I’m quite a fan of puzzle games and Dark Crypt from solo developer Daisy Games presents some unique challenges. A turn-based puzzler with a horror theme, the player guides a monk through an old crypt where an ancient evil sleeps. It must be sealed at all costs.
There are six floors, each with ten levels combining for a total of 60 puzzles for the player to solve. Levels have skeletons, vampires and lost souls that will consume you if they spy you. These enemies either turn, patrol, or look in a single direction.
You are aided in your journey through Dark Crypt by a teleport that can initially only be used once per level, with powerups found in later levels allowing you to use additional teleports. You’ll also come across gems that can destroy lost souls, switches that open gates, and keys to open locked doors. Vases can be pushed to block the view of certain enemies while others will destroy them.
The music is very atmospheric. The harpsicord midi track suits the pixel art style of Dark Crypt, with soundtrack getting more sinister as you descend into the depths. Every now and then a level will start with a note from the monk. These gradually grow more unhinged the closer you get to the end adding to the creepy ambience.
Don’t worry if a level is too complicated though. There is a ‘Skip Level’ option in the menu that let’s you jump ahead if you get stuck. You can use the ‘Level Select’ to come back to them in the future. The ‘Level Select’ will show you if you’ve passed a level and if you’ve beaten the par score.
Dark Crypt is a challenging game that is entertaining and suitably eerie. The music and sound deserve a special shout out to adding to the tone of the game.
Dark Crypt is out now on Steam.
