10 Best Roguelikes For Non-Roguelike Fans

When you think of the most popular games in the Roguelike genre, many would point to The Binding of Isaac, Enter the Gungeon, or Slay the Spire. These titles feature addictive gameplay loops and procedurally generated levels, meaning no two runs are the same. Some are also considered among the best indie games ever made.

However, the genre doesn’t resonate with everybody. Some dislike having to start from scratch every run, and Roguelikes do have a reputation for expecting you to lose far more than you win. Fortunately, there are plenty of Roguelikes that expertly merge multiple genres or have a gameplay loop so unforgettable that you can appreciate it regardless.

Here is a selection of games that do just that, and you should consider them before throwing in the towel.

Just so we’re all on the same page, I’m classing a Roguelike as any game with procedurally generated levels and permadeath. While meta progression technically makes a game a ‘Roguelite,’ we’re also including them on the list.

10

Balatro

The Royal Flush

Balatro has taken the world by storm, becoming a phenomenally successful Roguelite and deck builder.

While the title takes parts from multiple genres, Balatro feels like its own thing. A big part of that is its reliance on poker hands for scoring. This creative choice even briefly landed the game with a ridiculous age rating, but you don’t need to know anything about poker or gambling to enjoy it.

As you use a regular deck of cards in Balatro, it’s far less of a ‘fantasy’ title, like Slay the Spire, for example. The game offers tons of replayability, and it even has a faithful mobile port for gaming on the go.

9

Luck Be A Landlord

The House Always Wins

While we’re on the subject of gambling, now is the perfect time to discuss Luck Be a Landlord, an inspired Roguelite that trades poker hands for slot machine reels.

Luck be a Landlord runs with the reels idea and takes it as far as it can go. In the story, you’re a tenant struggling to pay your rent, and you turn to the slots to secure your payments. However, your slot machine is special, as you can add icons to the reels.

Many icons have synergies with other items or perform a set of actions before leaving the game. There’s a luck element, but you can tip the scales in your favor once you understand the mechanics.

Luck Be a Landlord makes the list because while it’s definitely a Roguelite, it doesn’t play like any other on the market. It’s also a game I rarely see anyone talking about these days, which is a shame, as it’s as deadly addictive as the activity it depicts.

8

Streets of Rogue

Take Puzzle-Solving To The Streets

Streets of Rogue is a unique Roguelite with dozens of modifiers and unlocks. The title makes the list because it encourages you to think outside the box, and it’s incredibly satisfying when your plans actually work.

You’re given menial tasks on each stage, such as retrieving an item. You could take the obvious approach of killing everyone between you and your goal, but that’s risky.

Alternatively, why not hire someone to do it for you, or mess with the building’s air con so the workers leave?

Every scenario has dozens of solutions, making Streets of Rogue a remarkable puzzle-solver. There are also tons of unlockable characters, but the game is feature-rich from the start.

7

Buckshot Roulette

Gambling With Death

Many of the best games have a simple premise and offer the developers just enough wiggle room to make it their own. Buckshot Roulette offers a fantastic twist on Russian Roulette. But make no mistake, your life is still on the line.

In Buckshot Roulette, you face off against a horrifying opponent sitting opposite you. A shotgun is loaded with an assortment of live rounds and blanks, and you must take turns shooting at yourself or each other before handing over the weapon.

Every match is tense, and there are several items you can use to tilt the odds in your favor. For example, you can use a hacksaw to shear off the end of the shotgun so the next shell does double damage.

The premise and vibe are so remarkable that it doesn’t feel like you’re playing a Roguelike at all. There’s even multiplayer if you want to duel a tactical opponent.

6

Dead Cells

A Top-Tier Platformer

One of the most beloved games in the Roguelite genre is Dead Cells, combining well-known tropes with some of the best platforming mechanics on the market.

Those mechanics are so decent that any die-hard 2D platformer fan will adore what the game has to offer. Dead Cells levels are procedurally generated, but each of the game’s numerous biomes has a unique theming, enemy pool, and hazards.

Areas aren’t created equally either, but you have a dodge roll at your disposal, which allows skilled players to avoid incoming attacks. Dead Cells is a beautiful but brutal platformer, and the Roguelite mechanics give the title limitless replayability.

5

Dicey Dungeons

Cheerful And Accessible

Many Roguelites drown players with mechanics and items, which can be overwhelming, especially if you just want to dive straight into the action.

Dicey Dungeons is a welcome exception to the rule, with simple and accessible mechanics. You must fight an assortment of cutesy enemies with your trusty dice, and you’re rolling for specific combinations to deal damage.

Each character has unique attacks, and there’s just enough strategy to keep the game interesting. Dicey Dungeons boasts a lively soundtrack and vibrant art style, and you’ll understand precisely what to do from the moment you boot up the game.

If the complexity of some Roguelites has put you off the genre, this may make you reconsider.

4

Hades

Storytelling Done Right

Roguelites aren’t exactly famous for their storytelling, as procedural generation and permadeath can make a cohesive tale tricky. But Hades proves it can be done fantastically.

You play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, as he attempts to escape the underworld. Each time he inevitably fails, he ends up back in his father’s quarters, but the underworld is a fascinating place, and you’ll meet dozens of friends and foes.

Many of those friends will love a chinwag between runs, and there’s some superb storytelling and character development. Character interactions are voice-acted, and tension between father and son is expertly crafted.

Gameplay-wise, Hades is a fast-paced isometric brawler, and it certainly feels like a Roguelite. However, everything around it is worth experiencing, even if you detest the genre.

3

Inscryption

A Fever Dream From Start To Finish

Inscryption is one of the most enigmatic, brilliant Roguelikes I’ve ever played. It absolutely has a Roguelike deckbuilding element, but it’s only one part of something much bigger and far more bizarre.

I won’t delve into many details here, as Inscryption is something everyone should experience spoiler-free, in my opinion. That said, a big part of the game is a deck builder where you face eerie foes at a dimly lit table.

Nothing is what it seems. You can rip your own teeth out as bargaining chips, and some of your cards can even talk. Beyond the card game, there’s escape room and puzzle-solving mechanics, which make Inscryption unlike anything you’ve ever played before.

2

Phantom Abyss

Ancient Relics And Hardcore Parkour

Many games on this list are the ‘usual suspects’ if you’re a fan of Roguelites. However, Phantom Abyss has gone under the radar for many and offers movement mechanics similar to Mirror’s Edge.

Phantom Abyss tasks players with sprinting through ancient temples in first person. The issue is that every area is laced with traps and hazards.

You have a whip to traverse gaps Indiana Jones style, a roll to break falls, and must use your free-running prowess to survive. There are even ghosts of other players running around, although it’s not always the wisest move to follow them.

The title is woefully underrated, in my opinion, mainly because players don’t know it exists.

1

Gunfire Reborn

Dust Off Those Shooter Skills

Gunfire Reborn has everything you would expect from a Roguelite, complete with meta progression and upgrades in the guise of scrolls.

The title is also a decent fantasy first-person shooter, which already makes it a little unusual. Shooters are pretty rare in the Roguelike genre, and Gunfire Reborn offers battles against massive bosses and over 60 weapons.

Many Roguelites fall into a character design trap where each hero feels similar. That’s not the case here, with each of the fantasy cast offering a distinct playstyle with power-ups to complement them.

Even if you’re not a Roguelike fan, Gunfire Reborn is a solid shooter with online co-op.