Announced this week from indie publisher Critical Reflex, the upcoming detective game Inkblood has a gothic, foreboding and old-world feel. The stunning painterly, illustrated style renders all kinds of gruesome crimes and rituals you'll need to pick apart in your role as an Inquisitor.
You've come to these parts to clear up the recent happenings, cult activity and murders and the death of a previous member of your order. You travel in a carriage full of arcane instruments, your carriage driver seems to have a regional map tattooed on his back, ravens are picking at bodies on the roadside; there's a very distinct vibe being created here.
One of the main tools at your disposal is you magnifying glass that peers into the past — a pretty obvious boon for doing the job of a detective. You might also have noticed in the trailer some familiar looking fill-in-the-blank style gameplay: this is very reminiscent of the super popular Golden Idol series, and if their systems and designs have started influencing new detective games in a similar vein, you won't hear us complaining about it.
The trailer is one of the most visually striking I've seen in some time — it's definitely not every day you run into a thinky game that's had this much artistic talent poured into it. If the gameplay is as engaging and interesting as the presentation, we'll have a game worthy of some serious attention.
Inkblood is slated for release sometime in 2026, and you can wishlist the game on Steam now.
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