Summary
In spite of Rogue itself originally releasing in 1980, the subgenre of Roguelikes and lites it spurred on only burst into popularity around the mid-2010s. It’s gotten to the point now that it feels like every other new game has some kind of Rogue-esque element.
However, Roguelikes tend to mainly show up in the same group of genres, like top-down action games or deck-builders. In spite of this, Roguelike mechanics have made their way into plenty of other genres, sometimes in places where you usually wouldn’t expect them. So, what games break the Roguelike mould?
10Nubby’s Number Factory
If one title encapsulates how anything can be Rogue-ified, it’s the fundamentally absurd Nubby’s Number Factory. Hiding under the visage of an eye-burning Y2K-inspired flash game, it’s a surprisingly deep Plinko title that will have you coming back for just one more run.
As you help Nubby make bigger and bigger numbers, you’ll get the opportunity to shop for buffs, and improve your build until you practically break the game with how much is going on at one time. Like most Rogue-inspired games, after failing or finishing a run, you’ll be back at the beginning, but with each run you can unlock new modes, starter builds, and difficulties.
It’s no wonder that a concept as open-ended as a road trip has been adapted into so many different games, but Road 96 is undeniably one of the most unconventional. Through each run of Road 96 you’ll learn more about the alternate-timeline version of the USA as you take on the role of a teen aiming to escape the country via its northern border.
Each attempt will have you choosing a random faceless character with a different starting location, alongside pre-determined stats like hunger and cash. The teens you control aren’t the stars though. Instead, it’s the recurring cast of seven characters who you’ll get various insights into every time you meet them on the road.
If you’re not a fan of golf games, then playing them can sometimes feel like purgatory, but Cursed to Golf takes this idea and turns it into a Roguelike. Your recently deceased golfer protagonist is challenged with completing a course of 18 holes in a golf-themed purgatory, and it’s your job to complete them with a limited number of swings.
While each standard run will only cover 18 holes, there is plenty of variety, with these 18 randomly selected challenges taken from a larger pool of over 70 options. On top of this, each run will be different thanks to the classic Roguelike selection of buffs and modifiers available with each attempt.
With how much of a phenomenon Balatro has become since its launch, its frankly ingenious combination of Poker and a Roguelike formula has been so normalized that it’s easy to forget how unique this genre mashup is.
Even if you’ve never touched a deck of cards, Balatro makes it simple to grasp its twisted set of rules. While the core gameplay loop of Balatro isn’t too complicated, the waydifferent Joker cards, deck alterations, and various difficulty modes make it an inviting prospect to return to.
In spite of its popularity, it’s easy to overlook the Roguelike elements of Crypt of the Necrodancer thanks to just how much else it has going on. The core premise of Necrodancer is its mash-up of a standard procedurally-generated dungeon crawler with ultra-precise rhythm gameplay makes it stand out from the crowd enough already.
However, with the ability to import your own music, the variety of different monster movements and attack patterns you have to keep in mind, the Roguelike mechanics are purely used as a structure to facilitate it all. But if you want a Roguelike like no other, then this is a top pick.
With how over-saturated pixel art games have become, it’s refreshing just how well Dave the Diver utilizes its art style to consistently radiate charm. The balance of undersea shooter-style fishing gameplay, paired with a nighttime sushi restaurant sim, is a premise like no other.
However, unlike a lot of other Roguelikes, it’s easy to forget that Dave the Diver has this structure thanks to the fast-paced overarching story, and how quickly you can make permanent progress. With easily accessible upgrades for both Dave’s fishing equipment and restaurant, as well as new areas and skills frequently unlocked, Dave the Diver is a perfect Roguelike if you’ve gotten a bit tired of how repetitive the subgenre can feel.
It’s a shame how uncommon modern beat ‘em’ up games are, and it’s even more dire for the rarer 3D beat ‘em’ up. It’s fitting then that one of the most popular modern 3D beat ‘em’ ups, Sifu, uses such a typical modern Roguelike structure, but turns it on its head.
As you battle your way through each of Sifu’s five levels, with each death, instead of being forced to restart, you’ll instead be revived but aged up. At a higher age, you’ll deal more damage, but have less health. While permanent shortcuts can be unlocked, it’s a challenge to get through each level, aging as little as possible to be able to get to the end of the last level with health to spare.
Unlike most other unexpected Roguelikes, Inscryption uses a pretty standard style of gameplay for the subgenre, being a deck-builder. What’s unexpected about it is pretty much everything else.
While Inscryption is a game that’s better to go into with as little context as possible, it won’t ruin your experience to know that you should never feel comfortable as you work through its story. Shifting gameplay styles, various types of presentation, and mind-bending narrative twists, expect nothing except the unexpected.
Landfall has seemingly made it its mission to create games with a palpable sense of movement and momentum that are as fun to watch as they are to play, and Haste is the epitome of this. While Haste is a game primarily about always moving forwards, to ensure that the overall title has a sense of permanent progression, it uses a Roguelike structure for each of its levels.
While you likely won’t need torepeat its earlier shardsafter you’ve gotten accustomed to the speedy gameplay, you’ll find yourself challenging its much more difficult later levels much more frequently. Utilizing Roguelike staples, you’ll earn currency throughout each run to buy perks and buffs to improve your chances of success against the tough bosses each shard ends with.
Blue Prince combines so many different ideas that its Roguelike subgenre is easy to overlook, but the repeated visits to the mysterious manor wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t constantly pulled back to the beginning at the start of every day.
As you map out the unique structure of the house with each run, the game’s multi-faceted mystery will gradually unfurl whether you’re paying attention to it or not. While its multiple secrets are tempting, the prospect ofgetting the perfect layoutis more-ish enough to distract you from the background narrative.
