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Inked

Short, undemanding and nicely constructed, Inked: A Tale of Love is a couple of hours well worth exploring.
Inked Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
grinding, replayability
90% User Score Based on 106 reviews
Critic Score 75%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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Inked Game Cover

About

Inked is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by Somnium Games d.o.o. and was released on August 27, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Inked is a puzzle game that features a spectacular story and masterful visuals. The game follows the journey of a nameless hero on a quest to find his lost love, Nemesis. As players solve intricate puzzles, they will uncover the depths of the hero's devotion and the power of love in this emotional and thought-provoking adventure.

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+14
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90%
Audience ScoreBased on 106 reviews
story42 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Inked features a stunning hand-drawn art style that enhances the emotional narrative and creates a unique atmosphere.
  • The puzzles are generally enjoyable and range from simple to moderately challenging, providing a satisfying gameplay experience.
  • The game tells a heartfelt story about love and grief, resonating with players and inviting introspection.
  • The game is quite short, with many players completing it in under four hours, which may leave some feeling unsatisfied.
  • Some puzzles can feel repetitive or overly simplistic, lacking the depth that players might expect from a puzzle game.
  • Control issues, particularly with movement and object placement, can lead to frustration, especially when using a controller.
  • story
    81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Inked" revolves around themes of love, grief, and the journey of moving on, as players control a nameless hero on a quest to save his beloved. Set in a stunning hand-drawn world, the narrative unfolds through environmental storytelling and voiceovers, offering a poignant exploration of loss and sacrifice, though some players find the storytelling occasionally heavy-handed or abstract. Overall, the game is praised for its emotional depth and unique art style, making it a compelling experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven gameplay.

    • “Inked is a story about love, grief, and the slow, stubborn process of moving on.”
    • “It’s a fairly short but beautiful story about love, loss, and what you’d sacrifice to get it all back.”
    • “The art style is truly unique, and the story — seemingly innocent at first — turns into something much deeper.”
    • “Now for the downside: the story.”
    • “There are also times when the storytelling leans a bit too much on metaphor without delivering enough substance, which can make the emotional payoff feel slightly abstract.”
    • “The tl;dr about why I feel this way is that this game's story would have been better as a picture book or short animation designed to help people deal with loss.”
  • graphics
    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique ballpoint-pen aesthetic, creating a stunning hand-drawn world that enhances both the storytelling and atmosphere. Players appreciate the calming visuals and minimalist color palette, which contribute to a relaxing experience, although some express a desire for more dynamic camera angles to fully appreciate the artwork. Overall, the art style is considered a core element of the game, making it a significant draw for players.

    • “The ballpoint-pen aesthetic is gorgeous, like doodles coming to life.”
    • “Set in a stunning hand-drawn world that mimics the appearance of ballpoint pen sketches on paper, the game immediately sets itself apart with a bold art style that isn’t just aesthetic window dressing—it’s a core part of the storytelling and atmosphere.”
    • “Amazing hand-drawn graphics, relaxing music and very interesting puzzles.”
    • “There's nothing to like about it apart from the art style.”
    • “It would have been nice to have just a pen done in the same art style instead of the hands.”
    • “The graphics refer to drawings made with the pen on paper; it is very beautiful and very well done.”
  • music
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is consistently praised for its calming and ambient qualities, featuring soft piano and strings that enhance the emotional depth of the story without being intrusive. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack complements the beautiful art style and tranquil atmosphere, making it a significant part of the overall experience. While some found the music to be understated, many agree that it effectively enriches the gameplay and storytelling, contributing to a relaxing and immersive adventure.

    • “The soundtrack features soft piano and ambient strings that gently reinforce the emotional beats of the story without ever overpowering the scene.”
    • “The music enhances this tranquil atmosphere, making it perfect for unwinding.”
    • “Beautiful artwork, music, and story.”
    • “I don't know the full story about this game or why it seemed to get a full relaunch many years later after Starbreeze published it, but I genuinely wish the staff the best as I think there is very clearly a lot of skill on display here in this title, especially with the art and music, but it was frankly used ineffectively here.”
    • “What surprised me is the music; you don't hear much of it.”
    • “The music and sound design really get you immersed in this lovely adventure.”
  • gameplay
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "inked: a tale of love" primarily focuses on environmental puzzles that involve manipulating geometric objects, creating a blend of engaging challenges without overwhelming players. While the mechanics are generally well-designed and tied to the narrative, some puzzles can feel repetitive, particularly in the mid-game. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience with its unique mechanics and artistic presentation, making it appealing to fans of puzzle-based gameplay.

    • “The game’s mechanics revolve around environmental puzzles, which often involve moving and manipulating geometric objects—cubes, spheres, levers, and platforms—to open pathways, bridge gaps, or trigger switches.”
    • “What makes Inked: A Tale of Love ultimately stand out is how it uses its minimalist tools—visual style, narrative framing, and puzzle mechanics—to craft a cohesive and emotionally intelligent experience.”
    • “Very unique feeling and aura to the game; the art style is what drew me in, and the gameplay was entertaining enough to keep me going. I really liked how creative you could be with the objects and physics, and I found ways to shortcut myself through some of the puzzles, which is always fun as a speedrunner.”
    • “While the puzzles are generally well-designed, a few can feel repetitive or underwhelming, particularly in the mid-game where the mechanics don’t evolve quite as rapidly.”
    • “Puzzles and mechanics could have been more developed, but ultimately not a bad use of 2-3 hours.”
    • “Gameplay is pretty simple and straightforward.”
  • emotional
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Inked: A Tale of Love" is highlighted by its heartwrenching narrative and visually striking art style, which together create a deeply resonant experience. Players often describe the story as both touching and reflective, exploring themes of love and existentialism through the protagonist's journey. While some find the emotional depth profound and moving, others feel it occasionally leans too heavily on metaphor, leaving certain elements open to interpretation.

    • “This is a short but great puzzle game with a heart-wrenching story!”
    • “The relationship between the nameless hero and the artist becomes a central emotional and philosophical thread, turning what might have been a simple romantic tale into something more reflective and existential.”
    • “Overall, it is a beautifully emotional and somewhat meta story set in a stunning hand-drawn world that provides the perfect backdrop.”
  • atmosphere
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its stunning hand-drawn art style, resembling ballpoint pen sketches, which plays a crucial role in storytelling. Coupled with a tranquil soundtrack, the visuals and music create a calming and magical ambiance that enhances the overall experience, making it perfect for relaxation and immersion. Reviewers consistently praise the unique aesthetic and serene atmosphere, highlighting its effectiveness in drawing players into the game's world.

    • “Set in a stunning hand-drawn world that mimics the appearance of ballpoint pen sketches on paper, the game immediately sets itself apart with a bold art style that isn’t just aesthetic window dressing—it’s a core part of the storytelling and atmosphere.”
    • “The whole game has a gentle, calm ambience and the gorgeous artwork just created a magical atmosphere.”
    • “Graphically, the game offers a unique and very calming aesthetic with the pen-to-paper art style it beautifully showcases. The music isn't anything crazy but offers a wonderfully calming atmosphere while progressing through the story the creators are taking us through.”
    • “It knows when to give you silence and when to swell, letting you sit with the atmosphere the game so meticulously creates.”
    • “For those who are only interested in a take on the graphics and atmosphere the game gives off, here is a quick review on that specifically.”
    • “This creates atmosphere and is effective.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is commendable, featuring short load times, stable performance, and consistent visual quality across different resolutions.

    • “Load times are short, performance is stable, and the visual presentation holds up well across various resolutions.”
    • “The game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, showcasing excellent optimization.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the settings, allowing for a customizable experience without sacrificing performance.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game, particularly the "second opinion" achievement that necessitates replaying the entire game, to be more tedious than enjoyable, diminishing the sense of reward.

    • “However, the 'Second Opinion' achievement, which requires replaying the entire game, felt more tedious than rewarding.”
    • “The grinding in this game is excessive; it feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the experience.”
    • “I found myself spending hours on repetitive tasks just to level up, which made the game feel more like a job than a hobby.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is limited, primarily due to the lack of different endings and a relatively short completion time of 3-4 hours. While there are some collectible elements to encourage replay, the overall experience may feel diminished once players have fully explored the story.

    • “A different ending on the second playthrough would have been a welcome incentive, but without that, replay value is limited.”
    • “It will take around 3-4 hours to complete, and has a little replayability in the collectibles.”
    • “The only downside the game has is the limited replayability once you have unlocked the different endings and know all about the story.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report a stable experience with smooth physics and controls, noting that any graphical anomalies are intentional stylistic choices rather than actual glitches. There have been no significant bugs or stability issues encountered.

    • “The game is riddled with glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
    • “I frequently encounter crashes that make it impossible to progress.”
    • “The stability issues are frustrating, as the game often freezes during key moments.”
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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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12h Median play time
9h Average play time
2-15h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Inked is a casual puzzle game.

Inked is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Inked.

Inked was released on August 27, 2021.

Inked was developed by Somnium Games d.o.o..

Inked has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Inked is a single player game.

Similar games include RiME, Shady Part of Me, GRIS, AER Memories of Old, The Last Campfire and others.