Cryptmaster

If you like word games and dungeon crawlers, Cryptmaster will likely be one of your favorite games in years. It oozes humor, charm, and constantly keeps you engaged with its striking aesthetic and mechanics. I also like how the developers cater to those who play with a controller here, though I recommend a keyboard for the smoothest experience.

World-building is pretty good, and the presentation adds to it with its striking black-and-white. Only the combat can sometimes feel like a chore, especially when enemies with long names start showing up. I never got tired of listening closely for bug sounds but some players might. Cryptmaster is a perfect example of how wonderful an indie title with a strong innovative mechanic can be and it should find as wide an audience as possible.

This dark world - frequently illuminated by its eccentric characters and cheeky dialogue - is so captivating that the slight loss of late-game momentum is easily forgiven. [Issue#399, p.114]

Cryptmaster offers a unique blend of traditional text-based gameplay, grid-based dungeon crawling, and wordplay puzzles. It excels in both its audiovisual presentation and inventive gameplay, with the potential to establish a new niche genre.

Games like Cryptmaster are rare. Not just because of a particular aesthetic or unique mechanic, but because they take a core idea and focus it. Cryptmaster is ok with not being for every gamer, but puzzle-RPG fans with a love of words, a wicked sense of humor, and a taste for the macabre will enjoy it.

Cryptmaster was a game I had hoped I would enjoy more. In the end, it's a solid proof of concept with a few hints of what it could be in the future. Cryptmaster is a game with a lot to say, but much like with the game's undead protagonists - it feels like its a bit confused on how to say it.

Frustrating as the game may be, the real-time typing is at least trying to be original, and the visuals, with their detailed black-and-white pencil-sketching succeed both as an homage and modernization of the wireframe environments of Wizardry.

ARISE!!!!!! fantastic game great setting and atmosphere, fab story too, what an ingenious gameing mechanic. Love this game

I really, really wanted to enjoy Cryptmaster, and I wont say it's outright bad, but it's one of those games that really doesn't do much to evolve it's basic core concept. On paper (heh) it's a really interesting idea focused on typing in spells/abilities unlocked through combat and solving riddles. The core issue is that once you get the basics down... that's kind of it. You'll be doing the same thing on repeat throughout. Solid narration, some funny jokes, and good writing are the star here, the gameplay is novel but half-baked at best. I feel there is a huge missed opportunity here to incorporate more interesting gameplay and puzzles. A lot of the riddles are really not very difficult to boot, relying on some riddles you've probably seen in a very similar, or outright identical, form in a middle school puzzle book. Given how unique the concept is, it basically plays like a mediocre dungeon crawler where you type a spell in instead of just selecting it. A cool idea for unlocking spells, a good narrative, and some good riddles (if a bit all over in quality) make for a game I would recommend at least trying, but not one I can say is absolutely worth your time.