Supergiant Games has fully released Hades 2 after a lengthy wait in early access. The standout title has been a titan sized success since the 1.0 launch, with players and critics praising the story, characters, and action of the sequel, but what if you wanted more? If you’re waiting for Hades 2 to either come to other systems or simply want to try another similar game after completing your fifth run for the night, here are some other great games to scratch your roguelike itch.
5. Hades
Funnily enough, the original Hades is still one of the best roguelike games to play for anyone wanting to get into the genre, or waiting for Hades 2 to come to your console of choice. Supergiant Games built pillars that still make Hades easy to recommend, with fast-paced and fluid action combat modified across every run by the boons and paths you decide to adventure.
Weaving a story alongside the rogue gameplay trappings works seamlessly, with dialogue accounting for what you’ve done before and relationships built up during the adventure. It’s an easy starting point for anyone looking to try this popular gameplay style.
4. Curse of the Dead Gods
For those who enjoy a challenge and darker settings, Passtech Games’ Curse of the Dead Gods offers up the top-down combat of Hades mixed with a punishing curse system. As you travel deeper into the procedural temples, you gain corruption, which eventually gives you a random curse.
Managing the negative effects of your curses helps shape your character as you work towards clearing the main boss, and presents a fun challenge compared to other games on this list. Added to that are a dozen weapon classes, a light and dark mechanic, and a stamina bar to monitor while fighting monsters. Curse of the Dead Gods is a unique roguelike and adds a different flavor to the genre.
3. Enter the Gungeon
Not every roguelike needs to be mostly about the clashing of melee weapons. Enter the Gungeon takes that statement and runs with it. A top-down bullet hell, fast-paced action is the only way to survive, utilizing dodge rolls, unique guns with different play styles, and even finding cover behind a flipped table.
Joining up with a friend for co-op in Enter the Gungeon is particularly fun, as you explore dungeons and gather loot in your pursuit of the ultimate prize, a gun that can kill the past. It’s just as goofy and fun as you can imagine from that description, and a great way to change things up after plunging into the underworld.
2. Children of Morta
If it’s the story and world you enjoy most in Hades, Dead Mage’s Children of Morta may provide what you’re looking for. You take control of the Bergsons, a family tasked with protecting the mountain they live upon, fighting back monsters using different abilities.
Each family member in Children of Morta plays uniquely based on a class, including mages, archers, warriors, and more. Each run can change up the gameplay style as you level up the entire group and individual members. The end of a dungeon run returns players to the Bergsons’ family home, where you get to experience the narrative, the family dynamics, and ultimately the emotional toll the journey has taken on our characters. It’s not full of Greek god intrigue, but is an emotional story worth checking in on.
1. Dead Cells
Battling from the top spot on my list of favorite roguelikes, Dead Cells has earned its place among the greats of the genre. A 2-D Metroidvania with roguelike hooks mixed throughout. “One more run” is a phrase uttered anytime we sit down to play this game.
Between creating a build on the fly mid-run, taking on optional bosses to gain a resource for a permanent upgrade, or taking a path into the many excellent DLC sections, one run is never the same as others, but always challenges you with hard-as-nails encounters and is a rewarding experience when you see it through to the other side.
Mixed in are the fun Metroidvania abilities, allowing you to slam through floors, climb up vertical walls, or detach your head to grab hard-to-reach gear, making this experience an excellent blend of two fan favorite genres, and a must-play for anyone looking for more roguelikes to add to the pile.
