Info about Inkulinati:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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**Inkulinati** is a turn-based strategy game inspired by medieval manuscripts. Draw your army of Beasts, and spill the ink of your enemy, defeat medieval superstars and collect perks to unleash hidden powers. Being a master of the quill isn’t easy, so make sure you’re focused and plan every move wisely. Embark on your journey and become the greatest Inkulinati of all time!  
Don’t let the looks fool you. Inkulinati is a game of nuance and brain-sizzling challenge that will test even the most hardened strategists. And as every hardened armchair general knows, it all starts with your units, which we call Beasts. There are multiple deadly (and bizarre) **Beasts** to unlock. They all have their special individual skills, as well as class-specific abilities causing different effects. And when these Beasts work in unison, a symphony of destruction, death, until the literal apocalypse will endure.  
It’s not just your Beasts that can cause havoc and damage. There are special, battle tide-turning actions performed by the **Inkulinati Masters** themselves - such as yourself! Use your unique Hand Actions to smash your opponent's units, draw obstacles to create barriers, relocate your units with a move of your finger, or explode your troops to create pure, pure chaos. Just remember - your opponent can do it too. And to keep it more interesting, each Inkulinati Master can have their own set of Talents too that can help win the battle.  
But wait, there’s more. You will need to adapt your tactics to every battle. Each Battlefield is its own domain, with its own particular dangers that you should watch out for, and opportunities that you can use. Look out for objects that are scattered all over the **Battlefields**, such as exploding Pots of Beans, travelling Hell’s Maws, Clouds of Blessings, and use them to your advantage.  
And just when you think you have a handle on the battle, an **Apocalyptic event** can come in and flip all of your plans upside down. We’re talking fires, plagues, and the Memento Mori itself. However, when all hope is lost and you’re on the ropes, an Apocalypse might be just what you need to turn the tide in your favour.  
There are different difficulty levels to choose from depending on your cunningand know-how, so even younglings will be Inkulinati-Masters in due time. And for those that want to know the ins and outs, you can learn how to master it all in our **Academy mode**, where we teach you step-by-step all the nuances to win every battle.  
Uncover the mystery and secrets of the Inkulinati and face such opponents as Hildegard, Dante Alighieri, and more. Go out into the world and start your adventure! Fight the biggest Inkulinati masters in the land, tame the untamed Beasts, build your ultimate army, try to bring back your Master from the clutches of death, and most importantly, finish your grand quest with the biggest party that the middle ages have ever seen!  
The best adventures are those of your own. In Journey mode you will create and develop your own character. As any aspiring Inkulinati Master, you will get to create your own Inkulinati character. During your journey you will learn the secret techniques of drawing new Beasts and Inkulinati Hand Actions, allowing you to choose the composition of your army. You can be a brave knight that has no fear or a nun who with the power of prayer can confuse her enemies and heal thy own servants. Those styles, and more, are waiting to be discovered and made your own. Express yourself!  
On your journey you won’t just battle against other Inkulinati Masters. You will face untamed Wild Beasts, go against Beast Lairs, meet interesting characters such Bards and talking Geese, visit shops, scriptoriums, and loads more. It is one heck of an adventure!  
Inkulinati will bring you back to the Golden Era of hot-seat mode. Face your friends, family, or foes, and decide who is the greatest Inkulinati Master in the house!  
Choose your Army, Talents, Inkulianti Master, the Battlefield, and other criteria and options, and face a battle that will be remembered for the ages.  
700 years in the making, finally these bizarre art pieces can come alive in a video game and show that medieval people also had their “memes” and that they laughed from the same silly things that we do today. You’ll see sword-wielding rabbits, dogs with spears, trumpets lodged in bottoms, human-eating snails, and more. Much, much more…

Release date: 22 Feb, 2024

Categories: Turn-based Strategy, Roguelike, Resource Management, Unit Management, Puzzle Solving, Single-player Story, Character Progression, Competitive Multiplayer


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Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Deep, engaging turn-based strategy (weight 0.96): The game offers engaging and surprisingly deep turn-based strategy gameplay that is easy to learn but difficult to master.  Players appreciate the variety of tactical possibilities, the well-designed mechanics, and the balanced difficulty levels that cater to both newcomers and experienced strategy game enthusiasts, providing high replayability.
- Unique, charming medieval manuscript art (weight 0.9): The game features a distinctive and appealing art style inspired by medieval manuscripts, characterized by hand-drawn graphics, animations, and humorous elements. This aesthetic is consistently praised for its originality, charm, and successful integration with the game's theme and mechanics, making it a major draw for many players.
- Vast unit variety, unique mechanics (weight 0.26): The game boasts a massive unit variety, with each race having unique mechanics, abilities, and terrain interactions. Players find the process of learning to synergize beasts, hand actions, and talents into a coherent playstyle rewarding, and the gradual unlocking of new beasts with unique characteristics renews enjoyment and motivation to advance.
- Absurd, lighthearted humor (weight 0.16): The game incorporates humor through silly jokes, references, and absurd scenarios, such as characters hitting each other with explosive beans or commanding creatures that show their butts. This comedic tone is appreciated for not taking itself too seriously and adding a layer of entertainment to the gameplay experience.
- Lovingly crafted, enjoyable experience (weight 0.15): The game feels lovingly crafted, with well-done graphics, sound effects, and animations that create an enjoyable and heartwarming experience.  The localization is generally well-done, and the game is often described as a great pick-me-up, suitable for relaxing with.
- Interesting and original concept (weight 0.14): The game has an interesting and original concept that has potential. The core gameplay idea is unusual and the combat system is interesting. The game's art design is a redeeming quality.
- Balanced difficulty, unlockable content (weight 0.12): The game offers a balanced challenge across different difficulty levels, with satisfying progression and unlockable content.  Players appreciate the well-designed levels and the smart AI, especially on higher difficulties, which provide an enjoyable learning curve and incentive for replayability.
- Pleasant, thematic music (weight 0.12): The game features a pleasant and atmospheric soundtrack that complements the medieval setting and enhances the overall experience. The music is often described as calming, relaxing, and non-repetitive, contributing positively to the game's immersive qualities.
- Soothing, puzzle-like combat (weight 0.07): The game's slow pace of combat complements its puzzle-solving nature, creating a soothing and engaging experience. The combat log's presentation and the appropriate music further enhance the game's charm and visual style.
- Fresh, engaging ink mechanic (weight 0.05): The ink mechanic is integrated into the strategy in a fresh and engaging way, encouraging experimentation. Ink-driven battles are exciting and intense, rewarding experimental gameplay and good gesture/skill usage.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive gameplay, lacks replayability (weight 0.77): The game suffers from significant repetition due to long playthroughs, unskippable animations, and a campaign structure that requires multiple completions to see the full story. This leads to player fatigue and a lack of replayability, making the game feel tedious and drawn out. Many reviewers express boredom and a lack of motivation to continue playing after the initial hours.
- Complex, steep learning curve (weight 0.67): The game's complexity and steep learning curve are major drawbacks.  Tutorials are lengthy and overwhelming, failing to adequately explain key mechanics. This complexity, combined with an inconsistent difficulty balance, makes the game inaccessible to many players and contributes to a frustrating initial experience.
- Poor balance, excessive RNG (weight 0.32): The game suffers from poor balance, with some units and enemy types being overpowered while others are too weak.  Battles often rely heavily on RNG, leading to unfair advantages for the AI and diminishing the impact of strategic decisions. This imbalance creates a frustrating and inconsistent experience for players.
- Poor UI, unclear mechanics (weight 0.2): The game's UI and tooltips are poorly designed, making it difficult for players to understand unit mechanics and abilities.  This lack of clarity, combined with unclear explanations of game mechanics, hinders strategic planning and contributes to a frustrating user experience.
- Limited content, lacks multiplayer (weight 0.16): The game is criticized for its limited content and lack of replayability.  The absence of a compelling single-player campaign, multiplayer mode, and ongoing support from the developers further diminishes its value.
- Unfun 'boredom' mechanic (weight 0.16): The 'boredom' or 'tedium' mechanic, which penalizes players for using the same units or strategies repeatedly, is widely criticized. This system forces players to constantly switch units and prevents them from developing effective team compositions, ultimately hindering strategic depth and player enjoyment.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.14): Several reviewers express disappointment and state that the game is not worth the asking price due to the issues mentioned above. Some reviewers also express that the developers may have abandoned the game.
- Weak, unengaging story (weight 0.06): The game's story is weak, straightforward, and ultimately unmemorable. It fails to engage players or add meaningful depth to the gameplay experience.
- Generic art style and music (weight 0.05): The game's art style and music fail to create a compelling medieval atmosphere. The visuals are described as sterile and lacking in character, while the music is generic and uninspired.
- Overreliance on toilet humor (weight 0.04): The game's humor relies heavily on toilet humor, which many reviewers found unappealing and quickly tiresome.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based tactical roguelike combat (weight 0.5): The core gameplay revolves around turn-based tactical combat on a 2D plane, often incorporating roguelike elements. Players strategically position units with unique abilities, manage resources, and exploit environmental hazards to defeat opponents.  Similarities to games like Slay the Spire and chess are frequently noted.
- Ink resource and unit summoning (weight 0.23): A key mechanic involves summoning units using ink, a resource that must be carefully managed.  The 'boredom' mechanic discourages repetitive unit usage by increasing ink costs, forcing players to adapt and diversify their strategies. Battles involve deploying these units on parchment battlefields.
- Tutorial and replayable story (weight 0.17): The game features a tutorial that gradually introduces players to its mechanics and complexities.  The story mode provides replayability through randomized elements, encouraging players to adapt their strategies across multiple playthroughs.
- Diverse units with unique abilities (weight 0.11): The game features a diverse roster of units, often with comical medieval-themed animal designs, each possessing unique abilities and characteristics.  Players must strategically build and manage their army, considering unit strengths, weaknesses, and synergies to counter enemy strategies.
- Short, strategic, puzzle-like battles (weight 0.1): Battles are designed to be short, engaging, and strategically rich, often described as puzzle-like. The game incorporates a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, adding a layer of depth and requiring players to adapt to unexpected events.
- Branching paths and varied encounters (weight 0.08): Progression is structured around navigating a map with branching paths, offering varied encounters and rewards. Each playthrough introduces new elements and challenges, encouraging players to explore different strategies and adapt to changing circumstances.
- Talents and 'boredom' mechanic (weight 0.08): Talents are passive power-ups that grant abilities, while the 'boredom' mechanic increases the cost of summoning the same unit repeatedly, encouraging varied unit usage and efficient resource management.
- Tactical depth and environmental factors (weight 0.08): Tactical depth is enhanced through various mechanics, including hand actions, environmental hazards, and positioning.  Verticality and terrain features play a significant role in combat, influencing unit choices and strategic decision-making.
- Tactical combat and resource management (weight 0.06): The game features tactical combat gameplay with resource management (ink). It is a 2D territory control game with a side view and no depth, involving environmental advantages, resource acquisition, and resource management.
- Lacks strategic depth/weak roguelike (weight 0.05): Some reviewers feel the game lacks strategic depth and that the roguelike elements are weak and restrictive.  The random elements and modifiers are not implemented in an enticing way, making the game lean more towards a puzzle game.
- Unique unit abilities with cooldowns (weight 0.05): Units have unique abilities and attacks which go on cooldown. Tiny abilities have cooldowns and can be changed. Creatures have special attacks with cooldowns.
- Local multiplayer mode available (weight 0.04): The game includes a local multiplayer mode, allowing players to compete against each other in 1v1 battles. However, the game is primarily designed for single-player experiences.
- Shop system for resource spending (weight 0.03): Players encounter shops to spend gold on beasts, health, ink, feathers, and powers. The shop system is described as "pseudo-random", where players cannot significantly improve their characters through "financial power."
- Battle escape and randomized rewards (weight 0.03): Battles cannot be escaped other than by losing/forfeiting and giving up a quill to retry or skip. Randomized battles offer designated rewards like quills (lives), units, gold, and prestige.
- Puzzle-solving focus, light narrative (weight 0.03): The game avoids a complex narrative, using flavor text to tie into the medieval art theme. The game is more focused on puzzle-solving than strategic war gaming.

Performance notes:
- Runs well on diverse hardware (weight 0.07): The game is optimized and runs smoothly on various hardware configurations, including older PCs and the Steam Deck. This broad compatibility makes the game accessible to a wider audience, regardless of their hardware limitations.
- Game-breaking bugs present (weight 0.03): Some players have encountered freezing bugs that require a restart. A specific recurring bug involves a unit becoming permanently stuck during boss battles, particularly when using the floating head unit, forcing a reload.
- Few bugs encountered (weight 0.03): Players have reported encountering very few bugs during their playthroughs. This indicates a stable and polished game experience, contributing to overall enjoyment.
- Excellent controller integration (weight 0.02): The game features excellent controller integration, enhancing the player experience. The inclusion of an "info layer" suggests additional helpful information is readily available when using a controller.
- Quick loading times (weight 0.02): The game exhibits quick loading times, minimizing wait times and allowing players to quickly jump into the action. This contributes to a smoother and more enjoyable gameplay experience.
- Cartoonish and cute graphics (weight 0.01): The game features a cartoonish and cute art style. This aesthetic choice contributes to the game's overall visual appeal and may attract players who enjoy this particular style.
- Small game (weight 0.01): The game is described as a small game. This could refer to the game's scope, length, or file size.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended, fun, and unique (weight 0.84): Many reviewers express strong positive sentiment, calling the game fun, unique, and strategically deep. They highly recommend it for fans of the genre and newcomers alike, praising its art style and engaging gameplay. Some even consider it a masterpiece or a hidden gem.
- Buy on sale for best value (weight 0.77): A common suggestion is to purchase the game on sale due to concerns about its length or content relative to its full price. Some reviewers feel the game is worth the full price, but many suggest waiting for a discount to get the best value.
- Standard roguelike, rogue-lite disliked (weight 0.67): Some reviewers find the game to be a fairly standard roguelike or roguelite experience. Others specifically dislike the rogue-lite elements, suggesting they detract from the core gameplay.
- Not recommended, frustrating experience (weight 0.12): Some reviewers strongly advise against purchasing the game, citing frustration, lack of enjoyment, and issues with game design. Some find the game boring, uninspired, or not worth the asking price, leading to a negative overall experience.
- Appeals to medieval theme fans (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for players who enjoy medieval themes, settings, and monsters. The game is intended to be played at a relaxed pace, like living in the Middle Ages.
- Singleplayer and multiplayer battles (weight 0.03): The game offers both singleplayer campaign and multiplayer battles. Some reviewers suggest adding multiplayer to improve game stickiness.
- Play on Hard/Master difficulty (weight 0.02): The game is best experienced on Hard or Master difficulty. If the tutorial is too easy and becomes boring due to its length, it is recommended to start the journey on Hard or Master difficulty.
- Similar to Slay the Spire (weight 0.01): The game is recommended for players interested in games like "Slay the Spire" and/or versus combat.
- Single move can make/break (weight 0.01): The game is recommended for players who enjoy games where a single move can make or break the game (including analog games).

Other player notes:
- Inkulinati lore and gameplay (weight 0.05): The game introduces the concept of 'Inkulinati,' masters of living ink who battle using creatures they draw. Players appreciated the term and the historical context provided for this unique element of the game's lore.
- Crude humor (weight 0.04): The game features crude humor, including exploding characters and farting donkeys. While some players may find this amusing, it may not appeal to all audiences.
- Campaign goal: Kill Death (weight 0.03): The game's campaign revolves around a student's quest to revive their master by challenging Death. This overarching narrative provides a clear goal for players to pursue.
- Low achievement completion rates (weight 0.03): Achievement completion rates are surprisingly low for basic tasks like completing the tutorial or winning a match. This suggests that the game may have a steep learning curve or that players are encountering difficulties early on.
- Conflicting reports on updates (weight 0.02): There is conflicting information regarding updates. Some reviews mention the developers stating they will not update the game, while others state the opposite. This discrepancy could be due to changes in the developer's plans or misinterpretations.
- Clean, intuitive UI (weight 0.02): The game features a clean and intuitive user interface, enhanced by comprehensive tooltips and a built-in encyclopedia. This makes it easier for players to understand the game's mechanics and navigate its various features.
- Repetitive tutorial pop-ups (weight 0.02): Some players have noted that tutorial pop-ups repeat during the campaign. This can become annoying and disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- Shallow off-combat content (weight 0.02): The game features off-combat content that allows for unit selection and bonuses between battles. However, some players feel that this meta-game layer feels somewhat shallow and underdeveloped.

Emotions:
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