap) to play simultaneously. One thing to remember is as you progress in story mode and build up your book, your cards will increase in value and strength. Therefore, playing with someone who has not progressed as far in the game will leave them with a huge handicap. Also, each player must have their book saved to their individual memory card, so keep this in mind when planning a Culdcept party.
In a world where a lot of games are simply carbon copies of each other, Culdcept is refreshingly unique, totally engrossing, and loads of fun despite its flaws. With its high replay value, I think this is a must have for any fan of strategy or tactical games.
The sequel to this game, Culdcept Saga, was recently released in Japan for the Xbox 360 and is rumored to come to the U.S. Q1 of 2007. It includes an online multiplayer mode for Xbox Live.