Inkulinati, A Small Review

Before Gutenberg invented the printing press, in that bygone era often carelessly referred to as the “dark middle ages,” monks filled their long days and nights with a commendable but indescribably monotonous activity.  This, however, is not Inkulinati. 

You see, in the so-called scriptoria, they diligently copied and illuminated (the technique of decorating manuscripts with visual elements) countless scrolls and codices until their hands ached – or until their thoughts uncontrollably wandered due to the inevitable onslaught of extreme boredom. 

Then, various inappropriate (usually grotesque and often crude) doodles would start to appear in the margins of their manuscripts, such as humanoid killer rabbits, depictions of fierce battles between knights and snails, or, for instance, monkeys armed with bows and arrows who – as precise as Hawkeye – would hit their opponents straight in the buttocks.

If you are in the mood for a completely different type of game (or games), try TMNT The Cowabunga Collection.

What Impression Did We Get From The Game?

Because Inkulinati, much like the relatively recent Pentimento, gives the impression that it has leaked directly from the turbulent dream of some imaginative and mischievous monk who—undoubtedly slightly assisted by monastery beer—nodded off over an unfinished manuscript. 

However, although their distinctive visual aesthetic shamelessly draws from medieval doodles and paintings, Inkulinati is not an RPG but rather a turn-based tactical game, which, due to a myriad of game mechanics, may seem highly complex and inaccessible to you, although they are not.

The Gameplay of Inkulinati

Inkulinati places players as “Inkulinati masters” or invisible protagonists who use the manuscript as a two-dimensional battlefield to clash with other Inkulinati masters. In each of the turn-based skirmishes, you will control a maximum of five “Beasts” and an avatar named Tiny, which might best be described as the equivalent of a king piece in chess—but on steroids.

Inkulinati gives the impression that they have leaked directly from the turbulent dream of imaginative and mischievous monks.

In addition to drawing/summoning Beasts using Tiny (while replenishing ink supplies primarily by placing units on ink-soaked fields), Tiny also possesses various special abilities, such as the ability to heal its units, move Beasts/objects across the map, or slap enemy troops. Furthermore, it is worth noting that you will have to take care of your Tiny like the apple of your eye because if something terrible happens to it, you will automatically lose the battle.

What Are The Beasts in Inkulinati Like?

As for the Beasts themselves at your disposal, many will consider many different factions (avian, canine, simian, or demonic). Still, on average, they can be divided into several basic types, each with peculiarities. Spearmen will attack enemies two fields away from them, archers six fields away, bishops will buff Beasts, while special units like our beloved Sir Snail (who can take care of any enemy in one move) will have some unique skills.

Additionally, each faction will possess some thematically appropriate characteristics. For example, the demonic faction will be able to flood the battlefield with hellfire, damaging enemies. Doves will fly around, while rabbits, for example, will weaken opponents in various ways by shamelessly displaying their furry buttocks.

In other words, by playing Inkulinati, you will quickly find your favourite faction and your favourite Beasts that you will want to use constantly. Unfortunately, we must inform you that developers have outsmarted you in this regard because if you rely too much on a particular Beast, the amount of ink needed to draw it will gradually increase, forcing you to learn to use all the available units.

The Look and Feel 

Regardless of whether a battle takes place on a yellowed scroll or in a meadow, troop positioning and the terrain on which the fierce battle takes place often make the difference between victory and defeat, so it is in Inkulinati. Namely, during the intense fighting, you will have to constantly consider not only how to hit the enemy from behind to cause more damage or how to push the enemy Beast off the edge of the map into the abyss but also what is located on the small piece of scroll on which you are fighting.

Cabinets (yes, cabinets) will block attacks from long-range enemies, doors, depending on their colour, will allow passage only to your or the enemy’s Beasts, and bell towers will help you wake up sleeping troops (i.e., allow them to attack again in the same turn). Clouds will heal Beasts beneath them, and so on. Does all this sound complex enough to you?

Perhaps it sounds good to you but not to the developers because, in addition to all that, you will also have to take into account the so-called Apocalypse mechanics and random events.

Our Favourite Faction in Inkulinati

Playing Inkulinati, you will indeed quickly find your favourite faction and Beasts, which you will want to use constantly.

The Apocalypse comes in various forms, such as apocalyptic fire that will begin to appear at the edges of the map and consume everything in its path, the plague that will invariably damage existing troops, or “hellish jaws” ready to crush any Beast that doesn’t retreat from the field where they materialized in time. 

Random events like sporadic ink falling from the sky floods damaging units, and others in Inkulinati additionally enhance the influence of luck factors, just like the mechanics of calculating the damage your Beast will inflict on the opponent. In addition to the numerical value of the attack itself, your skill in stopping the pointer at the highest of the offered numbers will also have an impact.

Does The Game Seem Complex So Far?

Is it complex enough now? The answer is again no because we haven’t even touched on the central roguelike (roguelite?) In the Journey mode, you have to navigate through branching and randomly generated maps filled with battles and various events, culminating in a boss you have to defeat. 

Besides all that, in this mode, you will also be able to upgrade your Tiny (e.g., increase the amount of ink available to you), as well as collect prestige (which you will use to unlock additional factions) and gold (which you will use to unlock additional characteristics and powers above for your Tiny, as well as to buy additional Beasts). 

Additionally, you must be careful not to lose too many battles because each lost battle costs you a feather, and once you run out of feathers, the game is over. So, you’d better keep those controllers nice and charged up. You need all the concentration you can muster. 

In Conclusion

Inkulinati is not overly complex—at least not as complex as it seems while reading this text. Inkulinati is more of a game that strives to appear complex so it doesn’t seem superficial.  

After all, a dog-swordsman will serve the same purpose as a rabbit-swordsman; the ability of the simian faction to cause plague is just as good as the ability of the demonic faction to cause hellfire, and you will be more or less perfectly indifferent whether in a battle an apocalyptic event is apocalyptic fire, “Memento Mori” that will deduct three health points from each Beast every turn, or something completely different.

This is also our main criticism of Inkulinati, to which we would only add the strange absence of online duels that nicely complement the old-school hot seat variant.

In the end, Inkulinati is an excellent debut from a young developer. It’s a fun, humorous, and highly charming game. It boasts refreshing graphics and a fittingly medieval soundtrack, along with above-average gameplay. Of course, it’s a game worth investing the asked 25 pounds in—provided that you’re a fan of the genre. However, if you feel overwhelmed, there are fantastic guides, and we think it’s worth it. 

This game is best suited for kids older than 11-12.