There’s nothing modest or thoughtful about Lesson Learned: Cult of the Elizabeth. While it may come across as a bit cute at first glance, don’t be deceived. This tower defense game is packed with relentless action and some unexpectedly eerie bird creatures. What always grabs my interest right off the bat in any game is the visual style, and the main screen of Cult of the Elizabeth immediately had my attention when I started it up. Initially, I was worried it might just be a cheap imitation of Don’t Starve, a personal favorite of mine, given its similar art style and musical atmosphere. However, this concern quickly faded once I immersed myself in the gameplay. It became clear that this strange little world had unique elements that set it apart.
The game is designed for both solo play and co-op, where Amelia and her schoolmates must figure out how to escape their nightmare predicament. In solo mode, I felt there was a bit of a drag given the time it takes to gather resources and upgrade towers. Typically, I don’t mind a little grind, like digging for rocks or chopping trees, as a break from battling enemies. But here, it was excessively time-consuming to collect materials and construct defenses, which made it difficult to protect my base. I don’t consider combat to be my forte, but even on easy mode, I found myself overrun by avian minions, and my sidekick was less than helpful. Having to micromanage him for supplies was not something I wanted to do while gaming; I get enough of that in my daily life, both at work and at home!
Despite my issues with resource gathering, the rest of the gameplay shines. The combat mechanics are well-tuned—not overly complicated but requiring a degree of precision and timing to effectively fend off attackers. You can’t just fire aimlessly and expect results; you need strategy to prevent your towers or yourself from being overwhelmed. Deciding where to place towers becomes crucial, especially as the monster hordes grow. Their attacks are somewhat predictable and not too challenging on their own, but when a mob of turkey-like creatures, donned like Tudor royalty, storms towards your camp, the action ramps up fast.
Interestingly, Lesson Learned: Cult of the Elizabeth is one of those PC games where using a controller is suggested, but I personally didn’t find it necessary. I navigated just fine with a keyboard, though I wonder if more advanced stages might demand controller use for enhanced gameplay, something I’ll explore further down the line.
In summary, I’m fairly impressed with what Lesson Learned: Cult of the Elizabeth offers at this stage. It does feel a bit bare-bones at times, but there’s clearly room for the developers to expand the storyline and refine mechanics to make the game feel more vibrant. There’s a lot of potential for replayability with some tweaks here and there. The prologue is free on Steam at the moment, so if you’re in the mood for a quirky adventure, it’s worth a shot.
Overall Ratings:
- Gameplay: 7.5/10
- Plot / Writing: 6.5/10
- Design / Visuals: 9/10
- Total: 7.7/10
An Interesting Mix of Genres
Pros:
- Whimsical, gothic art style that suits the narrative.
- Unique soundtrack that seamlessly blends light-hearted and sinister tones.
- Offers a good balance of combat and exploration in a richly atmospheric setting.
Cons:
- Resource collection could be less tedious.
- Enemies lack variety and challenge.
