Akupara Games
Over the retiring few calendar week , I ’ve base myself reflecting a lot on the kinds of games I played as a tike growing up in the 1990s . That ’s not just for nostalgia ’s saki ; several new handout this month hark back to that era . Crow Countryis a throwback to PlayStation 1 horror games , whileEndless sea : Luminousalmost spiel like a large - budget educational biz . But nothing has bestow me back more thanCryptmaster .
publish by Akupara Games , Cryptmasteris a traditional dungeon crawler with a very nontraditional twist : It ’s a typing game . If you instantly know what that means , there ’s a good chance you ’re suckle some mid-30s back pain in the neck right now . game that learn youngster how to type on a keyboard had a mainstream moment in the 1990s thanks to high visibility games likeMario Teaches Typing .
Akupara Games
Cryptmasterimagines what it would look like if that genre broke out of the education realm and evolved into something all its own . It wo n’t learn you how to type , but it ’ll test how quickly you may solicit out words to attack hordes of monsters . The end final result is one of 2024 ’s most creative games , one that show that we ’ve still only rub the surface of the inventive style a biz can be made .
Typing of the dead
InCryptmaster , players control a party of four dead warriors trying to head for the hills a dreary donjon with the help of a creepy companion . It immediately leaves a unassailable feeling before even induce to the signature tune gameplay that gain it so unique . A stark pitch-black - and - white art style pretend it reckon like a graphic novel penned with stocky ink , while delightfully hammy voice playing make the adventure feel like ahigh - end tabletop RPGrun by an enthusiastic dungeon original .
The main hook , though , is type — andCryptmastergets the most out of it . Aside from using arrow keys to navigate labyrinthian corridor , almost everything is controlled by typing out countersign . When I find a hoarded wealth chest , I first need to type out a word like “ box ” to crack it candid . To really get the item inside , I postulate to try out and deduce what it is . When I type Bible like “ taste ” or “ equal , ” my eery crony give me clues to help me figure it out . When I have an idea , I type out that word of honor . It ’s a simple video game fundamental interaction turned into a puzzling think game .
That design philosophy is present throughoutCryptmasterto not bad effect . To fish , I need to type out the name of the tool in front of me to cast my production line . likewise , I can pick up bugs by type out their name and then craft potion by using the letters in those name as ingredients . donjon are dot with skull totems that have me answering full - on riddle . There ’s even a circuit board minigame that has me selecting letter to occupy the names of my wight placard and trigger off their powers . There ’s a surprising amount of gameplay diversity here pulled out of a deceptively simple task .
The power of that system shine in two blot . First , there ’s fight . When I occupy an foe in struggle , I need to type out my attacks to hit . Each of my four character has their own set of dictation , from “ hit ” to “ zap . ” conflict are a fast - paced game of strategy and remembering as I quickly chain together commands before an enemy take in me down ( the letter in my characters ’ figure smartly denote their wellness ) .
There ’s some surprising deepness to fight , as my party ’s abilities can synergize with one another ’s . One quality knows words that can readjust other characters ’ cooldowns or give their attacks buffs . There ’s even some ingenious puzzling to some engagement . In one orbit , I take damage anytime I type the letter S , forcing me to exchange my scheme . forever typecast out words can wear down thinly , specially if you ca n’t commend a huge list of command , butCryptmasterthankfully includes great tools to accommodate musician , like prognosticative typing and a slower turn - base mode .
There ’s a clever approach to character growth here too . As I adventure , each of my company member always has a hidden parole next to their name on the bottom of the screen . Whenever I loot hoarded wealth , solve riddles , or see Pisces , I ’m actually getting letters as loot that reveal the hidden letter , Wheel of Fortune style . Once I forecast out the word , I type it out to larn a novel skill or a spot of backstory . If I infer enough , I level up , allowing me to bring another letter ( one health dot ) to a fictional character ’s name . clever systems like that pushCryptmasterwell beyond the concept of a traditional typewriting gam to being a total reinvention ofwell - tread RPG trope .
The human touch
Even something as banal as NPC yakety-yak feel entirely overbold here . When I talk to someone in a town , I can actually converse with them by typing out words . Characters are shockingly responsive , with many get a sizable lexicon . The titularCryptmasteris even able to say a lot of quarrel I type back to me or notice on what I ’ve enounce . When I typewrite too many swears , he steal one soul ( the game ’s tantamount to mana ) and puts it into a swear jar as penalisation . interaction like that makeCryptmaster ’s world feel more alive .
What especially strikes me here is thatCryptmasteraccomplishes something that others are presently dreaming of . publisher are currentlyflocking to reproductive AI toolsto produce more immersive gameplay experience where it feels like characters actually interact with players . I saw that firsthand at Game Developers Conference this year when I triedUbisoft ’s own AI demonstration . It ’s a proficient exploit , though one with notable limitations . The AI - vocalise characters I spoke to felt up exanimate , flatly recite drab AI writing . Cryptmaster , by comparison , is alone human made — and the difference demo . There ’s far more personality to expressive rats and frogs thanks to the true trade behind them .
Cryptmasteris one of those curiosities that you need to try for yourself to see how well it clicks together . Even with some repetitive struggle and snarl that are surd to navigate due to the mordant - and - white style , Cryptmastereffectively makes unstylish approximation feel blade newfangled again . Just make trusted you have your typing fingers ready . You ’re going to need them if you require to pull round .
Cryptmasteris out now on PC .
