Culdcept The First Reviews
While the original game Culdcept was groundbreaking at the time in 1997, the lack of online multiplayer hurts this re-release massively in 2026. Most people in the digital board game market expect to play online. While an argument can be made that these sorts of games are more fun in person, far from everyone can find a group of friends able to stick around for a game that will take between two and three hours to play a round. It is a shame, because it got so many things right that modern digital TCGs don't, like great balance and a unique concept. Additionally, sound bugs happen far too frequently, forcing the player to reset the game. In the end, while Culdcept: The First is an amazing game mechanically, it needs a bit more technical polish and modern features to be an easy title to recommend.
I’m so glad that Culdcept the First finally made its way to the West. This port truly preserves the original game. Fans of the series will be able to jump right in and play this game. But for new Cepters, I’d suggest playing Culdcept Begins first. It has the advantage of lessons learned over nearly thirty years of Culdcept, more modern mechanics, and the pace is much better for learning the game. Then, after playing the prequel (and discovering your new favorite series), jump into Culdcept the First.
Culdcept The First Saturn Tribute is a great opportunity to see how the series started back in the 90's. All the seeds of what makes Culdcept such a curious and compelling experience were already there and the re-release helps make things more comfortable, though there are still a few elements that could have been better.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Culdcept: The First Saturn Tribute is an okay port of the classic that started it all. While Culdcept itself is a blast to play, the lack of modern features like online play is disappointing, and nothing has been done to address the issues that plagued the original release. Those looking for more Culdcept to play might want to consider picking it up, but everyone else would be better off playing a different entry in the series instead.
Culdcept The First is much more than an interesting piece of gaming history. Its combination of board game strategy, collectable cards and tactical battles still feels fresh today, and the new English localisation finally allows many players to experience a series classic that was previously out of reach. If you’ve recently enjoyed Culdcept Begi, this is a fascinating look at where everything started. Equally, newcomers shouldn’t feel intimidated; while the mechanics are deep, the game introduces them at a comfortable pace and rewards experimentation. It may not completely replace the newer entries for me, but that’s hardly the point. This is about preserving a genuinely unique strategy game and making it available for a new audience. I’m very glad it made the journey.