By Jatin Gundara

I can’t speak highly enough about the allure of a single-player game. Enjoying a truly special, immersive world and building your own perspective on what it has to offer in a way that is unique to you remains a key aspect of what I enjoy about so many amazing titles. Yet, the other side of the coin provides its own draw. Whether it be the unparalleled feeling of starting a fresh Minecraft world with friends, or the intensity of a heated Super Smash Bros. tournament, co-op gaming is an integral part of why videogames mean so much to so many people. So when I was given the opportunity to review a game in which I could bring along two friends for the ride, I jumped at the chance. And I knew exactly who to call. My pals Michael and John helped me review this game, and without their insight this review wouldn’t have been possible. If you two are reading this, I appreciate your help!

When I first booted up Inkbound I was immediately impressed. The thing that, on the surface, caught my attention more than anything else was its idiosyncratic, and unique style. Colorful, Hearthstone-esque illustrations of books, spells, and interesting characters graced the screen accompanied by a soundtrack which immediately set the spirited, somewhat dire tone for what was to come.

From the very start, Inkbound did what any solid game should do: Understand itself. The artwork, music, and narrative of Inkbound all come together to form a unique identity which the game has no problem conveying to the player. The narrative serves as a loose framework for expansion (assuming future updates are on the way), but the general idea is that a dark sea of ink (an allegory for a greater evil) threatens to destroy the Atheneum, a powerful sanctum of magic and stories which the player must protect.

Through various expeditions to magical lands, the player begins to understand the scope of their adventures. A garden overtaken by the ink, a city crumbling in lava, a dark forest used to train those wishing to brave the sea, the game masterfully interpolates soft-worldbuilding with explicit details to craft a world which the player wants to explore. However, the important thing to note is that the story, while having the potential to be a remarkable narrative, does not cut very deep; and that’s OK. As a rogue-like, the ability for the player to fill in narrative gaps on their own provides intrigue. In addition to its narrative choices, the art style of Inkbound creates a distinct feel. The colorful worlds of the Atheneum’s stories, contrasted with the all-encompassing ink abyss, provide the player with a constant reminder of the threat they are facing (which they will discover later), and how even in moments of rest it lurks. Within these areas, characters with refreshing and original designs only serve to add Inkbound’s innate stylistic choices, drawing the player into its more involved aspects.

Before each run, the player is able to choose between one of eight classes, four of which are unlockable through quests (the quest system is a fun addition to spice up gameplay). In combat, the player’s moves become turn based, with a variety of moves available to provide gameplay that separates itself from many other roguelikes. Turn-based multiplayer combat may seem as if it would result in a lack of coordination and playability among multiple players, but Inkbound executes it masterfully. Each player possesses a set amount of ‘will’ during each turn, which they can use to cast bindings (moves), which perform different actions. My personal favorite class to play was the Obelisk, a melee attacker that can dish out massive amounts of damage in a short time. My friends ended up gravitating to others characters, with John choosing the Weaver (the big-hatted artisan focused on attacking many enemies at once). Michael picked the Mosscloak (a green and gray being focused on building up chip damage). 

Rest assured, as a party we were ready to face the ink. Yet despite ample preparation, the problem we ran into was the difficulty curve. Depending on the level picked by the player and the choices they made, the number and strength of enemies could increase to near absurdity. By the end of an area, some bosses may have up to 20-30 thousand health, a figure that compared to the sub 1000 health totals of previous enemies, caught us off guard. 

However, after John, in a stroke of luck and skill, managed to beat a Guardian (large monster) in a solo run, we realized that with the right strategy success was certainly possible. We then sought to continually discover new vestiges, objects which provided significant bonuses to players based on certain conditions. These elevated different mechanics, weaving a complex and diverse tapestry of gameplay which was satisfying to master. Through much trial and error, we discovered that creating a setup conducive to garnering shield points (health which is taken away before your health bar), would be the most effective way to win more battles while taking minimal damage. Health is especially important in this game, due to the fact that there are very few chances to replenish it (only certain stations found in specific locations as well as after boss fights allowed health to be replenished). However, what worked for us may not work for every group of players. The beauty of rogue-likes is that the playstyle can be altered in between every run, an aspect which Inkbound masterfully incorporates. 

Inkbound, if nothing else, stands out. Its aesthetic appeal, genre-bending mechanics, and satisfying gameplay ensure that it’s nothing short of a fun time (as long as you have a couple people to enjoy it with). So whether you’re looking for a compelling roguelike experience, a game to play with friends, a steal of an offering under $30, or just a good time, I suggest you give Inkbound a try and see whether you swim, or sink into the abyss. 

Jatin Gundara, who’s based outside Los Angeles, was our Fair Game Writing Challenge winner and is NYVGCC’s West Coast intern.

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