Top 10 Best Roguelike Video Games

Now, what does roguelike mean? Well, a roguelike is a video game genre in which you will die a lot, but every time you die, you will progress a little further.

On your way, you will collect upgrades, medkits, and all sorts of items to help you last even a few seconds longer than your previous attempt.

So yeah, if you don't like dying a lot or grinding, then these games aren't for you. For the rest of you, though, please enjoy my list.

The Top Ten

  1. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

    Now, a lot of you are gonna hate me for not putting this at the number one spot, but I have my reasons, so shut up! Anyways, in the sequel to The Binding of Isaac, you play as (unsurprisingly) Isaac as you are back in the caves to explore, fight messed up creatures, and more.

    Now, don't get me wrong. This is a solid game, but the thing is (and this is a personal issue), I am not a fan of dungeon crawlers, and this is exactly what this game is. It's going in caves, fighting bosses, and winning upgrades, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's just that it's not my style. Although it's still a pretty kick-ass game.

    Really accessible for an average roguelike. Tons of content that lead to fun decision-making moments. Learning what all the stuff does is really fun. A crazy amount of unlocks forces you to approach the game like a completionist. The only downside is that the combat is dull. Besides some of the end-game bosses, most of the time you'll be running away while shooting back or doing little dodges.

  2. Nuclear Throne

    This game is almost pitch-perfect. The best way to describe this game is a murder anything that moves simulator. It has nice graphics for an indie game, and it's just fun to shoot things.

    On your way, you will get upgrades for your weapons and (if you're lucky) even unlock a new character (there are about 9-10 of them, with 4 unlocked at the beginning). But don't think for a second this is an easy game. This game will kick your ass and then some, but it's still very fun to play.

  3. Spelunky

    A free internet game was remade for a price, and it is available on Steam for just 14 dollars. This is extremely expensive for a game that's basically an HD rendition of a free-to-play game that you can download on the internet.

    But despite this, Spelunky is still fun. It is like the best Indiana Jones game without having anything to do with Indiana Jones. It's complex and simple at the same time.

  4. FTL: Faster Than Light

    At this point, everybody knows about this game. The space management game won numerous awards and was on many people's top 10 indie games of 2012. There's a good reason for this: the game is just that damn good. Seriously, I have never seen a triple-A game in recent years as complex as this little indie game made by a small company.

    It's fun, it's addictive, it's frustrating, but not enough to stop you from playing. It's just fun and extremely strategic too.

  5. Rogue Legacy

    It has the word rogue in it, so you know what you are in for. In this game, you play as a dynasty of knights, and each time one dies, the other one takes over. This is the epitome of a roguelike. It has extreme but balanced difficulty, and it is, of course, very addicting and fun, which is good enough for me.

  6. Daylight

    This may piss off a lot of people, but quite frankly, I don't care. This game was incredibly panned when it first came out, and I don't understand why. It has great graphics, perfect atmosphere, and some well-thought-out puzzles. If you hated it because you died a lot, it's not the game's fault. It's yours.

  7. Don't Starve

    It was in my top 10 best survival games, and here it is now in my top 10 roguelikes. What else is there to be said about this game that hasn't been said already? It looks good, it sounds good, it's challenging, and best of all, it's atmospheric.

  8. Delver

    One of the rare FPS roguelikes, Delver is absolutely fantastic. It has elements of The Binding of Isaac, the roguelikes of old, and even some Legend of Zelda. It's the perfect mix for an almost perfect game.

  9. Heavy Bullets

    When I first saw screenshots of this game, I was less than impressed. I thought it was a cheap cash-in on the roguelike genre. However, when I got to play it, I needed to hit myself in the face for judging this great game.

    So, what is Heavy Bullets? In this game, you have a pistol and bullets that are, you guessed it, very heavy. In fact, they're so heavy that when you shoot enemies, you have to go to the spot where the enemy died and pick up the bullet. This mechanic is brilliant, but it can also be very cheap since someone else can kill you in the time it takes to pick up the bullet!

    Oh, by the way, did I mention that one shot gets you killed? Regardless of how cheap and frustrating it can sometimes be, it's still really fun and well worth its asking price.

  10. Enter the Gungeon

    Guns: the game. Everything is themed around guns to a comical degree.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

  12. ?

    Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

    13. The Contenders

  13. Receiver

    Never have I played a game so frustrating, so rage-inducing, and yet so damn fun at the same time. This is sort of like a weapon simulation type of game where you have to shoot generic projectiles, but the twist comes in the weapons. They can break, get locked, and all sorts of frustrating things that prevent this game from going any higher than number ten on my list.

    But the frustration is part of the fun. So, if you want to get yourself tortured, go right ahead and buy this game. If not, then stay far away.

  14. Unfair Mario

  15. The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth

  16. Risk of Rain

  17. HyperRogue

  18. Hades

  19. Dark Souls

  20. Dragon Ball Xenoverse

  21. Moonlighter

  22. Risk of Rain 2

  23. Dark Souls II

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