Summary
Theroguelikeis an ever-expanding genre, but the core principles remain the same. Players only have one shot to make it through the game, and they get sent back to the beginning if they fail. Sometimes they can carry over some bonuses from prior runs, but the more unforgiving games make it the same each time.
For any fan of the genre who wants to play roguelikes with some graphical fidelity, the list below will help. Remember, art and design can go a long way toward making a game look gorgeous, so good graphics are not simply about having a big budget and hundreds of people working on the title.
Also included are some games that have a roguelike mode in them, in addition to a story mode with a definitive ending. We made sure to mark which ones are roguelikes through and through and which ones include it as a bonus mode.
For developer Housemarque,Returnalwas a step up in terms of graphics and story. However, it still retained the studio’s trademark focus on hectic action with enemies and bullets flying at the player from every possible direction. The story cleverly integrates the roguelike genre into its plot, so there is a reason behind the constant respawning and dying.
Even though it is a triple-A game,Returnalis brutally unforgiving and takes a lot of patience to get through, even withpermanent upgrades between runs. Fans of the genre and the developer would not have it any other way.
The main story and its side quests offer more than enough content to justifyGod of War Ragnarok’sprice tag. Still, the developers made a whole separate roguelike mode and added it to the game in a free update. Not only doesValhallalet the game’s combat shine brighter than ever, but it also heavily expands on the story.
It is a particular treat for fans who have been with the series since day one, as it includesnumerous callbacks to the original trilogyfrom the PS2 and PS3.
Supergiant’s games always feel distinct, ever since their debut title,Bastion.Hadesutilizes a unique art style that feels like an animated film, and the game’s animation looks just as good too. As a roguelike,Hadeswas praised for its in-depth narrative.
Even after completing a run for the first time, there is plenty of reason to go back and keep playing. There always seems to be something new to see and new conversations with NPCs to listen to.With a sequel on the way,one can only imagine it expanding on everything the first game did so well.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredadds a handful of new features. This was more of a selling point than the enhanced visuals, since the game already runs at 60 frames per second on PS5. The main gameplay portion added is theNo Returnmode, a bite-sized roguelike that puts the focus onThe Last of Us Part 2’sgameplay.
Each run features six encounters. After each battle, players can buy weapons, resources, and upgrades. New characters and skins are unlocked bycompleting challenges.It is easily the shortest of the modes on this list, but that might be a plus to some.
The Last of Us Part 2has highly detailed violence. It is unsettling in the story, and can feel even more uncomfortable in the context of an arcadey roguelike without any narrative.
TheDarkest Dungeongames seem like they do not want to be beaten. These RPG roguelikes are brutally difficult and throw out some of gaming’s hardestchallenges that barely seem fair.Luck is a big part of life, though, so why not make it an integral part of a video game? The first game features striking 2D art that would already give it a place on this list.
Darkest Dungeon 2has 3D graphics, yet still manages to retain the unique feeling of the first game’s aesthetic. In a game where players will fail constantly, they will need some good visuals and a compelling world to keep them going.
Released in 2017,Preybecame a cult classic of the PS4 and Xbox One generation. It has nothing to do with the 2006Preyandfeels more like a love letter toSystem Shock 2.The game received a couple of expansions, one of which was the roguelike modeMooncrash.
It is set in a simulation and tasks the player with rescuing five different survivors stuck on the moon. The level is the same each run but all the enemies and items are put in different locations. There are ways to give the player an advantage as they play more runs, andPrey’simmersive gameplay fits in perfectly with the roguelike genre.
It is appropriate for one of the most revered roguelikes to include the word rogue within its title.Rogue Legacy 2is familiar as a sequel, but adds more than enough to justify its existence. In addition to quality-of-life improvements, it also adds more gameplay variety to make sure going through runs never gets boring.
The in-game currency is used to unlock somepermanent booststo characters, but chance also plays a big part in how strong or weak any character will be in a run. The graphics are as simple as they are gorgeous. Each character looks hand-drawn, with colors that pop off the screen and smooth animations that put the first game to shame.
