Oui, Inscryption is ugly, with its big pixels and creepy vibe. Inscryption is simplistic: it is ultimately only a card game. But if you dive into it, you won’t forget Inscryption, as it conceals twisted, even disturbing surprises. Already available on PC, this independent game, created by one man, Canadian Daniel Mullins, has been on Switch since December 1, which should open up a new audience for it. And it’s deserved.
At first glance, the title boils down to a duel therefore, card-based, easy to understand and in fact rather limited. It is just possible to place animals in front of you (squirrels, frogs, moose, etc.) to attack the opposite camp. Some steal, others mortally poison their opponents or grow. The cub becomes a wolf for example. They can also be sacrificed to summon more powerful creatures. Between two fast fights, it is sometimes possible to delete cards to advance your proteges or to glean useful objects. The metal clamp allows you, for example, to pull out a tooth, fortunately off-screen, and put it in the scale, which symbolizes the life points of the players, in order to make it lean in the right direction. Atmosphere.
Your opponent is a hairy, grimy, evil hermit who clearly mocks you and openly cheats. He steals your cards or lays down eight big grizzlies in one go when he refuses to lose. And at this point, you already sense that something is wrong. Especially since one of the cards in your hand, the ermine, speaks directly to you. She pushes you to run away. Moreover, you soon discover that it is possible to get up from the gaming table. You are in reality locked in a tiny cabin, filled with curious objects – a chest, a cuckoo clock, a mirror… – which are so many puzzles to solve. But to find what?
And then, short video sequences punctuate the game. They seem to be taken from the camcorder of a youtuber, a fan of old vintage maps. Tells him about getting his hands on packages of an almost forgotten game at a flea market. Her name ? Inscryption sure. But you lost against the hermit, because yes, you will lose, and to mark the occasion, this one, hilarious, takes a picture of you. Your portrait will decorate a new card, which is added to your deck. Because you’ll do a game again, won’t you, to find out more? Let’s not say more, simply, that you are not at the end of your surprises. More than a video game, Inscryption is a singular experience, but one that deserves to be lived.
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