Realm of Ink Review

When I first saw Realm of Ink, my reaction was probably the same as most roguelite fans: “Oh, another Hades clone.”

An isometric camera? Check.

Fast-paced combat? Check.

Lots of dashing around enemies? Check.

At first glance, it feels like a game you've already played before. Yet after spending roughly 20 hours with it on Nintendo Switch 2, I came away with a very different impression. Realm of Ink borrows plenty of ideas from the giants of the genre, but it also introduces enough of its own personality to avoid feeling like a cheap imitation.

More importantly, it kept pulling me back for “just one more run” long after I thought I was done for the night—and that's usually the biggest compliment I can give a roguelite.

More Than Just Another Hades Clone

The easiest way to describe Realm of Ink is as a mix between Hades and games like Gunfire Reborn or Ember Knights.

Combat is clearly inspired by Hades. Attacks feel responsive, movement is fluid, and every dodge carries that satisfying sense of precision that great action roguelites rely on. Whether you're weaving through enemy attacks or unloading a devastating combo, the game rarely feels sluggish.

Where Realm of Ink begins to separate itself is in its progression systems.

Instead of relying entirely on random upgrades found during a run, the game introduces multiple layers of customization. Players combine active abilities, passive upgrades, character-specific modifiers, companion enhancements, and meta progression systems that continue to unlock new possibilities long after the first successful run.

The result is a roguelite that encourages experimentation far more than its initial appearance suggests.

Build Variety Is the Real Star of Realm of Ink

One of Realm of Ink's greatest strengths is the sheer number of viable builds available.

Throughout each run, players gain access to active skills, passive effects, stat boosts, and modifiers that dramatically change how combat unfolds. Some builds focus on survivability, others on elemental effects, while many reward aggressive playstyles centered around critical hits and burst damage.

Personally, I found myself gravitating toward critical damage builds. Watching damage numbers explode across the screen while bosses melted under a barrage of critical strikes never stopped being satisfying.

More importantly, the game constantly encourages experimentation. Even after dozens of runs, I frequently found combinations I hadn't considered before.

This sense of discovery plays a major role in Realm of Ink's long-term appeal.

Momo Is More Than a Cute Companion

At first glance, Momo appears to be little more than a charming pet following your character around.

In reality, Momo becomes one of the most important parts of the entire progression system.

Different abilities influence your companion in unique ways, granting new attacks, passive bonuses, and combat behaviors. Every time you alter your build, Momo changes alongside it, creating another layer of strategy that players must consider.

This system can feel slightly overwhelming during the opening hours, especially since new abilities affect both your character and companion simultaneously. However, once everything clicks, it becomes one of the game's most distinctive features.

Unlike many roguelites where companions feel like cosmetic additions, Momo remains relevant throughout the entire experience.

Playable Forms Keep Combat Fresh

Another major contributor to the game's replayability is its collection of playable forms.

Each form offers a noticeably different approach to combat, encouraging players to adapt their strategies and experiment with new builds.

While the game offers several playable forms, I kept returning to the Scythe Form. There's just something incredibly satisfying about landing those slower, heavier attacks and watching enemies disappear in a shower of critical hits.

Speaking of critical hits, that quickly became my favorite way to play. Once I started building around critical damage, every run became an attempt to push those numbers even higher. Was it always the most balanced approach? Probably not. Was it fun? Absolutely.

With multiple forms available and each supporting different build paths, Realm of Ink provides plenty of reasons to keep playing even after the credits roll.

A Gorgeous Ink-Wash Presentation

Visually, Realm of Ink is stunning.

Its world is heavily inspired by traditional Chinese ink-wash painting techniques, giving environments, abilities, and character effects a unique identity that immediately stands out among other roguelites.

Every attack leaves elegant visual trails, environments are filled with artistic detail, and the overall presentation feels remarkably cohesive.

The soundtrack complements the visuals nicely, helping create an atmosphere that feels both mystical and energetic during combat.

The game's anime influences are equally apparent.

Most major female characters are presented as idealized heroic figures with striking outfits, long silhouettes, and exaggerated proportions. While some players may find these designs somewhat excessive, they undeniably contribute to the game's distinct visual identity and fit naturally within its fantasy-inspired aesthetic.

The Story Is Serviceable, Not Memorable

Realm of Ink attempts to tell a larger narrative centered around fate, destiny, and characters becoming aware of their place within a fictional world.

It's an interesting premise on paper, but the execution never fully captivated me.

The story often leans into familiar anime tropes, and many conversations feel longer than necessary. Fortunately, players who are primarily interested in gameplay can skip dialogue without missing much.

That doesn't mean the story is bad—it simply isn't the main reason to play Realm of Ink.

The combat, progression systems, and build experimentation consistently overshadow the narrative.

Switch 2 Performance

For the most part, Realm of Ink runs well on Nintendo Switch 2.

Combat remains responsive, controls feel precise, and the game is perfectly enjoyable in handheld mode. In fact, I completed the entire game without ever switching to docked play.

That said, I did encounter occasional technical issues.

Minor stutters appeared during certain combat scenarios, particularly when the screen became crowded with effects and enemies. They weren't frequent enough to ruin the experience, but they were noticeable.

More distracting were the cutscenes. Several story sequences displayed visible compression artifacts, creating an effect that occasionally felt like watching a heavily compressed online video rather than a native in-game cinematic.

Neither issue is a dealbreaker, but both prevent the Switch 2 version from feeling fully polished.

Final Verdict of Realm of Ink

Realm of Ink isn't the next Hades, and honestly, that's perfectly fine.

What it delivers is a beautiful roguelite packed with build variety, satisfying combat, and enough replayability to justify dozens of hours of play. Not every system is perfectly balanced, the story rarely reaches the same level as the gameplay, and the Switch 2 version could use a bit more technical polish. Still, none of those issues stopped me from spending 25 hours with the game and enjoying almost every minute of it.

If you're a fan of action roguelites and don't mind a healthy dose of anime-inspired style, Realm of Ink is an easy recommendation.

Review copy provided by Leap Studio.