Krypteia

by Kateri

2014

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Reviews and Ratings

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Number of Ratings: 23
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- TheBoxThinker, September 7, 2021

- autumnc, January 9, 2021

- grimperfect, April 7, 2019

- Helena Vernon, January 7, 2018

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A neon-tinged allegory , September 13, 2017
by verityvirtue (London)
Related reviews: melancholic, choleric

[Time to completion: 15 minutes. This game mentions violence and harassment.]

You leave the village, defying the wills of the "wise men", in search for the heart of the forest. You have nothing, and danger presses in all around.

Krypteia sounds like an allegory, using both the language of adventures and quests, and the familiar language of the "monsters" and the "wise men" will likely be familiar to femme-presenting folk, who are, for instance, so often told not to dress a certain way, lest they invite trouble ("You can't go out dressed like that, the wise men told you. The monsters will tear you apart.").

The theme of metamorphosis suffuses Krypteia. This game diverts based on a single dichotomy: stealth or fierceness. Do you blend in, or do you confront? I found it striking that despite the approach you choose, the PC still loses her identity.

The language used here blends imagery of the wilderness with that of the night-time city, filled with leering men and streetlights. This is also interpreted literally in the ever-moving graphics. Building on that, symbols usually associated with femininity were, here, weapons.

With its purposeful text styling, graphics and sound effects, it is no surprise that Krypteia was nominated for a XYZZY in Best Multimedia, but it is also allegory, social commentary, kinda-fairy tale and a story of personal growth.

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- E. W. B., March 2, 2016

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A multimedia Twine game about body identity, February 3, 2016

Krypteia is a richly textured hyperlink game, making extensive use of graphics, text styling, and music.

It's something of an rpg, with two stats (wolf and stealth) and a variety of items and battles that affect the stats. However, the system is very simple, so you don't have to grind and battles are finished in one click.

The two stats represent two ways of dealing with your feelings, most likely about transgenderism. Wolf stats make you fierce, and you wear stilettos. Shadow let's you hide from the world.

Overall, a well done game, if a bit heavy-handed at times. It has a very annoying habit of putting stealth related text as black on black text.

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- Cat Manning, November 17, 2015

- Khalisar (Italy), July 24, 2015

- Emily Short, June 17, 2015

- Doug Orleans (Somerville, MA, USA), April 24, 2015

- timsamoff (Southern California), April 23, 2015

- cabalia (Ohio), March 7, 2015

- Sdn (UK), December 13, 2014

- dutchmule, December 11, 2014

- Sam Kabo Ashwell (Seattle), November 24, 2014

- E.K., November 18, 2014

- EJ, November 17, 2014

- Joshua Houk, November 16, 2014

- BlitzWithGuns, November 16, 2014

- Karl Ove Hufthammer (Bergen, Norway), November 11, 2014

- EllaClass, November 5, 2014

- Sobol (Russia), October 16, 2014


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