Summary

  • Inscryption is an indie game that combines escape room puzzles and deck-building gameplay, offering a unique and engaging experience.
  • Fans who enjoy the love and creativity in Inscryption may also appreciate other games like Omori, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, and There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension, which offer compelling narratives and fun gameplay.
  • Players looking for similar deck-building roguelikes can check out titles such as The Hex, Loop Hero, Monster Train, and Trials of Fire, each with their own unique twists and challenges.

Sometimes, an indie game comes out of nowhere and takes the internet by storm. Inscryption is one of those games. Developed by Daniel Mullins, this wicked game is a combination of an escape room puzzle game and a deck-building roguelike. The story takes place in a cabin where the player is trapped and forced to play a card game with a shadowy figure.

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Over the course of a wild adventure, players will have to win card battles with the figure while also trying to get out of the cabin. There are so many elements to the game that those who fall in love with it have plenty of options when it comes to finding games similar to Inscryption.

Updated February 14, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Inscryption is one of the many titles that make players feel glad that indie gaming has become a mainstay in the industry. The sheer amount of love and creativity on display here is apparent for everyone to see.

Unlike most AAA games that just stick to what works, Inscryption takes risks time and time again to ensure that things remain fresh and engaging until the very end. Fans of this title will be more than happy to check out other games like Inscryption, which captivates players with an incredible atmosphere coupled with a satisfying gameplay loop.

1 Omori

A Psychological Horror Game With A Chilling Story That's Masterfully Told

A black and white image of Omori with the game's title
OMORI
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Released
December 25, 2020
Developer
Omocat
Genre(s)
Horror, RPG

Players who want to unnerve and fascinate themselves in the same way as Inscryption did will find Omori to be right up their alley. Unlike the roguelike card game, Omori hides its sinister influences for the most part, pacing out its scares while telling one of the best narratives in video game history.

Players can't help but fall in love with the main cast in both Headspace and the real world, with the plot twist breaking players as the game crescendoes to a wonderful climax. It's an engaging psychological horror game that sports an emotional ending much like Inscryption.

2 Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Ciri Plays a Card Gwent
Gwent
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Digital Card Game
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Released
October 23, 2018
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Platform(s)
Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Genre(s)
Digital Card Game

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was one of the best video games ever made. It became so popular that even a simple card game featured in the title became a huge phenomenon that prompted CD Projekt Red to make Gwent more accessible to the masses.

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game fleshed out this minigame, letting players enjoy this title in its entirety as players compete against others in fun battles where strategy is the key to victory. Official support for this title is no more, but players can still jump into this title and enjoy some fun card battles with other people as they reacquaint themselves with the rules of the game.

3 There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

A Lighthearted Title Poking Fun At The Very Act Of Playing A Video Game

The Legend of the Secret gameplay in There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension

Release Date

August 6, 2020

Developer

Draw Me A Pixel

Genre

Puzzle adventure

Platforms

Windows, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, macOS

While it's not among the card games like Inscryption, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension matches some of the ridiculousness that players get from Inscryption's blending of genres and art styles. The point-and-click adventure game takes players on a journey to try to play "the game," while a voice consistently tries to stop the player from doing so.

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While attempting to gain access to the game, players will open a dimensional rift that will force them to experience sequences that are inspired by many games that came before this one. If players want to try something less scary and more lighthearted than Inscryption, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is the title for them.

4 The Hex

Another Mind-Bending Game Made By Daniel Mullins

Some of the characters in The Hex

Release Date

October 16, 2018

Developer

Daniel Mullins Games

Genre

Mystery adventure

Platforms

Windows, macOS

Mullins has a history of developing solid games. While it doesn't necessarily fall under the core genres of Inscryption, The Hex is worth checking out if players are fans of Mullins' work. This mystery adventure takes place at a tavern where six characters, all of whom used to live lives as video game protagonists, are being investigated for possibly planning the murder of one of their fellow patrons.

Players are tasked with learning about each of these characters by reliving elements of their past, therefore exploring the genre they came from. The goal of the game is to figure out who is the future murderer, and who will be their victim.

5 Loop Hero

Use Cards To Construct Buildings, Place Terrain, And Configure Enemy Placement To Make The Hero's Job Easier

An active run in Loop Hero
Loop Hero
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RPG
Roguelike
Strategy
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Released
March 4, 2021
Developer(s)
Four Quarters
Genre(s)
RPG, Roguelike, Strategy

Devolver Digital, the publisher of Inscryption, had a solid year of indie game releases in 2021. This included another deckbuilding roguelike they released earlier in the year called Loop Hero. In this world, however, players are in charge of everything but the hero.

Trapped in an endless loop thanks to The Lich, players must place cards that include buildings, enemies, or terrain to help the hero get loot that will help make the next loop easier than the last. The goal of Loop Hero is to conquer a few tough bosses and end the cycle once and for all.

6 Monster Train

A Deckbuilding Roguelike Where Players Must Conquer A Train Full Of Monsters

Promotional art of Monster Train
Monster Train
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Roguelike
Deckbuilding
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Released
May 21, 2020
Platform(s)
iOS, PC, Switch, Xbox One
Developer
Shiny Shoe
Genre(s)
Roguelike, Deckbuilding

As mentioned earlier, Inscryption is one of the best indie card games to come out in 2021. One of the best card games to come out a year prior was Monster Train. The main campaign revolves around players trying to climb four levels of a train that is filled with monsters.

Players must try to get to the top to protect the pyre from the enemies that want to break it. The single-player mode is also paired with a few modes that pit players against other gamers in challenges and real-time combat.

7 The Room

Fans Of Escape Room Gameplay Will Love The Room's Intuitiveness

A puzzle mechanism in The Room
The Room
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Puzzle
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Released
December 13, 2012
Developer(s)
Fireproof Games
Platform(s)
PC, Switch, Mobile
Genre(s)
Puzzle

While Inscryption certainly focused on the card game element the most, there is also the fascinating escape room element. Those who enjoy this may enjoy other puzzle games with escape room-like elements. One of the most famous examples regarding this subject is The Room series.

Each entry in the franchise has its own plot in which players are trying to solve the mystery. In most scenarios, players will be given a contraption that they will need to tinker with and use clues to unlock different elements of the contraption. It's perfect for players who want to experience an escape room from the comfort of a device.

8 Trials Of Fire

Control Three Heroes In This Roguelike Deckbuilding Game

A battle taking place in Trials of Fire

Release Date

April 9, 2021

Developer

Whatboy Games

Genre

Roguelike deck-building

Platforms

Windows

While Inscryption only has players controlling one character at a time, Trials of Fire is a tactical game that has users control three heroes of their choosing. This deck-building roguelite has players going on an adventure through the Ashe wastelands.

The game involves exploring a world while not in combat and hunkering players down to wield three players in battle. Each hero has their own deck, so it creates unique opportunities to strategize specific outcomes. There is both base game content and seasonal campaigns that the player can go on.

9 Black Book

A Fun RPG Based On Slavic Mythology

Confronting a demon in Black Book
Black Book
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Released
May 5, 2020
Developer(s)
Morteshka
Platform(s)
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS
Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure, Indie Games, Strategy

Returning to the card-based RPG format, another great story-driven narrative to try out is a game called Black Book. Based on Slavic mythology, players take on the role of Vasilisa, a young sorceress who is serving those in the "dark forces."

After she gives up everything to marry the person she loves most, they mysteriously die and leave Vasilisa heartbroken. Because of this, she decides to set off on a journey to find an artifact that can grant any wish called the Black Book. The gameplay revolves around fighting demons, performing exorcisms, and helping people along the way.

10 Fran Bow

Dark Aesthetics Run Amok In This Psychological Horror Title

Fran holding her cat with a monster lurking in Fran Bow
Fran Bow
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Released
August 17, 2015
Platform(s)
Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
Developer
Killmonday Games
Genre(s)
Adventure, Indie Games, Puzzle

There are some psychological horror elements to Inscryption, so if players are looking for an indie gem that spooks them, Fran Bow is worth giving a try. Another point-and-click adventure game, the story follows a young girl named Fran who has had to deal with the trauma of seeing the gruesome death of her parents.

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Fran winds up in an asylum where she tries to escape to find Mr. Midnight, her black cat that was given to her by her parents. This 2D-animated game has a plethora of puzzles to solve as players go through it with the occasional mini-game to help pick up the action.