Inkslinger
A downloadable game for Windows and macOS
REVIEWS
"A unique experience."
"Inkslinger has an indisputable understanding of how language and words can have devastating effects."
“[Inkslinger] understands the horrific potential of language, its capacity to evoke terrifying and hopefully alien situations that live in the mind long after the words have finished.”
VICE Magazine
ABOUT
Inkslinger is a 40-60 minutes, story-driven, Romancepunk tragedy with typing-game mechanics and multiple endings.
YOU NEED TO WRITE
You play as an inkslinger, which is both a profession and a race. Your job is to help formulate the letters and speeches of your Isle Shammer clientele. Else, you start to wither; your inkveins becoming stiff, your body rigid.
SO YOU WRITE FOR YOUR CLIENTS
One after the other, the eccentric inhabitants of Isle Shammer visit your desk at the Wordshop. You have to find the right approach to each paragraph of their letters, depending on the clues they give you. At your desk, you'll meet:
- Tetherheart, a mother whose son never gets back to her.
- Smoothie, a young cointaker for a fishmonger by the Waterbed. She needs a poem written for a boy she slapped for calling her a damp oyster.
- Humstrum, a beguiling musician.
- And six other clients, making your inkveins thrive or wither!
BUT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO REACH YOU
Sometimes, however, these client encounters stir up vivid daydreams. You enter a trance in which a mysterious boy tells you about your past. Piece by piece, a timeline slowly forms, telling you about the tragic events that led you to Isle Shammer.
But who is this boy to you? And what can he tell you about your past?
WHAT'S THE CHALLENGE?
All types of players can play Inkslinger. To stimulate newcomers and experienced players alike, Inkslinger doesn't challenge you motorically but cognitively. This game doesn't care about how fast you are but how deeply you connect with your clients through your semantic understanding.
CONTENT WARNING:
Inkslinger contains written descriptions of violence.
While there are no visual depictions of the acts, these gameplay segments are written and designed to be evocative.
Inkslinger was made by Gateway, a Copenhagen-based duo.
For our press kit and downloadable screenshots, please visit: https://inkslingergame.com/
Status | Released |
Platforms | Windows, macOS |
Release date | Apr 22, 2021 |
Rating | Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars (2 total ratings) |
Author | Gateway |
Genre | Adventure |
Made with | Adobe Photoshop, Unity, Adobe Illustrator, Twine |
Tags | Multiple Endings, Mystery, Narrative, Psychological Horror, romancepunk, story-driven, Story Rich, tragedy |
Average session | About an hour |
Languages | English |
Inputs | Keyboard |
Accessibility | Color-blind friendly |
Links | Steam, Steam, Twitter/X, Homepage |
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $4.99 USD. You will get access to the following files:
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