For this week’s game, I played Inscryption with a few friends. Inscryption is a rogue-like deck-building game developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. The game is based on puzzles with twinges of psychological horror as the player plays a series of deck-based card games against a mysterious person in their cabin. I had never heard of the game before, so I did not know what I was getting into before playing with my friends. As a result, I was not prepared for the creepy theme of the game since I hate the horror games ;-;.
The main part of the game revolved around a 3×4 grid where the player and the other person place down animal-based cards, outfitted with health and attack damage, on opposite sides of the grid. The health of each player is depicted by a singular scale and rocks on either side of the scale. The point of the game is to place down these cards on any of the 4 positions, where the animals will progress automatically forward, either until it hits another animal or hits the other end of the grid. Players lose health when an animal reaches their edge of the board without being contested by another animal, which is depicted by rocks falling from one end of the scale to the the other.
I found the idea of sacrificing cards to summon an animal was an interesting part of the game as it adds a lot more critical thinking and strategies as you consider what animals to place down and where on the grid they should be to minimize self-damage and maximize other damage. I find that this also adds a little bit of luck to the game, especially when you are looking for a squirrel from the deck to summon a stronger animal without sacrificing your attack damage or defenses that are already on the board. I also really enjoyed the diversity of animals and their strengths in the deck, as well as the ability to combine the abilities of various animals to make a new, better animal. This added another level of nuance as players would need to think about what ability to add on to which card to maximize value. Honestly, though, I did not think that hard about the value of my deck and I just greedily put down cards, or put down animals that would benefit me the most at that turn rather than thinking ahead.
Overall, I would rate the game a 6/10, mostly because I’m just not a fan of card games in general and the theme creeped me out a little too much. It just didn’t spark my interest as much as some other games, but that is more of a personal opinion than a critique on the game. I just thought the narration was slightly boring and felt like it could have had more substance, but I might have missed some parts of the storyline. I will say, if I were more into the psychological horror genre and turn-based strategic card games, then I probably would have enjoyed this game a lot more.
Hi Jenny,
I think you make a good point especially about the game’s luck and skill balance. I wonder how different strategies play into the overall enjoyness of the game. Also, I wonder how the death card component affected your point.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Inscryption, Jenny! Your review provides a clear and honest perspective on the game, especially for those who might not be familiar with it. The combination of rogue-like deck-building and psychological horror certainly makes Inscryption unique, and it’s understandable that the creepy theme might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Your explanation of the game mechanics, like the 3×4 grid and the sacrificial summoning of animals, highlights the strategic depth that Inscryption offers. It sounds like the game requires a balance of critical thinking and a bit of luck, which can be both challenging and rewarding. The ability to combine animal abilities to create stronger cards adds an interesting layer of strategy, even if it might feel a bit overwhelming at first.
It’s great that you pointed out your personal preferences in your rating. Not everyone is a fan of card games or the horror genre, and your review helps others with similar tastes understand what they might experience. Despite your reservations, it’s clear you gave the game a fair chance and appreciated some of its unique aspects.
Your feedback on the narration and storyline is valuable too. It’s always important for game developers to hear what works and what might need more depth. Thanks again for your detailed review, and for sharing your honest impressions!