#but then you get media like suzume and dragons dogma that depict such nuanced and REAL ways that collective trauma affects a community

[ink-asunder]

Furthermore, I think Dragon's Dogma's handling of the cult was actually really mature and ahead of its time. Yes, Elysian is a zealous man who wants power and destruction (you need at least one to form a cult). But it's repeated time and time again that most of Salvation's members are just regular people who sought out the cult in times of hardship, even when they didn't really believe in Elysian's teachings. For community, for comfort, for a purpose and a cause to dedicate yourself to because the world is so hard and so dangerous right now because of Grigori's coming.

It reflects the REAL nature of cults in the real world, which I wouldn't really expect from a low budget unfinished game, let alone media in general. Even movies and games today don't get it right 9 times out of 10.