So often games are even more fun with friends, but not every genre has a whole lot of co-op options to choose from. As a huge Roguelike fan I always love when I can team up with a pal and attempt endless runs, but I can count the number of these I know of on one hand. Thankfully there’s a new game in town that’s looking to bring co-op to that genre known for randomness, and I can’t wait to find someone to play Dark Scrolls with for dozens of hours at a time.
The name Dark Scrolls isn’t just a funny reference to FromSoft, it’s also rather descriptive. That’s because this game is an autoscrolling action platformer, where you’ll need to survive in a constantly moving world full of different threats. There were three character classes to choose from in this preview build, all with different skills that’ll help you survive. With a warrior, thief and wizard to pick from, I decided to grab my axe, let out a manly grunt, and attempt my first run.
To be brutally honest, it went spectacularly badly. I wasn’t quite prepared for how hectic this game is, with enemies constantly spawning directly underneath you while others fire projectiles across the screen. Dark Scrolls feels like it stepped out of a time machine straight from the NES era, after learning lessons from titles like Ghouls and Ghosts. As you play more though you will start to learn ways to improve your survival rate, like how to use all your unique skills.
Each character has a different attack with different damage potential. For example the throwing axes of the warrior are harder to use but deal good damage to all the evil frogs and spiders, whereas the mage summons bouncing orbs that travel all across the screen but are a bit puny. The classes all have different movement abilities too, like the thieves double jump where they also throw knives below as they propel upwards. It took a few runs to find my favourite from these mighty heroes, especially taking into account their special attacks too.
As you attack all the various fantasy foes in Dark Scrolls you’ll earn stars, and once you fill the star meter you can use your special attack. These will help in tricky areas or in boss fights especially, as they’re pretty damn powerful. Launching projectiles all across the screen is always satisfying, but my beloved thief has the best of the bunch in my opinion. When you activate it you’ll go into stealth mode, and be invincible for a short time or until you attack again. The stealth attack is the real reason to cloak up though, as your first knife thrown from the shadows deals ridiculous damage that will take out massive chunks of even boss health bars.
The special meter has another function too, because at specific star levels you’ll activate the power ups you buy at the shop automatically. Effects like fast attack speed, fire damage and faster movement can all be assigned to the different star amounts, and once you really load up on powerups you’ll constantly have an awesome effect or two going off in the background. I personally always invested in the healing heart fairy and placed it in the zero star slot, so unleashing my special always had the handy bonus of keeping me alive longer. I’m sure there will be much more clever combinations as you put more time into the game though, and I look forward to discovering them.
After a run ends you earn currency you can spend in the hub area, and after a few runs I was able to start investing in exciting new upgrades. During my limited time with the game I was able to unlock a few new powerups that then appeared in the shops on future runs, and bought some cute new emotes that will probably be useful when I find a friend to play with. The progression is satisfying but for the most part you’ll need skill to beat this game, so don’t expect grinding to get you all the way to a successful run.
With local and online co-op options, Dark Scrolls is a game I can’t wait to try with friends. The toughness might be too much for some, but I imagine with moral and physical support the punishment will be slightly less brutal. It also has really clever powerups, and trying to find builds that work well together or solo is something I’m excited for. This distinctly retro Roguelike feels like a game that will definitely have an audience, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be one of them.
Dark Scrolls is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch.
