10 Roguelikes That Are Instantly Fun, Ranked

Given my devotion to indie games and my irregular way of allocating my time, roguelikes have become a fundamental part of my life as a player.

In my daily routine, I'm most likely playing some game of this genre to kill brief moments of free time rather than engaging in doomscrolling, which is why I've become a fan of their proposals.

From the most popular to some lesser-known titles, I've had the opportunity to sink my teeth into numerous procedurally generated games for dozens of hours over the last couple of years, and all indications are that my routine isn't going to change.

10 ROBOBEAT

Shooting at Rhythm

While I'm not a huge fan of rhythm games, I do love it when titles of other genres incorporate their core gameplay into different mechanics, which is precisely what ROBOBEAT does within the FPS genre.

The best way I like to describe it is as if Metal: Hellsinger met Dead Cells, sharing the concepts of shooting to the beat of the music in ever-changing levels with different weapons and upgrades each run.

Since its gunplay is extremely polished, you don't have to wait for its roguelike elements to kick in to start feeling the dopamine rush; you'll already feel good just from the fact that you're killing robots to the rhythm of songs that you can even personally select.

Never standing still and making sure you shoot in sync with every beat, ROBOBEAT is incredibly fun, whether you dedicate a couple of hours to it or decide to immerse yourself in it until you see the very last second of content.

9 CloverPit

The Dopamine of Betting with Nothing to Lose

Although my time with CloverPit was quite brief compared to the number of hours I usually dedicate to the average roguelike, this ranks among the most intense experiences I've had in the genre.

Following in Balatro's footsteps, it takes a culturally familiar game and adds procedural mechanics with passive modifiers, an extreme amount of colors and sounds, and the feeling that it's constantly mocking you, making the game ridiculously compelling.

The moment you pull the lever for the first time to see the reels spin, land five diamonds in a row, and watch your money climb, you feel a divine ecstasy because you're enjoying the thrill of uncertainty without any real risk.

Furthermore, the title is supremely clever with the additional systems it implements, such as the cards that alter the game's conditions and the quest for the true ending, making CloverPit purely addictive.

8 Hell Clock

Diablo meets Hades in Brazil

As a fan of both Diablo and Hades, discovering Hell Clock was like a gift from heaven, precisely because it emulates both games so accurately.

If you're expecting something groundbreakingly innovative in terms of gameplay, you might not find much here, though if you're looking for a game with a brilliantly executed roguelite progression system, stunning art, and great combat, you have an underrated gem in your hands.

Furthermore, I must admit I'm fascinated by how it avoids replicating the typical fantasy settings we see in video games, as it grounds its aesthetic and narrative in the Canudos War in Brazil, making each run intriguing not only for its mechanics but also for how the story unfolds.

In that sense, the inspiration from Hades is evident in both aspects, and if you add Diablo's dungeon exploration and combat style, you get a fantastic fusion far more fun than you'd initially expect.

7 Wizard of Legend

Becoming the Ultimate Sorcerer

Having grown up with works like Dragon Ball and Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was always drawn to the idea of ​​becoming a sorcerer of some kind, and few games have fulfilled that fantasy quite like Wizard of Legend.

Being my go-to game during a time when my country was experiencing daily blackouts of up to six hours, I dedicated countless hours to it precisely because of its ability to always feel fresh despite the passage of time.

With a high level of difficulty and dozens of elemental powers to test and combine, it's not only entertaining because of its incredibly high replay value, but also because it grants you spectacular skills that are a delight to see in action.

Unlocking all the spells, relics, and robes is so captivating that you lose track of time, and that's true whether you're playing for the first hour or the hundredth.

6 Enter the Gungeon

It's essential that I admit I'm really terrible at Enter the Gungeon, and yet I still think it's one of the best and most entertaining roguelikes ever made.

I don't know how many hours I've sunk into it, and yet I keep discovering new weapons and bosses, each one crazier than the last, so you practically never lose that sense of anticipation that comes from knowing there's still something new to discover.

Its level of mechanical difficulty, especially considering there's really not much progression between runs, is extremely elevated, but so is the ease with which it hooks you and doesn't let go until you're good enough to master it.

The recommendation is tough because I genuinely think it has a high barrier to entry, but if you're an avid gamer, Enter the Gungeon is a marvel that can satisfy your gaming needs on its own for a long time.

5 The Rogue Prince of Persia

A Spectacular Flow

Considering how incredibly polished it is, and that it comes from the creators of Dead Cells itself, I'm surprised by how little attention the great The Rogue Prince of Persia gets.

Although it has a shorter length and more focused content than many in the genre, the sheer joy of its combat and platforming is something I've rarely, if ever, experienced, and it's truly captivating.

Unlike Enter the Gungeon, it's quite easy, which might frustrate purists of the genre, but those unfamiliar with procedural experiences will find this a wonder and an unbeatable title.

Magnificent art, stunning animations, numerous gameplay systems, excellent bosses, constant and rewarding progression… The Rogue Prince of Persia has everything a good roguelite should have, making it a great entry point.​​​​​​​

4 Have a Nice Death

Being the Grim Reaper is Glorious

After thinking I'd never find a 2D video game with the same precise controls and beautiful hand-drawn art style as Hollow Knight, Have a Nice Death came along and proved me wrong in the best way possible.

In terms of combat and platforming, there have been very few occasions in my more than twenty years of playing video games where I've felt a level of polish that's practically impossible to improve upon, pushing the idea of 'if you lose, it's your own fault' to the extreme.

As a result, the game is extremely demanding, though its roguelite progression makes it entirely tolerable as time goes on, while its combat mechanics with diverse main weapons, powers, and passive abilities do the heavy lifting in the first few hours.

Once you've invested a significant amount of time, both aspects combine to give you the best possible fun, so much so that I consider Have a Nice Death the most underrated game in the genre's history.

3 Ball X Pit

Numbers, Colors, and Lots of Dopamine

Brick Breaker is among those classic games that took a while until we got a roguelike adaptation, but thankfully Ball X Pit came along to merge it with Loop Hero and make the world a better place.

Even though I'm nearing 30 years and have more responsibilities than I'd like, I lost count of the number of nights I spent playing this game, because from the moment I touched it, I was hooked.

Oscillating between its flashy and varied combat in the main gameplay sequences and the resource management at the end of each expedition made it incredibly difficult to stop playing whenever I dedicated a session to it.

The further you progress, the more you feel both the pleasure of assembling increasingly complex and effective builds and the satisfaction of creating a more productive city, so there's no point in Ball X Pit where you don't feel like you're having the time of your life.

2 Absolum

A Prestigious Beat 'Em Up

Coming from the prodigious developers of Streets of Rage 4, it should come as no surprise that Absolum is a wonderful beat 'em up, though it might be impressive that it also excels as a roguelike.

It's another offspring of the genre's new wave that, instead of offering 300 hours of gameplay only to start having fun halfway through, delivers combat and progression so defined and polished that you're ecstatic from the very first punch.

Thanks to its four characters, numerous areas and secrets, diverse builds thanks to talismans and abilities, and the option for cooperative play, it's difficult to imagine Absolum not captivating you from the beginning.

The difficulty curve is precise, the narrative evolves gradually, the environments are stunning, the bosses offer remarkably dynamic encounters… It is, above all, a magnificent beat 'em up, though it's also an invaluable addition to the roguelike genre.

1 Vampire Survivors

An Unprecedented Addiction

Without needing a strong narrative component and despite being developed by a single person, Vampire Survivors is a case study due to its inexplicably addictive nature.

It makes perfect sense that a new subgenre of roguelikes was conceived with this game, because what it achieves borders on black magic, capable of making you lose track of time like few other titles in history.

Given the number of characters, weapons, enemies, upgrades, and environments, the pleasure of seeing more and more numbers and colors on screen is indescribable, so much so that it doesn't matter at all that you don't actually control the combat.

Focusing solely on the character's movement, which attacks automatically, creates a more strategic and contemplative dynamic that blends perfectly with the endless details that appear on the screen every second; a contrast that works wonderfully thanks to the procedural generation.

Years have passed, and many have tried to imitate Vampire Survivors' appeal, and while there have been numerous successes, none have felt the same. It's such a massive performance that I almost prefer not to recommend it, because it will consume your time as if there were no tomorrow.