Don't try this one at home kids. Kult is to Role Playing what Penn and Teller are to Magic tricks. This game sets out from the very beginning to be the darkest, sickest, most twisted game on the market. Which is ok by me.
Every character has a Dark Secret. Something to make them wake shivering in the night, some darkened corner of their soul that lets the demons in. The setting is modern-day, but it's the modern day as Clive Barker might see it. Where you might see a mad tramp with insane tattoos, and self-inflicted mutilations, the reality is a street sorceror covered in protective wards and sigils - high on drugs, because he doesn't dare sleep. This is a game that makes Call of Cthulhu look fluffy and optimistic.
Everything we know, as sane, and well-adjusted human beings, is an illusion. True reality is only visible to the utterly insane, or the horribly sane. Only by travelling to the extremes of sanity can your eyes be fully opened. Generally, this is going to involve descent into madness, death, horror, murder, mutilation, and sundry other atrocities. If you live that long.
It's a fine idea, but very much reliant on the skills of the GM to work properly. Somewhat like Call of Cthulhu, it's a game best played by those with no knowledge of the background, so that every turn of the adventure results in exciting new discovery. Atmosphere is all-important in this game. Don't even think about trying to turn it into some sort of dungeon-bash.
Recently released is Kult: Second Edition. There are no significant rules changes, but the layout has improved, and the styling is aimed more towards the adult audience. Some magic rules have been changed, leaving more scope for GM and player ingenuity, and there's now a sample adventure.
This game has a lot to recommend it. It's sufficiently different that it will give players the joy and excitement of discovery, which is always a good thing. If your GM can handle the atmosphere, and wants to play a game of nigh-impenetrable darkness, it's well worth going for.
Second Edition now out for £18.95.
There are a few modules available. I've only seen one of them, and I wasn't very impressed. It felt very linear, and seemed to have few options. Perhaps if the GM had expanded on it more, this feeling would have faded. Probably worth getting hold of some official material, to give you an idea of what you can do with the rather novel background concept, and then you can decide whether to stay with the published script, or define your own universe. Don't expect either to be easy though.
Contact the author of this page: Daemonic