I’ve never been the biggest fan of card games, growing up, but it’s been no surprise that in the last handful of years, there has been a huge resurgence in original card games and board games. I eventually did become a fan of some deck-building games, so when I heard Devolver had a deck-building card game up their sleeve, I had to check it out. Boy, was I in for a very fascinating surprise, not only is Inscryption really fun and addicting, it’s very clever in keeping the player enamored with its story and even likes to change up the rules whenever it feels like it to keep you on your toes. All of this while oozing with great spooky atmosphere in this pixelated beauty of a game.
Not only is Inscryption a deck-building card game, but it’s also a rogue-like game I’ve never played before. The overall mechanics of the game can be a bit confusing at first, I don’t want to spend this entire review trying to explain it, but the game is divided into three acts, and like any deck game you first start with your starter deck. You make your way through a map to get to several mini-bosses. Matches are played on a three by four grid and damage is tracked by a weighing scale on your left, your main objective in each match is to make your opponent’s side of the scale heavier than yours. With each damage dealt, a tooth is added to the scale. This can get pretty intense because tipping the scale in your favor is all about constantly making the right decisions. The roguelike element jumps in with a candle holder to your right that has three lit candles, indicating your lives. Every time you lose a match, one of the flames burns out, if all the candles get blown out you will be killed… maybe. The game likes to play by its own rules and just when I thought I would have to start over on the map, sometimes I wouldn’t need to.
This is where my favorite aspect of this game comes into play, there is a ton of personality thrown into a very simplistic looking game. I love when my Stout card just decides to talk to me and even give me good hints and tips on how to play. Even if he can be a bit sassy and tell me I’m doing a bad job sometimes. Your opponents are also often shrouded in darkness and constantly changing masks, seemingly to just mess with me or unsettle me. Just when I think I have a grasp on playing or what to expect I am constantly thrown a new and sometimes pleasant (but often not) curveball.
In between your matches you can even get up from the gaming table and solve interesting puzzles around the room. There is a lot going on here, more than meets the eye, it’s been very difficult writing about this review and not talking about spoilers, which is an issue I didn’t expect to have going into a deck-building game. There is a lot to love here, and the never knowing aspect would normally be something I’d hate, but often found myself enamored here. The game can be a bit difficult to learn in the beginning and I do wish it did a better job at teaching you, but throwing you in the thick of it and almost forcing you to make mistakes so you learn from them I guess is one way to learn how to play. The curveballs I spoke about can also be more stressful than fun at times, for example when fighting my first mini-boss, this spooky prospector, he started turning my cards into gold, forcing me to completely re-strategize my game.
Card games certainly aren’t for everyone, but if there was a game out there that can convert people to loving them, Inscryption may or may not be it. Fans of the genre though, I believe will be thrilled with a very original game, mechanically and esthetically. Having originally come out on PC last year and has won a handful of game awards, it’s safe to say I’m not the only one who was captivated by how this spooky game plays, but the story it tells.
8.5/10
For more information, visit: Inscryption – PS4 & PS5 games | PlayStation (US)
Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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