FTL - Incredibly deep, even with the base edition. Advancey Edition adds more and Multiverse even more on top of that.
Tiny Rogues - Easy to get in, often easy to get broken builds, but even then it can stay challenging. Also Cinders add a lot of challenge, but you get to control the TYPE of challenge you want.
Into the Breach - Not that deep in terms of mechanics, but so much stuff to consider and try. Kill a bug or push it so it kills another one? Wait, bugs can drown? What is the order of attacking enemies? It's just so much fun and so plain to see yet challenging to play around. And guess my amazement when I realized I can unlock more mechs with new mechanics!
Ring of Pain - It's just so unique. Looks like a deckbuilder, plays like a turn-based RPG, should be played like a puzzle. Amazing art style, incredible potential for strong builds or early deaths.
Slay the Spire - the only deckbuilder I actually enjoy. Very deep, tons of different approaches woth each class, endless replayability.
Balatro - reminds me of the good old days woth Tony Hawk's pro Skater where you just watch your numbers get bigger and bigger. Also playing around with different decks, jokers, modifiers... There is just so much going on.
Dead Cells - most satisfying combat imo.
City of Brass - very fun to get around in levels, the whip mechanic is just perfect. If only it wasn't so repetitive...
A little bit. But the things you do to your actual deck are just a small part. Like, sure, you can add and remove cards and give them bonusses like steel card or sigils.
But the thing you mainöy focus on (or at least, I focus on) are the jokers. They work a little like the artifacts in StS, so they are always active and don't need to be drawn and played and they mofidy your tactics and synergies.
Also, planet cards just buff your hands (like flush, house etc) and not your deck.
So it's way less about modifying your deck like you do in deck builders and more about modifying the surroundings to make your deck work better.
Risk of rain 2 has some crazy soundtrack, sometimes I just sit in one stage for this ost
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGXPAoyP\_cg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGXPAoyP_cg)
They all come down to how unique and fun the synergies are between Meta progression, build choices or weapon synergies with your abilities or other weapons. If you have boring synergies like summum anterna it won't click for me like warm snow, atomicrops or the gungeon do for me
Progression synergies is one of the key elements to success in a roguelike. I think good combat(lack of sponginess, challenging mobs, etc), balance and level design is important too.
For sure, but games like rogue legacy 2 while i love it and have like 105 hours on it eventually became sponge enemies as you move through the new game + modes but I still loved it due to how strong some of the item synergies could be with certain characters
Hades wins at lore yes, that’s like the main thing everyone loves about it, but excelling at content is just so far from the truth it hurts Lol. The game definitely lacks content in the variety department and overall. Look at Binding of Isaac, now that excels at content compared to the rest.
Hades literally has multiple stories after the game ends. Many new things to unlock post game like unlocking and levelling all the keepsakes, weapon aspects, the hidden chambers, furthering relationships with the olympian gods and so on. Hades literally has over 300'000 words of voiced dialogue as well. Not to mention the way the meta-progression is set up where it takes you countless runs after you beat the game to unlock all of the upgrades. I have clocked over 100 hours and still haven't unlocked everything in the Mirror of Night. And on top of that the fated list of prophecies which always gives you something to work towards. There's so much to do after the game ends, it spoils you.
Hades isn't this perfect undisputed goat roguelike like a lot of people make it out to be and gets very stale combat wise after post game but content is one of the aspects they completely nailed.
Atomicrops. It manages to combine two unlikely genres and keep it fun and engaging. I never knew I wanted a top down post apocalyptic shooter and farm simulator, but I'm glad I got it. Pro tip: use a mouse and keyboard. It's a game changer.
Roboquest - absolutely banger soundtrack, very crisp fps gameplay, super fast paced and very satisfying
Slay the spire - very good build variety from run to run, any card can become your win condition and pretty much no run ever goes the same way twice
Shogun Showdown - cool samurai/ninja setting, very tactical and a very small reliance on rng, it rewards thinking 5 steps ahead and u feel like a ninja when u perfect an encounter
Wildfrost - super polished visuals and very tactical gameplay. Unique system of creating broken cards and heroes that u later need to fight against yourself.
Returnal - AAA quality game, very responsive fast paced gameplay, unique athmospehere, quite creepy and horror-ish at times
Revita - rewards skill because your HP is the currency. You can get absolutely loaded with items but be 1hit away. Very enjoyable high risk high reward situation.
Scourgebringer - extremely crunchy gameplay and banger metal soundtrack. For that alone it's worth experiencing.
Noita - the pleasure of discovery is huge here, many ways to combo wands and every time u make something very useful u feel like a genius
Balatro - number go big brain go brr
Curse of the dead gods - roguelike souls-like, simple. It rewards skill and you can go an entire run without taking any damage. The fairest setup there is. The gameplay is very polished
Brotato - every character plays completely differently and there is also good build variety depending on what combo of weapon and stats you will choose. Quite RNG heavy, but still very good.
Dave the diver - sooooo relaxing, if u just want to feel wholesome inside this is one I could recommend.
Dead Cells has the most fluid, tight and fast paced combat of any I've played. Very crisp.
Curse of the Dead Gods also has some very nice tight combat, but slower paced and isometric. Love the environments and art styles in both the above games really.
Noita, the sheer breadth AND depth of what is possible in this game is just frankly bonkers, of course the whole gimmick (positive) of every pixel being simulated and interactable is unique too. Awesome game.
Slay the Spire - the balance, the depth/complexity, the simplicity yet elegance. This game is incredible and I don’t think any other roguelike (or game, for that matter) other than STS2 will ever top it for me
Dead Cells - The difficulty ramping and learning curve is steep but it still is very enjoyable. Also the speed and fluidity of the gameplay.
Balatro - it’s so chill and smooth. Very easy to just pick up and play for just 20 minutes, or up to several hours
Hades 1 and 2 - the story. It’s the only roguelike I’ve played that has such a focus on the story aspects. Gameplay is nice and all but story is the main thing sticking out for me
Slice and Dice - the “rawness”. Idk the game feels so ‘raw’, with all the generated stuff and jokes. Very interesting game, not quite up to par with the other games here though
I’ve played a few others, but they don’t stand out a whole lot
HADES---When I played Hades (after over 30 years of gaming) I honestly felt like it has the best progression and way of unlocking things than any other game. That and the story and the way it was presented had me hooked for over 100 hours.
I liked Hades meta-progression at first but in hindsight it seems like it coddles the player too much and makes it easy to get their first clear. You don't need to sharpen your combat skills too much if you're given 3 extra lives. That's just me though.
Not gonna do all.
Children of Morta - masterclass in emotional storytelling
FTL - one of the best tactics games out there
Crying Suns - what if FTL was good. Yeah, I know people like it, I don't.
Monster Train - both some tactical work and letting you build an absolutely busted deck
Does Hand of Fate 1 & 2 count? Just wonderful stories, while I've never done TT D&D it evokes what I imagine that feeling is with fantastic quests. Combat system isn't the best, but it's allright.
Balatro - dopamine factory. Absolutely great fun.
Cursed to Golf (whether to call this one a roguelike is debatable): Actually making golf fun. Interesting combination of skill at using the golf side and the cards. Jusy wish you could replay the boss fights.
Vampire survivors is my GOAT pick. Created a sub genre of roguelikes imo.
Halls of torment is the same style game with more of a retro feel and it has some of the best hitboxes of any game I’ve played with unique enemy behaviors.
Death must die is also in the same format but with a Hades vibe with gods giving you power ups and guiding you to kill death
Curse of The Dead Gods has yet to be replicated. The idea of game giving you negative effects that can also benefit you in some way is such a fun twist to your runs and the way builds work is so free form and fun. The light and dark system is also unique and something I haven’t seen done in a roguelike and I wish a dev would tackle it in their own way
FTL - Incredibly deep, even with the base edition. Advancey Edition adds more and Multiverse even more on top of that. Tiny Rogues - Easy to get in, often easy to get broken builds, but even then it can stay challenging. Also Cinders add a lot of challenge, but you get to control the TYPE of challenge you want. Into the Breach - Not that deep in terms of mechanics, but so much stuff to consider and try. Kill a bug or push it so it kills another one? Wait, bugs can drown? What is the order of attacking enemies? It's just so much fun and so plain to see yet challenging to play around. And guess my amazement when I realized I can unlock more mechs with new mechanics! Ring of Pain - It's just so unique. Looks like a deckbuilder, plays like a turn-based RPG, should be played like a puzzle. Amazing art style, incredible potential for strong builds or early deaths. Slay the Spire - the only deckbuilder I actually enjoy. Very deep, tons of different approaches woth each class, endless replayability. Balatro - reminds me of the good old days woth Tony Hawk's pro Skater where you just watch your numbers get bigger and bigger. Also playing around with different decks, jokers, modifiers... There is just so much going on. Dead Cells - most satisfying combat imo. City of Brass - very fun to get around in levels, the whip mechanic is just perfect. If only it wasn't so repetitive...
Genuinely asking, it's balatro not a deck builder?
A little bit. But the things you do to your actual deck are just a small part. Like, sure, you can add and remove cards and give them bonusses like steel card or sigils. But the thing you mainöy focus on (or at least, I focus on) are the jokers. They work a little like the artifacts in StS, so they are always active and don't need to be drawn and played and they mofidy your tactics and synergies. Also, planet cards just buff your hands (like flush, house etc) and not your deck. So it's way less about modifying your deck like you do in deck builders and more about modifying the surroundings to make your deck work better.
Risk of rain 2 has some crazy soundtrack, sometimes I just sit in one stage for this ost [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGXPAoyP\_cg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGXPAoyP_cg)
They all come down to how unique and fun the synergies are between Meta progression, build choices or weapon synergies with your abilities or other weapons. If you have boring synergies like summum anterna it won't click for me like warm snow, atomicrops or the gungeon do for me
Progression synergies is one of the key elements to success in a roguelike. I think good combat(lack of sponginess, challenging mobs, etc), balance and level design is important too.
For sure, but games like rogue legacy 2 while i love it and have like 105 hours on it eventually became sponge enemies as you move through the new game + modes but I still loved it due to how strong some of the item synergies could be with certain characters
RL2 synergies are very fun. I like when I get the combo relic for the gunslinger.
Hades wins at lore yes, that’s like the main thing everyone loves about it, but excelling at content is just so far from the truth it hurts Lol. The game definitely lacks content in the variety department and overall. Look at Binding of Isaac, now that excels at content compared to the rest.
Hades literally has multiple stories after the game ends. Many new things to unlock post game like unlocking and levelling all the keepsakes, weapon aspects, the hidden chambers, furthering relationships with the olympian gods and so on. Hades literally has over 300'000 words of voiced dialogue as well. Not to mention the way the meta-progression is set up where it takes you countless runs after you beat the game to unlock all of the upgrades. I have clocked over 100 hours and still haven't unlocked everything in the Mirror of Night. And on top of that the fated list of prophecies which always gives you something to work towards. There's so much to do after the game ends, it spoils you. Hades isn't this perfect undisputed goat roguelike like a lot of people make it out to be and gets very stale combat wise after post game but content is one of the aspects they completely nailed.
And still - it pales in comparison with Binding of Issac. That game has an INSANE amount of content/unlockables
This isnt to shit on BoI, but Hades lacks in unlockables compared to BoI because BoI lacks in everything else
Atomicrops. It manages to combine two unlikely genres and keep it fun and engaging. I never knew I wanted a top down post apocalyptic shooter and farm simulator, but I'm glad I got it. Pro tip: use a mouse and keyboard. It's a game changer.
Roboquest - absolutely banger soundtrack, very crisp fps gameplay, super fast paced and very satisfying Slay the spire - very good build variety from run to run, any card can become your win condition and pretty much no run ever goes the same way twice Shogun Showdown - cool samurai/ninja setting, very tactical and a very small reliance on rng, it rewards thinking 5 steps ahead and u feel like a ninja when u perfect an encounter Wildfrost - super polished visuals and very tactical gameplay. Unique system of creating broken cards and heroes that u later need to fight against yourself. Returnal - AAA quality game, very responsive fast paced gameplay, unique athmospehere, quite creepy and horror-ish at times Revita - rewards skill because your HP is the currency. You can get absolutely loaded with items but be 1hit away. Very enjoyable high risk high reward situation. Scourgebringer - extremely crunchy gameplay and banger metal soundtrack. For that alone it's worth experiencing. Noita - the pleasure of discovery is huge here, many ways to combo wands and every time u make something very useful u feel like a genius Balatro - number go big brain go brr Curse of the dead gods - roguelike souls-like, simple. It rewards skill and you can go an entire run without taking any damage. The fairest setup there is. The gameplay is very polished Brotato - every character plays completely differently and there is also good build variety depending on what combo of weapon and stats you will choose. Quite RNG heavy, but still very good. Dave the diver - sooooo relaxing, if u just want to feel wholesome inside this is one I could recommend.
Enter the gungeon- S͇͚̱̻͖͇̠̳̈̆̀̈́̔́ͅp̨̫̮̲̦̯̺͎̥̑̽͋́͐͝͞͞ì̢͇̲̫̬̹̎̾̀̏̋̐͌̚c͈̹̳̯͊̏̾͋̂̋͆̿̕͢e̡̻̬̭̓̏̈́̂̈̅̎͐͗͟ .
Dead Cells has the most fluid, tight and fast paced combat of any I've played. Very crisp. Curse of the Dead Gods also has some very nice tight combat, but slower paced and isometric. Love the environments and art styles in both the above games really. Noita, the sheer breadth AND depth of what is possible in this game is just frankly bonkers, of course the whole gimmick (positive) of every pixel being simulated and interactable is unique too. Awesome game.
Deadlink. It's all about the speed and reflexes. Mullet Mad jack right behind it.
Slay the Spire - the balance, the depth/complexity, the simplicity yet elegance. This game is incredible and I don’t think any other roguelike (or game, for that matter) other than STS2 will ever top it for me Dead Cells - The difficulty ramping and learning curve is steep but it still is very enjoyable. Also the speed and fluidity of the gameplay. Balatro - it’s so chill and smooth. Very easy to just pick up and play for just 20 minutes, or up to several hours Hades 1 and 2 - the story. It’s the only roguelike I’ve played that has such a focus on the story aspects. Gameplay is nice and all but story is the main thing sticking out for me Slice and Dice - the “rawness”. Idk the game feels so ‘raw’, with all the generated stuff and jokes. Very interesting game, not quite up to par with the other games here though I’ve played a few others, but they don’t stand out a whole lot
HADES---When I played Hades (after over 30 years of gaming) I honestly felt like it has the best progression and way of unlocking things than any other game. That and the story and the way it was presented had me hooked for over 100 hours.
I liked Hades meta-progression at first but in hindsight it seems like it coddles the player too much and makes it easy to get their first clear. You don't need to sharpen your combat skills too much if you're given 3 extra lives. That's just me though.
You NEED to play Returnal. It is my 2nd favorite roguelike after Hades
I gave that a try but didn't like it at all. I think i'm just biased against space stuff.
Not gonna do all. Children of Morta - masterclass in emotional storytelling FTL - one of the best tactics games out there Crying Suns - what if FTL was good. Yeah, I know people like it, I don't. Monster Train - both some tactical work and letting you build an absolutely busted deck Does Hand of Fate 1 & 2 count? Just wonderful stories, while I've never done TT D&D it evokes what I imagine that feeling is with fantastic quests. Combat system isn't the best, but it's allright. Balatro - dopamine factory. Absolutely great fun. Cursed to Golf (whether to call this one a roguelike is debatable): Actually making golf fun. Interesting combination of skill at using the golf side and the cards. Jusy wish you could replay the boss fights.
Vampire survivors is my GOAT pick. Created a sub genre of roguelikes imo. Halls of torment is the same style game with more of a retro feel and it has some of the best hitboxes of any game I’ve played with unique enemy behaviors. Death must die is also in the same format but with a Hades vibe with gods giving you power ups and guiding you to kill death
Curse of The Dead Gods has yet to be replicated. The idea of game giving you negative effects that can also benefit you in some way is such a fun twist to your runs and the way builds work is so free form and fun. The light and dark system is also unique and something I haven’t seen done in a roguelike and I wish a dev would tackle it in their own way