Hands-On with “Inkblood”: Peer into the Past via “Echo Device,” Gather Evidence via “Shadow Camera” as an Inquisitor [TGS2026]

At the “Tokyo Game Show 2026,” held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 20, 2026, “CRITICAL REFLEX” had a booth featuring many games known for their eye-catching art, such as *Mouthwashing* and *Burden Street Station*.I had the chance to try out the mystery adventure game *Inkblood*, so in this article, I’ll share details about the game’s content and appeal.

Peek into the past and solve the mystery

As soon as the demo begins, a man holding a pipe addresses you. This single line of dialogue conveys how carefully the game has been localized to fit its world, instantly drawing you in. The font used is a Ming typeface that matches the art style, ensuring it doesn’t detract from the atmosphere. A map is drawn on his back, and just hovering the cursor over it made my heart race.

I read the description in the lower right corner and investigated what was inside the carriage. There, near the altar, I found a letter. When I opened it, it appeared to describe the case the player—the “Inquisitor”—would be investigating this time.

Looking out the window, just as the man had said, a corpse with a rope around its neck was lying on the road. Following the instructions, I used the “Echo Machine” to peer into the past and the “Image Capture Machine” to photograph evidence as I tracked down the culprit.

To use the “Echo Device,” simply pull the lens on the left. The past is projected onto the area where the lens is positioned, allowing you to search for evidence that leads to the culprit. As you change the direction of the carriage and compare the present with the past…

I found a person holding what looks like the murder weapon—a rope. I took a photo with the “Photograph Machine” and inserted the photo into the board. When I pressed the “Confirm” button to check my answer, the result was correct. Perhaps because it was my “first day on the job,” I found the culprit without any trouble.

I’d like to take a breather now that it’s solved, but an interrogator has no time to rest. The carriage immediately begins moving to investigate the next case. The next case took place at an inn, and the building has completely burned to the ground. The only people around were members of a musical troupe… so let’s identify the suspects we need to pinpoint this time and gather evidence.

This time, there are four suspects, and it seems I must identify each one—making the case significantly more difficult than on my first day. Half-hearted deductions won’t cut it, and I feel the weight of my responsibilities as an Inquisitor. According to the board, two of the four appear to be alive. Using this information as a clue, I’ll use the Echo Machine to compare the past and the present.

Since there’s a lot of evidence, I’ll neatly organize it in the “Vault.” This is like a desk where you can drag and drop letters and other evidence to store them—it’s convenient because you can retrieve them at any time.

Also, you can zoom in on the green glowing circles to examine them closely, which can yield useful information. Items inside the carriage—such as screws—can sometimes be loosened by touching them, so if you’re curious about something, try fiddling with various parts; you might uncover new evidence.

By continuing the investigation in this way, I successfully solved the second case as well. Given that this is a mystery adventure game, I can’t say too much without spoiling it, but the way each of these individual cases serves as a clue leading to yet another case… kept me eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

Also, the retro, risograph-like texture that permeates the entire screen is quite stylish. As I mentioned at the beginning, the fonts in the Japanese version were chosen to match the atmosphere of the original language version, so the game’s beauty remains intact—which is a major appeal.

It’s also satisfying to see the case files grow more comprehensive with each solved case—a real source of accomplishment. This demo offered the joy of investigating, interacting with, and unraveling the mystery with my own hands, and it left me eager to see how the story concludes.

“Inkblood” is scheduled for release in 2026 on PC (Steam).