Can't figure out the roguelike genre? Start from scratch and try again!
Can't figure out the roguelike genre? Start from scratch and try again!
Most game genres are pretty self-explanatory. Life sims are games that simulate real life experiences. RPG is just a shortened version of “role playing games.” And then you have your first person shooters which are games where you shoot people from a first person perspective. But there are a few genres that I just have to pretend to understand. One of those genres is definitely “roguelikes.” If you’re anything like me, you may feel a bit embarrassed that you don’t know what a “roguelike” is—but don’t be! Today we’re going to dive right in and tell you everything you need to know about roguelikes.
Roguelikes are super complex, but they have a lot of history behind, so we’re going to be answering a few different questions today, including:
Without further ado, let’s get gaming!
To start, it would be beneficial to have a basic definition of the roguelike genre. For a bit of background, the term “roguelike” stems from the 1980 game Rogue. The game is a turn-based dungeon crawler inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, and introduced something known as permadeath. Basically, it means when you die, you have to start all over. So with this background, let’s get a basic definition in place.
A roguelike is a game centered around failing and restarting, so when you die or fail, your next playthrough will be unlike any you’ve played, and any you will ever play. Now, even this basic definition is a bit much, so let’s figure out what mechanics a game needs to have to be considered a roguelike.
In my opinion, there are three things a game needs to have in order for it to fall into the roguelike category:
Now that we’ve got a good grasp on what a roguelike should have, let’s look at three games that implement these mechanics into their gameplay.
Cult of the Lamb has roguelike elements. For the most part, this is a city and development game about growing your cult and appeasing a dark lord. However, it contains a feature known as Crusades (which are essentially dungeon crawls). So, let’s run our test and see if it has all three elements.
While you won’t lose the progress you make with your cult, if you “die” during a Crusade, you will lose items you find and be kicked from the Crusade all together. So, while it’s not as punishing as most roguelikes, I think we can count this as a type of permadeath.
Check! Each time you enter a Crusade, you are met with new enemies, items, upgrades, rooms, etc. Each Crusade is unique, which means it’s got that staple variety of roguelikes!
You gain temporary upgrades (weapons, curses, tarot cards) per run, rather than carrying all power-ups permanently. Success depends on adapting to what the game gives you that run, not just long-term grinding.
So, while Cult of the Lamb isn’t your typical roguelike, and it’s probably more like a roguelite, but all that mumbo jumbo doesn’t really matter when you’re having this much fun!
🎮Purchase Cult of the Lamb here
Hades falls under the category of your more cut and dry roguelike. However, most people categorize it as a roguelite, not a roguelike. A roguelite has most of the mechanics of a roguelike, but instead of losing everything from your previous playthrough, the developers let you keep some upgrades or items. So, can Hades pass the roguelike test?
Yep, it’s got permadeath. Every time you die, you have to go waaaaay back to the beginning. The game resets, but you get a bit stronger each time. So, I guess it’s not a total permadeath, but it’s close enough!
You know it! Every run is slightly different—rooms, enemy placements, and rewards are randomized. This keeps the gameplay fresh and unpredictable. Sounds like a roguelike to me!
Kind of…You gain upgrades that are crucial to the plot and progression of your game. However, they offer permanent upgrades to your character that you can’t lose even if you die. This is what makes it more of a roguelite rather than a roguelike, but hey, who’s counting?
🎮Purchase Hades here
Balatro is my current obsession. You collect Jokers and enhance your playing deck in order to beat larger and larger blinds for 8 antes. While I was hesitant to call it a roguelike at first—I mean, it’s a card game, not a dungeon crawl—it passes the roguelike test pretty well. Don’t believe me? Well, let’s put it to the test!
All in! If you fail to make the blind minimum, you’re done, and you lose all your Jokers, enhanced cards, money—everything! You are forced to start back at square one and work your way back up.
Totally! Every single game is different, for better or for worse. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve created my hand for a certain Joker only for that pesky little fella to never show! Each playthrough is different, and there is no set selection of Jokers you’re guaranteed to get that will secure a win.
Definitely. If you don’t upgrade your deck and your Jokers, you won’t make it past the first ante. Each ante and each blind only grows larger—sometimes getting into the millions! So, if you don’t upgrade your things, you will fail, and that means back to square one!
🎮Purchase Balatro here
Now you’re an expert on roguelikes and can spot one from a mile away. For more games like these, check out our article on some of the best roguelike games on Steam! Happy gaming!
