Cryptark

2D sci-fi shooter with roguelike elements, in which you play as a mercenary assaulting randomly generated spaceships, planning your equipment and tactics to destroy their core and claim your reward
✅Very enjoyable and well-executed shooting system
✅Lots of weapons (machine guns, grenade launchers, flamethrowers, energy weapons, etc.)
✅Good graphics
✅Huge dose of strategy means each boarding requires a precise attack plan—first, you identify the most dangerous systems, then systematically destroy them. + Large variety of enemies
✅Upgrade system, e.g., the equipment system, allows you to create a weapon set tailored to your preferred playstyle
✅ You can play with a friend, but only if you're on the same computer
❌No multiplayer mode
❌Difficult economy and unforgiving level randomness
❌Difficulty balance at times unbalanced
❌Too high a price for the game's content
✅✅ Verdict: Very Bad , Bad , Average , Decent , Good , Very Good (Rating scale for tested games)
If you have any questions about my reviews, feel free to ask. I'm happy to answer them. All reviews are my own!! Best regards, King Viking Bezimienny, Polish Game Reviewer

If you're a fan of roguelike shooters that reward careful planning as much as quick reflexes, CRYPTARK delivers in full. Every mission challenges you to customize your mech loadout, study enemy ship layouts, and disable key systems with precision. The mix of tactical decision-making and fast-paced twin-stick combat is deeply satisfying, and each procedurally generated derelict offers new threats, layouts, and strategies to master.
Visually, the game stands out with its gritty, biomechanical art style and explosive visual effects. The sound design is equally impressive, weapon impacts feel powerful, the soundtrack builds tension perfectly, and the voice acting gives real character to your crew. With its high replay value, engaging gameplay loop, and immersive audiovisual design, CRYPTARK is a hidden gem that deserves a place in any roguelike fan’s library.

CRYPTARK is one of the games I picked up while cleaning the "trash" catalogue in my Steam library. That catalogue is for games I didn't mean to play, for different reasons. Whilst I couldn't be bothered to review most of the ones I (begrudgingly) decided to play - as to clean my games library - CRYPTARK is, in fact, good! Plus, considering that I've got it for free, even greater. Fun game loop, well thought out game design, pretty polished. Recommended!

The best part is how it rewards smart planning as much as reflexes. Every run is a mix of risk and improvisation, a perfect blend of tactics and chaos. The visuals are cool, figuring out how to get specific items and goals works well, overall it is a decent rogue like that does not hold your hand.

Not bad of a game, fun, very challenging, and Jerma.....

And a tip use keyboard and mouse for some reason controller pov when scouting is smaller compare to left shift on a keyboard and mouse.

Interesting! Cryptark is a 2D side-scroll action shooter with heavy strategy elements. You have to gear correctly (Battletech) and choose which systems you want to target (Shadow of Mordor). It's frustrating, but once you get the hang of it, it's really quite a fun game, more importantly, it makes your objectives clear and doesn't make you grind too much get 100% completion. It's not just a good game, it's thoughtfully designed.

If I had this game at my disposal in 2005 I'd have tens of thousands of hours in it. It is really fun, albeit feeling dated.