A while back I put out a review of Godhood, a steam game developed by a small studio responsible for a couple of cult classics like Renowned Explorers and Reus. Given the reputation of Abbey Games, I was excited to jump into their newest title and was immediately captivated by the premise of the game and charming visual style.
The overall idea of the game is intriguing. You the player are a God, and your task is to found and spread a religion based on tenets of your choosing. To do so, the player must train warriors to fight in your honor, and convert people living under a different deity.
The game is mainly combat-centric, consisting of turn-based action in which warriors will automatically attack. There are a couple of other mechanics thrown in to keep things interesting. You can recruit new disciples and build temples and gardens which are used to enhance your devotees’ abilities.
Unfortunately, the game has some glaring issues I’ve touched on before, especially before the update. The dogmas to choose from had little effect on actual gameplay, hurting Godhood in terms of replayability.
The main focus of the game, the combat, also had notable issues. Defensive play styles, in particular, have a hard time keeping up with glass cannon builds, especially in the late-game. On top of this, in early access there was almost no consequence for losing a battle, meaning the game really lacked any kind of suspension or stakes.
Luckily, Abbey Games has done a fantastic job of listening to fan feedback. You can really tell when a project is one of passion based on a developers’ response to criticism. On August 7th, they released a massive overhaul known as the “Will of the People” update. The team had this to say about what the update contained,
“Hey young gods,
Today we launched the very first major update to Godhood in Early Access. Our goal for this update was to add more strategy & choices and increase the challenge of Godhood. In order to meet this goal, we’re introducing a number of brand new features!
Worshipper Enthusiasm: Keep your flock happy!
Holy Tribute: Sanctify your resources!
Updated Faith Mechanics: Manage your fickle flock!
New Construction Mechanics: You choose what to build!
8 new support buildings: Expand your Holy Site!
New final island: Challenge Quetzalcoatl!
Difficulty Settings: How do you like to play?”
To break this down, the most important additions are the new endgame island and rework to the faith mechanics. Now players must manage their resources carefully while continuing to expand and conquer in order to keep their disciples contented. Another welcome addition is that players will now lose resources upon the loss of a battle, meaning you now have to seriously consider the cost of going to war.
Overall, the game is a delight, and the new update really helps the game feel more alive. If you are a fan of turn-based combat mechanics and life sim elements then Godhood might be a game for you. It is currently available in early access on the Steam store for $26.99.
