Dark Scrolls

Dark Scrolls revives the philosophy of old-school, forced-scrolling arcade platformers like SonSon and enriches it with a modern roguelite structure. The screen advances relentlessly, forcing players to stay constantly on the move while facing waves of enemies and massive bosses, all while collecting coins to invest in upgrades that activate progressively via a unique "Rage" meter. The roster of heroes—each with distinct abilities and movement styles—ensures plenty of variety, and the local co-op mode is a delight for nostalgia lovers. The experience is slightly marred by the repetitive nature of the procedurally generated levels and somewhat uninspired, conventional enemies. Ultimately, it is a successful blend of past and present—one capable of costing you more than a few sleepless nights.

Dark Scrolls isn’t doinksoft’s most enjoyable or approachable game. But between the references to several Capcom classics, it’s frantic energy, and plenty of little secrets, there’s a lot of plucky personality. It can be punishing, grindy and under-explained at times. But each chaotic attempt offers enough oddball charm to justify another run.

Dark Scrolls is certainly fun at times, but it overall feels a bit insubstantial. If you’re looking for any sort of plot, Dark Scrolls proudly doesn’t have any of that. While it does have a fairly impressive number of varied characters to unlock, the oddly variable level of difficulty keeps it from being as mechanically satisfying as it could have been. It’s definitely not worth getting if you want to play it solo, but if you have friends to play with, there is some enjoyment to be had.

Dark Scrolls is a game which I reckon will be a perfect salve for some people, being a neat call-back to the days of 8-bit gaming and old school shmups, but I just found it to be a bit too samey. It's fun, sure, but it works best in shorter half hour bursts for me. I expect a bit more from my roguelites, but if you approach this as an arcade game instead, you'll be in a better frame of mind.

Dark Scrolls presents an intriguing concept by blending platforming, shoot ’em up, and roguelite elements within a charming retro-inspired aesthetic. Its diverse cast of characters, enjoyable co-op gameplay, excellent pixel art, and fast-paced action stand out as key strengths. However, the execution falls short of its potential, with imprecise controls, frustratingly unfair moments, uninspired level design, and repetition setting in too early. While there is some fun to be found, these shortcomings ultimately prevent the game from maintaining its appeal from start to finish.