Behind the development of Death by Scrolling we find Terrible Toybox, the studio led by Ron Gilbert, a developer widely known for his work on graphic adventures such as Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island or the more recent Return to Monkey Island. This time Gilbert succumbs to the charms of the RPG roguelitea genre that addresses with a vertical scrolling game set in Purgatory and where the only constant is movement. Either you move or the tireless Grim Reaper kills the hero.
As you can see from the trailer, Death by Scrolling is a title with a tremendously honest name. The footage also shows us the repetitive nature of any roguelitethe narrative elements, the combat options, the replayability and the trademark sense of humor that presents us with a satire on bureaucracy. In the roguelite It is lived in an endless loop of fight, death and new attempt, and in Death by Scrolling the game also laughs at the pain that the hero (and the player) suffers every time fate finds him.
In Death by Scrolling, the players' goal is to escape purgatory, but the boatman asks an exorbitant price to cross the river to the afterlife, so it's up to them to collect coins by running up through infinite levels while the Grim Reaper chases the hero. Before starting the run, you will be offered the option to choose a hero from a catalog of characters, each with their own abilities and advantages that fit a play style. The Grim Reaper is the main and eternal headache, but in Purgatory there are many other creatures that can kill and ranging from vermin to bosses.
As the hero progresses, completes quests, and completes challenges, they will earn rewards. Additionally, with coins you can unlock upgrades and skills offered by the different merchants that inhabit the underworld.