There is a world beyond the one presented to untrained eyes; one that, once seen, alters the consciousness and makes life among the uninitiated nigh impossible. This is the world of the occult, where knowledge and power come together as one, where obscure rituals are transcendental tools for remaking and unmaking reality. While exploring the occult takes hours of research, meditation, and practice (and a toll on the old sanity) it makes for an instantly compelling subject matter in video games.
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Although there is plenty of overlap between “occult” and “Lovecraftian” or “demonic,” a bonafide occult game should not merely feature the appearance of magical symbols or heavy-metal monsters but the investigation and uncovering of forbidden lore, secret societies, and elaborate rituals. While each offers different gameplay styles and takes on the occult, these games understand the appeal of hunting for esoteric knowledge and cryptic practices.
The Council
Secret Societies And Esoteric Detection
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4
- Released: 2018-03-13
- Developer(s): Big Bad Wolf
- Genre: RPG, Adventure
Tasked with finding his missing mother on a private island, occult artifact hunter Louis de Richet must navigate a treacherous secret society of the world’s rich and powerful who are steeped in dark practices and grand conspiracies. The Council leverages many elements from the RPG genre, specifically classes and skills, and offers “occultist” as one of three playable classes.
Players are free to dabble with the skills of the other two classes (diplomat and detective) if they wish. The occult line gives Louis an education in natural philosophy and the study of myth and religious symbology, as well as an uncanny knack for manipulating the minds of others and slipping in and out of locked rooms and coat pockets unnoticed, necessary talents when delving into the obscure.
Goetia
A Spirited Return To A House Of Secrets
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
- Released: 2016-04-14
- Developer(s): Sushee
- Genre: Adventure, Puzzle
Haunted houses make regular appearances in horror and puzzle video games, but few protagonists are the ones doing the haunting. In Goetia, players guide the disembodied spirit of Abigail Blackwood as she investigates her family manor and unearths the occult history of her family and their dark ties to the domain of demons and the spirit realm.
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Fans of occultism who enjoy being rewarded for solving intricate and often overwhelming mysteries with intrigue and a compelling narrative will enjoy this side-scrolling puzzler. Out-of-the-box thinking and a pen and paper are essential for making progress, as Goetia really delivers on making the player feel like an investigator of the paranormal.
The Darkside Detective
Making Light Of The Other Side Of The Divide
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
- Released: 2017-07-27
- Developer(s): Spooky Doorway
- Genre: Adventure
Despite its name, The Darkside Detective puts a lighter spin on the subjects of the occult and paranormal, and this is reflected in both its humor and forgiving gameplay. As a point-and-click adventure, players are put in the shoes of an occult detective and tasked with solving several mysteries involving eldrich abominations and dueling magicians.
The Darkside Detective‘s pixel style evokes old-school adventure game vibes. However, unlike many of the classic headscratcher adventure titles, its appeal lies within its witty writing and its many likable personalities rather than hair-tearing challenges.
Cult of the Lamb
The Adarkable Story Of Community (And) Sacrifice
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
- Released: 2022-08-11
- Developer(s): Massive Monster
- Genre: Roguelike, Simulation
While an investigation into hidden lore can certainly be a lonely one, many games that cover the topic of the occult merely gesture to the importance of secret societies in these practices. Cult of the Lamb is more of a roguelike cult simulation, but one of the central mechanics involves rituals that are only possible with multiple cult members present.
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Rituals require resources and have various effects, many of which increase the faith of followers. In this way, Cult of the Lamb is a reverse-engineered look at occult practice or religion. These practices are not only social engineering tools to manage the cult, as the horror of the physical world is backed by the demonic and eldrich.
Gabriel Knight: Sins Of The Fathers (20th Anniversary Edition)
An Occult Adventure Classic
- Platform(s): PC
- Released: 2014-10-15
- Developer(s): Phoenix Online Studios
- Genre: Adventure
Fans of the occult might be drawn to the medium of video games for different reasons. Some come for the simulation, others for the aesthetic. What Gabrial Knight: Sins of the Fathers manages to do is authentically translate real-life occult lore into fiction, something that most TV shows, films, and popular books still fail to do.
The entire Gabriel Knight series takes its inspirations and source material more seriously than most. While the portrayal of voodoo and its systems of belief has had a rocky history in any media (to put it lightly), Sins of the Fathers stands apart by treating its subject matter (including voodoo traditions, New Orleans history, and occult practices) with respect and depth.
Cultist Simulator
Become A Card-Carrying Master Of Obscured Power
- Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch
- Released: 2018-05-31
- Developer(s): Weather Factory
- Genre: Simulation
Peering into hidden knowledge takes imagination, and those who like to engage in the more cerebral aspects of occultism may appreciate Cult Simulator for its mechanical depth in place of visual fidelity. That said, the card-based gameplay does have its flourishes, but it would be nearly impossible to depict the procedurally generated and emergent intrigue that manifests with each turn of the card.
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True to the world of cults and the occult, Cult Simulator‘s rules and mechanics are notoriously opaque and require concentration and focus to master. Enlightenment, ascendancy, mastery, and material decadence are all possible if the cultist can play their cards right.
The Secret World / Secret World Legends
The Ultimate Esoteric Ensemble
- Platform(s): PC
- Released: 2012-07-03
- Developer(s): Funcom
- Genre: MMORPG
The premise of Secret World Legends is that every myth and folk conspiracy theory, every urban legend, and every occult belief is, and always has been, real. To help orient them in this new supernatural world, the player’s character is thrust into one of three secret groups: the righteous Templars, the power-hungry Illuminati, and the chaotic Dragon.
Secret World eschews science fiction and sticks to tropes of dark urban fantasy, with missions set all over the world each involving combat with some occult threat. While not the most realistic or cohesive entry in the occult game genre, the MMO is a memorable edition that still captures the spirit of exploring a hidden aspect of the world.
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