Welcome to the ultimate guide to the absolute best roguelikes and roguelites! From heart-pounding underworld odysseys to strategic inventory battles, prepare for non-stop action, endless challenges, and addictive replayability.
Table of Contents
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
We’ll start our list of the best roguelikes and roguelites with a game that even the developers didn’t expect to be as successful as it is: Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. This Early Access title throws you into a relentless battle against swarms of alien monstrosities. Players familiar with Deep Rock Galactic will recognize the weapons you used blast your way through procedurally generated caves.
If you enjoy games like Vampire Survivors (also featured on this blog), you can’t go wrong with this one. From mining precious resources to fending off wave after wave of hostile creatures, every moment in this bullet hell is a heart-pounding rush. Smooth gameplay and endless replayability await!
Death Must Die
Another Early Access title that we’ve had a lot of fun with so far is Death Must Die. It can best be described as a blend of Vampire Survivors and Hades. In this roguelite RPG, you embark on an epic journey through the depths of the underworld. As a hero chosen by the gods, you use divine powers to battle Death and his minions.
Death Must Die features relentless action and endless possibilities. Customize your play style, unlock new heroes, and discover powerful artifacts to create unstoppable combinations. Be warned: the gameplay loop is addictive, and every loss will only fuel your determination to defeat Death next time.
Returnal
Let’s talk about Returnal, a game that we had to wait two years to play on PC after its initial release on PlayStation. If you like third-person shooters, space settings, and strong female protagonists, this game is for you!
You’ll play as Selene and find yourself in an unforgiving, shape-shifting world where survival means breaking the cycle. With each death, you’ll face new challenges and unearthly horrors. The game’s gothic art style and eerie atmosphere immerse you in a sci-fi nightmare, and the combat requires precision and resilience.
Risk of Rain Returns
Next on our list of the best roguelikes and roguelites is Risk of Rain Returns. This revamped classic brings back all the elements that made the original great, plus tons of new features and challenges.
Go on adrenaline-pumping runs through the treacherous landscapes of Petrichor V, where danger lurks around every corner and ancient secrets are waiting to be discovered. Every playthrough feels fresh and exciting with improved Survivors borrowed from Risk of Rain 2 and new items and abilities. Risk of Rain Returns features enhanced controls, diverse gameplay options, and addictive replayability, making it a must-have for fans of the series and new players alike.
Vampire Survivors
As we’ve said before, we couldn’t compile a list of the best roguelikes and roguelites without mentioning Vampire Survivors. We’ve discussed it on our blog before, but we’ll take any opportunity to rave about it again!
In this gothic horror gem, you’ll face off against hordes of nightmarish creatures with only your wits and determination to help you. As dusk falls, your skills will be tested in a relentless battle against the unknown. Will you succumb to the darkness or emerge as a true survivor?
Dead Cells
We’ve also covered Dead Cells in another blog post, but we just had to bring it up again. This metroidvania roguelite masterpiece combines the best of both worlds, offering relentless 2D combat and a labyrinthine castle that evolves with each playthrough. With no checkpoints, it’s a kill-die-learn-repeat journey.
Armed with over 150 weapons and spells, every encounter tests your skill and strategy. Navigate nonlinear paths from sinister sewers to towering ramparts; each offers unique challenges and rewards. With its polished mechanics, wide variety of weapons, and dash of humor, Dead Cells is a game not to be missed.
Backpack Hero
If managing your inventory is one of your favorite aspects of any game, you won’t want to miss Backpack Hero, the next game on our list of the best roguelikes and roguelites. In this innovative game, your backpack is a strategic battleground. Every item you collect matters, and how you organize them is key to victory.
Delve into ancient dungeons, navigate treacherous swamps, and defeat menacing enemies while mastering inventory management. Arrange your items wisely to unlock their full potential and unleash devastating power on your enemies! But it’s not all danger and peril. Between quests, you’ll rebuild the quaint village of Haversack Hill, attracting new residents and unlocking exciting challenges.
Ship of Fools
Embark on an epic adventure across the tumultuous seas in Ship of Fools, a daring roguelite seafaring game that pits you against the mighty Aquapocalypse! You and your trusty shipmate, the Stormstrider, must brave monstrous sea creatures and the wrath of the storm.
Man the cannons, hoist the sails, and navigate the treacherous archipelago where the shattered Great Lighthouse unleashes a storm of corruption upon the world. Every voyage brings new challenges and the opportunity to unlock characters with unique abilities.
Soulstone Survivors
The last game on our list of the best roguelikes and roguelites is Soulstone Survivors, a fantastic action roguelike. In this game, you’ll battle the sinister Lords of the Void and their relentless minions to seize their coveted Soulstones and ascend to godhood. As a Void Hunter, you’ll uncover secrets, cast powerful spells, and exploit game-breaking synergies.
Engage in intense battles, vanquish colossal bosses, and amass the spoils of war to forge legendary weapons and unlock diverse characters. Soulstone Survivors blends deep RPG mechanics with the thrill of roguelite gameplay, ensuring each venture into the Void is exhilarating.
Honorable mentions
We have a few more games for you that are among the best roguelikes and roguelites. However, we’ve already discussed them in detail in previous blogs. One of them is, of course, Hades, one of the best roguelikes we’ve ever played. Check out this blog to read more about it!
Other recommendations include The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, featured in our blog about the best 2D games; Dome Keeper, covered in our blog about the top ten pixel games; and Tiny Rogues, which made our list of the best dungeon crawlers.
Brave the bullet hells in the best roguelikes with PLITCH!
We love roguelikes and roguelites for their high difficulty, but sometimes we crave a more relaxing experience. If you agree or want an even more challenging experience, give PLITCH a try!
PLITCH is a software that provides cheats and mods for all the games on this list and over 5,200 more. It’s single-player only, of course. It’s no fun to ruin someone else’s gaming experience. Our trainers are always up to date, and we release codes for new games as quickly as possible.
Our Discord server and forum are full of fellow gamers. If you want to chat with others or ask our team members a question, we’re always happy to help! You can also learn more about PLITCH on this blog and our YouTube channel.
Happy Gaming!
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