Dark Scrolls is a thrilling fusion of roguelite, shoot ’em up, and arcade platformer, clearly inspired by several classic titles, including Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Castlevania, with a dash of Mega Man. The premise is simple: choose one of three starting heroes, dive into a randomly generated level, and try to survive until the end. What appears at first glance to be a classic retro action game quickly reveals itself to be far deeper than its charming pixel art graphics suggest. Behind this game is the independent studio Doinksoft, which has already made a name for itself with acclaimed, pixel-rich titles like Gato Roboto and Gunbrella, and whose characteristic knack for well-crafted game mechanics permeates every frame.
Its greatest strength is its variety. There are only a few levels, but they are generated by a random engine, meaning the environments are different each time you play. This effectively eliminates the feeling of repetition that often plagued older platformers. The ability to choose different paths to reach the final objective also makes each playthrough unique. Here, we find clear echoes of Castlevania: the choices you make not only affect the difficulty but also encourage experimentation throughout the game, right up to the intense boss battles, which demand perfect mastery of your character’s movements.
In the game, we meet Grizz, a large, bearded barbarian who relies on brute force, throwing heavy axes in an arc and crushing enemies with a powerful ground pound from the air. On the opposite end is Pigeon, a fast and agile thief who bets everything on mobility: he throws lightning-fast bursts of knives at close range and attacks vertically with his daggers mid-jump. For me, however, the wizard Emerys stood out as an obvious choice, as the combination of high mobility and the ability to attack at range made this character choice very easy. Add to this a wide range of unlockable characters, each with completely different abilities and playstyles. The game features a total of nine heroes, and by exploring hidden corners, you can unlock everything from a barking dog to a saxophone-playing rat. Whether you prefer close combat, support roles, or a more aggressive run-and-gun approach, chances are you’ll find your favorite character.
The characters’ unique skills open up a multitude of possibilities in terms of variety and challenge. I haven’t explored the co-op mode as deeply as the solo mode, but the diversity of heroes is, in my eyes, one of its main strengths. Just like in Golden Axe, there are great opportunities to combine the unique strengths of different characters. The charming pixel art graphics are accompanied by an engaging retro-style soundtrack that ramps up the adrenaline during the most chaotic battles.
The upgrade system is another real highlight. You collect crystals that you can then exchange for various skills. Creating synergies between life-stealing vampires, helpful elves, and faster projectiles gives you a real sense of progression throughout each game. There are few things as satisfying as the feeling of finding the right combination of skills that turns chaotic battles into well-oiled triumphant marches.
Despite its name, Dark Scrolls is also far more balanced than one might expect. The challenge is certainly present, but the game rarely feels unfair. Failures are more often due to your own mistakes than frustrating design choices, which makes you want to jump into another game almost immediately.
Unfortunately, the game stumbles on a point that many modern roguelites have now solved more effectively: the lack of a save system. You cannot save between levels, which implies—and demands—a greater time investment than necessary. If you want to keep the crystals you’ve collected and end your gaming session, you are effectively forced to finish your run earlier than intended. This seems unnecessarily tedious and risks deterring players who don’t always have the time to commit to long sessions.
This is a shame, because otherwise, Dark Scrolls succeeds in the feat of being both entertaining from the start and addictive in the long run. The variety of levels, characters, and upgrades ensures that the game constantly offers new ways to play, and its lighthearted tone perfectly balances the game’s high intensity. The game is not a revolution in itself and won’t make you feel like you’re playing something unique for the first time. Its strengths lie precisely in its ability to take small elements from various game series of different genres and combine them to form a very solid and entertaining game.
Dark Scrolls may not be the unforgiving challenge its name suggests, but it is an intelligently designed, charming, and highly entertaining action game that makes it hard to put the controller down.