As a gamer, finding enough time to sit and enjoy a game can be tough. That’s especially true when you have responsibilities like a full-time job or being a parent. Luckily, there’s a specific genre of game that exists for this exact reason: roguelites. These games offer quick, pick-up-and-play action without much setup. But what games are the best roguelites of all time?
Overall, there are hundreds of these games to choose from over the years, but some stand out more than others. These are seven of the best roguelite games that you can pick up and play right now.
What’s The Difference Between Roguelikes and Roguelites?
You’ve probably heard people toss around “roguelike” and “roguelite” as though they mean the same thing. And while they do share many similarities, there are enough differences to make each game feel different.
Roguelikes are games that often stick to the formula of permadeath and procedurally-generated levels. Every run is a fresh start, so it’s all about your skill, learning tendencies, and getting a bit lucky.
Roguelites, on the other hand, add on to that formula. While they also follow the single-run strategy, they give players some sort of progression system. As you play, you’ll unlock abilities, new levels, characters, upgrades, and more to keep you coming back.
TL;DR: Roguelikes start you from zero every time, while roguelites let you grow a little with each run, making them easier for players to jump into and keep playing.
The Best Rogulites Of All Time
Dead Cells
A metroidvania-inspired Roguelite, Dead Cells is one of the toughest games you’ll find on this list. The game has you exploring an ever-changing castle, where the more you play, the easier it should get. As you play, you’ll unlock new levels, mutations, weapons, and abilities to help you out. Weapons like the War Spear and Panchuku will have you mowing through your enemies like a hot knife through butter.
There aren’t any checkpoints, meaning that once you die, it’s back to the beginning in a new corpse. It’ll be frustrating at times, but it’s the type of frustration that has you thinking you finally figured out how to make it to the end.
Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 is a thrilling roguelite game that puts you in the shoes of a survivor who crash-lands on a hostile alien planet. The game is full of action and exploration, as you fight your way through randomly generated levels and collect powerful items and abilities. The game has a co-op mode that lets you play with up to three friends online. Each run in the game lasts about an hour, making it perfect for quick sessions.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire is a unique roguelite game that combines card games and dungeon crawling. The game challenges you to build your own deck of cards and use them to fight your way through procedurally generated levels full of enemies and bosses. The game has four different characters to choose from, each with their own cards and abilities. The game also has a daily challenge mode that offers new twists and rewards every day. The best part? Each run in the game takes about an hour or less.
Hades
Hades is a critically acclaimed roguelite game that tells the story of Zagreus, the son of Hades, who tries to escape from the underworld. The game features stunning graphics and voice acting, as well as an engaging combat system that lets you wield different weapons and powers from the gods. The game also has a rich narrative that unfolds as you interact with various characters and learn more about their stories. Each run in the game takes about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your skill level.
If you wrap up your time in Hades, you can then jump into the equally impressive sequel, Hades 2.
Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon is a hilarious roguelite game that parodies various pop culture references and tropes. The game is set in a dungeon full of guns and bullets, where you play as one of four adventurers who seek to find a legendary gun that can kill their past. The game has over 300 different guns and items to discover and use, as well as dozens of secrets and hidden rooms to explore. The game also has a co-op mode that lets you play with one friend locally. Each run in the game takes about an hour or less.
Absolum
The newest game on this list, Absolum, is one of the best games in the genre’s history without doing anything to reinvent the wheel. The game follows four heroes working to save the world from Sun King Azra, who has used the world’s fear of magic to take over and enslave wizards. Each character offers unique abilities and skill sets that differ enough to make you want to try each out. Each run features route branching along with upgrade changes and enemy spawns to keep the game feeling fresh, no matter how many hours you put in. Add in the multiplayer aspect, and you have a game worthy of your time.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is one of the most popular roguelite games ever made. The game follows Isaac, a young boy who escapes from his abusive mother into his basement full of horrors. The game is dark and twisted, but also funny and creative, as it features hundreds of items and enemies inspired by biblical references and other sources. The game also has multiple endings and unlockable characters that add replay value. Each run in the game takes about 30 minutes or less.
If you want more Binding of Isaac content, you can pick up the recent Repentance DLC that adds enough content to make it an entirely new game.
What do you think are the best roguelite games ever? Leave your thoughts down in the comments below, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
Instant respect to the person that wrote this article for using the correct terminology for these games