Cultic and the Boomer Shooter Revival
The classic style first person shooter boom shows no sign of slowing down, and Cultic has quickly become one of the standout titles in this modern boomer shooter wave. Inspired by 90s horror shooters like Blood, it combines chunky pixel art visuals, fast movement and brutal gunplay with smart level design and a creepy cult theme.
PC Gamer has already called Cultic one of the best shooters of 2025, which is high praise in a crowded field that includes games like Dusk and Turbo Overkill. What helps Cultic stand out is not just nostalgia, but the way it polishes that old school formula. Weapons feel weighty, enemies are aggressive and levels reward exploration and experimentation.
If you have been meaning to try it, the festive Cultmas update is a perfect excuse to jump in or return for another run.
The Cultmas Update: New Map, New Toys, New Threats
The latest holiday update for Cultic brings a special bonus map titled I Will Be Home For Cultmas. Instead of being just a quick reskin or a small side area, this map comes with its own twist on gameplay and gear.
Here is what the Cultmas update adds:
- A dedicated bonus map The Cultmas level is a snowy, atmospheric map that leans hard into the game’s Blood inspired roots. Expect snowy courtyards, sinister cult activity and plenty of opportunities to blow enemies to pieces.
- Its own unique arsenal The bonus map features a special loadout with some unique toys to play with. While the full details come from playing or reading the patch notes, you can expect weapons and tweaks that make the map feel distinct from the base campaign.
- A new enemy type To keep things spicy, Cultmas introduces a fresh enemy to learn and counter. Mixed in with the familiar robe wearing cultists, this new foe changes the pacing and adds another layer of challenge.
The trailer for the update highlights exactly what fans love about this style of shooter. There is lots of dynamite throwing, pitchfork stabbing and frantic circle strafing in environments that look both festive and deeply cursed. It is all very tongue in cheek, but the combat remains sharp and demanding.
Gameplay Tweaks and Performance Improvements
The Cultmas update is not just about the bonus content. The developer has also rolled out a range of tweaks and optimizations that make the core game feel better to play, especially if you care about smooth performance and tight combat feedback.
One of the biggest gameplay changes is a complete rework of burn damage. Previously, fire damage relied on a hidden ignite meter. Enemies needed to build up that meter before they started taking real damage over time. The system worked, but it could feel unclear and less satisfying than just watching enemies melt when you set them ablaze.
Now burn damage has been redesigned to deal direct damage right away. When you light enemies up, you see and feel the impact immediately. According to the patch notes, the goal is to make it easier to hose enemies with damage while they are burning and to reward you more clearly for using fire based weapons or environmental hazards.
Alongside the burn system overhaul, the update includes general optimization and balance changes. While the article does not list every tweak, these kinds of changes usually include things like:
- Smoother performance and better frame rates across a range of PCs
- Minor weapon balance adjustments to keep different tools viable and fun
- Enemy behavior or health tweaks to keep difficulty challenging but fair
For PC gamers, these small updates add up. Better optimization means older or mid range rigs can maintain high frame rates, which is crucial for fast shooters. When you are bunny hopping around a horde of cultists with explosives going off everywhere, every extra frame counts.
How to Play Cultic and Access the Cultmas Map
If you want to check out Cultic, it is available on Steam in two main options:
- Cultic The core game that launched first.
- Cultic Complete Edition This version includes both chapters and is considered the full experience.
The second chapter released in 2025 as downloadable content. The nice touch is that you do not need chapter two to access the Cultmas content. The Cultmas map can be reached straight from the New Game menu, so even if you only have the base content you can still dive into the snowy slaughter.
For anyone building or upgrading a gaming PC, Cultic is a great example of a game that rewards high refresh rate monitors and responsive mice but does not demand top tier hardware. The retro style visuals mean it runs well on modest systems, letting you push frame rates high and really enjoy that classic twitch shooter feel.
Between the ongoing boomer shooter renaissance and updates like this one, PC players have no shortage of fast paced single player games to sink time into. Even if the industry somehow stopped making new titles tomorrow, games like Cultic plus its seasonal content would keep most of us busy for years.
If you are into old school shooters, horror themed campaigns or you simply want something that feels like a modern love letter to 90s PC gaming, the Cultmas update is a strong reason to finally give Cultic a shot.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/2025-was-so-stacked-with-great-games-i-missed-the-free-ass-kicking-christmas-update-to-its-best-singleplayer-shooter/
