Worship: Where Pikmin Meets Blood Magic (and Hopefully Not West Nile)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*Worship* combines *Pikmin*-style gameplay with cult management and a healthy dose of blood magic, letting you literally draw spells with your own gore to convert villagers and battle rival cults. Just try not to think about the tetanus.
Right, so Rock Paper Shotgun's Edwin Evans-Thirlwell took one for the team – letting a mosquito have a good ol' suck on his arm for research purposes. Turns out, it was all in the name of understanding Chasing Rats Games' new title, *Worship*. And honestly, that’s dedication, mate.
*Worship*, launching July 16th, 2025, sounds like a bloody wild mix of *Pikmin* and *Cult of the Lamb*. Imagine leading a gaggle of followers, but instead of carrots, you're fueling your power with… well, your own blood. You literally draw spells on the ground with your life force. Think abstract expressionism, but with haemoglobin.
The core gameplay loop? You’re a hooded zealot trying to convert villagers to your cause in a world dominated by warring eldritch gods. Slice your hand, doodle some sigils in your crimson calligraphy, and BAM! Pale villagers transform into devoted, black-clad followers. Circles convert 'em, other shapes unleash spells to vaporize enemy cultists or smash obstacles. The catch? You can't bleed forever (unless you're a vampire accountant, maybe). But don't fret! You can apparently hoover up your blood trails like some sort of gore-powered Roomba. Health and safety clearly took a backseat in this cult's training program.
Once converted, your villagers become your personal *Pikmin*. Hurl them at enemies! Have them lug around those sinister gemstones for your cursed altars. Feeling a bit low on HP? Slice open a villager and guzzle down their “victory wine.” Dark, even for a dark game, eh? It's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off.
Apparently, the full game boasts four-player co-op. And Chasing Rats Games is even offering a prize for the co-op team that can write out the UK government's mosquito bite avoidance URL in their own blood. Fair dinkum, that's a challenge I'd pay to see.
Honestly, *Worship* sounds delightfully unhinged. If you’re looking for a game where you can spill your guts (literally) and lead a cult of strangely obedient villagers, this might be your cup of… tea? Probably more like a goblet of something far more viscous.
Tags: indie games, cult simulator, action strategy, blood magic, co-op
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun