This Platformer Dares You to Explore the Pitch-Black

“The deeper you travel the darker it gets, and you only have your arrows to light the way,” Roguelight promises, but it takes a moment to realize just how clever of a design this is.

You can only carry so many flaming arrows, and so this is a game of pushing your luck towards the next resupply: Is there a bundle of precious arrows beyond this veil of darkness, or not? Can I afford to shoot this enemy, to light this lantern? Should I hold my arrow nocked, providing a small circle of dimming light, or should I fire it now to scout ahead?

All of this is gorgeously rendered in a green-and-blue palette that degrades to blue and black in penumbra. Coins seem to glint in direct firelight but nearly disappear into the background in shadow; total darkness is a black void that teases you with your own ignorance. Is it safe to cross this region of shadow, or will I fall into a pit? When you hit a swinging lantern, or a monster, with an arrow, coins fly out in the same trajectory as your arrow. Can you afford to go chasing after them in darkness?

This is a roguelike platformer stripped down to exactly one perfect mechanic that instantly captures everything a roguelike needs: Uncertainty, elation, frustration, daring, and terror.

Roguelight is available on Itch.