14 DAY TRIAL // 
I drop a wolf cub on an open lane. A squirrel is ready to absorb damage nearby. I also have a tree stump that will protect me from attacks. The problem is that I draw blood-based creatures but have limited supplies of it. I have plenty of bones, but my draw does not offer me a coyote that I could really use. It might be time to think of whether I can use a cheat to get ahead or if I might lose one of my lives in this battle. Either way, I might be unable to actually get to the boss and it might be a good idea to start thinking about what kind of death card I want.
Inscryption is the work of Daniel Mullins, the man behind Pony Island, and his studio, with publishing handled by Devolver Digital. The game is available on the PC using Steam. It delivers a weird and very interesting mix of ideas while working mostly within the confines of the card game and rogue mix.
The story is built around a room, which houses a mysterious game master and a table that houses a weird take on a card game. There are other objects to interact around and even some of the cards communicate with the player and hint at deeper mysteries. When the player fails to win a card confrontation he appears to die, but not before creating his own card representation. This is a rogue experience that does have a narrative thread, with a touch of spookiness, plenty of mystery, and that feeling that something is wrong and there’s no way to make it right.
The mechanics of Inscryption allow for quick card-driven battles that have plenty of depth. Four lanes support a variety of units, all of them types of animals, some cute and some gross. In pretty classic fashion, they have an attack value, a set of defensive points, and, potentially, special abilities, called sigils. But Inscryption does not use mana or gold to summon them. Instead, players have to invest blood, gained by sacrificing other creatures, or bones, gained when those on the field die. Aside from a deck of creatures, the game also provides a deck of plain squirrels at all times, a constant supply of blood, bones, and defensive options.
The game adds complexity by allowing players to use tools from their backpack to significantly break the rules when a battle is not going well. A good scissor can be used to destroy an enemy card and there are more tools available. Various encounters placed between the card engagements present opportunities to gain new creatures, upgrade them, or buy various items. At the of each portion of the wilderness, the player avatar will have to deal with a boss who tweaks the gameplay to his advantage
Inscryption adds its first big twist when the player fails for the first time. There’s no extra resource to use to keep some cards or gain a boost. But gamers will be able to create a new card, using attributes from those in their decks, which can be encountered and used in subsequent attempts.
And the game is more than just a card-drive rogue experience. A few cards have things to say. They react to some player actions. The room has extra interactions that add to the card action. The story and the gameplay mix in cool ways that enhance both.
Inscryption can’t pull the same tricks that Mullins managed with Pony Island. This game has more structure and fewer straight-up twists. Put the card game itself offers a great gameplay hook that the creepy atmosphere complements very well. Just watch how Stoat reacts when you select them for power enhancement.
Inscryption aims for atmosphere rather than complex graphics and it mostly hits the mark. The cards feel both a little haunted and somewhat retro, while never sacrificing information that the player actually needs. The space in which the action takes place is shrouded in shadow but clearly shows where a potential action exists, and the sound effects are suitably creepy. The only issue with the presentation is the limited appeal of the music. I wanted something that works harder to underline the strangeness, although I do understand why the developers chose a more subdued soundtrack, giving players space to focus on their choices.
The Good
- Sacrifice mechanics
- Atmosphere development
- Death card concept
The Bad
- Some difficulty spikes
- Limited soundtrack appeal
- Death card needs a bigger gameplay role
Conclusion
I would like to see more use for the sacrifice mechanic and some extra ways to cheat the rules. But self-aware creatures, cards that immortalize failed runs, and general creepiness add a lot to the core concepts. Inscryption has all the necessary ingredients to set a new standard of quality for its genre and keep fans engaged for tens of hours.
Review code provided by the publisher.
