Best Roguelike Games of All Time
There are many video games out there and in this era of mobile and home-based gaming, the choices have never been greater. So how do you cut through the noise and find the “Best of” for any chosen topic?
Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest, and unforgettable games through the years.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best video games, our attention this time turns to the best roguelike games of all time. From Dead Cells to Slay the Spire, you have a lot of games to whet your appetite.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a thrilling roguelike title that’ll have players exploring a large castle. This is home to much colorful scenery, difficult obstacles, and secret locales. Roguelike gaming enthusiasts will enjoy exploring this structure and uncovering every nook and cranny it offers. Each level contains distinct routes for players to traverse since the levels are randomly generated.
This may get on speedrunners’ nerves since it’ll make forming strategies around the game’s routes difficult. Nonetheless, those looking for a game that will provide them with refreshing play sessions will admire Dead Cells’ approach. This makes it feel less repetitive and more surprising. For those curious, you’ll be able to upgrade your character’s abilities over time.
Be warned, the game can be difficult regarding the bosses and obstacles you’ll encounter. However, if you’re into challenging roguelike adventure titles, you’ll enjoy Dead Cells a lot.
Hades
Hades is an entertaining isometric roguelike game that won fans’ over. It follows Zagreus on his adventure to defeat many foes in the underworld. He’s known as Hades’s immortal son and wields incredible powers that’ll assist him in defeating many enemies in the game. For those who adore cultural and historical titles, Hades should interest you.
It features a wide variety of references to Greek mythology. You’ll be able to communicate with many entities like Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, and many others as you venture through the game’s multiple dungeons. As you advance through the game, you’ll gain access to newfound abilities that will make you stronger.
Hades features some stellar voice-acting that will help you stay engaged with it. If you’re looking for a fun roguelike game with addictive gameplay, gripping storytelling, and remarkable visuals, check this out.
Book of Demons
This roguelike deck builder RPG title is unique and engaging, You’ll find yourself traversing through multiple procedurally generated maps hacking and slashing your way through enemy hordes. Instead of weapons, players will wield magic cards that’ll allow them to slay enemies. This game features 70+ different monster types. Each creature has distinct features and custom mechanics.
You’ll be given a deck filled with items, spells, and skill cards. Players must devise specific strategies to get out of tough situations. The game features a unique engine called Flexiscope. With it, you can divide your play sessions into chunks. This will be useful for those who have poor time management skills.
The game’s art style is mesmerizing and charming. It resembles a pop-up book you’d find in a library. Its aesthetic help Book of Demons to stand apart from other immersive hack-and-slash games. With its comfortable gameplay loop, mesmerizing visuals, and challenging obstacles, you’re bound to enjoy this one.
Streets of Rogue
Streets of Rogue is insanity incarnate. This game emphasizes player choice, freedom, and unrestrained joy. It meshes together the great components fans loved from the Binding of Isaac and Deus Ex series under one solid roof. Unlike most games, this one takes place in a procedurally generated city where complex AI glosses over its terrain.
Players are given numerous roles to choose from in Streets of Rogue. As a doctor, bartender, soldier, etc. you must complete numerous missions if you hope to advance in Streets of Rogue. Each character class comes with different traits and weaponry to make your time with this game refreshing and intriguing.
The developers encourage players to tackle the game in any way they’d like. Whether you want to spend your time hacking computers or murdering people is all up to you. It offers up to 600 hours of content from character types to weaponry. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping action roguelike to play alone or online, check Streets of Rogue out.
FTL: Faster Than Light
Are you looking for a challenging roguelike game with great worldbuilding, music, and replay value? FTL: Faster Than Light might be worth your time. This game offers simulation-styled gameplay with a roguelike twist. In it, you’ll explore a randomly generated galaxy where you’ll endure glorious victories and upsetting losses with a ship full of crewmates.
FTL has players experience what life would be like as a captain of a spacecraft. You and your crew will encounter numerous challenges along the way. However, players can triumph over these hurdles in countless ways. This is where the strategic part of the game shines through. Imagine getting attacked by missiles.
FTL gives you the opportunity to flee from them, destroy them with weapons of your own, or take the fight onboard their ship. There are many possibilities you can look forward to getting roped into with FTL. The game also features a permadeath system. This means if you die, you won’t come back to life. In spite of the fact that this may be bothersome to some fans, gamers who enjoy survival-oriented titles will enjoy this challenge. Give FTL: Faster Than Light a try if this sounds interesting to you.
Enter The Gungeon
Enter The Gungeon is a bullet hell roguelike where players traverse through multiple dungeons. Each dungeon houses a variety of enemies and bosses that will make your life a living nightmare. You’ll find yourself struggling to complete the game’s levels and adapt to each enemy’s patterns. Enter The Gungeon’s premise is straightforward.
In it, you’ll help a group of misfits shoot, loot, and dodge their way to wealth and fortune. Their goal is to claim the legendary Gungeon’s precious treasure. It’s a gun that can kill the past. Enter The Gungeon features a morsel of valuable weapons for you to use, though. Furthermore, the game’s protagonists have colorful personalities and backstories.
With its cartoon-like graphics, adrenaline-pumping gameplay, and exhilarating music, Enter The Gungeon will provide you and your companions with hours of entertainment.
Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 is a third-person roguelike shooter game. It has cutesy visuals and charming character designs. Don’t let the game’s adorable aesthetic trick you. Deep down it’s a fierce game that will make you rage multiple times. It takes place with your character arriving on an alien planet and has the protagonist searching for ways to survive its harsh environment.
As you advance through Risk of Rain 2’s plot, powerful and dangerous creatures will challenge you. Risk of Rain 2 features a unique scaling system that has you and your enemies increasing in strength the further you get into the plot. The game features 110 items for you to collect and discover, encouraging players to put many hours into it.
The game features over 11 playable survivors for you to choose from. Each has a unique combat style and set of skills to master. With its randomized stages, enemies, and items, you’ll never grow tired of this adventure.
Slay the Spire
Book of Demons isn’t the only deckbuilding roguelike title you should put on your wish-list. Slay the Spire is a phenomenal card game with roguelike aspects. In it, you’ll craft special decks, encounter a slew of nightmarish beasts, and uncover relics with unimaginable abilities. The game’s 2D scenery and character designs are charming and appealing.
The game offers hundreds of cards for you to use in battle. The game features multiple settings to keep the battles fresh and visually engaging. You’ll receive safe and deadly options to choose from as you climb up the Spire. Some areas feature different bosses, so you may be enticed to give Slay the Spire another run-through.
With its sheer volume of cards, a hodgepodge of monsters, and endless routes, you’re in for a worthwhile treat with this game.
Spelunky
Spelunky is a unique action roguelike platformer title. It offers a randomized-level design to keep viewers’ experiences refreshing and fun. As players venture through Spelunky’s underground environment, they will uncover fantastical places filled with menacing traps, rare treasures, and merciless monsters. Spelunky gives players full agency as they travel through the game’s destructible environment.
The game proposes several options for you regarding killing or rescuing people, shopping or stealing, etc. It’s up to you to decide if you want to become the game’s noble hero or its dastardly villain. The game’s environment encourages players to ponder and grow accustomed to the environment’s trickery. You can play it in local co-op with up to four players.
The game features several unlockables for players to collect. With its hilarious traps, deep mysteries, and colorful graphics, you’re in for a blast with the Spelunky series.
Rogue Legacy
Rogue Legacy is a roguelike 2D platformer with the goal of making players feel heroic and dashing. It’s a challenging title and one where you’re expected to perish several times. As for the gold, players collect during their travels, they’ll be able to spend it on upgrades for their manor. This aids in helping your next-born offspring flourish in this difficult landscape.
This game features procedurally generated levels where you’ll explore countless castles brimming with baddies and innocents alike. After each death, a newcomer takes charge. These newcomers carry different traits that you’ll need to work around. The game features 8+ classes to choose from and they all have unique abilities players will find fascinating.
Like most RPGs, this game has a vast skill tree and you can equip your characters with powerful weaponry and armor to make life easier for them. Rogue Legacy also has fun secrets and Easter eggs for you to uncover, too. If you can overlook the game’s challenging aspects and dated graphics, then you’re in for quite the treat here.
So, there we have it, our pick for the best roguelike video games through the years!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!