INK
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for INK
INK is an ambitiously simplistic platformer that creates its own identity with its level splatting gameplay. The only problem is that despite the attractive colourful visuals at various points, the game's simplicity can get tiresome in long sessions. INK is worth picking up if you're a puzzle-platforming fan, but those looking for a bit more depth may find other 2D platformers more enjoyable.
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.
While it's not exactly reinventing the genre or creating anything brand-new, INK is a decent and inexpensive addition to the library of platfoming fans. There's plenty of challenge, but it's presented in a way that keeps punishment for death light and free from the 'cheap' feeling that many games can have.
Although you may find other games that could fulfill INK's purpose, INK's music, art direction, and spastic gameplay do enough to create a small world of originality that I'd personally like to see a sequel to.
INK is a fun platformer with an interesting gameplay mechanic that has more than enough content to justify its price. The 75 available levels offer a good challenge, not to mention that finding all 20 hidden coins will require some extra time from players looking in out of reach spots. It's a short game that can be completed in a couple of hours with an extra hour or two for trophy cleanup… or at least for most trophies since completing all 75 levels in the game without dying will require a lot of practice, but at least it counts them in groups of 25 levels and not the full 75 levels in one go.
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.
Overall, INK is a fun and fast-paced minimalist platformer that is fun on PlayStation 4. Due to the game's nature, there's a lot of trial and error involved, but you'll get better and better the more you play. It's a great effort from ZackBellGames with a nice twist to platforming that keeps it feeling fresh until the end, and I look forward to checking out the dev's next game!
In many ways, INK feels like an exploration game with an artistic side focus. By limiting the player's sense of sight, the game creates an enjoyable and unique platforming experience.
