Inkbound is a turn-based roguelike with a mix of Hades-style isometric gameplay and turn-based tactics. The game features a story about stories, where you play as a warrior in a magical library fighting against evil ink. The battles are entirely turn-based, requiring strategic positioning and planning to avoid taking damage. The game offers four starter loadouts with opportunities for customization during runs, allowing players to finish with significantly different character builds. Players can obtain various attacks and augment them with bonuses like poison or increased area of effect. Additionally, the game introduces “vestiges,” talismans that grant specific bonuses and belong to themed groups. Players can destroy vestiges at certain points in the game to gain permanent bonuses, adding a unique twist to character-building in roguelikes. Despite its clever ideas and potential for engaging gameplay, Inkbound suffers from a lack of clarity and readability during battles. The game’s UI can be cluttered and confusing, making it difficult to understand enemy attacks and plan accordingly. This can lead to frustrating and seemingly impossible battles, causing some players to become discouraged. While the game has its strengths and offers a unique take on character-building in roguelikes, it still has room for improvement in terms of providing a more intuitive and enjoyable gameplay experience. As it stands, Inkbound shows promise but may not fully satisfy players looking for a polished and consistently engaging gaming experience.