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Cryptmaster

96%Game Brain Score
gameplay, humor
grinding, replayability
96% User Score Based on 2,954 reviews

Platforms

PCPCP5Playstation 5WinWindowsPlaPlayStation
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About

"Cryptmaster" is a single-player Arcade game with a spectacular story and phenomenal gameplay. Explore mysterious underground kingdoms, interact with unique characters, and use your words to conquer battles in this game with exceptional visuals and a spectacular soundtrack. The endlessly evolving gameplay includes creature collecting, card combat, and bard rap-battles, all with the unique feature of typing or speaking any word to conquer quests. The game features a dense atmosphere and plenty of humor, making it a memorable experience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
Cryptmaster screenshot
+5

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,954 reviews
gameplay248 positive mentions
grinding72 negative mentions
  • Unique and innovative gameplay that combines dungeon crawling with word puzzles and riddles.
  • Excellent voice acting and witty writing that keeps players engaged and entertained.
  • Charming art style and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Combat can become repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a less engaging experience over time.
  • Navigation can be confusing due to the lack of a comprehensive map, making it easy to get lost.
  • Some puzzles and riddles may feel overly obscure or frustrating, potentially hindering progress.
  • gameplay
    648 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Cryptmaster* is characterized by its unique blend of typing mechanics and dungeon crawling, where players engage in word-based combat and solve riddles to progress. While the innovative approach and humor are praised, some players find the gameplay repetitive and the mechanics can feel clunky over time. Overall, it offers a fresh experience for fans of word games, though it may not sustain long-term engagement for everyone.

    • “The gameplay itself is actually incredibly unique and fun, and the puzzles can actually get really intense (I am not ashamed to say I had to Google the answers to more than a few).”
    • “An incredibly unique gameplay loop (Chrono Trigger meets Typing of the Dead?!) that hooks you right at the start.”
    • “The well-crafted combination of atmosphere and gameplay makes this game a unique experience that I highly recommend.”
    • “The gameplay loop is really repetitive, and the story and characters are not good enough to carry that flaw.”
    • “For me it doesn't feel like this game is polished at all, the controls feel clunky and the gameplay is repetitive.”
    • “I loved the concept of the game, but after a couple of hours of gameplay I unfortunately discovered that the novelty of typing gets old extremely quickly, and that the whole 'say anything', 'words control everything' stuff is just a moot selling point that's neither very well designed, nor very true.”
  • humor
    524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Cryptmaster" is widely praised for its clever writing, witty dialogue, and engaging voice acting, often drawing comparisons to classic British humor and absurdist comedy. Players appreciate the game's unique blend of dark and silly humor, with many finding the interactions with the titular cryptmaster particularly entertaining. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay experience, making it both fun and memorable, despite some critiques about repetitive elements.

    • “Very fun game with incredibly witty dialogue that never fails to be funny. The voice acting is impressive and does justice to the fantastic writing.”
    • “The writing is genuinely funny with great voice acting, and some of the puzzles are fantastic, especially the variation on the old 'two guards' riddle.”
    • “The humor is fantastic and the voice actor for the cryptmaster knocked it out of the park for the dorky DM doing an impression you would find at any D&D session.”
  • graphics
    274 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique black-and-white aesthetic, which combines a stark, gothic style with a charming and humorous tone. Many players appreciate the art direction, likening it to a high-end webcomic or classic D&D illustrations, while some note that the monochrome visuals can become repetitive or disorienting over time. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere and immersive experience, making it a standout feature despite some minor technical glitches.

    • “Oh and the designs and visuals are *chef's kiss* amazing!”
    • “A beautifully executed black and white art style that's both stark and charming, a bleak undead cast but also so very funny and endearing.”
    • “The visuals are astonishing.”
    • “Graphically speaking, the game's...serviceable.”
    • “Not a big fan of the graphical style, and it feels like I'm just wandering randomly and typing in random words without much direction.”
    • “The black and white visuals do little to redeem this and perhaps even add to the repetitive look of the dungeon.”
  • story
    250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is characterized by witty dialogue and engaging characters, though it often feels simplistic and somewhat backloaded, with key narrative elements revealed late in the game. While the humor and voice acting are praised, many players find the story secondary to the gameplay mechanics, which include puzzles and riddles that drive the experience. Overall, the narrative is enjoyable but may not be the primary draw for those seeking a deep or complex storyline.

    • “The writing is witty and utilizes its dark fantasy setting to be immensely funny and tells a fascinating story about resurrected heroes and their journey to reach the surface at the behest of their undead master.”
    • “A lot of genuine love and care was put into making both the story and gameplay engaging, absolutely worth your money.”
    • “The game itself is a sequence of word mini-games and riddles to solve, basically, but what glues that together into a truly wonderful adventure is a masterfully crafted story complemented by one of the best voice acting I've heard in years.”
    • “The story is simple.”
    • “The gameplay loop is really repetitive, and the story and characters are not good enough to carry that flaw.”
    • “The story is... there, but mostly as background.”
  • music
    192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its eclectic and engaging soundtrack, which ranges from groovy and whimsical to atmospheric and moody, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of various styles, including dream-pop, darkwave, and laid-back guitar melodies, which complement the quirky art style and humorous writing. While some sections of the soundtrack have been criticized for being irritating, the majority of feedback highlights the music as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersion.

    • “The music is also surprisingly well done and the game is full of thoughtful incidental experiences on every level.”
    • “The killer music soundtrack, alternately laid back/chill, electric guitar wailing during combat, and mood music in between -- just perfect for this type of game.”
    • “The music, art, and voice-over performances combine to create a world wholly weird and endearing.”
    • “The idea is great, but as the game is now, you might as well just play the demo and buy the soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack was mostly fine, but in the first chapter where there are frog babies, the music was insanely irritating to me.”
    • “The loop was too short and the music just sucked to begin with in that section.”
  • atmosphere
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of humor, eerie visuals, and engaging sound design, creating an immersive experience that captivates players. Reviewers highlight the clever writing, memorable characters, and the effective use of a monochrome art style that enhances the game's dark, whimsical tone. Overall, the combination of atmospheric elements and thought-provoking puzzles contributes to a distinctive and enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “The well-crafted combination of atmosphere and gameplay makes this game a unique experience that I highly recommend.”
    • “A game about the undead with a lot of soul that will have you engulfed in an eerie, intriguing atmosphere, racking your brain on its numerous puzzles and ferreting about for secrets lurking in the shadows.”
    • “I've never played another game like this in my life - such an insanely cool concept and incredible atmosphere.”
    • “The art style is simple enough, even monochrome, but it gives a sense of walking through an illustration in some old book, and the sound design usually sets a pretty strong atmosphere.”
    • “Visually, black and white can be a cheap way to establish mood and avoid the work that providing color would offer, but given the undead theme, dark atmosphere of being underground most of the game, and Cthulhian vibe at times, the palette works.”
    • “The stars of the show are the witty and demeaning cryptmaster and the atmosphere.”
  • grinding
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and excessive, particularly in the later stages when trying to unlock all secrets and skills. While some enjoy the novelty of the gameplay and appreciate the art and humor, the repetitive nature of combat and the need for extensive grinding can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while grinding is often seen as optional, it can become a significant barrier for those aiming for full completion.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “After a few hours, it got really tedious and didn't seem to have more to offer.”
    • “There's a good bit to love about this game, such as the art, the novelty of the combat system, the card game you can play vs NPCs, and the riddles, but that is all drowned out by extremely tedious gameplay.”
    • “As for gripes, my biggest one is that the game is very grindy if you're looking to unlock all of the character memories and skills.”
  • replayability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its limited replayability, with many players expressing a desire for more content to engage with after completion. While some acknowledge that not every game needs high replay value, the lack of incentives to replay, especially in a puzzle context, detracts from the overall experience. Players suggest that additional content or a lower price point could enhance its appeal.

    • “That said, if it was expanded to have a bit more content or replayability, I think it's an experience you won't regret.”
    • “You know how people talk about the replay value of a game?”
    • “The only downside may be the replayability factor.”
    • “While I don't think every game needs to be replayable, I wish the game had a little more to do in it after completion.”
    • “No replay value (it's a puzzle game) coupled with achievements that require replaying the game (at least partially).”
    • “I don't see much replay value here unless I'm missing something.”
  • optimization
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is praised for its seamless integration of typing mechanics, art, and voice performances, creating an engaging and immersive experience. The voice acting, particularly by Lee Williams as the cryptmaster, adds a humorous and playful tone that enhances the overall narrative. Players appreciate the efficient use of diverse characters, leaving lasting impressions despite limited screen time.

    • “Lee Williams has a great sense of humor and you can really feel the contempt and arrogance dripping from every word he says, but there's a certain joy and playfulness to the whole performance that really sells the comedy in this game.”
    • “The music, art, and voice-over performances combine to create a world wholly weird and endearing.”
    • “Everything from the casting to the performances to the vocabulary used all fit each face flawlessly, and although some see barely a few minutes of screen time, the impressions they leave far outlast them, resulting in a wonderfully memorable, diverse, and altogether mesmerizing cast created and cycled with astounding efficiency.”
  • emotional
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players have praised the game for its emotional depth, highlighting a blend of clever humor, touching moments, and strong character lore that fosters a sense of companionship. The experience is described as both intellectually rewarding and emotionally resonant, making it a standout title for its ability to evoke a range of feelings.

    • “Beautiful, clever, funny, and even a little bit touching.”
    • “I cannot thank the devs enough for their hard work. I was really pleasantly surprised by the light-hearted jokes, the wholesome and touching moments, and the whole companionship this party has.”
    • “We've all talked about the clever mechanics (wordplay/hangman-inspired), the hot sassy skeleton man, and the silly memes, but what really put this game into my top 5 of this year is the surprising emotional depth and narrative buried in the character lore.”
  • character development
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its fun and varied designs, complemented by a rich art style and engaging voice acting that adds humor to the experience. Reviewers appreciate the top-notch writing and the overall artistic presentation, which enhances the characters' appeal and depth.

    • “I absolutely love the art style and character design.”
    • “The voice acting and character design are both rich and full of humor.”
    • “The writing is hilarious, and the character designs and voice acting are top notch.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game exhibits a visually appealing aesthetic but suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches and bugs that can hinder gameplay. While it performs well on Proton, players have reported frustrating experiences with unclear puzzle mechanics and navigation challenges. Overall, the game's stability is currently a major concern.

    • “It runs great on Proton, which is always a huge plus, even if it's becoming common.”
    • “I will say that Cryptmaster isn't perfect – I experienced two buggy chests, the ways that puzzles are presented in the later game without much context can feel daunting, and more than once I found myself walking in circles because I was unclear about how to find something that was needed to continue.”
    • “It's extremely buggy right now.”
    • “The game offers some nice graphics and a really cool aesthetic, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, leading players to feel deceived about the game's content and features.

    • “Does this game's advertising lie to you?”

Buy Cryptmaster

11h Median play time
11h Average play time
7-20h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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