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Cypher on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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Cypher is a first person puzzle game about cryptography.

Cypher is a puzzle, indie and difficult game developed and published by Matthew Brown.
Released on February 20th 2018 is available in English only on Windows.

It has received 854 reviews of which 777 were positive and 77 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. 😎

The game is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.


The Steam community has classified Cypher into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Cypher through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows Vista (64-bit) or later
  • Processor: 2.8 GHz+
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Shader Model 3.0
  • Storage: 250 MB available space

Steam Price & Best Deals

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

6 hours played
Aug. 2026
You’ll be introduced to some of the best-known concepts and puzzles (ciphers) in cryptography, which I think are fairly accessible for beginners. However, since the difficulty is far from linear, you’ll quickly find yourself stuck. For experts, this game is a good refresher but may lacks content. A level editor and workshop would have been a nice adding, but for a game that costs 5€ there’s not much more to expect.
100 hours played
Aug. 2026
Cypher is a game that understands very well how to turn learning into something genuinely interesting. Instead of explaining everything directly, it makes you genuinely curious about how each system works. Solving a cipher here doesn’t feel like simply completing a puzzle, but like understanding the logic behind a hidden message. One of the best parts is how the game sparks a real interest in cryptography. While playing, I started learning more about the Vigenère cipher and the Enigma machine, not just as historical concepts, but as methods that genuinely required reasoning, interpretation, and attention to patterns. The game manages to teach without feeling like a lesson, and that makes all the difference. It’s also impossible not to think of the Zodiac Killer’s Z340 cipher, which was deciphered in 2020 by David Oranchak, Sam Blake, and Jarl Van Eycke after remaining unsolved for decades. The complete message read: “I HOPE YOU ARE HAVING LOTS OF FUN IN TRYING TO CATCH ME THAT WASN’T ME ON THE TV SHOW WHICH BRINGS UP A POINT ABOUT ME I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE GAS CHAMBER BECAUSE IT WILL SEND ME TO PARADICE ALL THE SOONER BECAUSE I NOW HAVE ENOUGH SLAVES TO WORK FOR ME WHERE EVERYONE ELSE HAS NOTHING WHEN THEY REACH PARADICE SO THEY ARE AFRAID OF DEATH I AM NOT AFRAID BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MY NEW LIFE WILL BE AN EASY ONE IN PARADICE DEATH” It’s interesting to see how real cases like this make cryptography even more fascinating once you start understanding the methods behind these ciphers. Cypher may look simple on the surface, but it is a very clever game in the way it sparks curiosity and turns knowledge into part of the gameplay itself.
12 hours played
Jan. 2026
Cypher is a quietly ambitious and intellectually demanding puzzle game that sets itself apart by treating cryptography not just as a theme, but as the very foundation of its gameplay. Developed and published by Matthew Brown, the game places players inside a stark, minimalist first-person environment where progress is earned entirely through thought, deduction, and persistence. Rather than relying on traditional videogame mechanics such as platforming, reflexes, or resource management, Cypher asks the player to slow down, observe carefully, and engage directly with real-world cipher concepts in a way that feels closer to solving a series of logic problems than playing a conventional game. The structure of Cypher is deliberately restrained. Players move through clean, museum-like spaces filled with terminals, plaques, and coded messages, each presenting a new challenge that must be deciphered to advance. Interaction is almost entirely text-based, with many puzzles requiring players to manually input solutions rather than selecting from predefined options. This design choice reinforces the game’s core identity: success depends on understanding how a cipher works, not on guessing or trial-and-error alone. Early puzzles introduce relatively accessible concepts, easing players into substitution ciphers and basic encoding logic, but the game steadily escalates in complexity, eventually touching on more advanced ideas such as historical encryption methods, layered codes, and hidden information embedded within seemingly ordinary text. What makes Cypher especially distinctive is how unapologetically it embraces its educational nature. The game does not shy away from presenting puzzles that may require note-taking, external research, or careful rereading of earlier clues. In some cases, players are encouraged—implicitly or explicitly—to look beyond the game itself, researching cryptographic history or techniques to fully understand what is being asked of them. For some, this blurring of boundaries between game and study is part of the appeal, turning Cypher into a kind of interactive lesson that rewards curiosity and intellectual effort. For others, it can feel intimidating or disruptive, particularly if they expect all necessary information to be contained neatly within the game world. The pacing of the experience is entirely player-driven. There are no timers, no penalties for taking too long, and no pressure beyond the desire to move forward. This creates a contemplative atmosphere where progress can stall for minutes or hours depending on the puzzle and the player’s familiarity with the subject matter. When solutions finally emerge, however, the sense of accomplishment is genuine and deeply satisfying. Cracking a difficult cipher feels less like completing a level and more like solving a real problem, delivering a quiet but powerful sense of mastery that few puzzle games achieve. Visually and aurally, Cypher remains understated, deliberately avoiding distraction. The environments are simple and clean, directing all attention toward the information being presented rather than visual spectacle. Subtle ambient audio supports concentration without intruding, reinforcing the meditative tone of the game. This minimalism may come across as sterile to some players, but it aligns perfectly with the game’s focus on clarity and cognition, ensuring that nothing pulls focus away from the puzzles themselves. Cypher’s difficulty curve is one of its most defining and divisive traits. While early sections are approachable, later puzzles can become extremely challenging, especially for players without prior exposure to cryptographic concepts. The game offers little in the way of traditional hints or safety nets, trusting the player to persevere or seek knowledge independently. This design philosophy makes Cypher feel demanding and occasionally unforgiving, but also deeply respectful of the player’s intelligence. It is a game that assumes its audience is willing to struggle, think deeply, and learn. Ultimately, Cypher is not a puzzle game designed for quick entertainment or casual play. It is a focused, cerebral experience that rewards patience, curiosity, and a genuine interest in codes and hidden meaning. Its minimalist presentation, real-world puzzle design, and educational underpinnings make it stand out sharply within the genre. For players who enjoy mental challenges, cryptic logic, and the satisfaction of unraveling complex systems through understanding rather than reflex, Cypher offers a memorable and intellectually rich journey that lingers long after the final cipher is solved. Rating: 8/10
Nov. 2025
Seems like a great game and is rather interesting how Cryptography is used. However I'm FAR too stupid to get anywhere with this. Still worthy to poke around for the price.
24 hours played
Sept. 2025
A really calming and thought provoking experience, I actually really enjoyed the atmosphere even though it its literally just a white place, might just be the liminality that I enjoy. I did need assistance from guides though because obviously the puzzles are super complex (at least they are to me) but it was still really cool to see what the answer was and try to link it to the question.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cypher is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.

No, Cypher is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 4.99€ on Steam.

Yes, Cypher received 777 positive votes out of a total of 854 achieving a rating of 8.56.
😎

Cypher was developed and published by Matthew Brown.

Yes, Cypher is playable and fully supported on Windows.

No, Cypher is not playable on MacOS.

No, Cypher is not playable on Linux.

This information about Cypher is not available yet.

This information about Cypher is not available yet.

No, Cypher does not support VR.

Cypher is a single-player game.

No, Cypher does not currently offer any DLC.

No, Cypher does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

No, Cypher does not support Steam Remote Play.

Yes, Cypher is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Cypher.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 29 August 2026 02:13 UTC
SteamSpy data 31 August 2026 10:46 UTC
Steam price 11 September 2026 18:41 UTC
Steam reviews 10 September 2026 13:48 UTC

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Cypher, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Cypher
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Cypher concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Cypher compatibility
Cypher
Rating
8.6
777
77
Game modes
Features
Online players
7
Developer
Matthew Brown
Publisher
Matthew Brown
Release 20 Feb 2018
Platforms