Yes, this game is indeed named with a reference. Tongue-in-cheek and packed with charm, Dark Scrolls is a cheeky and fast-paced sidescrolling fantasy adventure – complete with multiple routes, secrets, and a pile of selectable characters. Plus screens filled with enjoyably stressful enemies.
Unfortunately, the game’s lack of polish and quality-of-life features drags it down, making it less of a delight than it really ought to be. It’s so close to being great, but it lands just shy of it.
The Good
Despite the name, Dark Scrolls takes an old-fashioned arcade approach to play, with a pleasingly tropey ‘oh uh! Go on an adventure to defeat the bad guy!’ plot. Its sidescrolling 2D action is backed up by multiple paths through the world, hidden secrets, a selection of characters, and a rougelite structure, so even failed adventures still reap rewards.
Gameplay seems simplistic on the surface, with most characters having only two attacks (a normal, typically thrown attack and a ground pound or similar alternative), but this streamlined approach allows for in-game upgrades and the differences between player characters to really shine. It also fits the game’s fast pace, where the screen is frequently filled with enemies and projectiles, letting you focus in on what really matters. That is, trying not to die.
Luckily, even if you fail at this goal, it’s not the biggest deal in the world. Each run is relatively short (even shorter if you fail early) and slimmed down, so you can get back to where you were before quickly and easily.
Continuing this theme, while some characters are unlocked from the beginning, others you have to work to unlock. This is a game with secrets to discover new builds to play with and different routes to try out. It’s certainly got replay value, though the understated approach does mean that it’s not the amount of replay value you see in more expansive rougelikes/rougelites.
Though the game may have an arcade approach stylistically, it does have one thing arcades don’t: both online and couch co-op options. There’s little better than playing with a friend, and the fast-paced, unending violence of Dark Scrolls just ups the charm. Unfortunately, the size of the screen might mean you find yourself getting in each other’s way, but it still makes for a great time.
The Not-so-good
Unfortunately, while this game has solid bones a necromancer would be proud of, it could do with a good polish. And maybe a splint or two.
In classic arcade style, Dark Scrolls gets into the action almost immediately – there’s no tutorial, just a dialogue-less intro cinematic before you’re straight into gameplay. This approach, for the most part, works well, adhering to the retro style it’s going for and letting you get into the juicy bits without preamble. But it’s not just the unnecessary handholding that has been taken away – they’ve removed some pretty important handholds too, and if you don’t know to look for them, you might just fall right off the edge of a cliff.
There’s no list of controls/moves, which for the most part isn’t the biggest problem if you’ve played a game before – it’s pretty standard, save for the ground pound involving double-pressing jump, unlike some other games. On the controller, that is. If playing on keyboard, they’re not a super standard layout, so you’ll just need to figure out what key does what action by yourself.
And if you don’t like that layout, there’s nothing you can do. There is no way to rebind the keys, which is a rather impressive oversight. While this game would likely be best experienced with a controller in any case, it’s not great news for those of us who do prefer keyboards.
Even if you do play with a controller, though, you’re not necessarily off the hook. While for the most part it plays well, movement can at times feel a little floaty and imprecise.
There are also a few bugs. Mostly minor stuff (like an issue where a special character in text boxes is sometimes a special character and sometimes…not), but it still speaks to the overall lack of polish in Dark Scrolls.
The Other, Different Good
What really makes these negative aspects so disappointing is that the rest of this game is a delight. Not only is the core gameplay a classic, fun format with plenty of characters to choose from, but the art and music are gorgeous. The pixel art hits that retro feel, beautifully executed without being too flashy. The character design is charming – shout-out in particular to the goose, which makes realistic car beeps and never fails to make me smile when it shows up.
As for the music, well…when I finished my first play session, I found myself mulling over all the little nitpicks I had about the game. And the whole time, I could not get the background music for the first area out of my brain. If nothing else, go listen to the soundtrack for this one, I beg of you. It’s quirky and fun.
Final Thoughts
I really wanted to like this one. There’s a lot of good stuff to talk about, after all, and most of my issues were very fixable. With a little more time, Dark Scrolls could be a delightful little arcade-style sidescrolling rougelike. Fairly casual and simple-seeming but with enough depth to keep you coming back.
Unfortunately, it is not that game right now.
TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Visuals and music, character selection, comedic touches
Lowlights: Lack of polish and quality of life features, minor glitches
Developer: doinksoft
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platforms: Windows, Nintendo Switch
Available: Now
Review conducted on PC with a code provided by the publisher.
Featured header image also provided by the publisher.
