Release Date: August 5, 2015
Platform action game in which we control a rectangular hero fighting for survival on seventy-five levels. The protagonist must not only avoid countless dangers and eliminate enemies, but also discover an initially invisible environment, spraying coloured paint around. Therefore, it is not difficult to die here, which is why production is characterised by a high level of difficulty.
INK is an action platform game created by the independent studio ZackBellGames. The main source of inspiration for the game was the best-selling Super Meat Boy - just like the work of Team Meat, the title described here is characterized by an extremely high level of difficulty.
In INK we observe the action from the side, controlling a rectangular hero. There are 75 stages awaiting completion, where our task is to jump over platforms, avoid traps and chasms and eliminate all enemies (apart from common adversaries, there are also bosses on our way, which are not only larger, but also more durable), and finally reach the exit.
However, things are complicated by the fact that the environment is initially invisible - we discover its elements ourselves, falling into them or making double jumps, during which the figure splashes around with colourful paint. Therefore, it's not difficult to die here - however, when the hero says goodbye to his life, the spilled paint remains on the map, which makes it easier during subsequent attempts.
INK is characterized by extremely simple two-dimensional visuals, whose elements have been implemented in the form of geometric figures. This applies both to the environment and opponents, as well as to the hero we control. The game is accompanied by an electronic soundtrack which efficiently boosts the pace of the game.
Platforms:
PC Windows August 5, 2015
PlayStation 4 September 19, 2017
Xbox One September 22, 2017
Nintendo Switch June 19, 2018
Developer: ZackBellGames
Publisher: Digerati
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Game Ratings for INK Video Game.
NintendoWorldReport: 8 / 10 by Jordan Rudek
Upon completing INK, I felt as one does after enjoying a perfectly-cooked steak: satisfied and satiated. In this case, I do want more, but not because INK didn't give me enough. Rather, it gave me exactly what I wanted; this time, with a splash of colour.
Nintendo Life: 7 / 10 by Liam Doolan
Replace the blood and brutality of Super Meat Boy with paint, add invisible levels and marginally tone down the difficulty, and what you have is INK. The practical use of the featured art style is a novel idea, but somehow the title still lacks a distinctive sense of character - even with all the vivid colours on display. What's left is a streamlined but more basic fast-paced platform game that does a competent job recreating the same types of experiences we've seen in the past, requiring twitch-like reflexes and pinpoint accuracy.
Cubed3: 6 / 10 by Thom Compton
INK may be a simple package, but it's a good package. Thanks to a well implemented, simple idea, you will find yourself getting lost in its allure. It's just too bad there's not a lot of reason to go back once you are done. If it had more meat on its bones then perhaps it would come as a higher recommendation. Unfortunately, though, despite being enjoyable, there is just not enough to it overall to help it reach the upper echelons in the current marketplace.
Average score from votes.
