Inscryption

Inscryption is an amalgamation of deck-builder and escape room games, and is unlike anything I have ever played before. In an age of video games where uniqueness is at an all-time low, it was amazing to be so surprised at regular intervals. Inscryption will test what you think a card battling roguelite is and its constant twists and turns will keep you on your toes. It's a game where I fully feel like I have sculpted my deck myself; it's wild, it's dark and it's utterly brilliant.

If you like the idea of a game that defies genres and will constantly take you to places you don’t expect, pick up Inscryption. If you enjoy card-based roguelikes (with some other stuff thrown in), pick up Inscryption. If you want to play something unlike anything else, doing things that most other games wouldn’t dare to, pick up Inscryption. Just… be prepared for the unexpected. Time and time again.

Inscryption manages to combine an expertly-crafted card game, a nail-biting tale of horror and enjoyable escape room adventures into another genre-defying gem and easily one of the year's best games. Whether you come for the gameplay and strategy, the story and atmosphere, or both, you'll walk away awestruck at the sheer, brilliant madness you just experienced. Daniel Mullins does it again, and once again, we urge readers not to read the reviews or other coverage as much as possible and just go in blind, experiencing this twisted odyssey for yourself. You'll be glad you did.

Once upon a time, game developer Daniel Mullins put together a short, rough game prototype called Sacrifices Must Be Made for a game jam. Its combination of charmingly rough graphics, a creative card game, and a deeply disturbing psychological horror story that was slowly revealed over the course of the game won hearts around the world. Now, Mullins is ready to unleash Inscryption, a massively expanded version of Sacrifices Must Be Made with enhanced graphics, revamped mechanics, and what may be an even darker storyline than the original. But can this new version step out of the shadow of its ...

While the more complex story doesn't completely gel, Inscryption has plenty of gripping CCG gameplay and unsettling horror setpieces to keep your attention.

It’s hard to talk about the specifics of Inscryption without diluting some of its magic. However, its ingenuity is mind-boggling, its mood is devilishly haunting and its presentation is first-rate. As a deckbuilder, it’s stretched about as far as it can go, and by jumping around between concepts it sometimes asks for a lot from the player. The pay-off, however, is one of the most impressive feats of video game storytelling there is. If you’re new to Daniel Mullins Games then you’re in for even more of a treat, but existing fans, too, shouldn’t think they have the measure of what awaits on Insc...

A work of devilish cleverness that’s both a mockery and celebration of collectible cards games and an increasingly disturbing horror story about the cost of victory.

With that said, I did enjoy Inscryption. Part of me is tempted to dive back in to see if I can scrape any more secrets out of its cracks. Really, that’s where it excels: not the misdirection, but the hidden crawlspaces where it hides all the bodies. At its best, it feels like you’re actually uncovering a deeper plot. At its worst, it feels like you’re watching a magician pull handkerchiefs out of their sleeve. It’s cool, I guess, but you know they’re just screwing with you.

Inscryption's twists and turns are hit-or-miss, but the game's oddities are worth experiencing for yourself.

Inscrypton Review

A twisted card game from the creator of Pony Island.

A sinister and excellently crafted card game with a darkly comic underbelly