Drawn from the margins of a manuscript
Inkulinati is a turn-based strategy game set in the world of medieval manuscripts. You play as an Inkulinati Master, using the Living Ink to draw Beasts onto the battlefield. The art style is hand-drawn and full of dark humor, featuring bizarre creatures like sword-wielding rabbits, dogs with spears, and human-eating snails. Your goal is to spill the enemy's ink, defeat famous medieval figures like Hildegard and Dante Alighieri, and collect perks to unlock hidden powers. The game offers a Journey mode where you create your own character, learn new techniques for drawing Beasts and Hand Actions, and build your army. You'll face wild Beasts, explore Beast Lairs, and visit shops and scriptoriums on your adventure. For those who want to learn the ropes, an Academy mode teaches the nuances of battle step-by-step, and different difficulty levels let you choose your challenge.
A duel of quills against your friends
Inkulinati brings back the classic hot-seat mode for local multiplayer. You can face your friends or family in a head-to-head battle to decide who is the greatest Inkulinati Master in the house. Before the fight, you can choose your Army, Talents, Inkulinati Master, and the Battlefield. The battle is a strategic duel where both players use Hand Actions to smash units, draw barriers, relocate troops, or even explode their own units for chaos. Each battlefield has its own dangers and opportunities, with objects like exploding Pots of Beans and Clouds of Blessings to use to your advantage. Apocalyptic events can also occur, flipping your plans upside down with fires, plagues, and the Memento Mori. The Steam feature Remote Play Together is also available, allowing you to join in with others.
What to know before you start
This is a game of nuance and brain-sizzling challenge that will test even hardened strategists. Every move needs careful planning, as your opponent can use the same powerful Hand Actions against you. Beasts have special individual skills and class-specific abilities that work together to create a symphony of destruction. Each Inkulinati Master can also have their own set of Talents to help win the battle. The game is a roguelite with deckbuilding elements, so you'll be collecting perks and adapting your tactics to each encounter. If you're new to this style of strategy, the Academy mode is the best place to start, as it teaches you how to master the game's mechanics step-by-step.