Once a niche genre, roguelike games have seen a spike in popularity in recent years. The gameplay structure,designed to be varied and encourage players to try again even after initial failures, has contributed to the genre’s popularity. The rise in popularity has also led to the creation of subgenres, the most notable being roguelites.
Despite the similar names, there arekey differences between roguelikes and roguelites. In roguelites, players unlock permanent upgrades between attempts, offering a sense of constant progression. Additionally, roguelites tend to be more accessible, with a more balanced difficulty curve, making them appealing to a broader audience looking for the best roguelite experiences.
Brotatostands out with its engaging dynamics and challenging mechanics, fitting perfectly into the roguelite landscape. Players mustsurvive on an alien planetusing up to six weapons simultaneously.
Each run features different combinations of weapons and power-ups, offering a fresh experience andencouraging strategic experimentation.Brotato’s gameplay is frenetic, demanding quick skills to dodge enemies and optimize resource use. With waves of enemies lasting from 20 to 90 seconds, the game maintains a fast pace, providing short and intense matches, solidifyingBrotatoas one of the best roguelites.
For players who also enjoygreat bullet hell games,Enter the Gungeonis an excellent roguelite option. Controlling a group of misfit heroes, players shoot, loot, dodge, and flip tables in search of a legendary weapon that can change the past.
The gameplay is straightforward, where procedural maps blend with those created by the developers, making each gameplay session unique yet familiar. Additionally, players must collect resources in each run to improve their characters, enhancing the next run and cementingEnter the Gungeonas a fantastic experience.
InCult of the Lamb, players assume the role of a possessed lamb saved by a sinister entity. To repay the debt, the lamb must recruit followers for the cult in the entity’s name. During gameplay, players explore a vast world, battling hordes of enemies to find heretics.
The game’s loop involves raids to defeat bosses and progress the story, alongside managing the cult, where players can acquire various resources to strengthen their characters for future adventures. Access to a wide array of weapons and options to optimize builds, along with the game’s wacky and twisted tone, further establishesCult of the Lambas one of the most entertaining roguelites out there.
InLoop Hero, players control a hero tasked with saving the world from the influence of a powerful Lich who has trapped everyone in a timeless loop. To do so, the heroselects their classand embarks on a journey that changes with each new adventure.
As players progress, they unlock new cards and benefits at the camp, making future journeys easier. Additionally, careful planning is required as players place enemy structures and advantages, with wrong choices potentially ending the run prematurely. This strategic depth makesLoop Heroone of the best roguelites, though it requires a bit more of a hands-off approach than many other games on this list.
Risk of Rain 2is a prime example of a roguelite that combines third-person action with persistent progression mechanics. In this game, players take on the role of a survivor fighting to escape an alien planet filled with dangers.
Each attemptunlocks new items, skills, and characters,allowing for varied and unique strategies. Procedural generation of enemies, items, and levels ensures no two runs are exactly alike, offering a dynamic and challenging experience. The constant progression motivates players to overcome challenges and explore all possibilities, delivering a stellar experience that keeps players coming back for more.
Despite its simple concepts,Vampire Survivorsis one of the most interesting and enjoyable games in the roguelite genre. Players have access to a variety of characters and builds to face successive hordes of demons.
A key highlight ofVampire Survivorsis its fast-paced and frenetic gameplay. During this time, players must destroy everything in sight to collect gold, which is used to upgrade characters and aid in future runs. This makesVampire Survivorsa satisfying game that can captivate players for hours, emphasizing a focus on movement and passive abilities over more active interaction with the game’s enemies.
The Binding of Isaacis a classic indie game known for its addictive gameplay. Players take on the role of Isaac,a boy trying to escape his mother’s sacrificial intent, facing bizarre creatures and challenging bosses in procedurally generated dungeons.
The game stands out as a roguelite due to its permanent upgrades unlocked throughout attempts. Each run is unique, with varying items and power-ups, allowing players to develop different strategies to experience all the game offers, including multiple endings and new classes or items that cementThe Binding of Isaacone of the best roguelites around.
Rogue Legacy 2revolves around generations of a family facing dangers to break a cycle. Players explore random maps in various biomes, and upon death, the journey of that character ends — but their heirs continue the legacy.
Each character is unique, with different traits and abilities. To facilitate thechallenging journey, players can use their inheritance to expand the family mansion, increasing the chances of success for future generations. This makesRogue Legacy 2a fun and unique roguelite, offering new experiences with each adventure and securing its place among the best in the genre.
At first glance,Dead Cellsappears to mix several genres. It incorporates Metroidvania elements, even resulting in acrossover with Castlevania, but it fundamentally operates as a roguelite. Without checkpoints, everything must be completed in one run, or the journey must restart from the beginning.
However, not all progress is lost with each run. Players can unlock new stages, mutations, weapons, and abilities that make the character stronger and provide a sense of progress. This deep variety from run to run makes it easier to face new challenges in this phenomenal (and addicting) roguelite.
One of the most popular titles from Supergiant Games,Hadesis considered the best roguelites on the market (at least until the full release ofHades 2) due to its mastery over narrative storytelling within a roguelite structure. In this game, players control Zagreus, the son of the God of the Underworld, as he attempts to escape his father’s domain.
Throughout the frenetic gameplay, players gain access to various boons from the Olympian gods anda number of powerful weapons to aid them on their journey. Whenever Zagreus perishes, he can purchase skill upgrades to make future attempts easier or even influence the game’s randomness. On top of that, returning to the game’s hub after a failed run allows Zagreus to further different character storylines, ensuring each failure is always met with some kind of advancement, whether mechanical, narrative, or both.
