To see our full, up-to-date catalog, check out our list of all Roguelike Games for PC.
10. Rogue Legacy
Taking after the 1980's classic dungeon-crawling spectacle, Rogue, the genre it spawned has usually taken after their dark worlds, grim environments, and deadly stages. Which is why it's such a sigh of relief to find games like our first entry. Rogue Legacy, with all its dungeons, old-timey visuals, and punishing difficulty--doesn't really take itself too seriously. While it might frustrate you with short lifespans, it will take you to brand new adventure through your genetically flawed lineages.
Boasting the same permadeath formula and procedurally generated worlds as any roguelike game, Cellar Door's Rogue Legacy takes the genre to a new level of variety. As you explore their castles, eliminate some paltry beast, and then die inevitably--it won't be you running back in there. Instead, you'll have a choice of three heirs with their own classes, spells, and disabilities. Yes, you heard that right. If you thought it was hard enough already, then boy are you in for a treat.
Reenter the land as a warrior with ADHD, and revel at your maddening speeds; become a magi haunted by visions from his onset of dementia, or the black and white world of color blindness, or tunnel vision, or all of that in one go. With each of your traits affecting the game, the challenge and fun of it all keeps escalating as you yourself get back up with higher levels, better skills, and upgraded weaponry.
All that, along with satisfying combat and controls, creates a perfect balance of permadeath and progress that will keep you coming back for more. It has a playscore of 8.39.
9. Hand of Fate
An interesting spin on the roguelike genre. Hand of Fate by Defiant Development is a hybrid of card and deck-building games, roguelike, and a little sprinkle of action. Unlike the unforgiving enemies and stages of most platforming roguish endeavors, Hand of Fate will take you against the powerful forces luck and probability. A card game at its core, you sit in front of a mysterious dealer, arranging cards in front of you, and offering a collection of fates to overcome. With its colorful, visual storytelling, and eventual dives to action, it seems to capture the intriguing atmosphere of the tabletop dungeons and dragons game.
Spin the wheel of fate to gain weapons, shields, and a lot of deadly encounters that try to put a dent in your perilous journey. It's in this field that we realize how equally unforgiving lady luck is, as you shuffle decks to meet starvation, traps, and difficult monsters. The victory lies in defeating the dealer's 13 Jack of Scales, and ultimately, the dealer himself. Mixed in with the gratifying choose-your-adventure style gameplay is its hack-and-slash action scenes that serving the purpose visualizing the events of your card game of life.
It's both artistic and rewarding, appealing to both fans of the action genre, as well as the storybook enthusiasts. It has a playscore of 8.47.
8. Spelunky
Not to be confused with 1983's Spelunker, Spelunky takes us on a more modern and adorable treasure-hunting expedition. Inspired by one of the most iconic archaeologists, Indiana Jones, our little red-nosed spelunker dons his signature fedora and casts his whip around in the procedurally generated tunnels of his world. He searches for lost treasures, amidst a mass of slithering snakes and crumbling terrain.
As a roguelike adventure, it sprinkles obstacles and dangers at every step--a lot like Indiana's own misadventures. It requires you to have a keen eye for traps, or risk launching boulders and explosives that will fearlessly propel you back to square one. Nonetheless, you go back with new skills and a keener eye, playing victim to the game's addicting cycle. Described as a Souls-like 2D platformer, it’s ultimately not avoiding obstacles that get you to the finish line--it's a go-getter attitude and a shitload of patience.
While it might be working against you in your quest for treasures and completion, it also does a lot to keep you wallowing in the masochistic act of roguelike gaming. Lurk around in the missions in between worlds, and help an ailing tunnel man create shortcuts and get some gear.
If you're looking for a challenge, then this is probably the game for you. It has a playscore of 8.57.
7. Don’t Starve
Venture into worlds unknown in this german-expressionism inspired game of gigantic proportions. In the increasingly blurred lines of genre, Don't Starve stands to be more rogue-lite than roguelike, though. It retains perma-death and randomly generated worlds, but it mainly highlights exploration and survival over everything else.
In this dark tale, a mad scientist transports you to a strange new dimension filled with anthropomorphized pigs, steampunk horses, and flaming flies. In a world full of monsters and creeping loneliness, survival does not come easy. Venture around a world teeming with resources, and use them to your advantage. Forage for food, unlock new technologies, and fight against the sullen darkness and the transitory seasons.
While exploration is one of its more exciting aspects, building your own base is also important. Acquaint yourself with the beasts you dwell among, deciphering which is friend or foe, to find yourself a fitting spot in the grand scheme of things. Don’t Starve also comes with plenty of unlockable characters, each with their own different playstyles. The darkness isn't as haunting, playing with the pyromaniac Willow who can burn down entire forests with her lighter; and monsters aren't quite as scary with Wolfgang's strong arms.
Gameplay might be fun, but what really draws you in is its impeccable art style. It oozes with the gloomy artistry of the German art movement. Bask in its eerie atmosphere, listen to the character's musical silence. It has a playscore of 8.61.
6. Invisible, Inc.
While Klei Entertainment's Don't Starve was an impressive hit all-throughout, that definitely didn't stop them from venturing back into the risky tides of videogame development. Klei's second entry to this list has a world of difference in between them--sharing more similarities to platforming Mark of the Ninja. Instead of a grim open-world, we're taken a series of turn-based stages where stealth is the key to success.
Inspired by the likes of XCOM, Invisible Inc takes on a tale of espionage, set in the neon futures of 2074. Working for a private intelligence agency, take control of the organization's best agents mounting a counter-attack against a corporate invasion. Pick from a team of 10 unlockable agents and customize each of their builds as you play through each of their randomly generated levels.
While it also offers an array of weapons at your disposal, stealth remains as the prime focus of the game. Hack into cameras, sneak past guards, and avoid conflict as much as possible. With over five different game modes, there's always a wealth of surprises to overcome or avoid entirely. Challenging as it is, the game also lets you customize campaign levels to your wishes, letting you adjust difficulties according to your playstyle. It has a playscore of 8.67.
5. FTL: Faster Than Light
A retro space-simulator that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Subset Games’ takes you into the vastness of space with a ship called the Kessel containing a vital secret. Throughout the game, you will escape your pursuers in a fun and frenetic roguelike experience. It’s like the Star Wars plot, but with permadeath and no mystic midi-chlorians.
The gameplay is pretty much watching a top-down version of your ship fleeing from the game’s 8 sectors. Travel from planet to planet in its procedurally generated galaxy filled with hostile alien and rebel threats. By upgrading your artillery, gathering more crew and customizing your ship, you can easily dominate the universe. It’s inspired from classic tabletop games that let you manage various sections, like the Kessel. It’s a stressful multitasking job, but that’s the best thing about it.
It’s widely considered as an old-fashioned game with a modern approach. It was praised for its strategic depth, fast-paced scenarios and content. For $10, you get what you pay for in a game that slowly grows on you once you spend hours and hours of it. Though it has its own shortcomings in terms of enemy variety and difficulty, it’s still worth the try. It didn’t fulfill its Kickstarter goals for nothing. It has a playscore 8.71.
4. Enter The Gungeon
It’s Binding of Isaac with guns. A frenzied bullet-hell dungeon crawler that merits fast reflexes and heavy artillery. Be a part of the Gungeoneers, a merry band of misfits trying to find a mysterious Gun that can destroy the past. Silly as it may be, it’s just another one of Devolver Digital’s ridiculous published games.
To find this powerful Gun, players must enter the Gungeon, a mysterious castle filled with randomly generated levels and intense difficulty spikes. Face off hordes of creatures called the Gundead and veer away from its multitude of colorful yet punishing bullets. Throughout its roguelike gameplay, collect various guns with unique bullets and unleash your carnage against the game’s brutal boss fights.
Players can also gather someone in its co-op Gungeon mode. Team up with a friend and live through an onslaught of Gundead.
It’s a totally Gunbelievable game. Gunforgiving as it may be, it really takes players into a gauntlet of unmitigated disaster. With a sweet soundtrack, humor, and it's beautiful, beautiful variety of guns, it makes the game so worth playing.
Stylish and filled with charm, Enter the Gungeon is Dodge Roll’s crowning glory. It receives a playscore of 8.74.
3. Crypt Of The Necrodancer
It’s not everyday you think of a game idea that clicks. Brace Yourself Games’ blend of roguelike, dungeon-crawling, and rhythm takes you to a crypt. Not just any crypt, but a crypt of the mysterious NecroDancer. A mystical being dedicated to ending your life with the power of music. At this point, you don’t need to be surprised by how silly these games are. It just works.
As an adventurer trapped in this dangerous place, groove into tunes of Danny Baranowsky’s soundtrack to deliver musical beatdowns to the pathetic monsters. Similar to any roguelike game, the greater you proceed through its dungeon, the more difficult it gets. Its procedurally generated levels give players a tense beat to beat action that requires careful listening. Miss a beat and you’re whacked.
Aside from that, the game’s biggest feature is its customizable dungeons. You can equip your own music and jam to its beats. Just import your favorite MP3 music and you’re in for a rhythmic treat.
Expect a ton of stress and frustration because this game doesn’t go easy on you. Wear your best headphones and move to the groove. It’s an award-winning game and it has a playscore of 8.93.
2. Nuclear Throne
You’ve heard of Gun-wielding adventurers and beat-dancing explorers, this time, it’s a post-apocalyptic shooter… with mutants. After a massive nuclear attack on Earth, the planet is filled with radioactive mess. Everything is green, gooey and gross. But what else should we expect from a post-nuclear world?
Choose from its 12 disgusting characters with unique mutations and fight for the Nuclear Throne.
This top-down roguelike shooter involves no humans because there’s nothing left human to fight for. As a mutated creature, fight your way through its mutated wasteland filled with irradiated weaponry and some odd limbs growing on your stomach. Aside from its characters, the game has 7 main worlds, over 30 mutations, 120 weapons, and 15 booming tracks. For a $12 game, it’s quite a bargain.
Vlambeer did a successful job by developing a game that could cater to fans of the Roguelike genre. The creators developed the game by streaming on Twitch. Listening to fan feedback and suggestions. Now that’s dedication. It receives a playscore of 8.94 .
That's some crazy lineup of roguelike games. But, before we reveal our number one roguelike pc game, here are the runners up:
11. Dungeons of Dredmor. Harken back to the good old days of classic pixel roguelike games, with the refreshing twist of point and click goodness. Dive into the dark dungeons, and fight to defeat the Dark Lord Dredmor. It has a playscore of 8.38.
12. Risk of Rain. Mixing two vintage genres into one great Kickstarter campaign? What could possibly go wrong! Embark on the thrills of Metroidvania, along with the punishing randomness of roguelikes. It has a playscore of 8.29.
13. Thea: The Awakening. A turn-based survival game set in the heart of Slavic mythologies. With a vast procedural world, and over 200 story events to uncover. Defeat the haunting darkness, and witness the awakening! It has a playscore of 8.17.
14. Darkest Dungeon. Another turn-based RPG dipped in the miserable reds and blacks of the gothic era. Deal with the punishing affliction system, and wallow in their artistic backdrops. It has a playscore of 8.12.
15. Sunless Sea. Lose your sanity to the loneliness of maritime expeditions. With exploration, discovery, and a whole lot of death. It has a playscore of 8.12.
1. The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
What else? Edmund McMillen’s roguelike shooter received a huge update after its successful 2011 Adobe Flash game. Due to its limitations, they decided to give the game a rebirth, thus the tagline. It offers new gameplay features and additional content to our adorable crying boy. Some of it includes a sweet new soundtrack, increased framerate, and more poop! Out of almost every consoles, Nicalis’ game really gave Indie development the respect it deserves.
A 2D dungeon crawler that’s similar to its original, play as Isaac. A poor boy trapped in his religious mother’s basement. Awaiting to be sacrificed, he uses his tears to shoot monsters that creep in the dark. It’s inspired by the Biblical tale of The Binding of Isaac and also from the creator’s personal experiences with religion in the family.
Just like any roguelike game, guide Isaac in a series of randomly generated levels. And as per usual, the deeper it gets, the more sinister it becomes. Meet new monsters, encounter deadly bosses, and bask in its 500 hours of gameplay.
It was very well-received. It has a metaphorical story, a rich world, and content so large, Rebirth singlehandedly dominates our list of Roguelike PC games. It has a playscore of 9.06.