Go From Indebted Zero to Colonial Hero in Crypterion 1.0

[ccgr]

Go From Indebted Zero to Colonial Hero in Crypterion 1.0

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1048860/Crypterion/

The Genre-Blending Sci-Fi Visual Novel Crypterion Reaches Full Release

[IDAHO] April 29, 2025 — Roencia Game Creators, in partnership with the independent publishing platform indie.io, are pleased to announce that Crypterion completed launch preparations and is now available as Crypterion 1.0 on Steam. The unique blend of adventure, trading, exploration, and management games running on a visual novel engine pushed to its absolute limits is now available in its fully realized version. Rising to power, wealth, and fame in the Rimshot system is more complex and gripping than ever before, thanks to five years' worth of development, content expansion, and polishing the game experience.



Crypterion is set in the Rimshot System, home to millions of opportunists, thrill-seekers, entrepreneurs, and other hopefuls hoping to make a name for themselves in this remote corner of human civilization. What sets the System apart from other frontiers is the Iclantian Comets, relics of an ancient civilization that carry incredible riches for those lucky enough to find them, or determined enough to steal them from others. Players start as one of many aspiring captains, with an old starship purchased on loan, a skeleton crew, and big dreams of rising to wealth and power.

The game immediately defies easy classification, as the visual novel engine powering it has been overhauled and upgraded to the point of its origins being almost unrecognizable. Rather than following a pre-set story, players create their own: They start as freelance captains seeking passengers and goods to trade, using a dynamic trading system programmed specifically for Crypterion and simulating trade exchanges between the system's six planets. Passengers may offer opportunities to raise the captain's station, gain money, and make decisions that will further shape the game's story.

The open-ended gameplay allows for pursuing alternate ways of rising to power, steadily opening new opportunities and options, including defrauding the loan sharks that bankrolled the player's starship, gambling with planetary cryptocurrencies, or getting thrown into debtor's prison to work off your debt. That's right: Defaulting is not an end game, but simply a different and equally legitimate way of experiencing the game. Many more opportunities await, along with dozens of distinct characters to forge lasting bonds with, including friendship and marriage.

The full release incorporates every update released over the past five years and more: Crypterion 1.0 comes with a sizable amount of completely new, never-before-seen content, rounding out the game's story, adding a new ending, new secrets to discover and additional revelations about existing characters and elements of the game, and of course a slew of quality-of-life improvements to make it truly stand out.

This sprawling open-world blend of genres is the brainchild of a lone developer, Eldon Harris, created with help from his family, who lent their unique talents to realize Crypterion's various elements. The aforementioned dynamic trading system has been coded by Harris' brother, who also overhauled the random encounter system to ensure each experience remains unique, while his sister and mother provided their artistic talents, from the haunting "Pretend to Love" signature song to the hand-painted planets of the system. The game’s community also contributes to the game’s development, submitting content for inclusion via the official Crypterion Discord or the Steam Community Discussion Board.

Crypterion, one developer’s passion project, now a fully realized sci-fi sandbox, is available on Steam. Play Crypterion 1.0 on Steam today and join the official Discord and Steam Community Discussion Board to become part of the galaxy. Submit questions for Sunny Dae’s Face To Face® TV show or share your fan art for a chance to see your work featured inside the game!

ABOUT ROENCIA GAME CREATORS

Roencia Game Creators is the development label of solo indie developer Eldon Harris, based in Rigby, Idaho. Originally founded as a resource hub for indie creators, Roencia now focuses entirely on original game development. Harris creates narrative-driven titles using GameMaker Studio, blending rich storytelling with expansive, player-driven systems. As a solo creator, Eldon wears many hats—producer, designer, engineer, and artist—crafting ambitious projects with the support of his family and the wider indie community. His previous game, Omni Link, laid the foundation for Crypterion, a sprawling sci-fi sandbox developed over five years.

ABOUT INDIE.IO

indie.io is home to hundreds of the world’s most innovative independent video games and developers. Founded in 2020 by Donovan Duncan and Ben Robinson - industry veterans with a collective 40 years of experience across the video game landscape - our mission is to provide support to independent developers and set the standard for gaming creation, management, and promotion. Our tools and services include marketing, QA, playtesting, partnership deals, and distribution to all major platforms to maximize your visibility, revenue, and engagement to ensure long-term success – with no upfront costs. You may know us from Echoes of the Plum Grove, HumanitZ, the Dark Deity franchise, and Coromon!

We’re powered by a worldwide team of 35 remote employees; a mix of semi-professional esports players, developers, and gaming enthusiasts whose passion and technical know-how fuel the company’s mission. As industry experts, we dedicate ourselves to providing innovative marketing support services and integrations; as players, we want to discover and elevate the creators of exceptional, inspiring, and unexpected games of every genre. Join us on our quest to cultivate a vibrant global community of players and creators alike!