Cryptid Hunt
Cryptid Hunt is a solitaire puzzle gamebook powered by the Enigma system, written by Amy Pirkl and published by Atlas Games.
By Aaron T. Huss
Learn more about Cryptid Hunt here
Purchase Cryptid Hunt here (paid link)
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Cryptid Hunt is the second Enigma puzzle gamebook review, but compared to Unhappy Birthday…, it’s considerably more difficult and a lot more involved. This one definitely makes you work at getting through the puzzles, especially since their not quite as explicitly stated as the the other book. Which I’m fairly certain is the point. Additionally, there are multiple puzzles within each entry and then those entries become part of a final puzzle. Effectively, there are multiple layers to this gamebook and you’ll need to pay close attention.
Cryptid Hunt is written in the style of journal of a cryptid investigator and the entries she left behind. However, much of what you get out of these puzzles is not contained within the book but rather online. There is an accompanying website (and no I will not reveal the link) along with information that you’ll have to search up if you don’t know it already. You’ll quickly figure it out as you go along, but I do advise grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil to jot some notes down. I will also point out that many of these puzzles are familiar to puzzle books you get at the store, but they don’t always tell you the rules and they never tell you what to do with the information you’ve found (before solving it that is). You may end up solving a puzzle only to be baffled by what information you’ve discovered. In other words, reread the journal entries and look deeper into what you’ve uncovered.
As for the book itself, I absolutely love the artwork, but I do not like the layout. The pages are a dark brown with black lettering which is not a significant amount of contrast. I actually find the content difficult to read with indoor light and have to wait until I have plenty of sunlight. Otherwise you’ll need some good reading light that shines directly onto the pages. The paper should have been made a lighter shade of brown to allow for proper contrast between paper and text or a darker shade of brown with white text. Other than that, I find the journal entries to be fun to read and really what I would expect to see from a cryptid investigator. What I mean by that is the style of the entries and the information they provide. I can’t really divulge more than that; you’ll just have to go through it yourself.
This is definitely a solo puzzle gamebook you can spend many hours enjoying on your own. Just make sure you have an internet-connected device handy as you’ll need it and a pencil with a good eraser should you make a couple mistakes. These ones are tricky and sometimes not so obvious, but after going through this book, Unhappy Birthday will seem easy!
