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Realm of Ink

Realm of Ink is a capable isometric action roguelite that offers a ton of variety and customization options. However, the satisfying action is offset by a lackluster story and a severe lack of polish outside of the gameplay elements.
Realm of Ink Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphics
Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, grinding
94% User Score Based on 359 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5CloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStationNintendo Switch 2
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Realm of Ink Game Cover

About Realm of Ink

Realm of Ink is a single player hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Leap Studio and was released on May 26, 2026. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Realm of Ink is an Ink-style action Roguelite game. You, the heroine, unexpectedly discover that you are just a fictional character within the short story collection Realm of Ink when hunting the Fox. Only by defeating the mysterious Book Spirit can you be liberated from the realm.

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Reviews

94%Audience ScoreBased on 359 reviews
gameplay49 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • Engaging and fun combat with fluid controls and a variety of unique weapons and builds.
  • Stunning ink painting art style and beautiful visuals that set it apart from other roguelikes.
  • Good replayability with multiple characters, pets that evolve, and various Ink Skills combinations.
  • The game is generally too easy, with many builds allowing players to steamroll bosses quickly, reducing challenge.
  • Visual effects can clutter the screen, making it hard to see enemy attacks and causing readability issues.
  • Weak character writing and story depth, along with awkward English translation and some inconsistent voice acting.

  • gameplay

    91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    54% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions

    The gameplay is widely praised for its fun, fluid, and addictive combat, with unique mechanics such as diverse weapon "skins," companion pets, and an engaging perk/elixir system that offers significant build variety and customization. While it draws clear inspiration from games like Hades, it incorporates enough fresh mechanics—like dual ultimate moves and an active gem system—to feel distinct and captivating. However, many note that the game leans toward the easier side, with some balance issues making it less challenging, especially after upgrades stack, though it shines in later, more intense stages and offers strong replayability.

    • “The visuals are great, gameplay is fluid and the pet system is very creative, but the game should honestly be a bit harder. Even the unlockable harder difficulty doesn't make it much more challenging, but it stands out on its own against other roguelikes and has good potential.”
    • “For experienced players in games like Hades/Hades 2, this might look like an easy game at start (I have played only 4 hours by the time of this review and on my first run did all bosses without any hit) but it looks like the game is getting harder now. The replayability and gameplay is 10/10 with a lot of variability of enemies and areas, which are not always the same. Even bosses are not always the same. They might need to balance some of the builds since on my first playthrough I smashed all bosses.”
    • “Gameplay is silky smooth, descriptions for items all make sense so you don't have to look up an item's effects to understand what it does as some games do.”
    • “The gameplay is too easy, and you get so many upgrades you become invincible without understanding what is going on.”
    • “The gameplay loop just kind of falls apart when it feels like trying to think outside the box is punished by both bad RNG and final level stat bloat.”
    • “Also, I would like to see much more synergies; for now all gameplay is straightforward: evade, spam attack, upgrade when you can.”

  • graphics

    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    71% positive mentions, 26% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their stunning, beautiful, and distinctive art style, often compared to works like Okami and described as a blend of ink-painting aesthetics with Chinese mythology influences. The visuals are engaging, fluid, and rich in detail, contributing greatly to the game's overall atmosphere and charm. While some note occasional performance issues and a few color palette criticisms, the art direction consistently stands out as a key strength that enhances the immersive roguelike experience.

    • “The game is stunningly beautiful, the art style creates really nice environments as well as ability effects.”
    • “The art style is distinct, animations are fluid, visually it's a really nice package that works really well on the Steam Deck and a high-end PC.”
    • “Even though it's still in early access, the level of polish in the graphics, the amount of content already in there, the overall artistic and aesthetic tone of it, and the huge replayability make it one of the best Hades clones I've seen in a long time, even surpassing Hades and Hades 2 in a few areas.”
    • “Even with all graphics options turned down to minimum, it gets to 0-1 fps in about 5 minutes, and you cannot even die as a result, having to force close and lose the stats.”
    • “The game's visuals I wasn't so sure on.”
    • “The game can be a bit horny at times as well, with some of the artwork, poses, endings, and NPC interactions leaning heavily in that direction.”

  • story

    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    32% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The story in the game is generally seen as decent but not its strongest aspect, featuring a cryptic, somewhat cliché narrative with interesting lore and character elements that unfold gradually. While some players appreciate the detailed world-building and intriguing plotlines reminiscent of wuxia novels, many note a lack of depth and polish compared to similar titles like Hades, with limited voice acting and an unfinished feel. Overall, the story provides sufficient context to support gameplay but may not fully engage players seeking a richly developed or emotionally gripping narrative.

    • “The story seems rich with lots of details that can be found and read through.”
    • “I felt right like in a wuxia novel, with all the pieces of lore hidden in the ink anecdotes with each perks, ink gems, character stories (in which some seemingly funny looking characters have some actually pretty tragic stories, and some massive plot twists slowly unlockable in it).”
    • “It showcases breathtaking visuals and a compelling story line.”
    • “It's trying to be much like Hades, but isn't quite making it in terms of story plot and progression.”
    • “Almost everything else in Realm of Ink is serviceable, save for its story (plot, characters, and dialogue).”
    • “I assume it's because the game is still not finished but I still can't follow what the actual story really is; there is character building and I think I know what path the devs are taking, but the story isn't really finished yet.”

  • music

    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    44% positive mentions, 44% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions

    The game's music, inspired by ancient Chinese folklores, strongly complements the zones and atmosphere, with many praising its fantastic and immersive soundtrack. While most tracks, including biome and boss themes, are well-received and fitting, some boss music, particularly featuring generic rock elements, is viewed as less impactful or memorable. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the experience, though occasional audio bugs and a few forgettable tracks lead some players to prefer external music during gameplay.

    • “The music and OST features ancient Chinese folklores and times, each matching the zone you enter and progress through; it was really nice to listen to during each run.”
    • “Music is also pretty fantastic (with one exception: Gor's battle themes, where the pipa is great but the rest sounds like generic electric guitar riffs and drums). All the other boss musics and biome themes have great atmosphere and fit the game's aesthetic very well. My favorite theme is the one in the Trial's Valley (or Infinite Sanctum) — it's intense and blood-pumping, mixing electro sounds with traditional Chinese instruments and nods to Naruto.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, really matching the tone of the game and contributing to a very fun Hades-like experience.”
    • “The music is less poignant than in Hades, so you may find yourself booting up YouTube Music or Spotify in the background to have something pumpy for the fights here.”
    • “Sound/music is IMO the weakest part; I honestly don't think you'd miss anything playing it muted and I probably will do that and listen to music instead.”
    • “As for the audio bugs, the ones I noticed are: the music sometimes will end abruptly during a fight and all you hear is just the sound effects.”

  • replayability

    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    44% positive mentions, 37% neutral mentions, 19% negative mentions

    Replayability is widely praised for its high variability in enemies, areas, builds, and difficulty levels, keeping gameplay fresh and engaging. While some find the early game easy, increasing challenge and diverse mechanics sustain long-term interest, with many considering it even more replayable than comparable titles like Hades. Additional content such as skins, perks, and randomization options further enhance its replay value.

    • “For experienced players in games like Hades/Hades 2, this might seem easy at the start (I have played only 4 hours by the time of this review and on my first run did all bosses without any hit), but the game gets harder. The replayability and gameplay are 10/10 with a lot of variability in enemies and areas, which are not always the same. Even bosses vary. They might need to balance some builds more since I smashed all bosses on my first playthrough.”
    • “Even though it's still in Early Access, the level of polish in graphics, the amount of content, overall artistic tone, and huge replayability make it one of the best Hades clones in a long time, even surpassing Hades and Hades 2 in some areas such as maneuverability and overall nervousness of play style. I've played more Realm of Ink than Hades 2, which is saying something, and I already have over 200 hours in it. Realm of Ink is basically the breath of fresh air I've been waiting for.”
    • “There’s so much replayability with all the skins, perks, and gems to collect.”
    • “Hades has more replayability but gets repetitive.”
    • “I did all the achievements in 21 hours; the replayability and lack of ending is acceptable as early access.”
    • “Trust me, there is plenty of variety in the different forms and the increasing difficulty levels you can choose from, but randomization would add a whole new level of replayability.”

  • optimization

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    29% positive mentions, 28% neutral mentions, 43% negative mentions

    The game offers fun combat and build optimization but suffers from poor performance and resource management, especially in late-game when builds cause significant CPU stuttering. Users suggest that adding Vulkan support could improve optimization, particularly for Linux and Steam Deck platforms, where the game currently struggles due to high system requirements and inefficient scaling.

    • “Straight to the point about fun combat and fun build optimization with pets and all.”
    • “Now, this could definitely be an issue of Proton, but I honestly think that the system requirements could be lower. My wish from the devs is Vulkan support, which would eliminate one translation layer, making it much easier to run on Linux/Steam Deck without losing performance and without the devs having to support an entire new OS.”
    • “This is the best game if you want to feel absolute screen-pollution overpowered, pressing actions at a slower pace as the build starts to carry you into levels of CPU stuttering end-game madness.”
    • “Optimization is poor with the game taking up too many resources and slowing to a crawl when you get a build going.”
    • “The problem, however, is in text scaling and general optimization for Steam Deck.”

  • grinding

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Grinding is generally seen as tedious and repetitive, especially during boss fights on higher difficulties where attacks are easy to avoid, leading to prolonged encounters. However, some players find value in experimenting with different skills and items despite the grind. The progression system is also noted to be grind-heavy, impacting overall pacing.

    • “Attacks are too easy to avoid, so you are just there hitting the bosses for 2-3 minutes if you are playing on the highest difficulty. It is very tedious.”
    • “Particularly with bosses, it feels like there should be multiple potential bosses you can face at each point. Otherwise, the fights begin to feel a bit tedious and predictable after you've done a few runs.”
    • “Then we have the progression, and it's grindy.”

  • humor

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed experience, with some amusing nicknames and playful elements rooted in wuxia lore, but occasional translation issues can make dialogue seem blunt or awkward rather than humorous. Overall, the humor is subtle and often intertwined with deeper, sometimes tragic story elements.

    • “I felt right like in a wuxia novel, with all the pieces of lore hidden in the ink anecdotes with each perk, ink gem, character story (in which some seemingly funny looking characters have actually pretty tragic stories, and some massive plot twists slowly unlockable in it).”
    • “The story is vague, the dialogue is kinda funny-bad to me, but the art and animations are amazing.”
    • “Other times the translation might come off as curt and short, portraying the character as rude and blunt when what they're saying in Chinese actually makes them playful, humorous, and/or polite.”

  • atmosphere

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    75% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and fitting aesthetics, complemented by a fantastic soundtrack that blends traditional and electronic elements, enhancing the overall experience. While most music tracks, especially boss and biome themes, are well-received, a few battle themes like Gor's are considered less impactful. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it worth experiencing.

    • “I love the atmosphere of this game and have enjoyed it quite a lot.”
    • “All in all, I'm satisfied with this Hades/Warm Snow clone; I think it is worth a try just for the atmosphere and art style.”
    • “The music is fantastic overall. While one boss's battle theme feels generic, the other boss and biome music tracks have great atmosphere and fit perfectly with the game's aesthetic. My favorite theme is from Trial's Valley (or Infinite Sanctum), which is intense and blood-pumping, blending electro sounds with traditional Chinese instruments.”

  • stability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game is visually impressive but experiences minor stability issues, including occasional bugs and audio glitches. Overall, these problems are minor and do not significantly impact gameplay.

    • “Very beautiful, but a bit buggy.”
    • “The only issues I encounter with this game are minor inconsistencies and a few audio glitches here and there.”

  • character development

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    Character development is praised for its impressive and visually striking design, with art styles that are beautifully reminiscent of Okami. Players appreciate the unique and well-crafted characters, which significantly enhance the game's overall appeal.

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Critic Reviews

70%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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Realm of Ink Released

May 26 on bluesnews.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

Realm of Ink is a hack and slash game with fantasy theme. Common tags for Realm of Ink include indie, trading, roguelite, gaming, isometric and others.

Realm of Ink is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Realm of Ink was released on May 26, 2026.

Realm of Ink was developed by Leap Studio.

Realm of Ink has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Realm of Ink for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

Realm of Ink is a single player game.

Similar games include Warm Snow, Cinderia, Spiritfall, SWORN, Astral Ascent and others.