Summary
It’s no secret thatroguelikes(and roguelites) have been inching their way up the ladder of popularity in recent years. From their familiar structure and replayability to spectacular theming and storylines, it’s easy to see why this is happening.
We’re spoiled for choice by the sheer number of fantastic ones on the market right now but that’s not the end of it. Dozens of roguelikes are hitting early access and full launch this year, and here are the ones you should look out for.
10Hades II
The original Hades was praised for its character design, storytelling, and difficulty, and Hades II seems to have taken it up a notch. New gods, new allies, new enemies all crammed into an already existing world. Don’t expect anything familiar. There’s a new path down into the underworld and one to the peak of Olympus itself. The gameplay will also be entirely different with the addition of a magic system, ranging fromtarot cardsto hexes. The game is more magical than ever but also more difficult.
While there is a chance that Hades II won’t have a completed launch in 2024, the developers are known to have a pretty quick turnaround from early access to full release. You may not be able to discover everything the game has to offer right now, but it’ll be enough to keep you satisfied until it’s ready.
9Sworn
Mythology has wormed its way into roguelike games, but a pitstop in Arthurian legend seems more than fitting. Fight your way through Camelot as you journey to destroy the corrupted King Arthur and the twisted Knights of the Round Table, but don’t worry, the fate of the world doesn’t rest entirely on your shoulders.
Pick your fighter and your rag-tag team for this game was made to play co-op style with up to three friends. If you want to hack past everything independently, you are more than welcome to.
8The Rogue Prince Of Persia
If platformers are more your style, then The Rogue Prince of Persia may just be right up your alley. This roguelike features bright colors, a fluid fighting style, and energetic music. It feels like a fresh new take on the entire series.
This game has no connection to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown in terms of story.
Prince of Persia has always been known for its parkour elements and this environment is going to make it more fun than ever. The slick animations might just make you start over. You’ll be so distracted that your character did a backflip that you won’t see that enemy coming. There is a playfulness that’ll make for a great challenge in this 2D game.
7Realm Of Ink
Change your destiny in this Asian mythos-inspired action roguelite game. Start playing as Red, a swordsman on a quest to slay a fox demon, until she realizes that she’s a fictional character. While little is known about the story at this time, it’s getting a lot of attention as many are comparing the mythology aspect and style to Hades.
Realm of Ink is doing things differently from the fan favorite. There are different realms to explore and different characters to play as. Creating a storyline that is complex and endearing. You can play a snippet of Realm of Ink right now and it’s been promised that all of the main story will be available to play during the early access period.
6Never Grave: The Witch And The Curse
This roguelike metroidvania seems to have it all. Fight your way through a cursed kingdom while also rebuilding your community and the best part? You play as a hat that possesses dead bodies, including the ones of your enemies, but it’s cute, so don’t look too closely at that little detail.
Many are comparing the aesthetic to that of Hollow Knight, but is that a bad thing? Muted color palettes and little creatures can make anything slightly horrifying more friendly. Between the story and added features, it’ll be an entirely new experience that just so happens to have a familiar kind of setting.
5The Spirit Lift
This spooky game is definitely one that shouldn’t be swept under the rug. Pick your character and explore a very haunted hotel while also solving the mystery. A combination of everything you love about the genre mixed withsupernatural horror, it’ll be enough to keep you on your toes.
But there’s a catch: the hotel is ever-changing, so you should never expect something to be behind the elevator doors. This first-person roguelike deckbuilder even places basic items like flashlights in your cards, so be careful picking that character.
433 Immortals
You’ve been deemed unworthy in God’s final judgment, so obviously, your only choice is to kill him. Well, you and 32 other damned. This co-op roguelike is unlike any other the genre has ever seen due to the nature of having 33 players at once, which is more standard in other genres.
If you die along the way, you’ll just have to start again with a new group, but your group won’t want or need to kill you. They’ll need all the power they can get to take down this cosmic entity. Never get used to anything here. It may just be your downfall.
3Windblown
If you thought Dead Cells was one of the best roguelikes ever made, then its developers have a treat for you. Windblown is their new, brightly colored, fast-paced optional co-op - a completely different vibe from their first roguelike game. You can either go at it alone, with a team of up to three, or join in during someone else’s run.
Early looks of this game have everyone hyped for the game’s release. Don’t expect just another Dead Cells, Windblown is going to be an entirely new experience that’s going to be faster than ever.
2Knock On The Coffin Lid
When the game starts, you’re a dead guy in a coffin with no memories of your life, and for some reason, a necromancer has found it fitting to bring you back to life and claims your life is to do as you wish. The world around you grows increasingly twisted, and you know you must return home to find the truth.
Political unrest and corruption is the name of the game, and you’ll definitely want to see where this twisted story goes. This roguelike deckbuilder combines combat, adventure, politics, and story all into one game. Only time will tell if it manages to balance all these elements.
1Odinfall
This roguelite twin shooter is everything rolled into one, what isn’t there to love? A post-apocalyptic Norse tale detailing the aftereffects of Ragnarok. You, and potentially your friends, must bring down Odin as he risks the second end of the world. It seems the genre can’t stay away from mythology andreligious retellings.
Blast your way through monsters and the remaining technologically advanced gods and bring peace to the world. Or at least keep things relatively the same instead of making things worse. Upgrade characters, modify your weapons, and go to town on your enemies in this pixel art-inspired game.
