Key information
Released in 2021, Inscryption is a horror deckbuilder developed by Daniel Mullins Games and published by Devolver Digital. The game begins in a dark cabin where players face a mysterious, shadowed host named Leshy. To escape, players must defeat him in a tabletop card game, though the stakes involve more than just winning matches.
The core gameplay involves placing creature cards in lanes to attack. To play powerful cards, players must perform blood sacrifices, typically by sacrificing innocent squirrels or other creatures already on the board. Each round, players draw, sacrifice, and attack, aiming to earn five teeth on a scale to win.
Polygon’s review highlights how the game forces players to rationalize increasingly gruesome actions to advance. As challenges escalate, players may choose to pull out their own teeth or sacrifice body parts like an eyeball. The reviewer notes that the game effectively demonstrates how easily players can be coerced into participating in its horror.
Beyond the cabin, the game evolves into different styles, including pixel-art adventures and factory-themed segments. Inscryption is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X.
