Best of
The best roguelikes
One run, one mistake, back to the start. Roguelikes thrive on rerolling everything each attempt, and you still get better every time, because you are the one learning, not your character. This list collects the ones where the hundredth attempt still feels fresh.
This list in numbers
- 56 games in this category
- 89 average rating of the top 30
- 25 median playtime in hours
- 14 release years covered (2012 to 2026)
- 6 of 30 playable in co-op
- 15 of 30 are cheap or free
Why these three lead
Hades takes the top spot with 94 out of 100, followed by Hades II at 93 and Slay the Spire at 93. All three clear the 89 point average of this list, and the gap to the rest of the field is small enough that your own taste matters more than the ranking.
How this list is put together
I start from every game in the database that fits this category, currently 56, and sort them by the aggregated critic rating. The 30 highest scoring titles make the list. No publisher can pay to appear here, and the affiliate links have no effect on the order. The full method is explained under how I pick.
- 1
Hades Profile
As the son of Hades, you break out of the underworld again and again, with every run offering new weapon combinations and story fragments. Combat and narrative merge with unusual elegance.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 2
Hades II Profile
As the witch Melinoe, you battle the Titan Chronos, wielding new weapons, spells, and an expanded cauldron system. The sequel builds on its predecessor's winning formula and pushes it noticeably further.
PCSwitchXboxPlayStation - 3
Slay the Spire Profile
Card based battles against ever stronger enemies demand smart deckbuilding and careful risk assessment at every step. The roguelike structure means no run ever plays out the same way.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 4
Balatro Profile
Poker hands get cranked up into absurd scores with crazy jokers, in a deckbuilder that hooks you fast. Every round takes just a few minutes, yet optimizing your combos can easily eat up whole evenings.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 5
Blue Prince Profile
A roguelike puzzle game in which a mysterious mansion is rebuilt each day from card based rooms in search of a legendary 46th room. Resource management, mapping and tricky environmental puzzles intertwine across many runs.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 6
Rogue Legacy 2 Profile
A rogue lite platformer where every death passes the legacy on to a new descendant with random traits and quirks. Permanent upgrades and a growing skill tree ensure every run gets a little further.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 7
Spelunky Profile
Randomly generated cave systems full of traps and treasure must be traversed with limited gear, and a single death ends the entire run. The game was a defining influence on the modern roguelike genre.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 8
Vampire Survivors Profile
Hordes of monsters get mowed down by automatically firing weapons, while the character unlocks new combinations with every level. The simple runs of around 30 minutes are perfect for quick sessions on the go.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 9
Absolum Profile
From the team behind the modern beat em up revival classics, Absolum blends top tier combat action with roguelite elements. The world of Talamh sets the stage for a lovingly crafted fantasy arcade adventure.
XboxPlayStationSwitchPC - 10
Dead Cells Profile
In a constantly shifting castle, you fight run after run, with permanent upgrades securing your progress. The combat is butter smooth and rewards aggressive, mobile play.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 11
Dicey Dungeons Profile
A dice roguelike from Terry Cavanagh in which anthropomorphic dice play as knight, witch or robot against quirky enemies. Each of the six classes brings its own dice mechanics and equipment logic, providing plenty of variety.
PCSwitchMobileXboxPlayStation - 12
Returnal Profile
An astronaut crashes on an alien planet and relives a time loop, with levels regenerating after each death. Bullet hell combat meets a mysterious, unsettling narrative.
PlayStationPC - 13
Saros Profile
From the makers of Returnal, players control Arjun Devraj, a Soltari Enforcer investigating a lost off world colony on the planet Carcosa. Fast paced third person combat, tough boss encounters, and progression across repeated attempts define the game.
PlayStation - 14
Cult of the Lamb
A cute little lamb founds its own cult and has to switch between cult management and roguelike combat in dark dungeons. The mix of adorable visuals and morbid humor is what gives it its special charm.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 15
FTL: Faster Than Light
As the captain of a spaceship, crew, power, and weapons must be managed in frantic real time battles while journeying through a randomly generated galaxy. Runs often end in death, and the game decisively shaped the roguelike strategy genre.
PCSwitchMobile - 16
Wildermyth
A tactical RPG that tells procedurally generated stories with lasting consequences for a growing group of heroes. Characters age, lose limbs or permanently transform, making every campaign a unique narrative.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 17
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Every movement through the crypt must land precisely on the beat of a driving electro soundtrack, or immediate consequences follow. This unusual fusion of rhythm game and roguelike dungeon crawl creates unique tension.
PCPlayStationSwitchMobileXbox - 18
Halls of Torment
A survivor-like in a Diablo style pixel look that blends horde combat with classic dungeon crawler atmosphere. Leveling, gear and talent trees provide long term character progression across many runs.
PCXboxMobilePlayStation - 19
Brotato
An armed potato fights waves of aliens in short bursts, collecting weapons and items for ever stronger builds. The simple, addictive survivor formula with over 40 characters is one of the most popular entries in the genre.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 20
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
A survivor-like spinoff of the co-op shooter Deep Rock Galactic, where players fight alien hordes as a dwarf in destructible caves. Weapon choices and classes from the main game meet the familiar auto shooter formula with cave exploration.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 21
Risk of Rain 2
As a stranded mercenary, players fight through procedurally generated 3D levels against endless enemy waves, with difficulty rising every minute. Hundreds of items can be combined into chaotic build combinations.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 22
Spelunky 2
The sequel deepens the cave chaos with more systems, richer interaction between traps and creatures, and even more intricate secret paths. The learning curve is steep, but every mastered run feels like a real achievement.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 23
Against the Storm
In a rain soaked fantasy world, settlements of different peoples are rebuilt again and again while an approaching storm steadily raises the time pressure. Roguelite elements ensure every run demands new strategies and combinations.
PCXboxPlayStationSwitch - 24
Invisible Inc.
A turn based stealth tactics game in which a team of agents infiltrates procedurally generated corporate buildings to steal data and gear. A constantly rising alarm level forces risky decisions under time pressure.
PCSwitchMobilePlayStation - 25
Rogue Legacy
After every death, a descendant with random quirks and abilities takes over exploring an ever rearranging castle. Permanent upgrades between runs reward persistent play.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitch - 26
Elden Ring Nightreign
In compact, time limited rounds, up to three players move together through a shrinking map to defeat a powerful boss at the end. Souls combat mechanics meet roguelite structure and quick sessions.
PCPlayStationXbox - 27
Geometry Dash
A rhythm based skill platformer where a geometric shape jumps and flies over obstacles in time with the music. Community built levels provide an endless supply of new challenges.
MobilePC - 28
Loop Hero
An unusual roguelike where players place landscape cards onto a repeating loop while a hero automatically fights the monsters that appear. Building, resource management and automatic combat merge into a uniquely addictive loop.
PCPlayStationSwitchMobileXbox - 29
Monster Train
A deckbuilder where players defend the last burning hell train against heavenly invaders while juggling multiple train levels at once. The combination of clans, champions and a vertical map layout is considered one of the smartest evolutions of the genre.
PCPlayStationXboxSwitchMobile - 30
Slay the Spire II
The legendary roguelike deckbuilder gets a sequel with new characters, cards and alternate acts. Players once again craft unique decks and encounter bizarre creatures on the way to the top.
Worth reading on this
Common questions
- How many games of this kind are in the database?
- There are currently 56. This page shows the 30 with the highest critic rating, so nothing below that cut is missing by accident, it simply scored lower.
- What is the single best pick right now?
- Hades, with 94 out of 100. That said, the top of this list sits within a few points, so the second or third entry may fit your evening better.
- How much time do these games ask for?
- The median across this list is about 25 hours. 3 of the 30 entries are finished in fifteen hours or less if you are short on time.
- Can I play these with friends?
- 6 of the 30 entries support co-op. The rest are built as single player experiences.
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