In the past I looked at the term with confusion, and still even now there’s this murky water between what constitutes a rogue like or lite or whatever you want to define it as. I’m just going to use the term lightly, and refer to games that call themselves as part of that genre, and boy is there a lot to choose from this year. I feel like every time I check out a list of indie games coming out soon, there’s bound to be a roguelike title on there, and if you checked out my rolling list of the top 10 games of 2020, well it was dominated with by roguelike titles. So I thought, let’s take a look at some of those releases! I’m not going to rank them. Let me know your top picks!
Rising Hell
Let’s kick it off with the quintessential action based platformer roguelike game. Murder your way vertically up and grab temporary boosts and currency along the way. Rising Hell offers fantastic controls and gives you the chance to get some crazy cool combos happening. Great arcade like style of gameplay and cool graphics support a fast paced game that is just fun to play!
Iris & The Giant
Cards! Who doesn’t love a card based rogue like and this one is unique with is graphics style and story telling qualities. Iris and the Giant is deep, it’s definitely not a bash and crash game and we’re looking into our own subconscious and vulnerability here. I love the deck building aspect and the way in which your run is finished if you run out of cards. Strategy is super important here and you’re going to need to think a little more than the previous game above!
Zunius
So this one kind of flows into 2019 but I love it and it’s an Aussie game that is so different from everything else in the list so Zunius makes it! The game is described on steam as a psychedelic rogue like bullet hell and you can see that with music and graphical style. I haven’t seen a retro space shooter smashing it’s way into the roguelike genre before so Zunius is well worth a go!
Skul The hero Slayer
A game I’ve written about many a time and one I really like due to it’s easy playability and the way each run feels a little different depending on which skul you get to use. Lots of attacking, mixed in with some small elements of platforming and crazy good hero fights make Skul a great game to pick up and in my opinion a really good introductory to the genre. Complexity is not high with this game but it sure is a lot of fun!
A long Way Down
Procedurally generated turn based gameplay with deck building involved. A long way down is not my favourite in the list but it’s got a fair bit of depth and strategy for people that like thinking their way slowly through problems. This game kind of feels like playing a turn based board game with tactics style movement and has a cool “into the depth of hell” style story line.
Dead Cells The Bad Seed
An oldy but a goody, and qualifies for the list due to the release of the bad seed DLC this year. Dead Cells is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of platform action roguelikes and it’s just so much fun to through yourself into and get further into the run. Boss fights are cool, different items you collect are awesome and the game controls as perfectly as I could imagine for an action platformer. This is a must play!
Space Gladiators
The newest game I’ve tried in my list and one which stands out for it’s quirky art direction and definitely can hold its head high in terms of stacking up to the other games. Intense and quick fighting with funny characters (you can play as a potato!) are at the heart of this platforming game. Lots of customization along the way and a game that has great progression with decent difficulty curve!
Crown Trick
Another of my more recent games to have played, Crown Trick is a cool take on the genre with a game that is all about turns and the decisions you make. Everyone takes turns at the same time of you and you are completely in control of how quick the game moves and flows. A pretty decent amount of weapons and artifacts allows each run to feel a bit different, and I must say that I have found it to be pretty tricky working my way through. A game that isn’t at full release yet and one to definitely keep an eye out moving to full release in the future!
One Step From Eden
If you’ve read any of my other posts you will no doubt be aware of this game and it is currently listed as my top indie game for the year. Fast paced action mixed with strategic deck building and characters that are just so unique in the mechanics and aesthetic that they bring to the game. There is so much to love about One Step From Eden!
Hellver
A game which is currently in the playable demo state on itch.io and one that i’ve added to the list due to its clear uniqueness compared to the other games i’ve written about. Hellver is a fps with retro inspired graphics and all about fast action and destruction all around you. Currently there’s a few levels to play through, as you make your way down through the spirally terrain, and it just promises so much. Hellver is the sort of game that looks okay when you see it for the first time, and you need to really play it for yourself to get a feel for how much fun it is to destroy your way through hordes of enemies, especially with the shotgun!
Indie Game Blitz 