Tried Inkulinati of October 2022 Steam Next Fest demo

First of all, Inkulinati became famous in Italy for its easy-going humor, but this strategic game stands out above all for its qualities. On the occasion of Steam Next Fest, the development team Summer Games released a new demo to make it clear that the general disrespect of the experience (farting mules are on the agenda, after all) isn’t the only arrow going on the air.

PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | Expected for S, Inkulinati may be one of the most solid strategy games to come, along with a unique visual style adventure.

However, to know in detail what we think, you should keep reading this. Tried by Inkulinati.

Fundamentals

A while ago we proposed an Inkulinati experiment where we explained the basics of the game system. The situation has roughly not changed since then, and even in this demo we find ourselves facing off. strategic turn-based battles In the role of an Inkulinati or Living Ink master or teacher.

Inculinati can draw on its own medieval manuscripts living creatures and lead them into battle against your opponent’s. Every creature, whether swordsman, archer, or trumpet mule, has a class and can move and then attack or use a special ability. The battlefield is two-dimensional, but full of elements and levels: There are ladders to climb platforms, obstacles such as barrels, furniture, as well as explosive cauldrons or epidemic areas. To win an Inkulinati game you have to make good use of your creatures as well as all the objects on the field.

A game is usually played by summoning creatures by spending money. InkIt can be saved by skipping a creature’s turn or by having your own warrior in an area where there is an inkblot. The games are designed not to be very long, and after a few Chapters (triggered every time all creatures on the field finish their turn), Apocalypse begins, which can quickly eliminate creatures on the field and lead to defeat. (or to victory if the opponent is first caught by the Apocalypse).

Finally, in many fights, our Inkulinati He has his own miniature version on the field with superior abilities. It cannot move normally, but through it we can use our hand (the “real” one seen from above on the battlefield) to activate various abilities such as moving an item, friend or companion on the screen, dealing damage, leaving a gap. . cure, activate bonus or evil. His miniature death is what determines defeat.

mode

However, this new Inkulinati demo focuses on mods we haven’t tried in the past. First of all, we findAcademy, it’s a kind of tutorial, but also a series of challenges that take on a puzzle nuance. Each Academy mission is a preset level with fixed enemies, obstacles and allies that serve to teach us the basic moves of the game. The lower levels are simple, but already at the intermediate level, we will have to try again and again before we find the exact strategy designed by the developers to win this task. If the Academy had several such levels in the final version of Inkulinati – perhaps some of the rewards were linked – this would have been a good alternative mod.

However, the emphasis travel, single player mode with maximum number of health. The journey is divided into chapters that end with a fight with another Inkulinati, but in the middle he must face small battles against groups of lone monsters and also complete special non-combat events. Additionally, this mod has a story to follow which will lead us to become the best Inkulinati.

Inside travel We must accumulate gold to buy new creatures and other upgrades for our Inkulinati, take care of the health of our miniature, which does not fully heal between one fight and another, but also improve our Fame, which allows us to activate additional bonuses when we pass. Through boxes like Brewer, The Merchant or Church that allow us to heal ourselves, develop maximum life, or reduce Boredom.

There Boredom An interesting mechanic of Inkulinati: every time we draw a creature on the battlefield, our character gets bored and it will cost more to use the same creature in the next game. This is to force us to always use different creatures and focus only on the best or the ones we love the most. Journey clearly seems to be the focus of the game, and the build looked solid and varied in the early stages. We’ll have to see how long it lasts and how diverse it will be in the long run.

Finally, there is no shortage of already known battles. Face off against AI or other players, focusing only on war. These are the most disposable mods, perfect for a quick game when we don’t have much time for Journey or Academy.

Inkulinati, in this new trial, hit us Once again. The strategic system is very solid, with not only the flipping style nice and unique graphics, but also very long battles, reduced battlefields, but also strategic possibilities and different ways to have fun. Frankly, we’ll have to wait for the full release to see if the first good impressions will be confirmed, but in the meantime we suggest you try the demo of Steam Next Fest.