Dead Ink

Whenever a game adds the description "souls-like" to itself, it is set to generate a buzz inside the gaming industry. And Offwidth Game Ltd. has proudly announced that Dead Ink will be a game for hardcore gamers who enjoy daunting experiences. The title promises a lot of action, combat, and challenge to its players, and if the description is accurate, resilience, patience, and a very-strong will are also required for Dead Ink. Dead Ink is soon to be made available on Nintendo Switch and PC. Dead Ink has a release window within the second quarter of 2022.

A Gruesome Future

Dead Ink takes place in the distant future, in a time where traveling at the speed of light seems to become a reality. To achieve this, your brain is encoded and beamed through to whatever destination you may need to reach. Reality seems like a blur, and challenges arise as you try to literally put your body back together.

The game revolves around exploration and discovering what eventually when wrong with the plans for the glory that this new age of technology was supposed to bring. Dead Ink is described and sets out to be a "souls-like" game, which puts it into the RPG category. But, aside from that, the game's core mechanic, the Ink, seems to push the game towards roguelike/roguelite territories. Everything is made out of Ink, weapons, armors, enemies, and most importantly yourself.

The Purpose of Progress, Is To Turn Blood Into Ink

Dead Ink is an indie game by all standards, and it has very ambitious goals, especially given the titles it mirrors. The absurdly difficult games have been done and presented in countless ways, but difficulty doesn't automatically translate to fun. And that's why the shared resource mechanic is powerful here because it pushes players to make choices surrounding their Ink. Approaching Dead Ink is a task that requires strategy, balance, and skills. Death occurs when players run out of Ink, and each subsequent attempt will cost them more Ink. Upgrading yourself and failing an attempt can mean game over, while spending Ink on more unprepared runs may also spell demise.

The indie game is played from a birds-eye view and boasts 2.5D graphics. Overall, the title seems pretty alive, and the Tower that players need to unfold is a character itself. The game is beautiful, colorful, and has a straightforward combat system. On the other hand, Dead Ink stands by its promise of delivering an unforgiving experience while putting players on a timer. Finally, the world-building here is terrific; level design, lights, and sound all come together to form this architectural labyrinth that is the Tower.

Conclusion

Dead Ink has high ambitions, and their promise of difficulty might be a topic for debate - as extremely hard games often are. The game, however, delivers an intense experience that challenges players in more ways than simply running forward; it requires patience and adaptation.

PROS

• Interesting New Mechanic
• Immersive World Building
• Extremely Challenging
• RPG Elements Seem Well Executed

CONS

• Camera Angles Can Be Tiring
• Aimed At a Very Specific Niche of Players
• Difficulty Will Be Frustrating