Inkbound Review: Rise of the Unbound Merges Polish, Strategy and Story in this Co-Op Roguelike

I’ve been playing Inkbound for the past several months, and now that the game has finally launched, it’s time to turn a critical eye to their 1.0 version, and delve deep into the pages hidden within this co-op roguelike strategy game.

It has been nearly a year since Inkbound released on Steam as an Early Access title. Since that time I’ve mustered up the courage to brave the many dangerous stories, building my strength and strategy through the ranks until I reached the summit of level 20 (now they reduced it to 10 levels). I spent many a sleepless night understanding the nuances of each Aspect (class), and concocting increasingly strange strategies pairing my favorite trinkets with a variety of vestiges. The game has come a long way, and it seems like the majority of Rise of the Unbound is meant bring down the stark learning curve that the previous versions dealt with for a more streamlined experience.

In this case, developer Shiny Shoe expanded the game in a number of ways to entice players to get more invested in the story. As a refresher from ourEarly Access review and seasonal impressions, Inkbound takes place in the Atheneum Library – an expansive social hub where you’ll meet other players, and where a great deal of the story plays out. The Atheneum Library houses a multitude of stories, many of which have come under attack, and only the Needless (your character), is able to stop them by bonding with a Kwill, and assume different heroic aspects from the stories.

The premise has always enticed me as a fan books and stories, and the stories in Inkbound have grown more varied over the course of Early Access. You’ll take part in what feels like a Grecian or Roman epic in the Proving Ground, or skulk your way around an eerie space saga in the Derelict Starship. The locales in Inkbound tell the underlying story, and it’s hard to discern exactly where the inspiration for these stories come from, which I feel is a missed opportunity.

Shiny Shoe crafted something