doinksoft's Dark Scrolls hits PC and Switch on May 28

Devolver Digital has locked in a May 28 release date for Dark Scrolls, the upcoming cooperative action-platformer from Gato Roboto developer doinksoft. The game is launching simultaneously on PC via Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

This is not a brand-new game reveal. The project has been in the works for a while, but the concrete May release date is fresh news today. Devolver confirmed the launch window in a brief update this morning.

Nine characters and a lot of bullets

I watched the latest gameplay clips, and the screen gets busy fast. Devolver calls it "the most anticipated cooperative autoscrolling action-platformer with shmup chaos and roguelite progression ever." That is a highly narrow combination of genres, but it accurately describes what is happening on screen. Players move through procedurally generated levels stitched together from hand-crafted rooms. You dodge dense curtains of enemy projectiles as the screen relentlessly pushes forward.

You get nine different playable characters to choose from. Autoscrollers have a controversial reputation in platforming circles because they take away the player's control over pacing. However, combining that forced momentum with shoot 'em up mechanics turns the screen into a moving puzzle. You have to figure out how to weave through enemy fire while the back wall threatens to crush you. The roguelite progression implies you will be doing this in repeated runs. You unlock new abilities or characters along the way.

The doinksoft trajectory

This project fits perfectly into doinksoft's established catalog. The studio built its reputation on tight, retro-styled action games that take a familiar premise and twist it. Gato Roboto was a Metroidvania where you played as a cat in a mech suit. Gunbrella was a side-scrolling noir adventure built entirely around the movement mechanics of a weaponized umbrella.

Dark Scrolls shifts the focus to multiplayer chaos. It supports both solo play and co-op. The autoscrolling format usually shines brightest when two players are frantically trying to share the same limited screen space. The fantasy theme is a slight departure from the sci-fi and noir settings of their previous work, but the chunky pixel art and fast-paced combat are instantly recognizable.

Out in three weeks

The May 28 launch puts it just a few weeks out. It joins a crowded month for indie releases, but Devolver Digital games generally carve out their own audience. The publisher has a long history of finding success with these exact kinds of high-intensity, pixel-art action games. They essentially built their modern reputation on titles like Hotline Miami and Enter the Gungeon.

Releasing on both PC and Switch makes sense for this type of game. The Switch remains a massive platform for indie titles, especially ones with local co-op. I am curious to see how the progression system balances the difficulty curve. Roguelites live or die on how rewarding their failure states feel. We will find out at the end of the month.