Inkulinati Arrives via Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview Later This Year

Written by Brandon Hofer on August 18, 2022

News: A new game set on a 2D book battlefield is on the way and will be playable at Gamescom.

Developer Yaza Games and Publisher Daedalic Entertainment announced today that their one-of-a-kind, ink-based strategy game Inkulinati will launch on Steam Early Access and Microsoft’s Xbox Game Preview in Winter 2022.

Mythical creatures, humanoid beasts, and eccentric drawings, yes, the Middle Ages were full of fantasy, and so is Inkulinati. The freshly inked trailer showcases the game’s stylish interpretation of medieval manuscripts, alongside turn-based strategy battles in which a rabbit’s bum can be more dangerous than a dog's sword.

You will assume the role of a mighty Inkulinati who wields the power of Living Ink: magic that brings illustrations to life on the page. On the game’s 2D book-battlefields, the inked creatures follow their masters’ commands, fighting against beasts controlled by rival Inkulinati. To gain an edge over their enemies, players can collect new Living Ink and tinker with their bestiary to find strategic compositions for their next duel. New servants can be unlocked throughout the game, adding peculiar abilities to the Inkulinati’s arsenal, such as human-eating snails or lodging trumpets in bottoms.

Players must move their teams with foresight and cunning to beat their opponents— among them some medieval superstars, such as Death and Dante Alighieri. As Inkulinati, you have the power to personally intervene in battles, but so do your opponents. Thanks to special abilities, they can squash hostile troops with their bare fists, draw up obstacles or move their own fighters across the map at the snap of a finger. Thus one action can turn the tide of the whole battle.

Players can ready their troops to delve into the game’s demanding single-player campaign, with the goal of rescuing their master or challenge other Inkulinati locally in a revival of the old-school hot-seat mode. The game features intricate maps that influence duels, allows for different gameplay styles (e. g. aggressive vs calculating), and captivates with a unique art style— and a special kind of dark humor.

Inkulinati will be playable at the Xbox-Booth (Hall 8.1, Stall B051 C058) and the Indie Arena Booth (Hall 10.2, Stall F010 E011) at Gamescom. The developers are available for presentations and talks In the B2C-Area.

Inkulinati is coming to Early Access this winter for PC (Windows and Mac), and Xbox Game Preview for Xbox One and Xbox Series S | X. Alongside these platforms, the full release will launch on Nintendo Switch, and additional platform adaptations might be announced in the future.

Take a look at the trailer and tell us what you think. Are you interested in playing Inkulinati?