From Press Release:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — June 2, 2022 — Shiny Shoe, the indie studio behind 2020’s award-winning Monster Train, announced its eagerly awaited next project. Inkbound takes players on a journey through procedurally generated storybook worlds, battling monsters that are set on unraveling the nature of reality itself. Players can dive in solo or party up via online co-op in hybrid real-time/turn-based encounters. All the while, heroes become more powerful the deeper they progress in each roguelike run. Inkbound is coming to Steam Early Access in 2023.
Inkbound takes place in The Atheneum, a world that contains all the stories that have ever been written. Here, anything that’s written in Ink can become real — such as nightmarish carnivals, ancient ruins on the brink of volcanic annihilation, and more. The heroic Binders, charged with maintaining these stories, can go anytime and anywhere so long as it has been written. And if it hasn’t, perhaps they’ll create tales of their own.
Shiny Shoe has designed a combat system that blends the kinetic brawls of an ARPG with the deep strategy of a tactics game. Turns are snappy and quick, but players can slow down and take time to fully evaluate their current threats. Players choose the optimal times to rush enemies for melee strikes or to best position themselves for a perfectly aimed ranged attack.
“Inkbound is not a card game, however, like Monster Train you’re creating and upgrading a build to change the way you engage with each roguelike run,” said Andrew Krausnick, Creative Director at Shiny Shoe. “Fans will notice that Inkbound shares DNA with Monster Train, but we expanded upon what we learned making that title, to create a richly different experience, which also combines our love of co-op games and ARPGs”
Inkbound has been built around cooperative play, which further enhances its tactical elements. Binders can work together to debuff enemies and follow up with devastating attacks. Or perhaps one Binder can hang back, keeping their party healthy during the battle. Every roguelike run is different, pushing players to learn from and adapt to each exciting new challenge. Co-op is rewarded, but not required. Binders can embark on their own solo adventures, but banding together is the safest way to take on the toughest challenges and acquire Inkbound’s best loot.
“We cultivated an incredible community with Monster Train, so with Inkbound we wanted to explore ways to approach that shared experience within a new genre. This is a living game, which provides us with the opportunity to nurture our community over the long term.” said Mark Cooke, CEO of Shiny Shoe. “Our goal is to give Binders new surprises to discover every week — whether it’s deadly new enemies, powerful loot, or even entirely new biomes. And that’s the mission statement of Shiny Shoe. We want to attract a base of players who love our games and find new reasons to keep playing them, so that they’re remembered fondly 20 years from now.”
You can find additional information on the official Inkbound website, which includes details on how to join the beta.
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