Inkbound

If Monster Train scratched a very specific itch for you, Inkbound is Shiny Shoe’s attempt to scratch it again while doing something genuinely different. It’s a turn-based roguelike RPG built around a library where every book is a portal to another world, and an unknown force is unraveling all of them. You play as the Needless, servants tasked with stitching those stories back together, one tactical encounter at a time.

Combat is the star here. You move freely within a shrinking circle each turn, spend mana on abilities, and watch enemies telegraph their intentions so you can actually plan around them. It’s deliberate without being slow, and the simultaneous action in co-op means four people can all be doing something meaningful at once rather than sitting around waiting for each other. Up to four players can drop in and out, though the best loot is gated behind multiplayer, which is worth knowing upfront.

Runs are procedurally generated, classes are varied enough to feel meaningfully different, and the build-crafting has the depth you’d expect from the Monster Train pedigree. Inkbound launched into Early Access in 2023 and hit full release in 2024, earning generally favorable reviews and a loyal co-op following that keeps coming back for more.