Just say the word

They say the tongue is a sharp weapon, and in Cryptmaster, it’s literal. In this dungeon crawler, words dictate (pardon the pun) everything, controlling your fighting, problem-solving, and even seduction skills. The unique mechanics of this game will satisfy language enthusiasts and puzzle wizards alike.

Choose your undead hero. Four champions once fought together to destroy an overwhelming evil, ultimately sacrificing themselves to save the world. Lifetimes later, a mysterious Cryptmaster disturbs their eternal slumber to do his bidding. While you play as one of the four heroes, the whole team makes its way up the cavernous crypt to deliver his soulstone and unleash an army of the undead on the world. As they make their way up, the heroes start regaining their memories.

Every word is an incantation. Each companion has a collection of blank spaces, the letters of which can be revealed with each word puzzle solved, alongside their memories, which may sometimes unlock special attacks. The battle system works by inputting the words you’ve learned to defeat the enemy. The unlocked letters also serve as your health — a hero with four letters in their name will withstand more damage than one with three.

More wordplay? Cryptmaster also features minigames that you can use to garner “souls” that will help you along the way. They range from word-based challenges to quick-time events. You might have to unscramble some words, find hidden ones, or match a few. These especially come in handy when the regular gameplay needs a palate-cleanser (it’s prone to feeling a bit repetitive).

? Rating: 10/10 on Steam.

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 12 hours for the main story, 16.5 for completionists.

? Replay value: 3/10.

? Platforms: Steam, Epic Games, and GOG for PC, Playstation, Xbox.

? Price: USD 12.49 on Steam, reduced to USD 9.5 on Epic Games, USD 24.99 on GOG, Playstation, and Xbox. Unpaid demo available on Steam.