If you’ve been following Incryption you probably know what you’re getting into, which isn’t something that can be said for Daniel Mullen’s other games. While there is more hiding under the surface than meets the eye, Inscryption is a card battler at its core. I’m not familiar enough with card battlers to know what games this may be pulling from, but I can say that I’m very much enjoying it. There are lot of rules and layers to the card game, and the evil dealer / dungeon master also likes to change things up on the fly, but the game does a great job of teaching you the ropes.
Of course, you’re here for more than just a game of cards.
Right from the start you know things in the dimly lit, foreboding, and probably smelly cabin don’t add up. As the menacing tones of the narrator’s voice, who also serves as a card dealer and pseudo dungeon master, rumbles deep into your soul, you know a game’s a foot. And it’s way more than just a game of cards. I won’t be spoiling anything here, but as someone who isn’t drawn to card battlers, the story and the way it’s dealt out in Inscryption intrigues me to no end. I’ve put quite a dent in the game, still feel like I have a lot to do, and have yet to hit a stone wall.
It’s an interesting thing, tying story progression to something as random as a card game. Each player will come in with a different skill level, so balancing must tricky business. You don’t want a seasoned player to steamroll through the game in one run, but also want beginners to make steady progress. As this game is more than just the challenge of a card game, I’ve wondered what systems are at work under the hood. In many ways trying to pick that apart has been just as intriguing as the meta game itself. Daniel Mullens has made his name playing with not only expectations, but also player interactions, and Inscryption seems no different.
In the end, Inscryption is a run-based collectable card with a spooky aesthetic. Perfect game for a spooky time of year. It’s the meta story and puzzle-room aspect of the game that sets it apart, and this distinction is what pulled me along. It’s also a game I really want to pick apart and even break at a systems level. Could I get good enough to beat the game in one run or will the powers that be prevent that from happening every time? Not sure if I’ll ever find out, but at last I’ll have my Stoat to keep me company in the mean time.
