I slept through encryption, which only briefly scratched the surface of the original PC release. What a fool I was.
First released on PC in October, encryption by Daniel Mullins wants to captivate you and undermine your expectations every time. Presented as a deckbuilding roguelike game with a healthy dose of horror, encryption will initially appeal to players who enjoy card-based combat. But even if that’s not your genre du jour, don’t write this off. Because it is so much more. So. A lot. More.
Unfortunately I can’t go into extensive details about everything that makes encryption what it is. Because that would spoil the magic for you if you don’t have to dive into this wonderfully dark adventure just yet. But with adventure game-style puzzles, surprising FMV sequences, subtle changes that make you question your own sanity, and gameplay that keeps you constantly on your toes, it’s safe to say you’re in for a treat.
As tasty as everything encryptionThe ingredients, however, are that the card-based gameplay remains the centerpiece of the experience. And so if you’re not into deckbuilding, it can be a heavy burden to carry. Fortunately, this is a very simple yet fun card game that is easy to learn, yet requires serious skills to fully master.
Each card in your deck usually has three values: the cost, a damage number, and a health number. Unless a card can be placed freely, you’ll probably have to make a sacrifice to play it. Squirrel cards, in abundance, can do no damage, but they can be scrambled for one blood, allowing you to place another card that can damage your opponent. More powerful cards cost more blood, which is why you may have to sacrifice more than one card to place them.
Some cards may cost bones instead, with each card sacrificed or killed by your opponent gives you a bone. These pile up as you play. The ultimate goal is to tilt your opponent’s scale by dealing more damage directly to them than to you. You have to push past their cards and survive their incoming attacks to be able to damage them directly. Sometimes it’s easier said than done. But get the right deck of cards, and it’s a breeze, with every win feeling so satisfying.
Between matches, you initially explore a map, with opportunities to get new cards, upgrade the cards in your hand, and more. So far, so a roguelike deckbuilder. But it’s only when some of the cards in your hands start talking to you that you might get a hint that not everything is as it seems encryption.
Indeed, the impatient ermine will be your first idea of the secrets hiding beneath it encryptionis already fascinating veneer. Pay attention to what the ermine says, and you may get an idea of what to do next. Or maybe you just want to get up from the table you’re playing at – you can! – and poke around the moody cabin you’re in. Touching clocks, cabinets and safes may make your game master a little annoyed, but doing so will give you important clues and information you need to progress – both through the deck in front of you and through encryption in general.
For example, there is a mysterious cuckoo clock that you have to wait a while to find a clue. But if you mess around with a chest of drawers early on, you might get some handy cards, as will figuring out the safe combination. Sometimes it feels like an escape room game, and I think it is: after all, you’re locked in this cabin. But escape is much more complex than anything else you’ve played.
Just when you think you’re cracked encryption, it will absolutely turn everything upside down and present you something completely different. You won’t expect it – I certainly didn’t see it coming, nothing really. I won’t tell you exactly what happens because that will ruin it. In any case, the one thing that is consistent is the card game – although even the rules there will change slightly.
I’m not quite sure how I feel about it encryptionthe second act. Some of the charm and atmosphere it created so well in the early hours is lost, which can be a little disappointing at first. But it’s wonderful to see how it all fits into the bigger picture. One thing’s for sure: you’re never sure where it’s going, and that alone is worth sticking with. Damn it, I may have said too much already.
If you like the idea of a game that defies genres and constantly takes you to places you least expect, pick up encryption. If you like card based roguelikes (with some other stuff in there), then pick it up encryption. If you want to play something different from everything else, do things that most other games wouldn’t dare, pick up encryption. Just… be prepared for the unexpected. Time after time.
encryption Review – GameSpew Score
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