This review contains spoilers
I went into Inscryption expecting a solid, creepy, story-based card game and I ended up being pleasantly surprised by how unique it was.
I'll say Act 1 is the best part of the experience by FAR and that the gameplay loop in it is very addicting and I really wish it could've gone on for longer with more stuff to do in the cabin. It's such an absurdly good tone-setter for the first 5 hours that I sort of felt disappointed when Act 2 and 3 didn't manage to match it, though thankfully they have their own ways of keeping you engaged.
Act 2 turns into a full blown TCG RPG which I enjoyed a lot since it has the charm of a retro game, but I was a bit overwhelmed by the energy system and the magician cards so I didn't get to experiment with them as much as I wanted to.
Act 3 is sadly the least interesting part of the game, having me alt-tab to check Twitter more than I would've liked because it just couldn't hold my interest. It didn't have the absurdly good atmosphere of Act 1 or the charm of Act 2, only really held together by the bosses and the insane mechanics they introduce. Thankfully this all culminates in the final bosses(?) which are a very strong climax to the story, each with their own gimmicks (which sadly don't last long due to the storyline cutting them short) and unique visual presentation making it very hype. also the fucking YUGIOH FIGHT AT THE END LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ultimately I think Inscryption does a lot right and I like how the gameplay mechanics and aesthetics change to reflect the narrative while keeping the core of a card game, but in its attempt to go through so many different mechanics I can't help but feel like I would've enjoyed more effort being put into Acts 2 and 3 so it wouldn't feel like such an unbalanced experience. Definitely a great game though, would recommend to anyone with 10 hours to spare.
I'll say Act 1 is the best part of the experience by FAR and that the gameplay loop in it is very addicting and I really wish it could've gone on for longer with more stuff to do in the cabin. It's such an absurdly good tone-setter for the first 5 hours that I sort of felt disappointed when Act 2 and 3 didn't manage to match it, though thankfully they have their own ways of keeping you engaged.
Act 2 turns into a full blown TCG RPG which I enjoyed a lot since it has the charm of a retro game, but I was a bit overwhelmed by the energy system and the magician cards so I didn't get to experiment with them as much as I wanted to.
Act 3 is sadly the least interesting part of the game, having me alt-tab to check Twitter more than I would've liked because it just couldn't hold my interest. It didn't have the absurdly good atmosphere of Act 1 or the charm of Act 2, only really held together by the bosses and the insane mechanics they introduce. Thankfully this all culminates in the final bosses(?) which are a very strong climax to the story, each with their own gimmicks (which sadly don't last long due to the storyline cutting them short) and unique visual presentation making it very hype. also the fucking YUGIOH FIGHT AT THE END LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ultimately I think Inscryption does a lot right and I like how the gameplay mechanics and aesthetics change to reflect the narrative while keeping the core of a card game, but in its attempt to go through so many different mechanics I can't help but feel like I would've enjoyed more effort being put into Acts 2 and 3 so it wouldn't feel like such an unbalanced experience. Definitely a great game though, would recommend to anyone with 10 hours to spare.