Developer: Blackfield Entertainment
Platform: PC
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG
Publisher: Entalto Publishing
Ink Inside is a beat-em-up dodgeball action RPG. This game was developed by Blackfield Entertainment LLC and published by Entalto Publishing. Ink Inside is currently only available for Windows, with an upcoming release on other platforms.
Ink Inside gets you to play as a one-armed stick figure named Stick, who happens to regain ‘consciousness’. Stick becomes aware that he is a drawing that has come to life through Hannah’s imagination and needs to help the people of the several books from becoming ‘sogged’. Stick takes on this adventure with the help of Detective Fuzz to meet the princesses and fight enemies that have been corrupted by the ‘sog’ all whilst trying to save his friends. Little by little, Stick starts to remember pieces of memories that Hannah shared, and it is up to him to save the world.
In Ink Inside, you can either play by yourself or locally with a friend. We found that playing either mode does not deviate from how fun the game actually is. Single-player can be quite a good experience as you get to go on an eventful journey where you can encounter all sorts of characters, but playing co-op with someone else is even better. For the local co-op option of the game, we tested it out through Steam remote play, which worked extremely well without any lag. In this case, there was a bit of trouble in setting up the keyboard and control for each specific player. Besides that little hurdle, the co-op experience itself was fantastic, and for the style of this game, it worked seamlessly. The game is full of wrecking dodgeball havoc where you will encounter fight after fight, and the balance in fight difficulties does not change heavily in single-player/co-op. We found that co-op to be super fun as you could run down, complete quests and throw dodgeballs as unique, quirky characters. It honestly does not get better when having to play with Traff, the princess of cursing. Plus, dodgeball is always better when playing with someone else.
The game has a great UI layout where everything from tips/help/inventory can be accessed easily with detailed descriptions. The start of the game lays out the tutorial that explains keybinds and mechanics. What I quite liked was that as you continue through the game, you encounter several new mechanics, items or cool moves that are explained to make it easier for players to grasp. The controls themselves are not difficult whatsoever, with binds shown on the screen themselves. It is recommended to play Ink Inside with a controller, which we found was a lot easier and comfortable than playing on a keyboard and mouse. I would say that with a keyboard and mouse, the aim for the dodgeballs did seem a lot quicker and more accurate.
Ink Inside features a unique doodle-like art style that comes through the imagination of a little girl. The characters are seen with crayons, pencil-like strokes or thin paper cutouts. The world in Ink Inside is beautiful as it is filled with vibrant colours and details that have been brought to life through drawings. My favourite thing about this game has to be the real-life incorporation, where you will see actual live footage of Hannah’s memories and how they go back into the drawing world. Sequences like going through a tear or characters being sogged relate to the outside real-life world, which is done brilliantly. You get to see the difference in drawing styles between characters that pair so well together. The game reminds me of an interesting take on Toy Story, and the animations are outstanding. Besides the animation, you have quirky, hilarious characters that are voice-acted, which makes the game even more exciting. The voice acting is perfect; each character has a distinct voice to them that matches their characteristics. For instance, Detective Fuzz has a deep, sheriff-like voice which matches his aesthetic. Stick on, on the other hand, sounds like a teenage kid. It was so cool to see that the game cast really talented voice actors from other big projects, which complements the game entirely. It’s almost as if you’re watching an animated cartoon show, but here, you actually get to become part of it. From the voice acting to the visuals, the soundtrack is fantastic as well. Battles will have amped-up music, and scenes where you get to explore the illustrated world will have subtle music. Additionally, sound effects make the game so much better as it brings the illustrated world to life, from triumphant noise when finding loot to the smacking of dodgeballs on enemies. The developers put a great amount of effort into the design, and it truly sells the game.
Ink Inside plays in a way where you get to meet characters and play out the story whilst encountering battles, finding loot, beating bosses, upgrading items and much more. The game is described as similar to Zelda but with dodgeballs, and I would say that the title is quite accurate. The game has so much to offer where you get the chance to take on side quests or just focus on the main quest. Exploring areas will encounter dodgeball battles that can help your character level up and gain better loot. What surprised me the most from how much I have played this game is the story. The story goes far beyond my expectations as it builds up the emotional sequences that these doodles share with Hannah. The dialogue is well-written, which keeps the player engaged.
At first, I thought the dodgeball concept may be a bit too boring, but it is so much fun. You’re able to perform cool moves like ‘BREAK THE RULES’ where you can literally break the ‘line’ and attack enemies from closer range. Items can be collected like upgraded dodgeballs that will deal more damage or have a special effect. Personally, the combat for Ink Inside is well-balanced, in my opinion, as the boss fights were difficult, and the enemies that you would encounter throughout the gameplay would get progressively more difficult. What made the battles even better was the damage you could take from the battleground itself. For instance, when you battle in Candy Land, some candies on the floor almost look like spikes, which can actually damage Stick. The combat is fast and smooth, and no battle is boring, as you can have some battles that you completely abolish or others that take some time.
One of the other players, Moody, who we played this game, had the following to say, “I played this game locally, and it was such a different experience from other games as I did not think playing dodgeball would be so much fun. I got to play the princess of cursing, and she was hilarious. The voice acting with the dialogue was so much like watching a cartoon that I had complete control over. I thought the dodgeball battles were so much fun because you were able to continuously bash balls at enemies without an actual cooldown unless you missed it. Even then you could steal your friend’s dodgeball and use it as your own to attack the enemy. I was a bit confused in battles about why enemies could easily cross over the line, but after a while, it did not make much of a difference because none of them stood a chance. The game was so much fun because I was able to focus on different quests and earn rewards to upgrade my character’s items. The selection of items, besides the dodgeballs themselves, like shield and dash boost, was quite too many to choose from. I had a lot of fun and found it much more fun playing co-op than by myself.”
The game itself is not as difficult to navigate, and there are so many options to choose from. Having the ability to focus on side quests to earn rewards for upgrades is also a good choice before continuing with the main story. There was one thing in the game that I did find confusing, and it was the map. Even after a couple of hours of playing the game, being able to access the map was not possible. It may be that I just have not yet unlocked the ability to, but it was a bit concerning. Nonetheless, the locations in the world are made easy enough to traverse through without getting lost.
Ink Inside stays true to its RPG-like elements and does not disappoint when putting the fun in dodgeball. The game has witty humour with unique personalities and a story that will keep the player playing. Ink Inside also features stunning doodle-like visuals that shine a light on this beautifully crafted illustrated world. Be sure to check out Ink Inside, as dodgeball could not get much more fun than this!
Overall: 9/10

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