Updated Andrii Kovalenko2 min read

The Best Roguelike Games to Play

The best roguelike games — Hades, Dead Cells, Slay the Spire, Risk of Rain 2, Returnal — across action, card, and shooter takes on the genre.

Roguelikes are everywhere now, and the best ones take the same loop — run, die, restart, get stronger — in completely different directions. Most of the games below keep some progress between deaths, which technically makes them roguelites; if that distinction matters to you, here's roguelike vs roguelite spelled out. Here are the ones worth starting with.

Hades

The modern gold standard. Supergiant's action roguelike pairs fast, weighty combat with a Greek-myth story that's actually told through your repeated deaths. Every run that ends sends you back to the House of Hades, where the writing moves forward. It's the game most people point to when they say the genre grew up.

Dead Cells

Pure momentum. Dead Cells fuses a roguelike's run structure with Metroidvania map design, and its combat is some of the most responsive around. Hundreds of weapon and mutation combinations keep runs feeling fresh long after you've seen everything. It set the template for a whole wave of games like Dead Cells that borrow its blend of fast combat and tangled map design.

Slay the Spire

The one that proved roguelikes don't need reflexes. Slay the Spire turns each run into a deckbuilder — you draft cards, build a strategy, and climb. It spawned an entire sub-genre of card roguelikes on its own.

Risk of Rain 2 and Returnal

Two takes on the action-shooter end. Risk of Rain 2 stacks items into absurd, scaling power as the difficulty climbs with time. Returnal is the high-budget, third-person bullet-hell version, with a time-loop story that makes the repetition feel intentional — and if you've finished it, games like Saros cover what to play next from Housemarque's catalogue.

Enter the Gungeon

A bullet-hell roguelike with a ridiculous arsenal and a sense of humor. Dodging, rolling, and experimenting with absurd guns is the whole joy.

One to watch: KUTO: The Lock of Time

Full disclosure — this one is ours. KUTO: The Lock of Time is a time-bending action Metroidvania, not a roguelike — but its run-based structure puts it close enough to this list to earn a mention. You play an outcast bound to the titan Kronos, fighting through eras with the Scythe of Kronos and powers over time. It's heading to Early Access. If you've worked through this list and want something different, here's everything we know about it, and you can wishlist it on Steam.

New to the genre? Start with what a roguelike actually is.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best roguelike game?
Hades is the most common answer — it pairs tight action combat with a story told through repeated runs, and it's widely seen as the genre's modern high point. The 'best' for you depends on whether you want action (Hades, Dead Cells), cards (Slay the Spire), or a shooter (Returnal, Risk of Rain 2).
What is a good roguelike for beginners?
Hades and Dead Cells are forgiving entry points because their meta-progression makes you stronger even when you lose. Slay the Spire is great if you prefer turn-based, thinking-over-reflexes play.
Are roguelikes replayable?
Extremely — that's the point. Procedurally generated runs and stacking builds mean no two attempts play the same, so a single roguelike can hold hundreds of hours.
What is the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite?
A traditional roguelike has permadeath and no carry-over between runs — you start from zero each time. A roguelite keeps some progression across deaths (permanent upgrades, unlocks). Most modern hits like Hades and Dead Cells are technically roguelites, though the terms are used interchangeably in practice.
What roguelikes have good stories?
Hades stands out — its story is told through dialogue that advances with each run, so dying is actually how you progress the narrative. Returnal also weaves a cryptic story into its loop, though it's much harder to parse.
Are there roguelikes with Metroidvania elements?
Yes. Dead Cells is the most famous hybrid — it uses a roguelike run structure but its levels have interconnected design and ability-gated paths. KUTO: The Lock of Time (our own upcoming game) sits close to this space too, though its genre is Metroidvania, not roguelike — it blends an interconnected map with a run-based death loop and time-manipulation combat.
What makes Slay the Spire different from other roguelikes?
It's turn-based and card-driven rather than action-based. Each run you draft a deck and build a synergy to climb the spire. Its success created a whole sub-genre of deckbuilder roguelikes — games like Monster Train and Balatro follow its template.
How long does a typical roguelike run take?
It varies a lot by game. A Dead Cells run might last 30-60 minutes at first; Hades runs typically land around 30-45 minutes once you know the game. Some roguelikes like Caves of Qud have runs that stretch into dozens of hours.
Do you need to be good at games to enjoy roguelikes?
Not necessarily. Games with strong meta-progression (permanent upgrades between runs) let you make gradual progress even when runs end early. Hades and Dead Cells are both designed so that losing doesn't feel like wasted time.
What roguelikes have time-manipulation mechanics?
Time mechanics appear in a few — Rogue Legacy 2 has some time-stop items, and Returnal's story is built around time loops. KUTO: The Lock of Time makes time powers its core mechanic: you pick two Time Keys per run from abilities like bullet-time, rewind, and dash, all drawn from a bond with the titan Kronos.
Is Risk of Rain 2 or Returnal better for action roguelike fans?
They scratch different itches. Risk of Rain 2 is all about item stacking and power scaling in a third-person shooter format; Returnal is a bullet-hell with a horror-adjacent atmosphere and a more demanding skill floor. Both are worth playing if you like action roguelikes.
What is KUTO: The Lock of Time?
It's our own upcoming time-bending action Metroidvania. You play Jokoan Kuto, an outcast who merges with the titan Kronos and fights through multiple historical and speculative eras — Egypt, Rome, the Old West, a cyber city — using the Scythe of Kronos and time powers. It's heading to Early Access on Steam.

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