From indie team Kitfox Games in Montreal of Canada, here we have The Shrouded Isle. It’s a great fun little management sim where you become a demented cult leader.

With its distinctive visual style, array of diabolical in-game choices, and short running time, this makes for a rather appealing distraction. One where you can channel your inner lunatic, make sacrifices, and worship the god Chernobog. Hurray!

Worship Chernobog in The Shrouded Isle (or else!)

Yeah, so this is out on Steam, macOS, and the Nintendo Switch. It actually first launched on Mac in 2017, but we’re only just catching up with the Switch version now.

There have been other games based around cults. Think of the loveable Cult of the Lamb (2022) and you’re almost there, it’s just Shrouded Isle offers something much different.

That’s because this is a management sim. You have to organise your cult, admit or dismiss members, and decide who deserves to be sacrificed. All in a day’s work! And the main gameplay thrust is to:

• Interrogate villagers
• Brainwash them into joining you
• Assign members to promote Chernobog’s word
• Silence anyone who dares defy Chernobog

This dastardly loop reminds us a bit of Bullfrog’s much-celebrated Dungeon Keeper (1997). Although Shrouded Isle requires a more studious, methodical approach to its gameplay.

Straight up, the weird and yellow-tinged graphics style is a marvel. Almost like it’s the yellow version of Nintendo’s doomed mid-1990s Virtual Boy concept (that had red and black graphics).

As with the Virtual Boy, though, extended play of Shrouded Isle does start to mess with your head after a bit.

Just as well, then, that the game sticks to its indie game roots with a short game length. There’s about four hours of action here, so the graphics won’t melt your brain too much.

But your demented in-game antics might! The Lovecraftian elements, alongside strategically hiring cult members, is all good fun and gets quite riveting at its peak. Behold it in action!

There’s a suitability eerie score to go with all of this cult stuff. It kind of layers the experience with a sense of mischievous dread.

It’s an orchestral affair and builds a sense of foreboding (the foreboding you’re kind of responsible for… you’re a cult leader, after all). The music is by FX Bilodeau.

Yes, then, whilst a short and relatively simple game we must admit we found this one very appealing. There’s something about doing something you’d never normally do in real life to spike your escapist sense of glee.

We think it’s a well judged title that’s pretty accessible and doesn’t outstay its welcome. Kind of ironic, really, as your average cult does the exact opposite.