Elderwoof Games has released the official gameplay trailer for its upcoming title, It's About Pirates. The video offers the first extended look at an action bullet-hell roguelike where players command a ship, engage in frantic combat, and build their arsenal through loot and upgrades.

According to the announcement, the game is headed to PC via Steam, though no specific release date has been given.

What the trailer shows

The trailer, simply labeled "Official Gameplay Trailer," focuses squarely on combat and progression. Players take to the high seas and face waves of enemy ships and sea creatures, all while dodging dense projectile patterns — the hallmark of the bullet-hell genre. The visual style appears to lean into bright, saturated colors with a cartoonish aesthetic, helping projectiles stand out clearly against the background.

Between fights, the trailer cuts to a menu screen where players can select items and upgrades. The briefing describes the loop as: "attain powerful items, plunder loot, and craft a build worthy of battle." This suggests a roguelike structure where each run offers randomized rewards, and players must make tactical choices to create synergies between their gear.

Bullet-hell meets pirate roguelike

Bullet-hell games — also known as "danmaku" — demand split-second movement and pattern recognition. Titles like Enter the Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac have popularized the genre in a roguelike context, but those games operate in tight indoor spaces. It's About Pirates transplants the formula onto the open ocean, widening the playfield and introducing ship-to-ship combat.

The roguelike structure means each voyage resets progression upon death, forcing players to adapt and experiment. The piracy theme extends beyond cosmetics: looting enemy vessels and plundering treasure are central verbs, not just window dressing. The briefing emphasizes "plunder loot" and "craft a build," implying that what you take from defeated enemies directly shapes your capabilities for the rest of the run.

Context: the pirate roguelike niche

Pirate-themed roguelikes are a small but growing subgenre. Rogue Legacy 2 and Skul: The Hero Slayer have proven that roguelike mechanics adapt well to nautical motifs, but few titles fully embrace the swashbuckling fantasy of sailing, boarding, and looting. It's About Pirates appears to lean hard into that fantasy, with the trailer showing cannons firing, ships colliding, and treasure chests bursting open.

Elderwoof Games is an independent developer. The studio's previous work is not widely known outside of niche circles, which makes this trailer a critical first impression. A polished gameplay trailer can build early interest and generate wishlists on Steam ahead of launch.

What to expect from the full release

The announcement confirms the game is "coming soon" but offers no timeline. That vagueness is common for indie titles in early promotion — the studio is likely gauging community interest before locking a date. Steam page wishlists will be a key metric.

Based on the trailer, combat appears to be the core loop, but the briefing doesn't mention story or narrative elements. It's possible the game focuses purely on action and progression without a campaign, much like Vampire Survivors or 20 Minutes Till Dawn. Alternatively, Elderwoof Games might be saving story details for a later reveal.

Multiplayer is not mentioned. The lack of co-op or competitive modes in the briefing suggests a single-player experience, though some bullet-hell roguelikes (Crimzon Clover, Jamestown) have local multiplayer. Until confirmed, assume solo play.

Why it matters

Indie roguelikes have become a crowded market. To stand out, a game needs a distinctive hook or a polished execution. It's About Pirates has a clear hook — bullet-hell ship combat — but execution remains to be seen. The trailer looks competent but doesn't reveal the depth of item synergies or enemy variety that make roguelikes replayable.

For fans of bullet-hell games and pirate theming, this title is worth watching. The official gameplay trailer shows enough to justify a wishlist on Steam, especially for players who enjoyed the ship sections in Ratchet & Clank or the bullet-hell puzzles in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker but want a dedicated rogue-lite built around that concept.

The road ahead

With no release date, Elderwoof Games has room to polish and potentially expand the content. The studio will likely follow up with a demo or early access announcement on Steam. In the meantime, the gameplay trailer serves as the primary marketing asset. Interested players should follow Elderwoof Games on social media or check the Steam page for updates.

It's About Pirates is shaping up to be a tight, high-octane roguelike that marries bullet-hell chaos with pirate fantasy. Whether it sinks or sails depends on how deep the build-crafting and enemy design go. But for now, the trailer has done its job: it makes you want to play.