The free demo for Ink & Lore is out now. Grab it from "Download Demo" on this page.
A 99-floor picture-book roguelike fought with consumable cards that vanish the moment you play them — and the demo lets you read the first book all the way to its last page.
What's in the demo
- Descend the first book, The First Page, down to its boss on floor 10 (about 1–2 hours per run)
- Then dive into the second book, Bleeding Watercolor, as far as floor 16
- Three companions: the Pencil Swordsman, the Fluorescent Healer and the Compass Dancer. Pick two and descend as a pair
- English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Korean / Windows and macOS / free
- Streaming and video monetization are welcome (it's free, so no Steam key is needed)
Cards that are gone once you play them
Cards do not come back. Instead of building a permanent deck, you decide when to spend a hand that exists only once.
In return, new cards are born mid-fight ("generation"), and the cards you spend leave their "continuation" in your hand — so you can keep pressing the attack while you burn through them.
Every dungeon is a picture book
This world is a picture book that someone stopped drawing. Every floor turns a page, and the story is told in motion comics.
The master waiting at the bottom is that book's protagonist: beating it means reading the book to the end and seeing it off. The first book's ending is inside the demo.
The deeper you go, the more the art falls apart
The soft lines of the first book give way to bleeding watercolor, and to colors that muddy until you can no longer pick them out. Even within the demo, you can watch that turn happen.
Tell us what you think
This demo gets better with your feedback. There is a form for bug reports, card ideas and impressions — no login, anonymous is fine.
You can also open it in-game, from the title menu or from the demo's final screen.
If your card idea makes it into the full version, or if a bug you reported gets fixed, we will credit you by your handle in the game's Special Thanks — if you would like us to.
We are joining Steam Next Fest
Ink & Lore will take part in Steam Next Fest, running October 19–26, 2026. This demo is an early release ahead of the festival.
The full game is planned for December 2026. News will be posted here — please wishlist and follow the page.