Even the best game can get stale if it doesn't have a way to keep things fresh. Roguelikes offer better replay value than almost any other genre thanks to their RNG: the player never knows exactly how the game will go, because powers, items, enemies, and even entire levels are randomized. To win, the player is forced to adapt. Steam has plenty of amazing roguelike titles, but with so many of them competing for gamers' attention, some of the best inevitably get overlooked.
Roguelike games feature plenty of unique progression loops that will keep players interested in the long run, which is why so many fans are saddened about the fact that some of these titles simply do not get the time in the spotlight they deserve. If players love unique titles that have their own spin on this genre and manage to execute the same flawlessly, then these games will be right up their alley.
Updated on August 18, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: The rise of indie games has allowed certain genres to thrive in the spotlight, with the roguelike genre allowing players to experience a game with a fresh coat of pain every single time they embark on a run. This structure allows for a heightened sense of replayability as players go through levels that are structured differently every single time, and that's just a small part of what makes the roguelike game structure so interesting. There are several unique takes on this genre, and it's so populated that many great games don't get the attention they deserve some of the time, which is a shame.
18 Death Road To Canada
The idea of trying to survive a zombie apocalypse by escaping the United States doesn't really sound like the most original concept around, but it's the manner in which Death Road to Canada weaves its elements around this gameplay loop that makes it such a blast to play through. The game combines narrative elements with action-heavy survival gameplay as they scrounge around for supplies and try to survive a zombie apocalypse that threatens to take them out every second of the way.
It becomes important to ration resources and keep the survivors happy as they try to escape the zombie apocalypse and secure their life for good. The game can get frustratingly hard at times if players are besieged by countless waves of zombies, but this is part of the allure that makes Death Road to Canada such a great game to experience!
17 Curse Of The Dead Gods
Curse of the Dead Gods came out around the same time that Hades was becoming wildly popular. With both roguelikes focused on real-time action gameplay with a heavy mythological focus, it was only a given that some players would gravitate more toward one title and ignore the other. Since Hades ended up being Supergiant's most popular title and one of the greatest indie games of all time, Curse of the Dead Gods ended up being forgotten, as a result.
This is a shame since players who did check this title out realized just how engaging the action gameplay of this title really is. There's a balancing act present in every run courtesy of a Curse meter that players need to manage and deplete by defeating the many in-game bosses. There are more than enough mechanics in the game to keep people interested in the long run, making Curse of the Dead Gods a deeply underappreciated roguelike game that deserves all the love in the world.
16 Into The Breach
Given the work of Subset Games on the lauded FTL: Faster than Light, most people expected their next endeavor to be just as engaging, if not more. The difficulty of this title compelled players to get better and understand how the strategic gameplay worked, allowing players to understand how these mechs worked and struggle to survive in encounters against the Vek time and time again.
Despite its positive critical and commercial reception, Into the Breach didn't really reach the heights of popularity when compared to FTL, which is a shame. The game features some scintillating gameplay that will push players into stressful encounters and tough decisions over and over again, which is part of the reason why so many people love this masterpiece.
15 Desktop Dungeons: Rewind
Desktop Dungeons: Rewind is a remaster of a fun, light-hearted roguelike title which was quite fun in its own right. The game's cute graphics and easy-to-learn mechanics make it accessible to players who may not be familiar with the genre.
In Desktop Dungeons: Rewind, players must navigate randomly generated dungeons, defeat monsters, and collect loot to progress through the game. To make this title even more accessible for the masses, this remaster added a new Rewind feature that allows players to replay a dungeon from an earlier stage upon defeat... although hardcore roguelike fans may scoff at this addition, and understandably so.
14 Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is probably the ugliest-looking title on this list, which is perhaps the biggest reason why it doesn't enjoy the popularity it deserves. This is truly unfortunate since this post-apocalyptic, open-world survival game is the best display of what a roguelike game can achieve if its systems are given free rein to experiment and aren't held down by visual assets, player hand-holding, or anything else along the same lines.
The game takes place in a world overrun by bloodthirsty zombies, sentient plants, giant insects, and other such monsters. The game is known and lauded across the board for its incredibly detailed mechanics and systems, which allow players to craft & scavenge items, build bases, make vehicles, and accomplish almost everything possible. The game's massive procedurally-generated worlds and the unforgiving permadeath mechanic add a sense of urgency and tension to every decision players make.
13 Neon Abyss
Neon Abyss is a fast-paced, action-packed roguelike game that features colorful, neon graphics and a pulse-pounding synth-wave soundtrack that makes its combat feel all the more dynamic and engaging. In the game, players take on the role of a member of the Grim Squad, a group of soldiers tasked with exploring the Abyss, a mysterious underground dungeon.
The game features a variety of weapons and power-ups, even allowing players to hatch and raise creatures with unique abilities of their own. Players looking for a roguelike side-scrolling game with stylish combat will be more than happy with what Neon Abyss has to offer.
12 Nuclear Throne
Many players might be worried that roguelike games become somewhat repetitive and start lacking any sort of variety after a point. Well, games like Nuclear Throne prove why this notion is incorrect in so many ways.
The game boasts fourteen playable characters that are all pretty interesting to play in their own right. The game has a steep skill curve that players must master if they wish to beat the final boss of the game, the eponymous Nuclear Throne itself.
11 Synthetik
A roguelike top-down shooter with tactical combat, Synthetik is a great experience that fans of the genre should check out. This title can be played either alone or with friends, with both modes of play being a blast in their own right.
It's important to choose viable upgrades, get an array of damaging weapons, and use tactics as well as shooting skills to beat the enemies in the game. Synthetik is not an easy game by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a riveting title that players will become absolutely absorbed with once they understand the nuances of the game's combat systems.
10 Receiver
Receiver is one of the most unique games on this list, turning the very act of shooting itself into a core gameplay mechanic. Simply reloading a gun takes numerous button presses that can be quite tricky to pull off early on.
However, it's a testament to the brilliant design of Receiver that many players will automatically start reloading weapons through muscle memory alone. This is downright necessary since the enemies in the game seem pretty simple but can be absolutely horrifying to deal with if the player runs out of bullets during a particularly challenging encounter.
9 Caves Of Qud
Caves of Qud is one of the most unique games on this list, with its graphics being perfect for fans of Dwarf Fortress. The game might not look all that impressive, but it's the amazing mechanics of Caves of Qud that make it such a beloved title.
The sheer number of options players have access to in Caves of Qud is simply mind-blowing. Each and every playthrough of the game is unique in its own right, with a single mistake being punished harshly and serving as a learning experience for the player time and time again.
8 Circadian Dice
Circadian Dice is a twist on the solo deckbuilding roguelike genre: instead of customizing a deck of cards, the player is customizing a set of dice. After choosing their class, the player sets for into a dungeon to kill monsters, collect treasure, and make the best run they can out of the game's RNG. During each battle, the player has opportunities to upgrade the dice they roll against the enemy.
This can include buffing the effects of a die face, adding new abilities such as the ability to capture enemies or pierce their armor, or even unlocking extra dice to use. With interesting classes to choose from, each with its own unique powers and drawbacks, as well as items and enemies to consider, Circadian Dice packs a surprising amount of value into its small package. Unlike some other games, there's no debate about Circadian Dice being a solid roguelike.
7 BroodStar
Fans of classic arcade shoot'em ups have a new way to flex their bullet hell muscles: BroodStar. This top-down shooter sees the player piloting a spacecraft and battling against waves of deadly enemies. Death erases most progress, but the player is able to keep whatever upgrade modules and research points they collected for ship upgrades.
With multiple weapon types, hundreds of upgrades, and 12 procedurally generated levels, BroodStar has more than enough variables to keep the game interesting over the course of multiple runs. Players that need some extra incentive can even take on challenges and try to climb higher in the Leaderboards, showing off their skills against other players around the world.
6 The Madman
Fans of Enter the Gungeon may want to check out The Madman, an action roguelike about a mercenary on a mission. The game gives the players plenty of weapons to deal with the enemies they encounter, which is good news because there are plenty of them.
One of the best things about the game is its art style. Character designs are clean and appealing, and every level is distinct, preventing the "same old thing" vibe that often takes over in similar games after a while and making it beautiful to look at. The animations are excellent, making the whole game feel smooth and satisfying, which is important for any game about sprinting around blasting things.
5 TombStar
TombStar is a top-down space western, which is interesting even before the bullet-hell and roguelike elements are added. The player's goal is to free planet TombStar from the Grimheart Gang. To facilitate this quest the player is given a variety of deadly and creative tools, from the Fireworks Cannon to the Armageddon Expander.
The game's multiple playable characters each bring their own unique strengths, and their playstyles can be further customized using perks. Roguelike RNG helps keep battles interesting, and TombStar makes an effort to tell an interesting story with solid worldbuilding, something that many roguelike games would benefit from.
4 Summoners Fate
Turn-based combat meets card combat in Summoners Fate. The player must help summoners throughout the Multiverse complete their quests, a dangerous proposition that will require powerful cards and for some reason mutant rabbits. Aesthetically and mechanically, the game is an interesting mashup of tabletop RPGs and CCGs, with Magic: The Gathering perhaps being the largest influence.
Deckbuilding games can be extremely difficult to balance and execute, but Summoners Fate does a good job of it and an even better job of bringing its disparate elements together so that it feels like its own unique experience instead of an ugly hodgepodge of the great roguelike games that inspired it.
3 Gladiator Guild Manager
Some roguelikes are more hands-on than others. Gladiator Guild Manager tasks the player with assembling and training the best gladiators they can for their guild, choosing tactics, and positioning their fighters before the battle. Once the battle has started, however, it's up to the gladiators themselves, and all the players can do is hope that their hard work and planning pay off when they count most.
Since it's a management game, Gladiator Guild Manager in some ways feels like a sports sim, with team assembly and training taking the bulk of the player's time while gladiators handle their own bloody business. That's not a bad thing. Preparing for upcoming tournaments, adjusting for weather conditions, and trying to balance gladiator quirks with a dwindling coffer is a delicate business, and the player already has plenty to do. With factions, bosses, and gladiator RNG, there's enough content here to keep roguelike fans busy for a while.
2 Playable Mockup
Playable Mockup is one of the strangest and most interesting roguelikes around, despite its brief run time. It's a creepy, first-person deckbuilding game in which the player explores an infinitely looping corridor. If that weren't a weird enough premise, the player's deck manipulates time, and the corridor was created from a ghost photo. This is a roguelike with some fascinating lore.
Perhaps the biggest reason to recommend Playable Mockup is it simply doesn't feel like other games in the genre. Calling it a deckbuilding game, an investigative game, and a roguelike is correct, but none of that does justice to the actual experience of playing it. For gamers who want a spooky investigation with luck as a critical factor in their success, Playable Mockup may be just the answer.
1 Eyes In The Dark
A self-described "roguelight" platformer, Eyes in the Dark is about Victoria Bloom and her mission to rid Bloom Manor of both the darkness and the creatures within. The first thing that most players will notice about the game is its stunning, high-contrast black-and-white art style. The game is undeniably gorgeous. Thankfully, it's also fun.
Victoria will use a flashlight and slingshot on her quest to save her grandfather, but she will also discover new gadgets and upgrades. With every run, the layout and contents of the Manor change, forcing the player to adjust their strategy with the changing circumstances. Perks can be discovered, but force the player to adopt a weakness, helping keep things balanced even as the player grows in strength.