Epigraph
- February 19, 2024
- Matthew Brown
Get on Steam"Epigraph" is a rigorous language decipherment puzzle game that challenges players to analyze patterns, deduce the meanings of images and symbols, and cross-reference given information across 7 artifacts. The objective is to enter translations and uncover the secrets of the Nari. This short game tests players' problem-solving and linguistic skills, providing a unique and engaging experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Epigraph offers a challenging and rewarding puzzle experience, requiring players to engage deeply with language deciphering and logical deduction.
- The game is praised for its minimalistic design, focusing solely on the puzzle aspect without unnecessary distractions, making players feel like true linguists.
- Players appreciate the sense of accomplishment that comes from solving complex puzzles with limited feedback, enhancing the overall satisfaction of the gameplay.
- The game lacks sufficient feedback on player progress, which can lead to frustration and uncertainty about whether translations are correct.
- Many players found the user interface and font size difficult to read, particularly on certain devices, which detracted from the overall experience.
- The steep difficulty curve and lack of hand-holding may make it inaccessible for casual players or those new to language deciphering games.
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its well-structured mechanics, particularly in how players enter solutions, which is both intuitive and logical. It focuses on linguistic puzzles without unnecessary distractions, allowing players to engage deeply with the text and solve challenges through careful analysis and annotation. However, it lacks additional narrative elements or stealth mechanics, emphasizing a straightforward puzzle-solving experience.
“It's extremely well-done: from a linguistic standpoint (everything is well-motivated and sensible), a puzzle standpoint (all of the steps you need are there, if you can find them and follow them), and a gameplay standpoint (easy to navigate; allowing annotations symbol-by-symbol and word-by-word is excellent).”
“My main complaint would be the mechanic for entering the 'solution' at the end.”
“No fancy story or extra mechanics, it just gives you a bunch of text and you gotta see how much you can figure out.”
“Keep in mind that there is no grand mystery or stealth gameplay attached — all those hours are spent directly working with the language.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for lacking emotional depth, mystery, and engaging twists, resulting in a narrative that feels flat and unrewarding. Players are presented with a large amount of text to decipher, but the overall experience fails to captivate or motivate them to complete the game.
“The story described by the text does not stimulate any emotions, mystery, or twists, and there is no reward for finishing the game.”
“There is no fancy story or extra mechanics; it just presents a bunch of text, and you have to see how much you can figure out.”
“The narrative feels flat and uninspired, lacking depth and engagement.”
