Inkression demo leaves its mark on Steam

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Full version of free-roaming, narrative-driven "tattoo game" coming soon to Windows PC

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but in BROKENCIGS' upcoming narrative-adventure Inkression, the tattoos you create are meant to capture a whole lifetme of stories for a neighborhood that progress has left behind. 

Five years ago, Nortown was a vibrant community and Milly Sommerville was a successful artist at The Blindfolded tattoo parlor. But that was then and this is now. First tragedy stuck Milly's family, leaving her feeling troubled and "detached" from her life and those around her, and then the neighborhood itself was targeted for "imminent demolition to make way for a bustling commercial hub." Many of Nortown's residents have already moved away, while those who remain must "now find new directions for their lives amidst this upheaval." Things are at their bleakest when Milly suddenly remembers a "forgotten wish" from years earlier and sets out to fulfill it by exploring the town to "rediscover the neighborhood and collect stories before all becomes nothing." As Milly reconnects with people for the first time in ages, such as Ari the friendly young restaurateur and Felix the former grocer who's become a drunk since his shop shut down, she gains the ability to "design and ink the personal epitaphs of the residents of Nortown," capturing their personal struggles as "one-of-a-kind works of art."

Inkression is a first-person, free-roaming narrative-driven adventure that's less about solving puzzles or overcoming obstacles and more about revealing the "true colors" of its environment, both literally and figuratively. Lifeless black-and-white visuals represent the "remnants of monochromatic urban decay" at first, but the more you explore and interact, the more you unlock the hidden hues and detail just waiting to be restored. In the midst of this color revival, you will also uncover the "different lives, struggles, and decisions" that collectively tell the story of "how much five years can change a place and the people who live there." In the process, Milly will begin piecing together the dark details of her own life that she hasn't been able to face until now. And like any good artist, she keeps a handy notebook that will automatically be filled in with any new information you acquire, which serves as inspiration for personalized tattoo designs that you can ultimately ink onto your clients first-hand. 

While there's no target release date for Inkression just yet, you can dabble in what it has to offer through the playable demo that's already available to download for Windows PC on Steam.