The UI is a little messy, and it takes a minute to assess the battlefield each turn. I prefer the unpredictability of getting a larger deck of cards dealt every turn ala Monster Train, rather than having a Diablo-style loop of abilities rotating with passive buffs to support those skills. Upgrades happen a little too frequently, which makes decisions feel less impactful. I wasn't a big fan of constantly having to choose between three random minor buffs every few minutes, as it felt like this interrupted the gameplay flow. Furthermore, I didn't find this loop as addictive or rewarding compared to Monster Train because the pace of the game feels slower. It is much more satisfying to shuffle characters around in Monster Train compared to moving your character in Inkbound and finicking around with the mouse to try to land an attack on as many enemies as possible; there is simply less strategy in that, and it is not very satisfying when landing an AOE hit.
There is less RNG in the gameplay mechanics here than in Monster Train, as you have about six locked-in abilities and seven passive attributes as opposed to a deck of cards where you are dealt a hand every turn (though I prefer the more chaotic and unpredictable nature of a traditional deckbuilder). There is a risk/reward mechanic where you can sacrifice a passive to reallocate double points to level up your chosen build path.
Since you are sacrificing passives to level up, it is not a big deal if you select something that doesn't synergize well. This makes the game newcomer-friendly if players can get past the obtuse UI. The graphics are decent, and the art style is pleasant. Surprisingly, there is a well-voiced cast of characters and an attempt at a story. Multiplayer is an intriguing addition, and there are still active players online!
Overall, I am a fan of the tactical combat, but the UI needed some polish. I ultimately prefer a card deckbuilder over a set of locked skills where you are constantly being interrupted every minute to choose minor buffs, ala Vampire Survivors. Overall, it's a 6/10, but if you are a fan of Monster Train, you might want to check this out as it is an interesting experiment from developer Shiny Shoe.
