What Is A Roguelike Game?

Content Manager at RetroStyle Games | Jan 20, 2025

A definition of a roguelike is a video game inspired by the game “Rogue”, which was very popular in the early 1980s. These games are known for their challenging gameplay and are characterized by several key features.

The main meaning of roguelike is that every time you play this kind of game, the layout of the dungeons or worlds is different. This randomness means each playthrough is unique. When your character dies in a roguelike game, you start over from the beginning and often lose most or all of your progress. This makes the game very challenging. Many roguelike games are turn-based, so you have time to think about each move you make. This adds a strategic element to the game. The best roguelikes often have complex game systems with many items, character abilities, and other features you can learn over time.

Historical Origins of Roguelike Games

Roguelike games have a unique place in the history of video gaming. We can trace them back to the early days of computer RPGs. These games are known for their tough gameplay where you start over from the beginning if you die. The term “roguelike” comes from the first-ever roguelike — Rogue developed in 1980. This game quickly became a favorite for its challenging dungeon crawls. Rogue’s influence spread quickly. Not just because of its gameplay, but because it was also highly accessible to almost any computer.

Before Rogue, there were games like Colossal Cave Adventure in 1977 and Beneath Apple Manor in 1978. These games started exploring elements defining roguelikes, such as dungeon exploration and item interaction. But they didn’t fully incorporate the roguelike elements of procedural generation and permanent death until Rogue set the standard.

One of the first roguelike games Colossal Cave Adventure

One of the first roguelike games Beneath Apple Manor

The evolution of rogue-type games continued with titles like Hack in 1982 and NetHack in 1987, which expanded on Rogue’s formula by adding more complex game mechanics and a wider variety of items and encounters. The traditional roguelike — with challenging gameplay — continued to inspire both game developers and players.

Popular Roguelike Games

Action roguelike such as “Darkest Dungeon II” and roguelike coop game “Risk of Rain Returns” introduced new elements and mechanics that pushed the boundaries of traditional roguelike video games, blending genres and attracting players who might not typically engage with hardcore roguelikes.

Poular roguelike video game Darkest Dungeon II

Poular roguelike video game Risk of Rain Returns

Titles such as “Diablo IV” not only drew in massive numbers of players due to their legacy and brand but also encouraged a thriving community of players who engage in multiplayer modes, thus increasing their replay value. The popularity of most complex roguelike games often leads to strong sales and high player counts, showcasing the commercial viability of the roguelike genre in the modern gaming market.

Here is a list of some of the notable, already classic roguelike games:

1
DREDGE
In DREDGE, you are a fisherman exploring isolated islands. The game mixes fishing with exploration and horror elements. Players can improve their fishing gear and uncover the secrets lurking beneath the surface. This game is about exploration, players go through dangerous waters, upgrade their boats, and sell catches to locals. You’ll also need to uncover the island's mysteries.
2
Deep Rock Galactic
It is a first-person shooter experience where players work as a team of dwarven space miners. The game is set in destructible environments where players dig through caves, collect valuable resources, and fight alien creatures. It supports cooperative gameplay with friends and features four unique classes.
3
FTL: Faster Than Light
FTL is a strategy-based game where you control a spaceship and its crew. You are in a randomly generated galaxy made to make strategic decisions in managing their ships, handling crises, and engaging in battles with enemy ships. It includes a variety of ship configurations and technologies. The focus is on tactical space combat and real-time strategy.

Classic roguelike video game Deep Rock Galactic

Classic roguelike video game Faster Than Light

Evolution into Roguelite Games

The evolution from roguelike to roguelite games marks a significant shift in video game design. Roguelikes, known for their procedural level generation and permadeath, are challenging. It’s because they don’t allow for any progression between attempts. Roguelites, soften this strictness — players can carry over some progress. Things like experience points, skills, or items, go from one playthrough to the next.

Roguelite vs roguelikes:

Unlike roguelikes, where each new game starts from scratch, roguelites let players feel a sense of progression. This can be through skills that enhance character abilities or unlockable items that affect gameplay.

Roguelites often include elements from other genres, such as RPGs or platformers. They also have meta-progression. This key feature involves players slowly building up their power across multiple runs, which contrasts sharply with the traditional roguelike approach of starting anew each time.

Famous roguelike games like Hades and The Binding of Isaac are in the roguelite format. Players have a more accessible difficulty curve. It gradually increases as players enhance their abilities and learn the game’s mechanics through repeated attempts. This shift makes roguelites appealing because they mix challenging gameplay with rewarding growth and variety. This approach can keep players engaged over a longer period.

Popular Upcoming Roguelite Games

Among the most anticipated upcoming roguelite games, two standout titles are catching the attention of gamers with their innovative approaches and engaging gameplay:

Metal Slug Tactics

This game brings the classic Metal Slug series into the world of tactical RPGs. Players lead a squad of familiar characters in grid-based battles, using strategy and team coordination to overcome challenges. The gameplay combines traditional Metal Slug action with new tactical elements, like special attacks and character abilities that evolve as you progress. The goal is to go through various missions, using the terrain and your team’s unique skills effectively against tough enemies.

Windblown

Windblown is an action-packed roguelite adventure developed by the creators of Dead Cells. This game challenges players to guide a character through dynamic and ever-changing environments. The gameplay focuses on battling fierce weather conditions and enemies, gathering resources, and upgrading your equipment to survive. Each playthrough changes the game world, presenting new challenges and opportunities for players to explore and conquer.

Ocean Keeper: New Survival Roguelike

Ocean Keeper is a miner roguelike game where players go on an underwater adventure. You explore ocean depths and remnants of civilization on a giant robot pack. It combines survival mechanics with roguelite elements, allowing players to discover valuable resources and battle sea monsters. Ocean Keeper is an unforgettable game that gives players a unique experience in the roguelite genre, using exploration, and combat in a richly detailed marine world.

Comparative Analysis: Roguelike vs. Roguelite

Aspect	Roguelike	Roguelite
Permadeath	Full reset on death; lose all progress and start over.	Some progress or upgrades carry over after death.
Gameplay Difficulty	Generally very challenging.	Offers adjustable difficulty levels.
Level Design	Procedurally generated levels with no preset maps.	May include both random and static-level designs.
Progression	Little to no progression to the roguelike character between runs.	Character or skill progression across multiple runs.
Learning Curve	Steep; requires mastering complex systems.	ften more accessible and easier to learn.
Main Appeal	Challenge and mastery of game mechanics.	Incremental progress and character development.
Player Experience	High stakes with each run feeling significant.	More casual with a focus on growth and exploration.

Roguelike & Roguelite Game Development

Outsourcing the development of roguelike and roguelite games can be a strategic decision for many game developers. Companies specializing in outsourcing often bring a level of expertise in game development that might be beyond what a smaller studio or individual developer can manage. This includes advanced skills in graphic design, animation, and programming, essential for creating visually appealing and technically robust games. Additionally, outsourcing can be cost-effective. Instead of hiring a full-time team, which might be expensive, outsourcing studios allows developers to pay only for specific tasks, reducing overall expenses. It also enables the core team to focus on their strengths, such as story development or gameplay mechanics, while outsourced professionals handle other aspects of the development process.

RetroStyle Games, established in 2010 by Olena and Pavel Konstantinov, stands out as a dedicated outsourcing studio specializing in game and app development. Our expertise spans creating high-quality concept art, digital graphics, and CG animations, primarily aimed at enhancing the visual appeal and marketability of games and apps. With a focus on integrating trending technologies with the nostalgic charm of classic games, we offer unique services tailored to boost sales and improve user engagement.

Our portfolio boasts significant collaborations with renowned clients like Zynga, Sega, and Ubisoft, highlighting the capability and trust within the industry. RetroStyle Games has also made notable achievements with our mobile games, crossing over 80 million downloads, and demonstrating their ability to engage a large audience effectively.

RetroStyle Games' Clients

Future of Roguelike and Roguelite Games

The future of roguelike and roguelite games looks bright, with trends pointing towards continued popularity, especially among indie developers. These games, known for their challenging gameplay and replayability due to procedural generation and permadeath, are gaining more attention. The success of games like “Vampire Survivors” has highlighted a growing interest in retro-style indie games, which often require less budget compared to high-budget projects but can still capture a significant audience.

This shift suggests that gamers are increasingly valuing unique gameplay experiences and creative design over high-end graphics. As technology advances and more tools become accessible to developers, we can expect to see more innovative entries in the roguelike and roguelite genres. These games offer developers the chance to experiment with game mechanics and narrative styles in ways that larger, more expensive projects might not.

In conclusion, the future of roguelikes and roguelites is likely to be driven by indie developers who push the boundaries of what these games can offer, continually appealing to players who seek challenging and engaging gameplay experiences.