Inkulinati, a medieval-themed strategy game from developer Yaza Games and publisher Daedalic Entertainment, is a clever game with some noticeable flaws. Players complete duels and adventures on ancient manuscripts, drawing amusing animal soldiers to help you defeat your enemies.

It’s a very compelling hook, and the game turned out to be just as dense as it is charming. It has simple mechanics, but many of them. And as today’s launch was not representative of a complete game, most of its issues involve quality of life rather than its gameplay. 

For example, tutorial selections and actions can sometimes feel unclear on console, but the game might be smoother on PC. Either way, the game doesn’t always explain itself well, and some intro mechanics feel like walking into a brick wall.

With gameplay, you really have to pay attention when your adventures introduce new enemies or environmental changes. Their effects and rules are designed to surprise you, and do not telegraph their physics or abilities. But these surprises also justify the game’s choice of medium.

Inkulinati is actually very much like a tabletop game, with turn-based strategy and movement. It encourages players to think ahead as much as possible. And because the environment plays such a large role, including your own giant hands in-game, victory always has more than one solution.

There’s no question that Inkulinati makes the most of its theme, with a playful tone and unforgiving duels. The dialogue and action both have a great sense of humor, and the setting features great artwork and music.

However, it remains unclear for now if Inkulinati would hold up if it loses its novelty. It has a party game tone, but demands intense tactics, creating a weird contrast. And later challenges don’t seem to elaborate as much as they could, despite offering such a variety of effects. 

Either way, there are plenty of similar TTGs where fans overlook a frustrating rulebook or learning curve in exchange for smart gameplay and a fun theme. After Inkulinati cleans up for a complete and full launch, it’ll be interesting to see how the devs expand. 

Final Thoughts

Inkulinati should already be a satisfying experience for strategy fans. It’s full of wit, layers, and creativity. But it’s also rather inaccessible, and that’s largely due to presentation. With time to polish up its chain mail, and perhaps add some more content, Inkulinati has tremendous potential.

Score: 7.5/10