Inkbound
- April 9, 2024
- Shiny Shoe
- 27h median play time
Inkbound is a turn based Roguelike with a whole lot of depth to it, but don't expect it to hold your hand in the early hours.
Get on Steam"In /Inkbound/, a fantasy turn-based strategy game, 2-4 players cooperatively save stories in a magical world. Engage in unique simultaneous turn-based combat, create diverse builds from classes, abilities, and items, and enjoy 4-player co-op in the social hub, Atheneum. With humor, beautiful graphics, a splendid soundtrack, and high replayability, the game offers a rich and challenging experience, despite being very grinding."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging turn-based combat that allows for strategic planning and positioning.
- Diverse character classes with unique abilities and build options, providing a fresh experience in each run.
- The removal of microtransactions and the introduction of a free cosmetic unlock system has been well-received by the community.
- The quest system can be convoluted and frustrating, often requiring specific actions that rely heavily on RNG.
- Difficulty scaling in multiplayer can feel unbalanced, making co-op runs significantly harder than solo play.
- Some players find the story and character dialogue to be uninteresting and overly verbose, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay543 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Inkbound offers a unique blend of turn-based roguelike gameplay with cooperative elements, creating an engaging and strategic experience that rewards teamwork and planning. Players appreciate the depth of mechanics, diverse character builds, and the satisfying gameplay loop, although some express concerns about repetitiveness and a lack of variety in enemy encounters. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its addictiveness and potential for creative combinations, making it a standout title in the genre.
“Inkbound is a masterclass in blending roguelike gameplay with a cooperative twist, delivering an experience that feels fresh and engaging in every session.”
“The gameplay is addicting and each run feels rewarding.”
“The core gameplay loop of a roguelike but with turn-based combat is really enjoyable.”
“The gameplay just isn't engaging enough for that to be fun.”
“Overall, the lack of gameplay diversity, map diversity, exploration novelty, and limited/bad characters make the experience repetitive and grindy.”
“The gameplay loop also lacks depth.”
- story473 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as convoluted and often difficult to follow, with many players feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of quests and dialogue. While some appreciate the unique lore and character designs, others criticize the quest system for being tedious and reliant on RNG, leading to a grindy experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, the game offers a charming narrative and engaging gameplay, making it appealing for those who prioritize mechanics over story coherence.
“There's also an amazing amount of original storyline content and fully voiced cutscenes.”
“The story is charming and a fun mystery to discover one piece at a time; I am looking forward to what they continue to do with this game.”
“The engaging narrative and unique gameplay mechanics make it a standout choice for fans of strategic and story-driven adventures.”
“The story is also really, really long and not all that compelling.”
“The story and voice acting leave a lot to be desired.”
“The story is underwhelming, and the characters you perform these tasks for simply don't have the draw or charisma to make me want to help them.”
- monetization238 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's monetization model has undergone significant changes, with developers responding to player feedback by completely removing microtransactions and battle passes, which were previously criticized. Now, players can unlock cosmetics through in-game progression, and optional supporter packs are available for those who wish to contribute further. This shift has been widely praised, with many players expressing their support for the developers' decision to prioritize player experience over profit.
“I have a lot of respect for the fact that the developers took the feedback on microtransactions into consideration and eliminated them entirely.”
“The developers have wholeheartedly abandoned in-game microtransactions and predatory industry practices.”
“The removal of in-game monetization is huge and is never seen in today's landscape, and with their new implementation of the cosmetics chests, you're able to get some surprisingly nice looking armor sets, weapon skins, and hats for just playing the game.”
“I tried the beta, saw how the design was geared towards monetization, and lost all interest in the game.”
“The game in the demo/early access had terrible FOMO battle pass and microtransactions.”
“Buying a game only to see it has a paid battle pass and microtransactions?”
- graphics137 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant and charming art style that enhances the overall experience, while others find it either unappealing or lacking in visual fidelity. Some players appreciate the unique aesthetic and colorful visuals, likening them to other successful titles, while others criticize the graphics for feeling too simplistic or childish. Overall, the art style is a significant draw for many, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere, despite some personal preferences leaning towards a more polished look.
“The art style is absolutely stunning, with vibrant visuals that make each area feel alive and immersive.”
“Beautiful art style and captivating world.”
“The art style is gorgeous and the characters we meet are enjoyable, even if there is a serious front about the destruction of the stories we are meant to be protecting, the characters themselves bring whimsy in the story which many games fail to do.”
“The graphical fidelity is fine for an indie game, but the art direction, color palette, and look of the cosmetic items is pretty terrible.”
“Daily quests, seasons, and battle passes are way too reminiscent of all the garbage cluttering the games industry today and paired with the fairly poor aesthetics - graphics as well as UI - give the game a very cheap, low-quality feeling.”
“I feel as though they might have benefitted from going a more stylized route, since the graphics are... bad.”
- replayability91 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability, with many players praising its diverse build options, engaging gameplay mechanics, and the added fun of co-op play. While some reviews mention a lack of long-term replay value due to design issues or simplicity, the majority highlight the game's ability to encourage repeated play through various challenges, unlocks, and strategic combinations. The presence of daily challenges and a robust quest system further enhances its replayability, making it a compelling choice for fans of the roguelike genre.
“The replayability is off the charts, ensuring you'll keep coming back for 'just one more run.'”
“An absolutely fantastic roguelite, this game has a tremendous amount of replay value.”
“The gameplay is smooth, the background soundtrack is delightfully soothing, the animations are charming, and the variations of play within each class adds for a great deal of replayability.”
“But I do feel like the replayability is a bit lacking.”
“Surprisingly lacks replayability for this type of game.”
“Unfortunately, it has low replay value as a roguelike game because the game itself is not that complicated.”
- music56 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives a mixed reception, with many praising the soundtrack for enhancing the atmosphere and complementing the whimsical art style, while others feel it lacks a distinct identity and can become repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as enjoyable and fitting, with some standout tracks that resonate with players, though there are calls for more variety and originality. Voice acting and sound effects are generally well-received, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“The soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly, drawing you further into the whimsical yet perilous realms.”
“Wonderful music, wonderful content, everything just flows together amazingly well.”
“The music, ambiance, and aesthetic are all incredible in my opinion.”
“I have no idea what the story is because it is too much, and the combat music gets stale fast.”
“The background music feels just like background music and not something I'd ever pay attention to; the sound effects are quite good but lack an individualized punch to make you feel like you're engaging with something unique.”
“Graphics and music are okay but seem to lack a clear identity.”
- grinding38 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often feeling like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. Many reviews highlight the long quest chains and the necessity to grind for character unlocks and items, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the game. While some players appreciate the grind as part of the gameplay, the consensus leans towards it being a frustrating and time-consuming element that overshadows the game's potential.
“As an MMO, it is not grindy.”
“I would say that the unlock procedure for the aspects (classes) is tedious and takes far too long considering how short the game is.”
“This would not matter if they could be ignored, but several character classes and many of the strongest vestiges are locked behind them, which forces you to commit to runs specifically to achieve quest results (and often abandoning them halfway through) which feels more like a grindy chore than fun.”
“If that middle 20 hours of grinding were cut out, I would be able to recommend it, but that's a heck of a slog.”
- optimization23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and compatibility with various systems, others experience significant issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor UI design. The transition from early access to the full release has led to performance degradation for some, particularly on the Steam Deck, indicating a need for further optimization. Despite these challenges, many players appreciate the game's stylized visuals and turn-based mechanics, which help mitigate some performance concerns.
“If there were some sort of option to allow the player to rotate through possible targets (optimized for AoE) and then allow them to fine-tune their movement, it would be an incredible quality of life.”
“The performance is pretty fine; the game is highly stylized and uses a not-so-intensively demanding art style, so you should have no issues running the game on most high/middle-end machines.”
“Objectively, the game is well built, runs smoothly, moves quickly since all players take their turns at the same time, and I haven't run into any bugs yet.”
“There are also some ridiculous encounters that make you lose your run no matter how optimized your build is and how lucky you were with your finds, such as 1730 hp suicide bombers that don't actually die after they bomb you.”
“General lack of polish, terrible UI, incredibly bad quest design, brutal optimization/framerate, and early access levels of content.”
“Performance tanked going from early access into the 1.0 release.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its quirky setting, engaging dialogue, and funny character interactions. The game features amusing challenge modes and chaotic co-op gameplay that often leads to hilarious moments among friends. Overall, the developers' commitment to humor shines through, making the experience enjoyable without relying on forced jokes or cheesy humor.
“The daily challenge dives with funny setups.”
“The NPCs have unique and funny personas, and the voice acting is varied and entertaining.”
“You can trade items and consumables with your teammates, collaboration is key, and also sets up hilarious chaos with friends to enjoy the experience with, but it's super fun in solo play as well.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and whimsical qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and charming art style. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a captivating environment that draws players into its lore, making it enjoyable for both single-player and multiplayer experiences. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a key strength, appealing to fans of strategic roguelikes.
“The soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly, drawing you further into the whimsical yet perilous realms.”
“The immersive lore, and the marvelous atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is incredible, the art is good, the music moody.”
“Escaping from hell sets a clear atmosphere you can taste from the word 'go'.”
“This is also reflected in the story; while Monster Train could get away with a simple intro to its theme and concept, this game is an RPG that should provide some proper atmosphere.”
- character development9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that while the character designs and voice acting are visually appealing and enjoyable, the writing and narrative fail to deliver a compelling story. Players appreciate the unique classes and gameplay mechanics, but they do not find the character interactions or dialogues engaging enough to elevate the overall experience. The focus seems to be more on gameplay and aesthetics rather than meaningful character growth or development.
“Come for the storybook charm and fun character design, stay to hear exactly what your friends think of your decision-making skills in real time.”
“Intuitive unique classes, fun cosmetic character design, great gameplay loop constantly making the game more difficult after each successful run!”
“Imagine tactical turn-based combat, with telegraphed enemy turns (a-la Into the Breach) with Slay the Spire style in-run progression and featuring MOBA character designs (in that they are mechanically unique and have interesting internal synergy).”
“Let's face it, this is not Hades, and I can't possibly think of anyone playing this for the witty dialogues and character development.”
“There are cosmetics that kind of help remedy this, but at the end of the day I think the visual style is great, but the playable character designs are visually poor.”
“If you want a grindy, technically playable offline MMO Slay the Spire-like game and don't mind the little 'woke' bits of character design and narrative, it's okay.”
- stability7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its stability, being described as bug-free and running smoothly, particularly on the Steam Deck. Reviewers appreciate the complete and polished experience, noting that while the game may feel simplistic and short, it does not suffer from the common issues associated with early access titles.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
“Nice art style, smooth and bug-free gameplay.”
“I mainly play this game on my Steam Deck and it runs great!”
“This isn't early access, so you get no leeway for a buggy game.”
“A lot of reviews mention the microtransactions and battle pass being available the second the game hit early access, which I semi agree with. It's never really the best when a game that's not even fully developed and released, and is fairly buggy, has a fully complete working in-game shop.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the emotional impact of the game is perceived as lacking, with players noting that the story feels confusing and superficial, failing to engage with deeper themes effectively. While some enjoy the gameplay mechanics, the unlikable characters and repetitive quest structures detract from the emotional experience, leaving many feeling that the game overstays its welcome.
“But it made me feel like that's because of the way I'm playing/building.”
“Some fun to be had, but too much RNG in the quest structures, confusing and boring story, and not enough content in my opinion to be worth full price.”
“Good game and mechanics, but a boring story.”
