In the 1980s, many people played rogue-like games. They have random levels, various items, weapons, spells, and permadeath. In these games, you explore a constantly changing world, fight monsters, and solve puzzles. Rogue-like games are often some of the most demanding games ever made. PC rogue-likes can be anything from 3D shooters to ASCII adventures. There’s a rogue-like for everyone, whether they like old games or the newest ones.
Why are Rogue-Like Games for PC so Popular Nowadays?
Rogue-like PC games have become popular because they differ from other dungeon-crawler games. In Rogue-Like games, players have to start over each time they die, which is different from most other games. This adds a new kind of challenge and risk to the game, which gamers like.
Rogue-like PC games offer a unique challenge and can be played repeatedly. Because these games are challenging and punishing, they have attracted fans who like being challenged and helped build a strong community around them. On Steam and GOG, games like Rogue have also become more popular.
What is the minimum requirement to play rogue-like games?
Having the latest and most powerful CPU and GPU is best to ensure smooth gameplay in rogue-like games. However, specific hardware requirements depend on the game.
- On a PC, you should have Windows 8 or later, a 64-bit operating system, Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 or higher, internal graphics (Intel Iris or AMD Radeon 8), 8 GB of RAM, and an SSD.
Having fewer specs than these requirements may cause the game not to run or crash.
The 15 Best Rogue-Like Games for PC
Rogue-like games have been around for a long time and are now popular among independent game developers. This type of game is known for being complex and random, and you usually have to try it more than once before you can move on. Here are 15 rogue-like games that you can play now. This list has both old-school and newer games.
1. Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a rogue-like game made by Motion Twin in 2018. It combines the fast-paced combat of a hack-and-slash game with the randomness and difficulty of a rogue-like game, giving players a unique and exciting experience. In the game, players take on the role of the “Dead Cell,” which is a mass of conscious cells that can control dead bodies. They fight through hordes of enemies in a castle that is constantly changing.
In Dead Cell, players must fight through levels made by rules, fighting different monsters and getting new weapons, skills, and armor. As they progress, they will also learn new skills to help them stay alive and beat the challenges that keep getting more complex. Dead Cells is one of the best rogue-like games because it has intense combat, many ways to change its appearance, and a unique art style. It will keep players interested and give them something to look forward to.
Important Features
- The art style of Dead Cells is attractive.
- It combines pixel art with modern 3D graphics to create a unique and exciting atmosphere.
- It also has a lot of weapons and items, so players can change their characters and how they play to suit their tastes.
- Each playthrough is different and complex because the levels, monsters, and bosses are all made at random.
2. The Binding of Isaac
Edmund McMillen made The Binding of Isaac, a rogue-like action-adventure video game, in 2011. The Bible story that the game is based on is called “The Binding of Isaac.” In this story, God tells Abraham to take his only son to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there. In the game, Isaac has to avoid his mother’s attempts to kill him as he moves through dungeons made up on the spot. He gathered things to help him beat monsters and bosses and face his mother.
The Binding of Isaac is a unique and well-liked game called one of the most influential independent games. It has become a cult classic because of its emotional story, technical and artistic skill, and fun gameplay. It has also inspired some spin-off games. Players must fight monsters, gather coins, and improve their weapons to move through the game. The Binding of Isaac is excellent whether you like rogue-like games or are just looking for something new and fun.
Important Features
- The Binding of Isaac has gotten a lot of praise for its unique art style, challenging but rewarding gameplay, and emotional story.
- It has won many prizes, like the 2012 Independent Games Festival Grand Prize.
- It has been praised for how fun and addicting it is to play.
- There have also been many spin-off games, fan-made mods, an expansion, and a remake based on The Binding of Isaac.
3. FTL: Faster Than Light
Subset Games developed FTL: Faster Than Light, a rogue-like science fiction game. FTL moves faster than light between star systems. In FTL, players steer a starship through randomly generated galaxies, where they meet alien races, strange events, and a story that keeps getting more complicated. While traveling, players have to keep track of their fuel and ammunition. The game’s universe is made up by chance, so the player never knows what will happen next.
Players lead and fix the crew on their ship. The ship’s crew can get new members, weapons, and other improvements in-game. The game has a dark, tense, and oppressive atmosphere, which makes sense for a survival game. FTL is a challenging game set in a beautiful world. Fans of sci-fi and rogue-like games should play it.
Important Features
- One of the essential parts of FTL is battle.
- Players fight against enemy ships in real-time, using their weapons and shields to stay alive.
- As the game continues, players can improve their ships and gear to strengthen them.
- FTL can be played by one person or by up to four people working together.
- In co-op, each player can take charge of a different part of the ship and work with the other players to finish the game.
- The game also has the Ship Core and Iron Man Challenges.
4. Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon is a rogue-like video game with lots of action. It was made by Dodge Roll and released by Devolver Digital. The game takes place in a dungeon called the Gungeon, which is made with rules and full of enemies and puzzles. It’s about adventurers trying to get to the Gungeon’s most significant treasure: a gun that can kill the past.
Enter the Gungeon is a fun game with its fast-paced, chaotic gameplay that will keep you entertained for hours. Players must find their way through the Gungeon while getting weapons, finding secrets, and fighting bosses. Players must use skill and luck to get to the ultimate treasure and beat the dungeon. Enter the Gungeon has its own style of art and a lot of different enemies, puzzles, and bosses. Yukio Kallio made the game’s soundtrack, which is full of life.
Important Features
- Players can choose from various characters, each with unique abilities.
- Each character has a unique weapon and ability to help them navigate the Gungeon.
- A dodge roll that helps them avoid taking damage from certain enemies.
- Players are also able to customize their weapons and items with a variety of upgrades.
- During their adventures, players can find and purchase various items, such as keys and coins, to help them progress through the dungeon.
5. Rogue Legacy
Cellar Door Games made Rogue Legacy. The player controls a knight in a castle with enemies, traps, and power-ups that are made up on the fly. The player must beat the bad boss of the castle. “Rogue-like” means that players are gone for good when they die. The player can keep going by picking a different heir from a family tree.
Rogue Legacy is a game that is both hard and fun. The old character’s gold, gear, and runes are passed on to the new character. This lets players change their characters to fit how they like to play. The classes in the game are Barbarian, Witch, and Ninja. Each type has its skills and abilities that help move the game along.
Important Features
- Playing Rogue Legacy is new and exciting because the levels, enemies, and loot differ.
- The classes in Rogue Legacy let players change how they play.
- Each type has strengths and weaknesses that make it possible to play repeatedly.
- Your gold and runes follow you from one character to the next, so you can keep progressing even if you die.
- You can use gold and runes to improve your manor and unlock new classes and perks as you play.
- To master the game with the death penalty and challenging enemies, you must be patient and work hard.
6. Spelunky
Spelunky is an action-adventure video game that came out in 2008 for Microsoft Windows. Derek Yu made the game. He also designed it and wrote the code for it. The game follows the adventures of a spelunker, a brave explorer who goes deep into the caves of an unnamed jungle in search of riches, glory, and, ultimately, the mysterious city of gold. Along the way, the player must cross dangerous terrain, avoid dangerous traps, and fight different monsters.
Spelunky is well-liked because it has rogue-like elements and can be played repeatedly. The levels are made up by chance every time the game is played. This means that the layout, items, and enemies can be different each time. The game has different difficulty levels, so players can play it again in more challenging settings. The game also has leaderboards, so players can see how their scores compare to other players. Spelunky has been praised for its depth and ability to be played repeatedly. Many critics and players have called it a modern classic.
Important Features
- Spelunky’s gameplay is characterized by its two main elements – exploration and combat.
- Exploration is the game’s core.
- The player must search every room in the caves to find the exit and can also reach secret areas by uncovering hidden pathways.
- As the player explores the caves, they encounter various enemies, such as bats, snakes, spiders, and ghosts, which they must defeat to progress.
- Spelunky also features several helpful items and power-ups, such as bombs, ropes, cavers, and hatchets, which can help the player traverse the levels more efficiently.
7. Hades
Hades is a rogue-like video game that came out in 2020. Supergiant Games made it. It is a dungeon crawler for a single player, and the player takes on the role of Zagreus. He is the son of Hades and will never die. He is trying to get out of the Underworld. Using weapons and special skills, the player must fight through some randomly generated levels. Along the way, powerful gods and other characters can help them out.
Hades is a unique and challenging game that keeps players returning for more. The game moves quickly and rewards players for finding new ways to win. As the game continues, players will find powerful items and upgrades to help them on their quest. Every time players play, they’ll find new tips, tricks, and plans to help them improve and move further.
Important Features
- Hades offers an action-packed and strategic combat experience with a mix of hack-and-slash and rogue-like elements.
- Players can choose from various weapons and abilities to mythological battle monsters, obtain new power-ups, and outsmart the gods.
- Combat in Hades is fast-paced and strategic.
- Players must carefully time their attacks and use the environment to their advantage to survive the waves of enemies.
- Players can customize their builds to create a unique playstyle.
- Players can further customize their character and create powerful combinations to take on the gods by unlocking new weapons, abilities, and power-ups.
8. NetHack
The NetHack Dev Team made NetHack, an open-source, single-player dungeon-crawl video game. It is one of the best-known and most popular rogue-like video games today. The game aims to get to the bottom of the Dungeons of Doom, a large dungeon, and get the Amulet of Yendor. Along the way, the player must fight monsters, collect items and equipment, and stay alive. NetHack has a large fan base because it is hard to learn and has a lot of different ways to play. Its popularity has only grown as unofficial versions and ports have been made.
NetHack is an excellent example of a rogue-like game from the 21st century. Its lasting popularity is proof of how good it is. NetHack also has a large and active fan community, making things like mods, guides, and other content.
Important Features
- NetHack strongly emphasizes exploring the game world, as the dungeon is randomly generated and filled with unpredictable challenges such as traps and mazes.
- There are a variety of monsters, each with their behaviors and special abilities, and a variety of items and equipment that the player can use.
- The player can choose from various character classes and races, each with strengths and weaknesses.
9. Slay the Spire
MegaCrit made Slay the Spire, a rogue-like card game that is fun and challenging to put down. It has the excitement of a rogue-like game and the depth of strategy of a card game. Players must fight through a mysterious spire as they collect potent cards, improve their deck, and face off against opponents getting harder and harder to beat. As the game continues, players unlock new cards, upgrades, and relics that help them make their decks and strategies.
Slay the Spire is a unique and exciting game for players of all skill levels. One person can play the game simultaneously, with daily challenges that add new challenges and rewards. There are also some “modifiers” that can completely change how the game is played. This gives the game more ways to be played and lasts longer. Slay the Spire will become a classic and a must-play for anyone who wants to play a deep, strategic card game.
Important Features
- Slay the Spire features an ever-evolving deck of cards that you must build and customize to defeat the enemies you face.
- Slay the Spire’s combat system is turn-based, meaning that your decisions and strategies in combat are crucial for victory.
- Every enemy you face will require different strategies and tactics to defeat.
- Every level in Slay the Spire is randomly generated, adding an element of surprise and replayability.
- Slay the Spire features rogue-like elements, meaning that you must start again with a new character and deck if you die.
10. Darkest Dungeon
In 2017, Darkest Dungeon was made by Red Hook Studios. This rogue-like dungeon-crawler video game puts players in a terrifying Gothic world. The game is about how adventuring affects a person’s mind, and players take control of a group of characters with different classes and skills. The game’s “afflictions” hurt each character’s mind. The game aims to explore the dungeons and defeat the enemies inside while keeping track of the character’s mental health and the resources available to the team.
Darkest Dungeon also has an exciting style of dark and gritty art. The game is challenging because you must beat formidable enemies and traps and work with limited resources. Players must make hard choices to stay alive and move forward in the game. Darkest Dungeon is a game that tests the players’ mental and emotional limits. It is an excellent example of how video games can explore new and exciting ideas.
Important Features
- Players must actively manage the stress levels of their characters in a dark and dreary world, navigating treacherous dungeons filled with enemies, traps, and environmental dangers.
- The dungeons are filled with enemies, traps, and environmental dangers.
- Characters can suffer from various afflictions, such as paranoia, fear, and stress.
- Players must manage these afflictions, as well as the resources they have access to, to survive.
- The game also features a variety of classes, and each class has its advantages and disadvantages.
11. Crypt of the NecroDancer
Crypt of the NecroDancer is a challenging yet rewarding rogue-like rhythm game where the beat guides your every move. To progress through the dangerous dungeons, you must move, attack, and defend to the rhythm of the music. You can be one of the four characters with unique abilities and weapons.
As you dive deeper and deeper into the crypt, you’ll encounter powerful monsters and challenging bosses that will test your rhythm and reflexes. With its intense action, pulsing soundtrack, and gorgeous artwork, Crypt of the NecroDancer is an addicting and rewarding experience.
Important Features
- With the ability to customize your character’s equipment, skills, and weapons, the game offers endless possibilities to explore and master.
- The game also supports online leaderboards to compare your skills with others worldwide.
- You’ll find various power-ups and items to help you along the way.
12. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a unique action-adventure rogue-like game made up of random events. Edmund McMillen made it. 8-bit graphics from the 1980s heavily influenced the style of the game. The game contains symbols, dark humor, and exciting plot twists. Players take on the role of Isaac, a young boy whose mother wants to kill him, and he must get away from her.
On his journey, Isaac will meet hordes of monsters, scary bosses, and hidden treasure. The random levels, enemies, and items in The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth make it easy to play repeatedly. The game also has more than one end, making people want to play it repeatedly. The game’s difficulty can also be changed, so players can make it more complicated as they get better.
Severe and casual gamers can enjoy The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. This game is easy to play for hours because it is fun and easy to control. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is an exciting and rewarding game that is fun to play alone or with friends.
Important Features
- The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth has an elementary set of easy controls to pick up and play.
- You explore and fight through each level of the game, discovering secrets, rewards, and upgrades to give Isaac an edge in his journey.
- Players can find items to help them progress, such as bombs to open secret passages and hearts to restore health.
13. Ancient Domains of Mystery
Ancient Domains of Mystery, or ADOM, was written by Thomas Biskup and came out in 1994. It is a rogue-like computer game for one player. It is one of the best-known rogue-like games and is praised for being easy to play repeatedly and for staying true to the rogue-like style. The game turns the player into a brave adventurer who must explore the depths of a vast dungeon of random rooms. Along the way, they will find items and weapons to help them. They will also fight monsters, figure out puzzles, and get through dangerous terrain. Players must accept the challenge of “perma-death,” which means that it can’t come back to life once their character dies. This makes the game more urgent because players must carefully choose to move forward.
Fans of ADOM are very active, and many players make content for the game. Players can play the game as it was made or download mods and other unofficial content to change it to their liking. In recent years, the game’s popularity has grown dramatically thanks to this group of people who are very involved and passionate about it. ADOM is one of the best rogue-like games ever made. Because it has so much content, you can play it repeatedly. Fans of rogue-like games or old-school fantasy role-playing games should check out Ancient Domains of Mystery.
Important Features
- Players set off to explore the land of Ancardia and embark on a journey of fantasy and adventure.
- The game’s main objective is to travel through the various levels of the dungeon and eventually reach its deepest level, the twenty-fifth.
- Along the way, the player will encounter various monsters and must battle them in a turn-based combat system.
- The player can customize their character by allocating points to various attributes and choosing from various skills and abilities.
14. Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2 is a skill-testing video game full of action. It’s a follow-up to the widespread Risk of Rain, even scarier and more suspenseful. The game takes place in 3D, and to win, players must complete different levels and fight off enemies. The game aims to stay alive for as long as possible by getting items and completing tasks. Players can choose from different classes, each with its own set of skills and abilities that will help them complete their mission. The game also has levels, items, and secrets that are chosen at random. A leaderboard lets you compare your scores with those of your friends and other players.
Even though the game is challenging, Risk of Rain 2 is a lot of fun. Its music, colorful art style, and many characters will keep players interested and entertained. The game is also top-rated online, with many forums and communities where people discuss strategies and share tips. Risk of Rain 2 will surely be a hit with gamers of all ages because playing is fun and challenging.
Important Features
- The game has a unique risk/reward system, wherein players can play it safely or make risky moves to progress further.
- Players must also manage their limited resources, such as health, armor, and weapons, to survive.
- The player will face more formidable enemies and more complicated challenges as the game progresses.
- The game also features a cooperative mode, wherein multiple players can join forces to tackle the game together.
15. Downwell
In October 2015, Downwell, a platform game with lots of action made by Ojiro Fumoto and published by Devolver Digital, came out. Players take control of a young boy with gumboots and use them to fight enemies and find keys and gems as they enter a dangerous dungeon. The player must use the gumboots to go down the well, fighting enemies and picking up things like keys and gems. Downwell can be played on Steam, iOS, Android, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.
Downwell is a very addicting and complex game. It’s a game that even people who don’t usually play games can enjoy. It is fun because it is complex and can be played repeatedly. It has classic 8-bit pixel art, an intense soundtrack, and tight controls.
Important Features
- The objective is to make it to the bottom of the dungeon while dodging enemies and collecting treasures.
- As players progress, they can acquire upgrades that make their gumboots more powerful and deadly.
- Additionally, the player can unlock new weapons along the way.
- Players can spend hours trying to perfect their skills and make it to the bottom of the dungeon.
User Ratings of Rogue-Like Games
| Game | Rating |
| Dead Cells | 9 |
| The Binding of Isaac | 8.5 |
| FTL: Faster Than Light | 9 |
| Enter the Gungeon | 8 |
| Rogue Legacy | 8.5 |
| Spelunky | 9 |
| Hades | 9 |
| NetHack | 7 |
| Slay the Spire | 8.5 |
| Darkest Dungeon | 8.5 |
| Crypt of the NecroDancer | 8 |
| The Binding of Isaac | 9 |
| Ancient Domains of Mystery | 7.5 |
| Risk of Rain 2 | 8.5 |
| Downwell | 8 |
Most users have given rogue-like games ratings of 8 or higher, suggesting they are well-received. This indicates that rogue-like games are generally popular and well-liked by users. Dead Cells is the highest-rated game of the bunch, scoring 9/10. The lowest-rated game is NetHack, with a score of 7/10.
Conclusion
Rogue-like games are a great way to play games like they used to be, but they are still fun and challenging. They give you a fun, intense, and rewarding way to play games that will keep you busy. These games are a great way to try rogue-like games for the first time or to push yourself to try something new. No matter how good you are at games, you can enjoy a rogue-like game. I hope you enjoy this list of the best rogue games. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment.
