I would like to thank Atlas Games for sending us a copy of the gamebook Cryptid Hunt (from the Enigma Puzzling Games publishing line) so I could write this review. This gamebook retraces the adventures of a brave cryptid hunter (legendary creatures and monsters), featuring puzzles and word games. It has been rated a 4/5 difficulty by the publishers.

If this review inspires you to join the researcher on his mission, you can purchase Cryptid Hunt directly from the official website for $17.95 (approximately €15.50) for the physical copy or $4.95 (approximately €4.50) for the digital copy.

Now comes the time to begin our perilous and exciting adventure. Are you ready?

Cryptid Hunt‘s Analysis

This adventure is extremely enjoyable, given the author’s pen-and-paper style. This work presents itself as a researcher’s diary. The first page features a note from the diary’s author explaining the book’s contents and giving us instructions on how to read it. The second and third pages feature a stunning map of the U.S.A. detailing the researcher’s journey, accompanied by delightful (if disturbing) drawings of all the monsters covered. From this point on, we are immersed in an adventure filled with mysteries, questions, and answers to be sought.

The artistic style is original and intriguing, with parchment-colored pages covered with paragraphs written in a font that mimics handwriting. It has the feel of a “lived-in” diary, one that accompanied its owner right on the field, directly participating in the action. Each entry represents the description of a day and is titled with the date. The researcher dedicates an entire week to gathering information on the monster, always following the same method. They travel to the location where the greatest number of sightings are concentrated, interview witnesses, and finally attempt to gather evidence and clues. This creates thirteen sections, each dedicated to a different monster.

Now that we’ve seen the structure of the book… How do we play?

Review of Cryptid Hunt‘s Mysteries

Like any respectable gamebook, to read and play Cryptid Hunt, you’ll need your trusty companions, a pencil and an eraser. In addition to these two classic tools, the first page warns us that without internet access we won’t be able to play. I particularly appreciate the recent trend of blending paper and digital media. In this work, we’ll find ourselves analyzing both paper and digital notes, including interviews and audio notes. Another one of Atlas Games’ children, the gamebook Unhappy Birthday at Castle Slogar (which we discussed in this review), also perfectly exemplifies this trend.

I highly recommend reading the book in its entirety before diving into solving the puzzles. This way, you can initially enjoy the narrative, then move on to a second reading and focus on finding the clues. Furthermore, the final pages contain tools and explanations that will be indispensable for solving the puzzles, such as a cut-out pointer that will be extremely useful. For those who don’t have the heart to ruin a book by cutting it up, I recommend photocopying the relevant page.

The Resolution Mechanics

The mystery presented by the diary unfolds on multiple levels: some more obvious, others hidden within the text and some even using encrypted alphabets. Each section features two puzzles, each marked with a small symbol. Their solutions must be entered on the “Research Archives” website to access the digital content. These riddles range from the classic Knights and Knaves to word and logic games. The last page features a handy list for recording and storing passwords.

The game’s complexity doesn’t end here, however. In the final pages, we encounter a question that will force us to reexamine our steps for the third time. The researcher reveals that not all the investigated cryptids are real and urges us to comb through the various notes to find the answer. At this point, some of the most interesting mechanics come into play. The aforementioned pointer must be positioned on the pages following two “key” symbols and will point to a word in the text. The second way to find clues in the text uses specific folds in the pages. You must find two pairs of symbols, fold them following the first two, and then make the second fold, forming a tip that will point to a word on the page below. By decoding these and other clues, you can unravel the mystery and make sense of this researcher’s work!

Cryptid Hunt Review Conclusions

It is now the time to take stock. I must admit that reading this gamebook was fun and intriguing. I think the difficulty level is appropriate, as the effort required to solve it tends to be greater than usual. Initially, one might even get lost in the different perspectives required for the analysis, eventually giving in to frustration. To avoid this, the publishers have provided a very useful chatbot integrated into the archive pages. Simply query it with pre-compiled sentences, and it will return the long-awaited answers!

The plot is compelling, and the diary format helps immerse us personally in the events. The puzzles are perfectly integrated into the text and allow for a fluid read. I find the graphic style and decorative images delightfully spooky and wonderful. However, I noticed some less-than-ideal details. First, using such a distinctive and peculiar style compromises readability. I think the font used, combined with the stained parchment-colored background, increases the difficulty of reading. I’ll end with a “grey” note regarding replayability: some mechanics leave permanent marks on the pages, impossible to ignore if you read them again.

Cryptid Hunt is a gamebook suitable for a diverse audience, but one already accustomed to solving puzzles. The eerie atmosphere could be a treat for monster enthusiasts, or a great introduction for curious readers who are just discovering this universe. All this to say: it’s a truly fun game!

Our cryptid-hunting adventure is sadly over, but you can keep the mysterious atmosphere alive by decorating your walls, notebooks, and journals with gorgeous stickers and prints available on the store.

If you enjoyed this review of Cryptid Hunt, stay tuned for more gamebooks!