GTA-like game Join Us almost made me a vegetarian, but I'd still recommend it

Xbox Game Pass is getting one of its wildest games yet as a day-one title next year, and after going hands-on with it at Gamescom, I’m oddly enamoured if not equally horrified.

Join Us is a tricky game to explain. The best way I can put it is if Cult of the Lamb formed a demonic partnership with Far Cry 5, and created one of the longest, most-comprehensive Grand Theft Auto side missions I’ve ever played.

To dive a little deeper, Join Us is a game about forming your own cult. That may sound dark and twisted, and it is, but like many charismatic devils in disguise, it does a good job of making you willingly drink its Kool-Aid.

You start out as a cultist yourself, until you’re gloriously selected by your leader to leave the comfort of your community and spread the good word in a remote part of America. You see, an apocalypse is barrelling its way to Earth and you need to save as many souls as possible before the big day.

My initiation gave me a taste of what was to come. I faced an obstacle course teaching me the basics of traversal, a shooting range equipping me for the dangers of the outside world, and an unsuspecting pig I was asked to blow up to prove my resolve. I assumed the hogicide was a necessary evil to progress, but was informed after the demo that it was completely optional. I’ve not eaten bacon since to atone for my crimes.

Join Us is the ultimate power fantasy, like The Sims but with even more sacrifices

Once you’re all set up in your new home-away-from-home, your mission is simple: coerce the local population by any means necessary.

This honestly turned out to be more fun than I initially anticipated. I went into my Join Us experience completely fresh, with no prior knowledge of the game, and my hands-on time was all the better for it.

In a short period, I’d built up my base with a variety of amenities for my cult to enjoy. Food, bedding, propaganda stations, you know, only the essentials.

When it came time to leave my encampment, I spent the in-game hours foraging for supplies, taking over local radio stations and introducing wandering citizens to the wonders my cult could offer.

Some evil-doers were wise to my intentions, however, and attempted to thwart my best laid plans. This was quickly remedied by a nearby weapons cache though. Any fears that I was somehow the villain of this story quickly dissipated when I interacted with a mysterious boulder, and watched it get beamed into a different reality through a haze of blue light.

After levelling up your settlement, you eventually unlock ‘teachings’, which is how you really make your doomsday cult your own. You can even co-lead your cult with friends through online multiplayer, but this wasn’t included in my hands-on session.

All of this was narrated and directed by my own cult leader, who would chat to me over the phone and somehow knew exactly what I was doing at all times…The majority of dialogue genuinely got a chuckle out of me.

The line delivery was on point and it never outstayed its welcome. Oddly enough, it reminded me of Cave Johnson in Portal 2, as I was always patiently waiting for the next line.

Once my hands-on session concluded, I was left eager to play more. Despite accomplishing so much, my cult was still in its infancy stages. I never even made it out of the woods and into town.

After merely scratching the surface, I’d confidently buy the game at full-price, but due to its confirmed inclusion on Xbox Game Pass, I won’t have to.

Join Us launches on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC in March 2027, and it’s one of the best games I played at Gamescom.