Tue. Sep 9th, 2025

Death By Scrolling: A Fiery Roguelike Experience from Ron Gilbert

During Gamescom 2025`s Opening Night, acclaimed game designer Ron Gilbert unveiled his latest creation, Death by Scrolling. This new title is a pixel-art, vertically-scrolling roguelike, blending action-RPG mechanics with a distinctly dark humor.

Players in Death by Scrolling find themselves in a place called Purgatory™, depicted as a vibrant, retro pixel-art environment that is perpetually engulfed by an advancing wall of fire. This mechanic drives the core gameplay, as the screen continuously auto-scrolls upwards, compelling players to relentless forward motion—a concept reflected directly in the game`s title.

The unveiled trailer presented five distinct heroes, each boasting unique abilities. Gameplay footage highlighted these characters battling diverse adversaries as the world scrolls upward, simultaneously gathering valuable power-up cards and gold. A persistent threat in the game appears to be a pursuing reaper, inflicting various detrimental stat debuffs on the hero. The ultimate objective involves accumulating enough wealth to pay a ferryman, thereby securing an escape from Purgatory™ – a task that promises to be exceptionally challenging.

As a roguelike, repeated deaths and restarts are an expected part of the experience. However, it remains uncertain what persistent upgrades or bonuses players might retain across multiple playthroughs. The trailer`s mention of quest and shop systems could offer clues regarding progression between runs.

While a definitive release date has not yet been announced, Death by Scrolling is currently available for wishlisting on Steam.

By Bramwell Nightingale

A Toronto-based gaming journalist with over eight years of experience covering the North American gaming industry. Started his career writing for independent gaming blogs before establishing himself as a reliable source for breaking gaming news. Specializes in AAA game releases and studio acquisitions across Canada and the US. His investigative approach to gaming industry developments has earned him respect among developers and publishers alike

Related Post