Cryptract is one for aficionados of the JRPG scene. Released on mobile in 2015, the game has so far been confined to its home territory, where it’s managed to rack up well over 12 million downloads.
For those aficionados, the long wait for a Western release is finally over. Cryptract is available in the US.
On the reasonable assumption that you’re a newcomer to the franchise, Cryptract sees you playing as a territorial ruler whose lands have been devastated by a mystical beast. Your mission: get rid of the beast, of course. To do that you’ll need to amass an army of warriors and send them into battle.
In time-honored rock-paper-scissors fashion, these warriors are all aligned with a specific attribute that’s powerful against some attributes and weak against others. They are fire, wood, water, light, and dark. Needless to say, you don’t want your wood warrior facing off against fire. That’s a job for your water warrior.
Each warrior also has its own passive abilities, force skills, and leader skills too, giving you a lot to contemplate as you formulate your battle plans.
Convenient combat
Given that Cryptract gives you so much to think about, it’s a relief that the combat is relatively streamlined. All you need to do is tap on one of your many skills and attacks, and then on an enemy. Boom.
There’s an epic campaign in Cryptract as you chase down the mystical beast and destroy its army of lesser beasts, but alongside that are several narratively significant side-quests. These flesh out the world of Centrair by telling the stories of its unfortunate residents, giving the game an unusual degree of emotional depth.
Plus, there’s multiplayer, and message boards where sociable players can interact and share strategies.
You can download Cryptract on Google Play and the App Store right now, for free. Just click here.