Crypterion

Mixed, but it has some high quality content and pushes the boundaries on visual novel design so positive review. There are a few major problems, most notably the decision to only allow ironman play. There is no save/load. There are no checkpoints. You will have to replay the WHOLE THING if you want to see a different path. Many of the events are atrociously random and have poorly telegraphed solutions, meaning that you must brute force through, further exacerbating the pain of being unable to save. I feel like this is a very ADHD game. It has a lot of one-off interesting concepts that seem like they should be part of a much larger concept and project, but instead are just half-finished novelties dragging down an otherwise fairly compelling game and narrative. To extend on this, having now finished the game since my first review, the ADHD feeling is a symptom of the ambition of the project. Art styles randomly jitter, and one-off mechanics or situations crop up because the dev is deliberately stepping outside the typical technical limitations of his chosen medium. That is laudable, and were it to be carried on into a larger, better funded project, I feel like it would find its pla…

Crypterion, developed by Roencia and published by indie.io, is an unusual hybrid that stretches the definition of a visual novel into something far more systemic and open-ended. Instead of guiding players through a carefully structured narrative, it presents a sprawling sci-fi setting where choice, consequence, and self-directed progression take center stage. The game drops you into a distant frontier society with little more than opportunity and uncertainty, leaving it up to you to decide how to navigate a world filled with economic systems, social connections, and branching storylines. The most striking aspect of the experience is its emphasis on freedom. Rather than following a single narrative arc, the game offers a wide network of possible paths shaped by player decisions, many of which can lead to entirely different outcomes. You can pursue financial success through trading and investment, build relationships with key characters, or stumble into unexpected situations that reshape your trajectory entirely. This structure gives the game a strong sense of agency, as progress is not defined by completing predefined objectives but by adapting to the opportunities and setbacks tha…

I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, the writing reminds me of story-based flash games I used to play on Newgrounds (in a good way) I'd love to see more of this kind of game from the developer

If you enjoyed Gazillionaire you'll enjoy this. Heavy on the dialog but it adds its own charm. If your looking for something to scratch that space trading itch this game will do it.

Good VN, more than worth the price.

Fun game, interesting story/characters and worth the price. Game is stretched out on my Samsung Odyssey 32:9 monitor and I like missed the way to properly adjust but wasn't a huge deal.