Inkulinati

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 406 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • humor
Inkulinati Game Cover
This indie game by Yaza Games looks like Pentiment, but its anthropomorphic battles are silly and tactically challenging.
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"Inkulinati" is a comedic turn-based strategy game, available for single-player and local multi-player . It features exceptional game mechanics and fabulous visuals inspired by 700-year-old medieval manuscripts, bringing to life bizarre art pieces filled with humorous elements such as sword-wielding rabbits and human-eating snails. Prepare to build your own bestiary, defeat medieval superstars, and climb the ranks to become the greatest Inkulinati of all time.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 406 reviews
gameplay48 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The art style and aesthetic of the game are charming and unique, drawing inspiration from medieval manuscripts.
  • The gameplay offers a surprising depth of strategy with a variety of units and mechanics, making battles engaging and fun.
  • The humor throughout the game is delightful, adding a whimsical touch to the tactical experience.
  • The tutorial is excessively long and convoluted, making it a slog to get through before starting the main campaign.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with slow animations and a lack of meaningful progression in the roguelike structure.
  • There are significant balance issues, with some units and mechanics feeling overpowered or underwhelming, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • gameplay123 mentions

    The gameplay of Inkulinati is characterized by a mix of strategic depth and convoluted mechanics, with a significant variety of units and unique abilities that can lead to engaging tactical experiences. However, many players find the slow pace and a "boredom mechanic" that penalizes repeated unit use to be frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the game features charming visuals and humor, it lacks innovation and can feel repetitive, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term appeal.

    • “The massive unit variety, with each race having wholly unique mechanics that get crazier the further you go on, is of course key to a wide variety of levels.”
    • “The fact that you can draw both next to you, but also above and below you, as well as a great variety of terrain features, movement ranges, mechanics like headaches that don't allow taking an action after moving, etc. all make for a great strategic experience.”
    • “The gameplay is easy to learn, but with a high skill ceiling that has almost endless potential for shenanigans of all kinds.”
    • “Unfortunately, like many turn-based games, the gameplay is slow and boring, like chess, watching cricket, or waiting in line at the grocery store.”
    • “The visuals are great, but the gameplay loop is repetitive, at times offering a fair challenge; often, you're just matched against enemies that are way too hard.”
    • “I am somewhat loath to write this game off as basically a gimmick - but it wasn't fun, and I never got the impression that I was understanding the tactical mechanics in a consistent organic way like XCOM or Invisible Inc.”
  • graphics81 mentions

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which draws inspiration from medieval aesthetics and adds a whimsical touch to the overall experience. Many players appreciate the delightful visuals and character designs, noting that the art is a significant factor in their enjoyment of the game. However, some critiques mention that while the graphics are appealing, they can become repetitive, and the gameplay may not always match the quality of the visuals.

    • “The art style is incredibly charming, the gameplay is surprisingly deep, and its roguelite journey mode can be pretty engaging.”
    • “In short, the aesthetics and design are absolutely flawless.”
    • “Medieval art style and themes are beautiful and fresh, units are unique, and the ability to use halos, anointed hands, and literal battlefield clouds of the holy spirit to create a holy army really make the game fun.”
    • “The visuals get old fast; or at least the humor does.”
    • “I like the aesthetics, but I found the gameplay boring and the unlocks uninteresting.”
    • “Once I got past the novelty of the art style, I realized how the art style actually makes the game look robotic and clumsy, at least on the characters.”
  • humor57 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its omnipresence, featuring a mix of clever dialogues, whimsical character designs, and a notable amount of toilet humor. Reviewers appreciate how the humor complements the medieval theme, with references that resonate well, such as the amusing consequences of in-game actions. While some feel the humor may become repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that it adds a delightful and engaging layer to the gameplay experience.

    • “That said, I do think that the game stands on its own: the animations are of great quality, the humor is omnipresent, the gameplay is engaging, and the theme is integrated in every mechanic (I especially got a chuckle from the fact that hitting the cat bishop makes you a heretic; how fun!).”
    • “As a medievalist, I find it both hilarious and incredibly fun to play!”
    • “The humor captures the nature of the marginalia of medieval illuminated manuscripts perfectly, and reminds me of the Terry Gilliam cartoons in 'The Holy Grail.'”
  • music30 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, described as enjoyable, cozy, and thematically fitting, with a unique style that complements the art design. While it evokes tension and excitement during gameplay, some players feel it lacks the "oomph" needed to elevate the turn-based experience. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its medieval influences, though a few players suggest it could benefit from more variety.

    • “The soundtrack evokes tension and excitement as the player battles enemy inkulinatis and races to finish a fight before bonfires consume their beasts.”
    • “Great art design and music with a fresh take on a genre I am hoping to see more of.”
    • “The music is top notch - I love medieval and renaissance faire music.”
    • “Because in the end it's yet another roguelike with a different twist on the genre, and we already have tons of that. Besides, the sound effects and music are simply lacking that 'oomph' to make the turn-based gameplay exciting. Once I got past the novelty of the art style, I realized how the art style actually makes the game look robotic and clumsy, at least on the characters.”
    • “(needs more recorder music though, in my opinion.) The only negative I have to say is that like many others have said, there is a lot of camera movement, zooming in and out, but it seems the devs are aware of this feedback and are looking to make a change.”
    • “The music and writing are decent enough—not the star of the show, but certainly not standing out as negatives.”
  • story22 mentions

    The game's story is often criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with players feeling disconnected from the narrative during gameplay. While there is a humorous and straightforward plot that connects battles, many expected a richer storytelling experience given the book-like presentation. The journey mode offers some charm, but overall, the story feels underdeveloped and not fully integrated into the adventure.

    • “Hence, the story-based 'journey mode' is the main draw for this game.”
    • “The plot is funny and a lot of random stuff can happen during your journey or battles, both helpful and not helpful.”
    • “The story is very straightforward and short, but its simplicity lets the characters you encounter shine in their perfectly absurd ways.”
    • “My one sort of disappointment is the absence of a proper story. I thought the art style and the fact that everything happens inside a book would mean there would be a proper story written with illustrations, where battles are just part of the narrative.”
    • “Cons: you don't really feel the development during adventure mode; there isn't much story; there are a lot of talents, but most aren't very useful.”
    • “There is a story in the background going on, but you can't take the time to read it or see what is happening there.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game "Inkulinati" features a solid level of replayability, bolstered by its rogue-lite elements, procedurally generated maps, and a variety of creatures and challenges. While some players feel that the incorporation of rogue-lite mechanics detracts from the game's original strengths, many agree that the diverse gameplay options and multiple difficulty levels provide ample replay value, especially as the game continues to expand.

    • “The main mode has decent replayability thanks to its roguelite formula, which will increase as the game expands further.”
    • “I can see a lot of replay value already from the get-go.”
    • “In a world where games weren't expected to be replayable to no end, and where rogue-lites weren't so popular, I think Inkulinati would have been able to push forward with its merits instead of incorporating these expectations, sullying an otherwise great meal.”
    • “The main mode has decent replayability thanks to its roguelite formula (it will be higher as the game expands more).”
    • “With all the different creatures, the procedurally generated maps, four different difficulties, and the huge catalogue of extra courses and riddles, Inkulinati offers a decent amount of replayability.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by its fun and interesting designs, complemented by a unique art style and engaging music. Reviewers appreciate the humor infused in the character designs, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.

    • “The character design is fun and interesting.”
    • “The music and art style are so unique, and the character designs are so funny!”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and arbitrary, leading to a sense of it being overly padded and drawn out, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Unfortunately, the game itself is tedious, arbitrary, and just feels too padded and drawn out.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Users express a desire for more content in the game, including diverse map layouts and additional enemies, suggesting that the current monetization strategy may not be effectively promoting the game. They also note a lack of advertising, with limited visibility beyond small YouTubers, which could impact its reach and potential revenue.

  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users express a positive outlook on the game's stability, noting that despite initial concerns about potential bugs or jankiness, the game performs impressively well.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

Buy Inkulinati

Play time

9hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
4-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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