Inkslinger

About

Inkslinger is a single player action game with horror, mystery, comedy and violence themes. It was developed by Gateway and was released on April 8, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

As an Inkslinger at Brassknee's renowned Wordshop, it's your job to write letters for the citizens of Isle Shammer. But through the veil of work lies forgotten trauma. A voice begins to speak to you in recurring daydreams, telling you about your tragic past in Nomania.

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story14 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features a unique and innovative gameplay mechanic centered around writing and word choice, providing a rewarding experience for those interested in language and storytelling.
The atmosphere and sound design are highly praised, creating an immersive and evocative experience that enhances the narrative.
The writing is well-crafted and thought-provoking, with a focus on vocabulary and style that appeals to fans of literary games.

The game suffers from significant bugs and performance issues, including slow text speed and unskippable cutscenes, which can frustrate players during multiple playthroughs.
Many players found the narrative direction unclear and felt that the game did not fully utilize its potential, leading to a lack of engagement.
The game is very short, which may leave some players wanting more depth and content, especially given the need to replay for different endings.

story
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The game's story is seen as having potential but ultimately falls short, with players appreciating its unique mechanics and world-building despite some dissatisfaction with the narrative itself. The storytelling is creatively integrated into gameplay, allowing players to explore deeper themes through client interactions, though the pacing and lack of impactful choices may detract from the experience. Overall, while the game offers a compelling atmosphere and aesthetic, it may not resonate with all players, particularly those seeking a more dynamic narrative.
- “Worth buying if you enjoy games with a good story.”
- “The only things you learn about yourself and the game are gleaned through tidbits of conversations and parts of the letters you write for your clients, which is a wonderful way to create a story that takes place in a world way bigger than itself.”
- “The way the game tells a story is very creative as you have to help people by conveying their thoughts into letters.”
- “I didn't enjoy the actual story of the game as much as I would have liked to, unfortunately, but getting to live in the world it's set in for a short while was well worth the experience anyway.”
- “Finally, a trigger warning: [spoiler] the game does warn that there are references to violence but it is important to note that a major plot point is sexual violence.”
- “Though I’m fully aware that this game will not be a good fit for the average gamer, if you don’t mind a slower-paced story-driven game, definitely give it a try.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The gameplay of "Inkslinger" is praised for its unique and refreshing mechanics, where players type words to convey different styles and emotions, creating an engaging narrative experience. While the game offers a distinctive and evocative world, some players find the lack of an auto-skip feature for replaying to explore different endings inconvenient. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy story-driven games with innovative gameplay, especially if purchased on sale.
- “The gameplay is very unique - typing words representing styles and with each keystroke your character types more of what you're supposed to write.”
- “Whereas most games aiming at some ludic equivalent of the weird tale settle for hackneyed gameplay tropes and blunt Lovecraftian clichés, Inkslinger gives you that perfect glimpse into a strange universe, beautiful and mad, delivered through mechanics that are intuitive, yet foreign and bizarre.”
- “I love the mechanic, simple as it is, and the worldbuilding is evocative and fantasy-Victorian in the way of the Fallen London / Sunless games.”
- “Gameplay-wise, there isn't much to do in Inkslinger: you make a handful of choices between several words in order to convey different feelings and styles of writing, which can more or less correspond to what your client is expecting of you.”
- “Some mechanics could be explained better, and the need for pure perfection (without ease of skipping through to see all the endings) does make it a bit inconvenient after the first playthrough and is a bit annoying.”
- “I don't mind replaying the actual gameplay, but some kind of visual novel type auto-skip would help me a lot to experiment and get different endings.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The game's graphics are praised for their unique and fitting art style, which complements the storytelling and gameplay. However, some players noted that the small text size can be tiring, especially in a text-heavy game. Overall, the visuals are described as fun and creative, contributing positively to the indie game's atmosphere.
- “Fun and unique indie game with an interesting and refreshing mechanic and fitting art style.”
- “You don’t often see a game which not only has an interesting story, but also a great graphical style and unique gameplay.”
- “I bought this game for a dollar during the summer sale and I'm glad I did; it's a creative take on both the typing genre and the pseudo-Victorian aesthetic.”
- “I'm leaving a negative review to say: hey, even though you might think this game is for you, pay attention to the aesthetic.”
- “I tend to look past the aesthetic to get to the core of the game, and it turns out the aesthetic here is a good indicator of the general color and flavor of the story, so to speak - as such, I should've paid more attention.”
- “I really liked the aesthetics, but the text is really small, which can become tiring in a game based on reading a lot.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, creating a foreboding feel that enhances the overall experience. Many players feel that the atmosphere is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and engagement from the very beginning.
- “The trailer does not do the game justice; I think it's very atmospheric and even haunting to some extent. It just has that foreboding feel when you play it.”
- “I just love the atmosphere in this game. Two seconds in, I already knew it would be a very immersive experience from start to finish.”
- “There is a really great atmosphere in the game, and I think everything came together very well.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of funny and tragic elements, particularly through its supporting characters and plot twists. Players can intentionally make mistakes to elicit humorous responses, leading to varied outcomes and enhancing the comedic experience.
- “The supporting characters and the twists I've unlocked are a perfect mixture of funny and tragic, respectively.”
- “If you want, you can screw up on purpose and get some funny responses, which may result in a different ending.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The presence of multiple endings enhances the game's replayability, encouraging players to revisit the experience to explore different outcomes.
- “The addition of multiple endings is always welcome; it adds significant replay value.”
- “The inclusion of various choices throughout the game encourages players to experience different outcomes.”
- “With each playthrough offering unique challenges and story paths, the game keeps you coming back for more.”
- “The addition of multiple endings is always welcome; it gives some replay value.”
- “The addition of multiple endings is always welcome; it gives some replay value.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users experiencing frequent bugs that necessitated uninstalling and reinstalling to play. Despite these problems, some players found the game to be short yet evocative.
- “I unfortunately found it to be very buggy (I had to uninstall and reinstall to even play it), but it's a short game, very evocative.”