Addicted to the thrill of permadeath? The best roguelike games on PC deliver that perfect blend of punishment and reward that keeps players coming back for "just one more run."
Despite their notorious difficulty, roguelikes have exploded in popularity over the past few years. It's easy to see why – these games offer nearly endless replayability through procedurally generated levels, permanent consequences, and that satisfying progression loop where each failure somehow makes you stronger.
Whether you're a veteran who's already mastered the classics or a newcomer curious about what makes this genre so captivating, our curated list of 23 must-play roguelikes for 2025 has something for everyone. From the mythological masterpiece Hades II to the deck-building brilliance of Slay the Spire, these titles represent the pinnacle of roguelike design. Let's dive into what makes each one special.
Hades II
Supergiant Games' first-ever sequel, Hades II continues the legacy of its predecessor while charting bold new territory in the roguelike landscape.
Hades II gameplay overview
As the immortal Princess of the Underworld, Melinoë, you'll battle through procedurally generated environments on a quest to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time. Unlike Zagreus from the original, Melinoë is trained in witchcraft, bringing fresh combat dynamics. The game maintains the core roguelike structure—enter rooms, select rewards, and face increasingly difficult enemies—but expands with new biomes, foes, and story elements.
Hades II unique mechanics
The most significant innovation is the Magick bar, powering Omega attacks—enhanced versions of standard moves that unleash devastating effects. Additionally, the Crossroads hub area offers vastly more activities than the original's House of Hades, including plant cultivation, incantation brewing, and the Arcana Cards system for permanent upgrades. Furthermore, the ingenious Forget-Me-Not feature lets players mark desired recipes, displaying helpful indicators during runs.
Hades II platform availability
Currently available in Early Access on PC since May 6, 2024, Hades II is preparing for its full 1.0 release in 2025. Notably, it will launch simultaneously on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, with the latter versions featuring enhanced visuals including 1080p resolution compared to Switch 1's 720p. Console exclusivity with Nintendo is confirmed, with other platforms expected later.
Risk of Rain 2
Taking the leap from 2D to 3D, Risk of Rain 2 transformed the roguelike formula into a chaotic third-person shooter that constantly escalates in difficulty and rewards mastery of its systems.
Risk of Rain 2 gameplay overview
As a stranded survivor on an alien planet, your objective remains consistent across levels: locate a teleporter, activate it, defeat the summoned boss, and progress forward. The genius lies in its time-based difficulty scaling—the longer you play, each minute increases enemy strength and spawn rates. This creates a thrilling tension between thoroughly exploring for valuable items or rushing to the next stage before things become overwhelming. With over a dozen playable characters ranging from the straightforward Commando to the ghostly Heretic, each offers fundamentally different playstyles and strategic options.
Risk of Rain 2 unique mechanics
The heart of Risk of Rain 2 is its staggering item system featuring over 110 collectibles that transform your character's capabilities. These items stack infinitely, creating absurdly powerful combinations—from chain lightning ukuleles to meteor-summoning stones. Furthermore, the game features 123 unique passive items, creating more than 302,621 possible combinations with just three items. Every run delivers a different experience through procedurally generated environments, random item drops, and the ability to "loop" indefinitely through increasingly difficult stages.
Risk of Rain 2 platform availability
Initially released in early access in 2019, Risk of Rain 2 fully launched in August 2020 across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Stadia. It's scheduled for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S release on August 27, 2024. Consequently, PC players enjoy advantages through mod support and generally better performance. The console version occasionally struggles with stability issues, especially during extended runs with numerous enemies and effects on screen.
Dead Cells
Motion Twin's stylish Dead Cells combines roguelite elements with Castlevania-inspired action-platforming to create one of the most addictive permadeath experiences available.
Dead Cells gameplay overview
In essence, Dead Cells puts you in control of a failed alchemical experiment exploring a sprawling, ever-changing castle. The core loop is brutally simple: kill, die, learn, repeat—with no checkpoints to save your progress. Combat feels responsive and visceral, demanding mastery of pattern-based encounters against various enemies. Moreover, the nonlinear level design offers multiple paths through the game's interconnected biomes, allowing you to skip areas you find particularly challenging.
Dead Cells unique mechanics
First among Dead Cells' innovative systems is the recovery mechanic—when taking damage, 80% of lost health turns orange and can be regained by quickly striking enemies. Likewise, the breach system lets you stun enemies by dealing significant damage during their attacks. Although death means losing your equipment, you retain permanent upgrades and unlocked paths, ensuring each run strengthens your subsequent attempts. The cell currency system accordingly encourages risk-taking, as these valuable resources unlock new weapons and abilities.
Dead Cells platform availability
Available across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, macOS, and mobile platforms, Dead Cells runs optimally on PC with smoother framerates and mod support. The Switch version, though portable, occasionally suffers from frame drops that can prove fatal in high-difficulty situations.
Vampire Survivors
Breaking traditional roguelike conventions, Vampire Survivors flips the script on bullet hell games by making you the source of projectile chaos rather than the victim.
Vampire Survivors gameplay overview
At its core, Vampire Survivors challenges players to survive for 30 minutes against endless monster hordes, with your character attacking automatically. This deceptively simple premise masks surprising depth—you'll navigate through procedurally generated environments, collecting gems for leveling up, which offers choices between new weapons or upgrades. Throughout each run, your arsenal gradually escalates from modest beginnings to screen-filling destruction, creating a mesmerizing power fantasy that practically plays itself.
Vampire Survivors unique mechanics
What truly distinguishes Vampire Survivors is its intricate progression systems. Players can equip up to six weapons and six passive items, with most weapons capable of "evolving" into ultimate forms when fully upgraded and paired with specific items. Between runs, gold earned can purchase permanent upgrades and unlock new characters. Furthermore, the game features four gameplay modifiers including Arcanas (tarot cards with special effects) and Limit Break mode that allows weapons to exceed normal maximums.
Vampire Survivors platform availability
Originally released in December 2021 for PC, Vampire Survivors has since expanded to Xbox, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, and most recently PlayStation consoles in August 2024. Notably, the mobile version is free with optional ads, while the full game on other platforms costs approximately $3, offering extraordinary value for its addictive gameplay loop.
Balatro
Defying traditional roguelike conventions, Balatro reinvents poker as an addictive single-player experience that's less about bluffing opponents and more about creating explosive card synergies.
Balatro gameplay overview
At its foundation, Balatro challenges players to build poker hands from a standard 52-card deck to score enough chips to defeat increasingly difficult "blinds". Each round grants up to four hands with limited discards to achieve target scores. The genius lies in its scoring system—hands have base values multiplied by various factors, creating thrilling moments as numbers skyrocket into the thousands. Boss blinds appear every third round, introducing special conditions like nullifying card modifications or restricting hand types, forcing players to constantly adapt their strategies.
Balatro unique mechanics
The heart of Balatro's innovation comes from its 150 unique joker cards that dramatically alter gameplay through passive effects and triggered abilities. These jokers take effect in the ordered sequence they're arranged in, allowing for strategic optimization. Furthermore, the game features an extensive collection of enhancement options—tarot cards modify regular playing cards, planet cards level up specific poker hands, and vouchers provide permanent run buffs. Interestingly, the game rewards financial patience; players earn $1 interest for every $5 kept between rounds (capped at $25), creating meaningful decisions between immediate purchases versus long-term gains.
Balatro platform availability
Originally released February 20, 2024, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Balatro subsequently launched on macOS on March 1, 2024, followed by Android and iOS ports on September 26, 2024. The game requires minimal system specifications—just 1GB RAM and 150MB storage space, making it accessible across virtually any modern device. By January 2025, it had sold an impressive 5 million copies, cementing its status among the best roguelike games on PC.
Spelunky 2
Mastering the treacherous depths of the Moon, Spelunky 2 builds upon its predecessor's legacy as one of the best roguelike games with refined mechanics and an expanded, more dynamic world.
Spelunky 2 gameplay overview
As Ana Spelunky, daughter of the original hero, players navigate procedurally generated caves filled with traps, treasures, and enemies. Each death is permanent, forcing you to restart from the beginning with only basic equipment. Nevertheless, the tight controls feel immediately perfect—jumping, climbing, and whipping enemies is responsive and precise. Between runs, players can visit a base camp that expands as you unlock characters, offering encouragement and advice. Indeed, the game isn't just about "getting good" but creating your own stories within an expansive, deeply-interactive world.
Spelunky 2 unique mechanics
Spelunky 2's world introduces remarkable innovations over the original. First, multi-layered levels add a third dimension to traditional 2D platforming, with hidden rooms and passages behind the normal playfield. Meanwhile, branching paths let players choose between different biomes—face the lava-filled pools of Volcana or the spike-laden Jungle. Additionally, rideable mounts like turkeys provide special abilities such as gliding, yet require taming. Furthermore, dynamic liquid physics allow water and lava to flow realistically, drastically affecting gameplay.
Spelunky 2 platform availability
Initially launched on PlayStation 4 on September 15, 2020, followed by Steam (PC) on September 29, 2020. Afterward, it arrived on Nintendo Switch on August 26, 2021, and Xbox on January 13, 2022. Essentially, the game features crossplay between PC, Xbox, PS4, and Nintendo Switch, allowing players across platforms to find and join each other.
FTL: Faster Than Light
Pioneering the spaceship simulation roguelike subgenre, FTL: Faster Than Light challenges players to navigate a hostile galaxy while experiencing the tension of spacecraft command.
FTL gameplay overview
In FTL, players control a Federation spacecraft carrying critical intelligence while being pursued by a rebel fleet. Each run takes you through eight procedurally generated sectors filled with random encounters. Your mission demands tough decisions—will you reroute power to engines when missiles deplete your shields, activate additional weapons, or send boarding parties to enemy ships? The game's permadeath system means one fatal error ends your journey, forcing you to restart with fresh circumstances. Hence, every decision carries weight as you attempt to outfit your ship for the final confrontation with the rebel flagship.
FTL unique mechanics
First among FTL's innovations is its pausable real-time combat system that allows strategic planning mid-battle. The game also features complex power management—experienced players shift energy between systems constantly, prioritizing shields and weapons based on current threats. Additionally, six diverse alien races offer unique abilities affecting gameplay. Players can unlock nine additional ships beyond the starting Kestrel cruiser, each with alternative layouts encouraging different strategies. The 2014 Advanced Edition expansion further enriched the experience with new weapons, sectors, and systems like mind control and hacking.
FTL platform availability
Originally released in September 2012 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, FTL later expanded to iPad in April 2014. The game runs on modest hardware, requiring just 1GB RAM and 175MB storage space. Importantly, the Advanced Edition content was provided as a free update for existing owners.
Slay the Spire
Fusing roguelike adventuring with strategic deck-building, Slay the Spire challenges players to climb a treacherous spire using carefully crafted card combinations against increasingly deadly foes.
Slay the Spire gameplay overview
At its core, Slay the Spire presents players with procedurally generated paths as they ascend through three acts, facing regular enemies, elite foes, rest sites, shops, and random events. Each turn grants you five cards and three energy points to deploy attacks, skills, and power cards against opponents who telegraph their next moves. The brilliance lies in its decision-making—knowing when to add cards to your deck versus keeping it lean and efficient. Between battles, you'll earn gold, new cards, relics that provide permanent buffs, and single-use potions to overcome specific challenges.
Slay the Spire unique mechanics
What distinguishes Slay the Spire is its four unique characters—each with exclusive card pools and starting relics that dramatically alter playstyles. The Ironclad focuses on strength and offense, Silent masters poison and multiple weak attacks, yet Defect channels orbs for passive effects. Beyond runs, the game offers metaprogression through 20 unlockable Ascension difficulty levels, daily challenges with preset conditions, and custom modes with modifiers. Primarily, success depends on synergizing between relics and cards—creating decks that complement each other instead of simply collecting powerful cards.
Slay the Spire platform availability
First released in early access for PC in late 2017, Slay the Spire officially launched in January 2019. The game soon expanded to PlayStation 4 (May 2019), Nintendo Switch (June 2019), and Xbox One (August 2019). Mobile versions followed with iOS in June 2020 and Android in February 2021. With minimal system requirements—only 2GB RAM and 1GB storage space—the game remains accessible across virtually all modern platforms.
Into the Breach
From the creators of FTL comes Into the Breach, a tactical turn-based roguelike that distills strategic combat into perfect chess-like puzzles on tiny battlefields.
Into the Breach gameplay overview
As time-traveling mech pilots, players defend Earth's remaining cities from gigantic insectoid creatures called Vek. Each battle takes place on a compact, one-screen grid where every move matters. Primarily, what sets this game apart is its innovative turn structure—enemies telegraph their next moves first, turning combat into a puzzle about interruption rather than reaction. Your goal isn't simply eliminating threats but protecting civilian buildings that power your grid (effectively your health). Missions typically last just five turns, creating intense decision points about whether to save civilians, destroy enemies, or prevent new threats from emerging.
Into the Breach unique mechanics
The pilot system forms the backbone of progression, with each pilot offering unique abilities like "Temporal Reset" for extra turn resets, "Mantis" for melee attacks, or "Sidestep" for free movement after attacking. Furthermore, the game's positioning-focused combat allows for creative solutions—pushing enemies into each other's line of fire or placing mechs to block enemy spawns at the cost of taking damage. Chiefly, the game eliminates randomness; beyond buildings occasionally resisting damage, everything is certain and telegraphed, making victories feel earned rather than lucky.
Into the Breach platform availability
Initially released in February 2018 for Windows, macOS, and Linux, Into the Breach later expanded to Nintendo Switch. The Advanced Edition update (free for existing owners) added substantial content throughout the game, including new mechs, weapons, and missions. The game runs on modest hardware requiring only 1GB RAM and 400MB storage space, making it accessible even on older systems.
Returnal
Blending psychological horror with AAA production values, Returnal elevates the roguelike genre through its haunting narrative and challenging bullet-hell combat.
Returnal gameplay overview
As astronaut Selene Vassos, players crash-land on the mysterious planet Atropos, trapped in a time loop where death resets your journey. Throughout this third-person roguelike shooter, you'll navigate procedurally generated environments filled with hostile aliens and environmental hazards. Each death cycles you back to your crashed ship, yet the world significantly reshapes itself every time. Effectively, the fast-paced combat combines bullet-hell mechanics with precise movement—demanding mastery of enemy patterns across six distinct biomes.
Returnal unique mechanics
What distinguishes Returnal is its intricate risk-reward systems. Malfunctions occur when collecting certain items, applying debuffs until specific conditions are met. Given that the planet constantly shifts, weapons evolve with each cycle, offering new combinations of traits. Notably, permanent upgrades like grappling hooks unlock previously inaccessible areas. Throughout your journey, first-person "house sequences" deliver psychological horror elements that gradually reveal Selene's fragmented story.
Returnal platform availability
Originally a PS5 exclusive, Returnal launched on PC in 2023 with numerous enhancements. The PC version offers ray-traced reflections, shadows, ultrawide support (21:9 and 32:9), plus DLSS and FSR upscaling technologies. Furthermore, PC players benefit from extensive graphical options, including five preset configurations alongside detailed performance metrics.
Darkest Dungeon II
Transforming the dungeon-crawling formula of its predecessor, Darkest Dungeon II shifts to a roguelike road trip of the damned where managing heroes' mental health becomes as crucial as their combat abilities.
Darkest Dungeon II gameplay overview
Players embark on a stagecoach journey through a decaying landscape with four heroes, navigating procedurally generated paths filled with combat encounters and difficult choices. The turn-based combat system guarantees hits unless enemies possess special traits allowing them to dodge or block. Ultimately, your goal is to reach The Mountain and defeat the source of evil, but the greatest dangers often emerge from within your own party.
Darkest Dungeon II unique mechanics
At this point, the relationship system becomes central—heroes build rapport or foster rivalries throughout the journey. Positive relationships grant combat boons, whereas negative ones cause distractions and increase stress. First, when a hero's stress maxes out, they experience a meltdown, reducing them to a single health point and affecting the entire party. Second, The Flame on your stagecoach represents hope; letting it extinguish invites deadly cultist attacks.
Darkest Dungeon II platform availability
Originally released in early access on Epic Games Store in October 2021, Darkest Dungeon II fully launched on May 8, 2023. Presently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with the Kingdoms update scheduled for 2024.
The Binding of Isaac
Edmund McMillen's twisted masterpiece The Binding of Isaac serves as a cornerstone of modern roguelikes, combining religious imagery with grotesque humor in a dungeon crawler that never plays the same way twice.
Binding of Isaac gameplay overview
As Isaac flees into his basement to escape his murderous mother, players navigate procedurally generated dungeons filled with bizarre enemies and fearsome bosses. The top-down perspective draws inspiration from classic Zelda games, yet with permadeath forcing players to restart upon failure. Each floor contains various rooms to explore, treasures to collect, and secrets to discover. Altogether, the experience revolves around shooting tears as projectiles in twin-stick shooter fashion while dodging enemy attacks.
Binding of Isaac unique mechanics
The heart of Isaac lies in its 700+ items that visually transform your character while granting unique abilities. These items stack and combine in unexpected ways, creating powerful synergies. In fact, special items considered stronger by developers have mechanics that make them rarer after seeing previous special items. Between runs, players unlock new content by earning completion marks for defeating bosses like Mom's Heart, Isaac, Satan and more.
Binding of Isaac platform availability
Originally released in 2011 for Windows, the game was remade as The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth in 2014 with improved visuals, performance, and expanded content. Besides the base game, three major DLCs—Afterbirth, Afterbirth†, and Repentance—have added hundreds of new items, enemies, and challenges.
Noita
Standing apart with its revolutionary "every pixel is simulated" physics engine, Noita offers an unforgiving magical roguelike experience where environmental mastery becomes as vital as combat skill.
Noita gameplay overview
Players control a witch descending through procedurally generated caves with the apparent goal of reaching the bottom. Starting with just two basic magic wands—one casting a magic bolt and another bombs—you'll fight various enemies named after Finnish mythological creatures. Throughout your journey, you must navigate through eight distinct biomes separated by "Holy Mountains" that allow wand editing, purchasing items, and selecting perks. Each successive biome contains stronger enemies and more valuable items, culminating in a final boss battle against Kolmisilmä ("Three-Eye").
Noita unique mechanics
The cornerstone of Noita is its falling-sand-inspired physics system where every pixel is individually simulated. This enables realistic interactions—wood burns creating smoke, lava turns to rock when touching water, acid dissolves metal. Furthermore, wand customization forms the other half of Noita's brilliance. Wands serve as containers with stats like cast delay and reload time, while spells (projectiles and modifiers) can be slotted and rearranged for countless combinations. Players can collect and edit these during runs, creating powerful customized magical weapons.
Noita platform availability
Released in early access on September 24, 2019, Noita fully launched as version 1.0 on October 15, 2020. Currently available exclusively for PC through Steam, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, and Itch.io. Unfortunately, no console versions exist, yet it runs surprisingly well on modest hardware and is fully verified for Steam Deck.
Monster Train
Combining deck-building with tower defense elements, Monster Train stands out among the best roguelike games by challenging players to protect the last burning pyre of hell on a multi-floored locomotive.
Monster Train gameplay overview
Set on a train to hell, players defend multiple vertical battlegrounds from heaven's invading forces. The train consists of four floors—three for combat and a fourth containing your Pyre (effectively your health). Every turn grants cards from your deck to summon units and cast spells, each with an "Ember" cost limiting how many you can play. Enemies enter at the bottom floor and move upward each turn if not defeated, eventually damaging your Pyre if they reach the top. After several waves, a powerful boss arrives that typically requires damage across multiple floors given their substantial health.
Monster Train unique mechanics
Primarily, what distinguishes Monster Train is its vertical battlefield system that adds strategic depth to placement decisions. Players select from five different monster clans, each with unique gameplay—Hellhorned demons build rage, Melting Remnant uses temporary wax units, Umbra consumes creatures for strength, Awoken employs spikes and regeneration, and Stygian Guard specializes in spells. Between battles, you'll navigate branching paths offering gold, card packs, artifact rewards, and shops for upgrading units and spells. The "banner unit" mechanic, though poorly named, proves crucial for success at higher difficulties.
Monster Train platform availability
First released for Windows on May 21, 2020, followed by Xbox One on December 17, 2020, and Nintendo Switch as "Monster Train First Class" on August 19, 2021. An iOS version launched on October 27, 2022. Most recently, Monster Train 2 was announced in February 2025, published by Devolver Digital under its Big Fan Games label.
Dave the Diver
Blending multiple genres into a captivating underwater adventure, Dave the Diver offers a refreshing take on roguelike elements within a vibrant oceanic sandbox.
Dave the Diver gameplay overview
As the rotund diver Dave, you'll split your time between exploring the mysterious Blue Hole by day and running a sushi restaurant by night. The Blue Hole's terrain and aquatic ecosystem change every day, creating a constantly evolving underwater playground filled with over 200 kinds of sea creatures. Your core tasks involve catching fish with harpoons and various weapons, discovering crafting resources, and unraveling the secrets of an underwater civilization. The diving segments feel meditative yet thrilling, as peaceful exploration can suddenly transform into frantic escape from predators.
Dave the Diver unique mechanics
Most distinctively, Dave features roguelike elements where running out of oxygen forces you to leave collected items behind. Your restaurant success directly fuels diving progression—profits fund equipment upgrades that allow exploring deeper zones with deadlier creatures. Primarily, the game shines through its constant introduction of new mechanics—from breeding fish farms to underwater photography, seahorse racing, and elaborate switch puzzles in ancient temples. The game employs a smartphone UI containing apps for tracking quests, social media popularity, and equipment upgrades.
Dave the Diver platform availability
Currently available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and macOS, Dave the Diver runs smoothly on modest hardware, requiring only 8GB RAM. The PC version offers enhanced performance compared to console versions.
Wizard of Legend
Combining lightning-fast combat with spell customization, Wizard of Legend offers a magical twist on the roguelike formula that emphasizes dynamic spellcasting and strategic combat.
Wizard of Legend gameplay overview
As an aspiring wizard competing in the annual Chaos Trials, you'll navigate procedurally generated dungeons filled with enemies and traps. Each run challenges you to defeat three Council Members representing different elements before facing the final boss. Primarily, combat revolves around quick movement and even quicker spellcasting, allowing players to chain attacks into devastating combinations. The responsive controls make dodging and weaving between enemy attacks feel satisfying while unleashing your magical arsenal.
Wizard of Legend unique mechanics
The heart of the experience lies in its extensive arcana system featuring over 100 unique spells across six elements—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, and Chaos. Each spell falls into four categories: Basic (fast attacks), Dash (evasive moves), Standard (special abilities), and Signature (powerful moves that charge through combat). Naturally, discovering powerful spell combinations and synergies becomes key to mastery. Furthermore, relics provide passive bonuses that complement your spellcasting style, from reduced cooldowns to increased critical hits.
Wizard of Legend platform availability
Released in May 2018, the game runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. Mobile versions for Android and iOS joined in October 2023. The game requires minimal hardware—just 1GB RAM and 1GB storage space.
Caves of Qud
Venturing into the distant future of Earth, Caves of Qud stands as one of the most deeply simulated roguelike games in existence, offering unmatched complexity beneath its deceptively simple ASCII visuals.
Caves of Qud gameplay overview
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where civilizations have risen and fallen for millennia, players begin in the humble village of Joppa at the edge of a vast salt desert. The game offers four distinct modes: Classic with permadeath, Roleplay with save points, Wander for exploration focus, and Daily with fixed seeds. Your journey follows either a handcrafted questline or complete freedom to explore the procedurally generated world comprising nearly one million maps. Each run presents both fixed locations and randomized areas, creating a hybrid experience rarely seen in the genre.
Caves of Qud unique mechanics
Central to gameplay is the character creation system—choose between playing as a mutant with over 70 possible mutations or as True Kin with cybernetic implants. The combat system tracks multiple variables including Hitpoints, Armor Value, Dodge Value, and Mental Armor. Furthermore, the Water Ritual mechanic serves as your primary method for affecting reputation among the 60+ factions. Atop this foundation, complex systems for diseases, tinkering, and item modification create countless strategic options.
Caves of Qud platform availability
Released in early access in 2015, Caves of Qud fully launched on December 5, 2024, after fifteen years of development. Currently available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, it runs well even on modest hardware.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank
Injecting absurdist humor into the roguelite formula, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank transforms the notorious vegetable tax evader into a career criminal for his most ambitious crime yet.
Turnip Boy gameplay overview
As the silent grinning protagonist, you team up with the fearsome Pickled Gang to execute a bank heist against the Botanical Bank. Every run gives you a limited timeframe—initially three minutes before police arrive, upgradeable to six—to collect as much money as possible. Between heists, you return to a warehouse headquarters where you can recycle weapons, purchase items from the dark web, and upgrade stats. The bank features procedurally shuffled floors accessed via an elevator that opens on random sections due to "bank safety protocol", ensuring each robbery attempt feels fresh.
Turnip Boy unique mechanics
The weapon system stands out as particularly entertaining—from standard pistols to flower-shaped weed whackers, firecrackers, and absurdly large swords. Alongside combat, players complete outlandish side quests like delivering love letters to vampires or shaking down suited beans for graphics cards. Your phone tracks these optional quests through a task list, encouraging exploration for rewards including collectible hats and excellent upbeat music tracks. Furthermore, accessibility options like God Mode and adjustable damage settings accommodate various skill levels.
Turnip Boy platform availability
Released January 18, 2024, the game runs on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. Conveniently accessible through Xbox Game Pass, the PC version performs at 4K/60FPS requiring modest specifications—just Windows 8.1/10, 4GB RAM, and 2GB storage.
Conclusion
The roguelike genre has undoubtedly cemented its place in gaming history through its addictive gameplay loops and unparalleled replayability. Each title featured in this list brings something unique to the table—whether through Hades II's narrative-driven progression, Risk of Rain 2's chaotic escalation, or Balatro's innovative poker mechanics. These 23 games represent the pinnacle of roguelike design, showcasing the genre's impressive evolution from simple dungeon crawlers to complex, multi-layered experiences.
Permadeath and procedural generation remain core pillars of the genre, though developers continue finding creative ways to implement these elements. Games like Returnal blend roguelike mechanics with AAA production values, whereas indie darlings such as Vampire Survivors strip the formula down to its essentials while still delivering immensely satisfying gameplay.
Platform availability has also expanded significantly, with most titles now playable across multiple systems. PC gamers still enjoy advantages through mod support and performance benefits, but console and mobile platforms offer convenience for those seeking roguelike thrills anywhere.
Regardless of your gaming preferences, this list contains something for everyone—from tactical turn-based combat to frantic action, deck-building strategy to physics-based chaos. The beauty of roguelikes lies in their ability to provide brief, intense gaming sessions or deep, strategic marathons depending on your mood.
First-time roguelike players might start with accessible entries like Vampire Survivors or Hades II, while veterans can challenge themselves with the unforgiving depths of Noita or Caves of Qud. Ultimately, the roguelike genre thrives because failure never feels like the end—just another opportunity to learn, adapt, and dive back in for one more run.