What are the best roguelike games? To retain their popularity for years after release, they must sport gameplay loops so enthralling that it’s easy to keep coming back for more. The genre’s popularity has erupted in recent years, offering varied and increasingly approachable experiences to the point where a new, promising, and often hard-as-nails game now seems to land every other week.
As there’s such a deep well of the best roguelite and roguelike games to choose from, we’re making it easier for you to find your next favorite with this list. You should expect to see a healthy mix of classics and newcomers among our picks – and given that we continue to see developers marry the genre up with new audiences to create novel hybrids, you’re guaranteed to see some of the best PC games in multiple genres. We’re also not splitting hairs over what’s a roguelike and what’s a roguelite here, so here’s our pick of the best roguelike games on PC.
Here are the best roguelike games on PC in 2024:
Balatro
Every now and then, a game like Balatro comes around that instantly sells its self to players within only a few minutes. Built on the foundations of Poker, players must create hands to score the most amount of points possible. Each hand type can be leveled up with planet cards, increasing the chips and multiplier, and you can tweak the contents of your deck with special spectral and tarot cards to draw exactly what you need.
Featuring eight floors consisting of three battles, each winning Balatro run take anywhere between 20-30 minutes, making it incredibly easy to start a new run if you draw a bad batch of cards. Joker cards take things a step further, giving you incentives to build towards certain decks, or discover new card combinations to earn slily amounts of points. Don’t let the recent age rating changes stop you from purcasing Balatro, it’s one of the best roguelikes we’ve played in ages.
Against the Storm
Finally, out of early access, Against the Storm impresses with its mix of roguelike and strategy game mechanics. This dark fantasy setting has you cast as the Queen’s Viceroy, whose decisions while building the city are vital for the humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies that live there. Your overall goal is to ensure the last survivors get to live for another day.
According to our Against the Storm review, its “objectives are clear”, and it’s “both simple enough on the surface to draw you in and complex enough to keep you enthralled in its gratifying risk/reward gameplay loop.” If you’re a little unsure about it, we recommend at least giving the Steam demo a shot.
Returnal
The former PS5 exclusive title has made its way onto PC, introducing the award-winning bullet hell roguelike to a brand new audience. You play as Selene, an astronaut who has crash-landed on a shapeshifting world. Packed to the brim with creepy crawlies and vicious monsters, Selene must do anything she can to survive, including blasting every threat into a million pieces using her arsenal of weapons.
The procedural world of Returnal is incredibly punishing, forcing Selene to restart her journey from the very beginning each time she dies. You won’t experience the same run a second time, so take advantage of the items at your disposal and do your best to avoid being taken out.
30xx
The follow-up to 20xx is here, bringing with it several upgrades to the iconic Megaman X-like gameplay. Arguably the biggest change is the overhaul to the visuals, producing the SNES look that fans were clamoring for in the first game. 30XX takes the action and speed of Megaman X and adds roguelike elements, such as procedurally generated levels, and enemies with randomized abilities to keep players on their toes.
What’s great about 30xx is that it can be played with a co-op partner throughout the entire adventure. To top it off, the two main characters, Ace and Nina, feature different movesets to provide players with two different ways to get through the game. The 30XX 1.1 update launched in December 2023, containing a number of balance tweaks and bug fixes.
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Voidigo
The corruption of the Void is spreading, and it’s up to you to hunt down all of the bosses in this action-packed 2D shooter. Featuring over 170 weapons, 150 power-ups, and local co-op, Voidigo gives the player everything they could need to go boss hunting in this colorful world filled with enemies around every corner.
Cult of the Lamb
Take on the role of a cuddly cult leader as you battle your way through a series of dungeons and Cult of the Lamb bosses, taking down the very powers that put you in this undead world. Hopefully, fortune favors you, as Cult of the Lamb is particularly RNG-heavy, with each room, weapon, and reward generated randomly each time you pass through.
In a unique twist to the roguelike genre, though, Cult of the Lamb is also a management game. Naturally, outside of battling demons, you must keep your cult running smoothly by collecting lumber and stone, recruiting new members to deliver Cult of the Lamb doctrines, and keeping them all fed, happy, and – above all – loyal. Before you get started, take a look at our Cult of the Lamb beginner’s guide for some handy tips for cult management.
Noita
This action roguelike uses pixel-based physics to create a treacherous landscape that reacts to the spells and magic you’ve created yourself. You can burn, melt, freeze, and evaporate the surroundings, manipulating and forming the terrain to continue on your journey, learning from your mistakes to get a little further each time.
Rogue Legacy 2
Move through a maze of traps and path of destruction as you storm a castle in the sequel to one of the best roguelike games. Though Rogue Legacy 2 features everything you’d expect from a roguelike, with randomized runs and changing characters, the difference is that after every death, you spawn as your last playthrough’s heir. Defined by your last run and your parents’ inheritance, you become strong by building up the family manor and giving your children the best fighting chance.
Vampire Survivors
With each run-in Vampire Survivors, you must defeat hordes of enemies while collecting new guns and items to progress through each area and wave to survive the night. The indie game became an instant hit and receives regular updates, so if you’re just starting out, here are the best Vampire Survivors builds as well as all Vampire Survivors weapon evolutions.
Hades
Supergiant’s latest casts you as Zagreus, son of Hades and prince of the underworld, as he does everything in his power to escape from hell itself. It’s an isometric hack ‘n’ slash where the combat is ferocious and the enemies are plentiful.
By tying together its procedural runs with a compelling plot and a likable cast of characters, Hades highlights the narrative potential of the genre’s cyclical nature. Each failed attempt results in you being resurrected in your home, the House of Hades, where your old pals and family members await their latest chat with you.
Getting to know a bit more about them after every run makes death less disheartening, and when you’re out in the field, you’ll have the chance to meet and receive experimental upgrades from your Olympian relatives. These bickering deities are perhaps the real stars of the show, and their wonderful artwork and fully-voiced dialogue help bring them to life. It’s clearly one of the best story games on PC and a darn fine roguelike to boot – just check out our Hades review if you need a little more convincing.
The Binding of Isaac
Developer Edmund McMillen’s The Binding of Isaac reinvigorated the roguelike genre when it arrived on the scene almost a decade ago. Plenty of flashier, more modern roguelike games have come along in time since then, but there’s still nothing quite like it.
It remains unflinching in its depiction of Isaac’s dire situation. In fact, the game sits comfortably in the realm of horror as you cry your way through its repellent world and encounter Isaac’s many demons, including his own mother. Ultimately, its enduring popularity is a testament to both its elegant design and singular personality.
While The Binding of Isaac Repentance may be the final update, it adds many new enemies, rooms, secret bosses, and even support for up to four players in local co-op. It’s no wonder that it managed to accrue 60,000 concurrent players on Steam alone in its opening weekend (though it’s also available on the Epic Game Store, so that number is likely a bit higher).
Darkest Dungeon II
Darkest Dungeon is misery incarnate. Visually oppressive, brutally difficult, and bleak in the extreme, never has such a moreish game made you feel quite so bad. It succeeds at holding you in a constant state of anxiety as you delve deeper into its dungeons in search of trinkets and gold.
Setting out on a stagecoach through a perilous world, you encounter grim inhabitants in turn-based combat. You also have to consider that your party members aren’t thoughtless meat shields. The physical and mental toll of your expeditions will inevitably take its toll on them, which gives Darkest Dungeon its bite. The very real nightmare of contracting a foul disease or seeing a friend wounded – or worse – can cause any adventurer to spiral toward an early grave.
Dead Cells
It’s hard to imagine anyone not being immediately hooked by Dead Cells’ bloody hack ‘n’ slash action and break-neck pace. As a deathless (not to mention headless) science experiment, you break free of your prison cell and set about ripping and tearing your way through an expansive castle, from the dungeons below to the towers above.
The game allows you to carry certain upgrades across runs, making you feel a constant sense of progression. As a result, being sent back to square one after a particularly messy boss fight doesn’t carry the same sting as it might in other roguelike games and makes starting a new run even more tempting. That’s not to say that Dead Cells is a walk in the park – it will still kick your butt on the regular – but removing the pressure of losing it all makes for a less daunting experience. It also helps that the game’s post-launch support has been nothing short of exceptional, with Castlevania-themed Dead Cells DLC set to arrive over five years after its release.
Don’t Starve
Don’t Starve is a sharp, unnerving shot of gothic horror that delights in stressing you out and causing you pain. On a basic level, it’s an isometric roguelike survival game where your task is to make a life for yourself in a world that so wants you dead.
Developer Klei never seems to be short on new – and often unwelcome – surprises, and setting out to explore your surroundings is both a terrifying and alluring prospect. As cruel as its world can be, you’ll be called back time and again to have another go, to unravel its complex systems, and to see what lurks just beyond.
Downwell
Downwell is a furious shotgun blast of a roguelike, boasting a confident sense of style and the fine-tuned design to back it up. It turns the 2D platform game genre on its head by having you dive into a seemingly bottomless, monster-packed well. Thankfully, you have a handy pair of gunboots – yes, you read that correctly – that act as your primary means of offense and traversal.
Its propulsive downward action is immediately enjoyable, though while the game is easy to pick up and play, attaining mastery of its combat is a herculean feat. Despite this harsh level of difficulty, Downwell’s satisfying combo system, quick-fire levels, and creative final boss make it one of the best roguelike games around.
Into the Breach
Into the Breach is a turn-based strategy game where you face an army of monsters known as the Vek. The only way to counter their overwhelming attack is to enlist the help of some giant mechs. Unfortunately for you, the Vek are more than capable of taking down your squad, so you’ll have to agonize over every decision if you’re to keep them in one piece.
As you progress through the game’s islands, you’ll uncover improved weapons and pilots to help you turn the tide of war and save mankind from certain doom. Its straightforward combat won’t be off-putting for newcomers – it’s among the most approachable strategy games around – but you shouldn’t expect anything less than a stressful, though constantly rewarding, time from Into the Breach. It’s also now a mobile game, which coincided with the Advanced Edition release date.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire tasks you with fighting your way up a giant tower that – no surprise – is also home to a great many monsters. Thanks to its streamlining of pre-battle faff, this one’s an ideal entry point to the single-player card battler genre. It’s also a smart roguelike that adopts elements of choose-your-own-adventure games to create a more immediate, action-oriented experience.
As our Slay the Spire review will attest, experimenting with the potential card combos at your disposal gives each new run a fresh spin. But as great as it feels to decimate a previously insurmountable boss, you can never afford to get cocky – the spire’s branching paths hide many deadly surprises. Aside from being an exceptional Roguelite, it’s also one of the best card games on PC. Once you’ve had your fill, be sure to check out Slay the Spire Downfall, a fan-made mod that received its own standalone release in 2022.
Spelunky 2
Despite its cutesy cartoon aesthetic, Spelunky 2 possesses the ability to infuriate and delight in equal measure. Its predecessor is considered to be indie royalty, yet the sequel effortlessly one-ups it in every possible way by providing an incredible number of gameplay possibilities. Yes, you still need to traverse a series of hazard-filled, procedurally-generated caverns in search of treasure, but its iterative nature allows developer Mossmouth to refine the Spelunky formula to near perfection.
You play as the daughter of the first game’s protagonist as she searches for her missing parents on the moon. To reach them, you have to make full use of your platforming and problem-solving abilities. The tiniest of errors can have chaotic consequences, but so much of what makes Spelunky 2 special is how flexible its systems are. It can, at times, feel like no two runs are the same, and as such, you’ll continue to make wonderful discoveries even after you’re dozens of hours deep. Make sure to take a look at our Spelunky 2 review if you need any more persuasion.
FTL
FTL is great and everyone should play it. There you go. Oh, you want more? Okay. FTL (Faster Than Light, we’re led to believe) tasks you, and whichever crew you choose to take with you, to get from one side of the galaxy to the other while being chased by the big bad. It’s a top-down roguelike where you have to manage the systems of your spaceship, like oxygen, shields, engines, and even your doors while interacting with other ships, random events, stores, and whatever else the game throws at you. It’s chaotic, often tense, and totally demoralizing when you die and have to start again. Until you actually start again and realize the journey is the more worthy part. Probably.
And that’s it for our list of the best roguelike games on PC. If you’re on the hunt for more top-tier PC titles, we’ve got great lists of the best indie games and best RPG games. To be honest, though, the above games alone could probably keep you busy for another lifetime or two.