REVIEW – Realm Of Ink is a roguelite that aims to reach the level of Hades. Nowadays, there are many such games. Even though this one is a remake, the bar is higher because it needs to be able to compete with modern releases. Did it do well? In the end, yes.

The visuals are unique and hard not to acknowledge. The combat system is also good, and the story isn’t bad either, so overall the result is quite a pleasant experience – even if there are a few minor but noticeable issues.

Style and passion

The game looks appealing. The in-game world, characters, and enemies are created in the style of traditional Chinese painting, so it’s quite beautiful, and the character animations are smooth as well. The fundamentals of combat aren’t very different compared to other roguelite games. We’ll experience fast-paced combat that requires quick reflexes. The main character has – and will acquire – multiple weapons and abilities, and they are varied. Before entering a room, we can choose what kind of bonuses we want: armor? more damage? what’s our strategy? In combat, there’s the usual bullet hell madness, meaning the screen is often flooded with colorful effects. We can also see that the environment is destructible (broken walls, broken furniture).

And here’s something important: if you liked Hades, this might also be worth trying. It’s not the same game, but it’s in the same genre. And it’s worth it. The sound effects are there, and there is a musical score too. The bosses are difficult, but beatable. Still, the game may feel a bit easy, but the developers will likely fine-tune this. But it’s fine as is. It can be compared to BlazBlue: Entropy Effect, because there too, combat and roguelite elements were mixed well. The progression system is also interesting: as we level up, we gain more options for building a build. This allows us to combine both weapons and abilities, letting us shape our character’s playstyle in many ways.

When the pieces come together

During a run, after clearing rooms, we can choose bonuses, tools, everything we need to improve in the next room. The loop gives us exactly what we expect: when we fail, we want to restart quickly. The loop is stable and addictive. What isn’t stable: localization. In several cases, only numbers appear in the game, with no text behind them, which is a typical translation error. It was also interesting that in the PlayStation 5 version, we had to pick up items with the R1 button, but at one point, the button press simply didn’t work. After restarting the game, it worked again.

These things can happen, but they are annoying. The story is interesting because the world is interesting: the Shadow Lantern, a demon-containing lamp. Our protagonist has to enter it. We won’t spoil anything, but it’s worth paying attention to the story. It will pay off, because there is something behind it.

Inked!

That’s why the game is a solid 8/10. If they paid a bit more attention to the bugs, it could have been a 9/10 – though that might be a stretch. Realm Of Ink is still a pleasant roguelite experience, and if you enjoy the genre, it’s definitely worth trying. Despite the issues, it’s a quality gaming experience, but it can’t be elevated to the level of Hades – and that’s fine. That is not an average game…

-V-

Pro:
+ The Chinese painting style is gorgeous!
+ Customization and easily created unique builds
+ Fun combat

Against:
– It may be a bit too easy
– It doesn’t represent damage properly…
– Localization errors

Developer: Leap Studio
Publisher: 4Divinity
Release date: May 25, 2026
Genre: roguelite