With so many new ones coming out every month, it’s been a tough debate between the fans of the genre to see which one stands at the top.
Roguelikes have been a blooming genre full of opportunities these last few years, and we’ve gotten to see many amazing titles that have quickly become fan favorites. The replayability of these games tends to hook in many players and, even years after their releases, keep a healthy player base. What games can consider themselves the best, though? With so many new ones coming out every month, it’s been a tough debate between the fans of the genre to see which one stands at the top. Gameplay, graphics, and general fun to be had are the keystones of these games.
Many roguelike games combine this gameplay with progression systems present in most RPGs, making for a great time as players slowly come to grips with how the game works while enjoying incremental increases in power with each successive victory. It can take a long while to get a hang of how these titles work, but players who finally master the game’s systems will love beating down enemies and clearing areas that they were having a problem in early on when the game upped the ante regarding the overall difficulty.
Updated September 20, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra:Roguelike games have become all the rage in the indie scene, to the point where the PlayStation brand also tried out this genre for themselves. The sheer number of quality roguelike titles makes it clear that this genre isn’t going away anytime soon. Fans will have a great time playing through one of the many titles that make their gameplay loops as exciting and riveting as possible. The majority of roguelike games can be very hard, making their integration with RPG systems rather natural. This allows for a gradual sense of progression as players slowly get better at the game, and get some permanent boosts in successive runs. 16 Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
A roguelike RPG that takes no prisoners, Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead may seem like a relatively uninteresting game. Its graphics are pretty bare bones, but this shouldn’t fool players in the slightest. The game is one of the most challenging titles in the genre that fans can get their hands on, and it takes no prisoners.
It takes a few playthroughs (and deaths) to get into the flow of things, but players will soon rule in a world ravaged by the zombie apocalypse. The sheer number of things players can accomplish in Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is quite impressive and makes it clear why it has such a dedicated community. 15 Caves Of Qud
Even in a genre full of tough experiences, Caves of Qud takes the cake as one of the hardest games ever made. The game doesn’t look all that amazing and can be rather complex, but its deep gameplay systems more than make up for the lack of visual flair.
People who get into the game and learn its complex systems will have a great time indeed. Just keep in mind that dying is a part of the process. Later playthroughs, though, are a blast after players understand what the game is all about. 14 Darkest Dungeon
Speaking of hard-as-nails roguelike RPGs, it would be hard to not mention Darkest Dungeon. This Lovecraftian RPG is one of the hardest yet enjoyable indie games of all time.
With its sequel out, there’s no better time to get into the first game and understand its mechanics. Players who manage to get into this hardcore gameplay will have a great time uncovering the mysteries of the plot. 13 FTL: Faster Than Light
While its RPG elements might be minuscule, FTL’s gradual sense of progression definitely mimics this genre in some way. It’s a legendary roguelike game that more people need to check out.
FTL’s sci-fi setting gets the job done, with the player trying to avoid a massively powerful force from catching up to them.
