Chronoscript: Ink-Soaked Metroidvania From the RPG Time Devs Lands in 2026

A haunted manuscript Metroidvania? DeskWorks has my attention

Chronoscript: The Endless End hooked me the second I saw its premise: you’re an editor sucked into a cursed manuscript, pinballing between a 3D mountain manor and hand-drawn 2D pages, fighting through puddles of ink. DeskWorks-yes, the folks behind RPG Time: The Legend of Wright-are aiming for PS5 and PC in 2026 with an exploration-heavy 2D action game that’s equal parts storybook and fever dream. RPG Time proved this team can turn a sketchbook into a world; the big question is whether they can pair that artistry with tight, satisfying combat.

Key takeaways

• Dual structure: 3D manor hub feeding into fully illustrated 2D “pages” that play like Metroidvania-style levels.
• Traversal through ink-literally: swimming through spills and riding ink trails to open new routes and secrets.
• Bosses as “corrupted souls,” with lore woven into their movesets and the manuscript’s margin notes.
• Gorgeous pen-and-ink art is a given for DeskWorks; the open question is combat feel and pacing.

Breaking down the announcement

Chronoscript is an exploration-driven 2D action-adventure from DeskWorks, published by Shueisha Games, launching on PS5 and PC in 2026. You play a revisor trapped in a labyrinthine manuscript, jumping between a physically explorable 3D manor—think stacks of drafts, candles guttering, ink everywhere—and dozens of 2D worlds rendered as animated pages. Each page is its own biome with platforming challenges, enemies, and secrets stitched together by the “book” you’re trying to finish.

Combat is pitched as classic 2D action: timing, spacing, and upgrades that evolve your moveset over time. The headline mechanic is traversal via ink—diving through puddles to slip behind borders, surfing along brushstrokes, threading between lines of text to access hidden routes. Bosses embody spirits who’ve fallen out of the world and warped the manuscript, so expect story reveals mid-fight rather than cutscene dumps. It’s very DeskWorks: the art does the talking.

The real story: can DeskWorks nail the feel?

I adored RPG Time’s playful notebook aesthetic, but it wasn’t a precision platformer—its charm carried some clunky interaction design and pacing. Chronoscript is promising “challenging 2D action,” which raises the bar. Hand-drawn ink animation can look incredible yet make hitboxes and telegraphs muddy if the team isn’t careful. If DeskWorks wants to win over the Hollow Knight/Ori crowd, they’ll need crisp inputs, readable enemy wind-ups, and smart checkpointing that respects your time.

The 3D/2D split is exciting and risky. Best case, the manor hub acts like a breathable safe space—puzzle-laden, atmospheric, and meaningfully tied to progression. Worst case, it’s a pretty lobby that slows momentum with fetch steps between the good bits. If they deliver snappy transitions (fast loads, die-and-retry speed), the “page-hopping” could feel magical rather than fussy. I’d love to see page annotations become mechanics—scribbles that alter platforms, redactions that erase hazards—so the fiction isn’t just set dressing.

Industry context: the manuscript lane is wide open

We’ve had games flirt with bookish vibes—Pentiment’s text-on-parchment storytelling, Tunic’s meta-manual—but few action games fully commit to a paper-and-ink world. That’s a clear lane for DeskWorks to own. The Shueisha Games partnership also makes sense; a manga publisher backing a pen-and-ink action adventure is more than branding—it hints at confidence in visual storytelling and cross-discipline talent (they’re teasing guest creators for sound and character design).

The 2026 release puts Chronoscript in the same window as a crowded slate of indies vying for attention. Visually, this thing will stand out. The battle will be depth and polish. If it launches as a looker with okay combat, it’ll turn heads for a week. If the feel is right—snappy, expressive, and layered with traversal tech—Chronoscript could be the art-house Metroidvania that actually lands punches.

What gamers should watch for

• Controls and responsiveness: demo or preview impressions should call out input latency, jump arcs, and hit-stop. No floaty mess, please.
• Page-to-page flow: are there fast travel tools across “chapters,” or are you backtracking through the manor every time you miss a secret?
• Readability: high-contrast inky art looks gorgeous, but busy linework can hide hazards. Accessibility options (contrast, outlines, text size) will matter.
• Boss design: do fights mix narrative beats with mechanics in a way that’s more than flavor text? Think pattern clarity over cheap damage.
• PS5 features: haptics and adaptive triggers could sell the “scratch of pen, splash of ink” fantasy—nice-to-have, not essential.

One plot detail—your editor blacking out after a mosquito bite before waking inside the manuscript—suggests a playful, slightly macabre tone. If DeskWorks leans into that with environmental storytelling (margin doodles that become enemies, footnotes that open shortcuts), Chronoscript won’t just look like a book; it’ll play like one being rewritten under your feet.

Looking ahead

I’m genuinely excited to see DeskWorks step from “wow, neat idea” into “this also feels fantastic.” Their art direction is already miles ahead of the pack. If they prioritize feel, pacing, and thoughtful traversal upgrades, Chronoscript could be 2026’s coolest left-field action adventure. Give us a playable demo, keep the hub snappy, and let the ink flow.

TL;DR

Chronoscript turns a haunted manuscript into a stylish 2D/3D action-exploration hybrid for PS5 and PC in 2026. The art’s a lock; the real test is combat feel, page-to-page flow, and whether the manor hub elevates the experience instead of slowing it down.