Revisiting Inscryption was a delight. The first time I played Inscryption, I remember burning through it quickly in just one or two sittings. The 6 or so hours it takes to complete Leshy’s Cabin feels a lot longer in my memory, in a good way, with the strong impression it left on me.
The situation the player is placed in–an ominous cabin with a strange, masked “game master” hooks you from the start, and the layers of gameplay and story that are thereafter added smoothly ramp up the experience. I was extremely engaged and interested in both the deckbuilder aspect and the environment, though I’m definitely a card game enthusiast first. On this note, I found the card game fairly clear and intuitive to learn, increasing in difficulty at a good pace, and complex enough to enable lots of different strategies and mechanics. One will encounter a few confusions here and there (i.e. how certain sacrifices and sigils work together) or difficulty spikes (getting lambasted by your first boss encounters) but these are not particularly frequent or egregious. One can always try a new run in any case, and as someone who doesn’t like most roguelikes, Inscryption didn’t put me off; I enjoyed nearly every run.
The good ole stoat, adding to the narrative while also serving as an introduction to the game mechanics.
I loved the atmosphere Inscryption creates–a mix of intrigue, thrill, nature/woodsy grimdark, and yes, somehow, even coziness in a sense, at least after you defeat Leshy for the first time. Leshy is, funnily enough, a great storyteller. The narrative flavor to the cards, bosses, and events encountered in the Cabin excellently blend a sense of the “weird woods” you journey through in the roguelike and intuitively shape its mechanics as well. For instance, I really liked the Mycologists event–the player encounters an odd duo (in the vein of “creepy witch doctor”) that will fuse some cards of your choice together. It reminded me a bit of Grimm-like fairy tales, with horrific implications in an eerie yet traditional hero’s journey. Similarly, the bosses contribute to a great ludonarrative experience, flavorful and challenging but with clearly exploitable weaknesses as the player learns. My personal favorite was the Angler, but all are fantastic.
Finally, the mixed in escape room/horror-lite first person story works pretty well. Part of the coziness I mentioned is that the stakes consistently feel high, thanks to the mysterious threat before you and beautiful stylistic choices, yet I never felt extremely stressed. There is pretty much no time pressure, and you’re able to play the game at your own pace. Leshy might be gruesome, but he’s patient, how nice of him! You’re free to get up and look around the cabin at your leisure, solve little puzzles, pick up clues. There is one overarching sequence of clue-actions, regarding this part of the game, that the player must do to reach the “true ending” here. Figuring this out is a little unclear, but not too complicated.
Example gameplay during one of the final card battles in the Cabin.
At this point, Inscryption is a short, captivating and unique game that I’m glad to have played. It doesn’t end here, however, and the game completely shifts after you reach the Cabin’s true ending. I’ll just say a little more about the rest of the game after this point, for anyone who got that far. I found the rest of the game an interesting choice and I’m actually a fan of this sort of meta exploration. However, it becomes somewhat apparent that the rest is not quite as polished as the Cabin. There is some tonal whiplash in the transition, and the style change will isolate some players. While I felt this to an extent, I think the biggest issue for me was that the gameplay simply felt somewhat underbaked. For example, player guidance gets foggy and card game balance isn’t as solid. Great ideas and elements are there, and despite initially feeling a bit thrown off, I did end up liking the styles of Part 2 and 3 as well. Inscryption remains enjoyable in Part 2 and 3, but it loses some of its unique charm and the mechanics needed more ironing out for me.
For those who want to continue experimenting and enjoying the Cabin, though, Inscryption has a mode called Kaycee’s Mod. It essentially builds upon the first card game, and I was pleased to come back to this section of the game with the freshness of new mechanics and content. Overall, Inscryption’s later parts are worth playing through with separate expectations, but Leshy’s Cabin is the heart of the game and where it shines most.
Thank you for teaching me the word ludonarrative. I will now do my best to shoehorn it into every opportunity, even where it should not be used. I also got to learn the word ludology from that, which sounds suspiciously like a branch of magic. How’d you feel about the actual narrative payoff of Inscryption? Personally, I think the gameplay is eh in the later acts, I mean it’s not like I hate the bot fights or the weird 2d world, it’s more like they felt a bit trivial and boring. If you do actually fail one of those encounters you just get to repeat them immediately. It’s not so much the gameplay that gets me as the actual plot though
It’s great to hear that revisiting “Inscryption” brought back such positive memories and continued to engage you deeply! Your detailed account of the gameplay experience highlights what makes this game special to its fans—especially how the mix of card game mechanics and atmospheric storytelling captures the player’s imagination right from the beginning.
You pointed out something crucial about the game’s atmosphere: its ability to blend eeriness with a sort of cozy familiarity, especially after defeating Leshy. That mix of thrill and comfort is a rare find in games, particularly in the roguelike genre, which often leans heavily on tension and challenge. Your mention of the Mycologists event adding a fairy tale-like horror to the game enriches that unique storytelling style even further.
I appreciate your candid thoughts on the game’s later parts. It’s interesting how “Inscryption” transitions into something that feels less polished but still maintains elements that are engaging. The shift into a more meta exploration sounds intriguing, though it seems it may not be for everyone due to its departure from the early game’s tone and more refined gameplay.
Your insights into Kaycee’s Mod also point to the developer’s commitment to expanding the game’s replayability and depth, ensuring that fans like you have new content to enjoy while still appreciating the core elements that made the game memorable.
Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. It definitely paints a picture of “Inscryption” as a multifaceted game that continues to offer new layers to explore, whether you’re returning for another run or diving deeper into its extended gameplay!
Hi Ember!
Reading about how much you like Inscryption was heartwarming and made me even more eager to play the rest of the game! It seems that there is a consensus amongst the class that the acts after the first one fall short, which is disappointing, yet I’m glad you liked the styles nonetheless. I would agree with your comment on the suspenseful, yet relaxing mood of the game; I really liked this contrast and enjoyed moving through the “escape room” at my own pace. Also, the way you describe Leshy is amusing and adds a layer of depth of him that I did not consider beforehand. He seems like a surprisingly complex character rather than simply a scary gamemaster.
Overall, your post really piqued my curiosity in continuing the game; I’m excited to experience all of Leshy’s cabin, the bosses, and even the later, less engaging acts.