I’ve been chatting away in the background with the developers behind 100 Rogues for some time now, a fan-favourite traditional roguelike that was last seen several years ago on mobile devices.
I missed it the first time around, so when I was introduced to the game late last year, I was keen to play the demo when it landed and right that wrong!
That moment is upon us, with the new demo for 100 Rogues landing on Steam just the other day. Since then, I’ve taken a closer look, and after beating the first boss a few minutes ago, I’d like to tell you a bit more about the game I just played.
What is 100 Rogues, then?
Developed by a trio of discerning rogues – Keith Burgun, Wes Osborne-Paugh, and Blake Reynolds – this looks like a very traditional turn-based roguelike at first glance. However, play for just a short while, and you’ll soon discover a tongue-in-cheek attitude and just the right amount of whimsy. And rockets, because what fantasy roguelike is complete without rockets?!
It makes no sense to me either, but who cares when there’s fun to be had?
Another thing I really like is the movement system in 100 Rogues, as you can explore knowing that if you bump into an enemy, you’re going to get the first hit. I’m never a massive fan of micro-managing every single footstep you take in a dungeon, so streamlining this aspect of the experience is always a plus for me.
The inventory and levelling system is fairly basic, if truth be told, but once again there’s loads of humour in there, and you’ll need to scavange around as you manage your health, hunger, and energy levels.
There are loads of items waiting in chests, including weapons, armour, and magic gear. Many have special effects, and you can mix and match across several different classes (I only played one of the four available in the demo, but each comes with their own abilities and skills).
The demo is only a few levels long, and it shouldn’t take you too long to beat it, so don’t expect a huge and elongated challenge. Instead, prepare for a silly roguelike romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously but yet delivers in the all right places – so far, at least.
The demo for 100 Rogues is out now on Steam PC (Lin, Win), and the full version of the game is due to drop in Q1, 2026!
