Realm of Ink is finally out in the wild, as of late May, and after getting stuck into the final version of Leap Studios’ action-roguelite, it’s time to let you know how I’ve been getting on.
I’m sure all of you console-based rogues out there will be curious to know more about the game, as much as anyone who has been waiting for it to exit Early Access, so let’s get to it…
What is Realm of Ink?
While the Hades comparisons are valid and apparent, I think Realm of Ink is closer in spirit to a different action-RPG. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is an accessible and engaging roguelite, and it shares much of the same DNA as this new addition to the party.
Much like Splintered Fate, there is a big emphasis on engaging boss battles, with strongly signposted attack patterns. It’s just that little bit less demanding than the more technical isometric roguelites out there, and instead it relies on big, bold visuals and a helping of build theory to keep the player engaged.
The game’s eponymous ink mechanic is its big point of difference, and it allows for some interesting experimentation. There is a limited amount of diversification you can apply to a character during any given run, once you’ve made your core choices. On the other hand, I like how easy it is to re-spec mid-campaign, if you’re not happy with how things are coming together.
Cute but dangerous
The ink companion you take into battle is the embodiment of your core choices, which is a fun touch. It’s mostly just nice to have someone fighting by your side, and if you level it up appropriately, your little friend can be quite powerful in battle.
There are lots of items and elixirs out there to collect, buy, and otherwise obtain from the named characters you encounter, but these items often flatter to deceive. While there is some treasure to be discovered as you uncover new items, many offer nothing more than simple stat boosts.
Most upgrades mean “number goes up”, and in Realm of Ink, this is the ultimate aim of the game, and you’ll see this manifested in the damage points that fill the screen during combat. You’ll need a powerful build to tackle the final boss, but on the way to this encounter, smart decisions will make you feel like a powerful bad-ass who can cut through most enemies like a hot knife through butter.
Ultimately, despite failing to engage with the narrative, I’ve been having a good time with Realm of Ink’s combat, and if you’re a big fan of Hades 2, I think there’s enough quality and diversity here to set it apart and make it worth a look. It’s not as tightly controlled, nor as carefully balanced as a Supergiant game, but it does have a bunch of cool ideas and the art direction is really nice, too.
Realm of Ink is out now on PC (Win), PS5, Switch, and Xbox. You can read more about it in my Early Access review, which has a more detailed description of some of the game’s core mechanics.
