Cryptmaster Review: What in the Word

I'll be the first to admit: writing can sometimes be a daunting task. Without autocorrect or an editor, I'd sound clinically insane. I think we've all been there—whether it be writing a report, essay, poem, etc. How do I convey this thought in an eloquent manner? Is this even the right word?

Writers and authors across any medium are attempting to emulate the same: tell a story, keep them engaged, and make the adventure worthwhile. This is where developers Paul Hart, Lee Williams, and Akupara Games enter the chat with their typing dungeon crawler, Cryptmaster.

Hell, is This Even a Word?

Cryptmaster is a typing dungeon-crawling adventure where you lead a party of four heroes from the past where they valiantly battled an ancient evil, emerging victorious. Centuries later, these heroes are resurrected by the enigmatic Cryptmaster. Unfortunately, the backstory and overall plot is a bit generic, failing to adequately introduce or instill a sense of attachment to our four heroes. It seems they’re trapped to their type - Warrior, Assassin, Healer, and Witch. While there are memories that add more lore and context for each character, they fail to significantly impact the narrative in any meaningful way.

Initially, the game's atmosphere is strikingly jarring. The monochromatic visuals and eerie ambiance create a gritty tone that takes some getting used to. However, as you delve deeper into the Crypts, the environment begins to feel familiar. Gradually, you adapt and come to appreciate the aesthetics. 

This brings me to the conflicting aspect I have regarding the dungeons. Many areas within the dungeon tend to blend together, resulting in occasional disorientation and the need to retrace steps. While I typically hate getting lost, it did afford me the chance to acquaint myself with the soundtrack. Initially anticipating a score designed to evoke fear or intimidation, I was surprised to find myself grooving to bops and vibes that made each backtrack enjoyable. Some tracks seemed entirely out of sync with the setting, yet against all odds, they managed to integrate seamlessly, like a rediscovered puzzle piece falling into place.

Navigating with the keyboard is incredibly straightforward, employing the arrow keys for movement. Transitioning from my usual WASD controls was a bit rocky at first, but once acclimated, it evoked a pleasant sense of nostalgia.

The further I dove into the dungeon, the more I became obsessed with the creepy eccentric oddballs featured. Whether ally or adversary, everyone seemed to emerge from a bizarre amalgamation of Coraline, Tim Burton, James and the Giant Peach, topped off with an acid trip. Even the seemingly ordinary NPCs exuded an unsettling aura. There was one character in particular who appeared to be a chaotic mess and perhaps should avoid social interactions for legal reasons. He also said he loved me as I left, so maybe I can fix him? It’s just the right mix of batshit crazy that made them interesting enough to chat with them.

If You’re Not Using Words - You’re Simply Not Playing

Words have power in this title, as you essentially interact with the world by simply typing or speaking whatever you’d like. While a controller option exists, for the purpose of this review, I embraced the role of a keyboard warrior. Your choice of words holds sway over nearly every aspect of the game, from combat maneuvers to unlocking chests and engaging with characters. Each hero presents a set of blank spaces beneath their portrait, challenging you to uncover the appropriate words. These letters can be revealed through victorious battles, successful chest openings, or sheer guesswork. Initially, the game feels reminiscent of a leisurely round of Wheel of Fortune, with words falling easily into place.

This bleeds into combat, where your choice of words holds the power to determine survival or defeat. Each enemy presents a visible letter count, indicating their resilience against your assaults. Occasionally, strategic nuances come into play, such as certain letters triggering double damage or specific attacks breaking through enemy defenses. While turn-based combat offers some tactical leeway, I opted for all the smoke by playing strictly real-time fights, which demanded constant vigilance and adaptability.

The arsenal at your disposal hinges on the words you've unlocked, ranging from plentiful options to a more limited selection. However, the availability of these attacks relies on your accumulated letter bank, which results in careful management to avoid potentially harming your own heroes. From an outsider’s perspective, it doesn’t seem like much. With each attack governed by cooldowns and resource costs, the true challenge lies in navigating moments of urgency and panic. Whether contending with fallen comrades or struggling to string together the right words under pressure, the gameplay remains consistently engaging and entertaining.

While diversifying your attacks to suit various strategies is possible, there's also merit in relying on a core set of words that reliably see you through most encounters. This delicate balance of risk and reward contributes to the game's overarching challenge, ultimately fostering a deeper appreciation for its intricacies.

But Wait - That’s Just the Combat

You’ll continue to use different words when interacting with other characters. For instance, when you come across a chest, you engage in a game of 5 questions with the Cryptmaster. This mysterious entity can perceive, describe, and touch the item within, leaving you to deduce its identity through contextual clues or simply by taking a wild guess. Correct guesses earn you the letters comprising the item's name, while incorrect ones yield nothing.

Similarly, scattered throughout the game's landscape are hidden skulls that pose riddles. Successfully answering these riddles also earns you letters. Personally, I struggled with the riddles and resorted to searching online because – well, riddles are not my cup of tea. Thankfully, there's an option to enable the Cryptmaster's assistance in the settings, which proved helpful.

Initially, I found these interactions delightful, as they provided light brain teasers and the opportunity to accumulate letters for future use. However, their charm waned after a few hours of gameplay, as these opportunities became ubiquitous. With my straightforward combat approach, I found myself accumulating a surplus of letters, rendering the chest and skull quests somewhat cumbersome distractions.

Breakdown

Game: Cryptmaster

Developer:  Paul Hart, Lee Williams, Akupara Games

Publisher: Akupara Games

Availability: PC

Reviewed on PC (Keyboard) 

Pros:

+  Core game mechanic is its strongest suit. 

+ Combat and movement are simple yet fantastic.

+ The setting and characters are a blast to be around.

Cons:

- Narrative and main characters aren’t moving the needle.

- Repetitive dungeon sections could use refinement.

- Prepare to backtrack the second you get lost.

Final Thoughts

In short, Cryptmaster presents a blend of dungeon-crawling adventure and linguistic puzzle-solving, inviting players to wield the power of words in a world shrouded in mystery and danger. While its narrative and gameplay mechanics may falter at times, its innovative approach to word-based gameplay ensures a captivating experience for players willing to embrace the role of a keyboard warrior or those willing to pull out a dictionary. 

Reviewed by Will Cruz