Review of Cults Across America

A recent article in Reader's Digest discussed the importance of board games as a way to bring families closer together. With this in mind, I'd like to think that "Cults Across America" from Atlas Games is exactly what the (witch) doctor ordered. This first board game from Atlas Games, puts each player in control of a cult that is trying to take over America through various means, using those lovable rascals from the Cthulhu mythos as the major players. Players move their cultists from city to city, fighting each other, controlling major personalities (including the the Pope, The Miskatonic University Marching Band, and the dreaded Ambassador from Uruguay), and summoning a slew of different Lovcraftian creatures to do your bidding.

A deck of special, psychotic and unexpected occurances makes the game even more enjoyable. These can give the players artifacts (such as Satanic Pushcarts and the Necronomicon), extra creatures, or altered victory conditions. The cards are one of the best things about this game, as the play on words and inside jokes on them are hilarious. Game play ranges from an hour of bloodshed to an Axis and Allies all-weekend campaign of strategy, negotiation and destruction (think "Diplomacy" with tentacles). In short, like most products from Atlas Games, Cults Across America is what more games should be - simply a lot of fun.

The cards and counters (cardboard - now that AH has been bought, SOMEONE has to fill the square counter void) are well done. In fact, my only complaint about this game (and the only reason I couldn't give it an "excellent" in style) is that the board was obviously done in watercolors and colored pencil (a bit hard to swallow at first for $44.95), but even this was forgotten after I summoned my first dimensional shambler into Memphis and forced my opponent to flee to New Orleans with the Pope in his Satanic Pushcart. Make no mistake my friends; thanks to Cults Across America, family game night is back!!

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)