INSCRYPTION / DEVELOPER: DANIEL MULLINS GAMES / PUBLISHER: DEVLOVER DIGITAL / PLATFORM: PC, PS4/5 (REVIEWED) / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Deck-building games and roguelikes are nothing new, but when developer Daniel Mullins put the two together, he struck gold (pun intended). Inscryption is just that – a deck-building roguelike game with a dark and mysterious story filled with a chilling narrative and twisted secrets.
You are a nameless player who, after booting up the game, is presented with a screen with the following options: New Game, Continue, Options and Credits. However, the New Game selection is greyed out – but you haven’t played before? Something is afoot. You continue the game as a mysterious figure in front of you with haunting glowing eyes introduces you to this deadly game of cards. As the story progresses, and you die, time and time again, more secrets within the four walls of the tiny cabin you are trapped in unveil themselves – if you look in the right places and try out outlandish tactics.
What sets Inscryption apart from its peers is that there are so many ways to approach the game even if you aren’t a fan of or well versed in deck-building games. The gameplay is simple and intuitive yet persuades the player to think out of the box on multiple occasions – be it because the “boss” characters use underhanded tactics or the luck of the draw is against you. The story unveils itself at the pace of the player and can be approached from multiple angles. Even to this day, months after its original release back on steam, players are still finding secrets hidden within the game both on the surface and beyond.
With spine-chilling music, visual style and dialogue from the mysterious figure, Inscryption is an addictive roguelike with easy-to-pick-up gameplay that will have you playing through the game multiple times – and that’s not just because you WILL die again and again.
