My favorite types of games are Wargames with a compelling (often fantastic) theme. A theme that is compelling enough to really put you in the universe of the game. The rules and method of play should reflect the theme and the universe it is trying to convey. Games like Dune, Gammarauders, Deluxe Illuminati, and Risk 2210 A.D. all do this very well.

Cults Across America falls nicely into this category. There is a great deal of strategy, and the rules aptly reflect the free-for-all, apocalyptic satire of U.S. underground culture, which keeps the game fun. There is a great deal of luck as well. But there are several ways of playing the game provided in the rules so you can tilt your games in favor of hard-core strategy or beer-and-pretzels, city-burning mayhem.

Good points about the game:

1. Unique form of combat resolution
2. Funny cards/game rules
3. Fast paced (once you get how combat resolution works)
4. Marvelous social satire in a comedic parody of H.P. Lovecraft horror
5. The rules are well written and unambiguous.

Bad points abou the game:

1. Cheap components (It looks like they went down to Kinko's to print the board.)
2. A lot of the rules are special condition rules. (E.g., if the ambassador from Uruguay is ever in the same city as another character, that character is dead permanently with the exception of the president who re-appears the next turn in a city determined by a dice roll.) Every individual piece has it's own rule set. And keeping track of who can do what where and under what circumstances can take some getting used to. But it adds to the flavor of the game and is worth the price of the inconvenience it causes.
3. The game takes at *least* 2 hours to play. But it's a fun two hours.