Inkulinati is an ink-based strategy game straight from medieval manuscripts, where a rabbit’s bum can be deadlier than a dog's sword. Take your turn in Inkulinati duels filled with unexpected tactical depth (and humour!). Embark on an ever-changing journey, build your own bestiary, defeat medieval superstars and collect perks to unleash special powers. Become a master of the Living Ink, grab your quill and build your unique strategy time after time so that you can be named the greatest Inkulinati of all time...

It's a fun, beautiful looking game

Inkulinati is inspired by real-life medieval marginalia 700 years in the making, Engage with sword-wielding rabbits, dogs with spears, trumpets lodged in bottoms, human-eating snails, and more. Much, much more...

Inkulinati are a legendary group who battle one another on the pages of medieval manuscripts. They fight by drawing Beasts with the Living Ink. Thanks to this magical substance, those creatures come to life and an epic battle ensues.Move your Beasts across the battlefield, perform actions on or with them, make tactical use of obstacles and collect more Living Ink to draw new Beasts which allows you to gain an advantage over your opponent.

The learning curve of Inkulinati is a little on the steep side. If you're the sort of gamer who likes to pick up and play your games, then sitting through the tutorials might be a bit of a slog. But, to be fair, the instructions are not overly hard to follow - even though they're a bit dry - and you only really start to learn how to play tactically once you start the game proper. The tutorial just gives you a basic understanding of the mechanics. It's also a good idea to revisit the tutorials once you've played a few games to brush up on elements that might have been a little fuzzy on the first play through.

The learning curve of Inkulinati is a little on the steep side

This review was written after playing the early access launch of Inkulinati, so we were well aware that there would be a high probability of bugs and glitches that the developers were still working on. However, it was refreshing to see that, overall, there appeared to be no game breaking issues that marred our enjoyment of the game.

One of the aspects of the game, which makes it such fun, is exploring each of the various armies available. You start with a fairly limited choice, but as you progress additional armies are unlocked. Finding, and customising, each group to your particular style of play is fun and rewarding. Some of the characters perform humorous moves, whilst others are pretty much unstoppable. But, choosing the right team is only part of the battle. On the battlefield you'll have to keep you wits about you as there are elements than can spell sudden death for even your most robust warrior.

Inkulinati are a legendary group who battle one another on the pages of medieval manuscripts

It's a fun, beautiful looking game. However, the only slight reservation I had was how much longevity there is. While novel and fun in short bursts, it soon gets a little repetitive and I couldn't help feeling I was just going through the motions. If you have a friend or family member, the local PVP game mode should keep you coming back for more.

7

Nick Smithson