If you’re looking for the best new roguelikes you’ll find them here. If you’re after a list of great-looking rogues that released in April 2024, then this archive article has you covered! Keep scrolling for more links to archive pages if this month’s selection doesn’t have what you’re looking for – and thanks for reading!
April 2024
Twilight Survivors (April 2) – The month starts in earnest on the 2nd, when we’re getting a couple of fiesty-looking games. The first is Twilight Survivors, a game that astute readers will already have a good idea about based on the name alone. What made this stand out enough for inclusion in the monthly round-up is the art style, which has a cel-shaded Saturday morning cartoon feel to it.
Interstellar Plunderer (April 2) – And now for something completely different. Interstellar Plunderer looks like the low-fi baby of Starfox, with on-the-rails space combat and a host of more modern, roguish mechanics to keep things replayable. I think “charming” is the right word to describe this one.
Kitchen Crisis (April 3) – In keeping with the theme of charming-looking rogues, next up there’s a game called Kitchen Crisis. Despite looking lovely and sedate, this one’s actually got a bit of bite to it. You see, aliens have invaded and it’s your job to keep them satisfied with your culinary skills. No pressure then.
Quit Today (April 3) – Quit Today wants you to give up your corporate job and fight destroy your colleagues. Sounds a little unreasonable if you ask me, but thus is the cutthroat world of corporate life. This roguelite presents players with an absurd office environment where things are blown out of all proportion, and it’s up to you to avoid getting ejected from the building.
Planetiles (April 3) – The roguelike aspects of Planetiles sound like they’re in the background somewhat, but when you’ve got a game as lovely-looking as this, I think that’s a compromise we’re all willing to make. This puzzle game has a lovely patchwork art style and the addition of tetrimino-style building blocks makes this a very interesting proposition if you ask me, which you kinda did.
GunGuru (April 3) – If you’re after something with a bit more intensity, then please divert your eyes towards GunGuru. It’s a militaristic surival shooter with procedurally-generated environments and an emphasis on the harrowing effects of war on the psyche. At least, that’s what I took from the Steam listing.
Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors (April 4) – The next game in our monthly round-up has a name behind it. Gallowspire Survivors is set in the Pathfinder universe. If you’re unfamiliar, this is one of the big rivals to D&D, and it makes sense to set a survivors-like game in this fantasy setting. It looks polished, despite getting a mixed reaction during its journey through Early Access.
Beat Slayer (April 4) – There aren’t enough games in the rhythm roguelite sub-genre, so fans of Crypt of the Necrodancer may well be interested in taking a look at Beat Slayer. This self-described “hack ‘n’ slay” puts music up front and centre as hero Mia battles hordes of robots in a reimagined alt-version of Berlin in the ’90s.
Buckshot Roulette (April 4) – Whenever I look at Buckshot Roulette I can’t help but feel the influence of Inscryption, thanks to the game’s low-fi visuals and intimate across-the-table atmosphere. In this new experimental horror game with roguish elements, you and your opponent are playing Russian roulette with a shotgun, with each high stakes run said to last around 15 to 20 minutes.
Sons of Valhalla (April 5) – If plundering ye olde England is more your jam, then look no further than Sons of Valhalla. This side-scroller has lovely pixels, nuanced base building and an intriguing combat system. Players take on the role of a vikinger called Thorald Olavson, who’s on a mission to find his love and kill the jarl who kidnapped her.
Throne of Bone (April 8) – If the game is as good as the title, this one could be a treat. Throne of Bone is mash-up of roguelike and auto-battler mechanics, and the end result looks like it has tons of personality. You’ve got to be up for a bit of necromancy, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for most of us – or have I read the room wrong?
Random Legion (April 10) – Landing just two days later is Random Legion, and funnily enough this one is also a roguish auto-battler where you’re playing as part of an undead legion. Take your pick between them – both look good albeit in different ways.
Against Great Darkness (April 10) – I missed this one first time around, but it’s not a mistake I want to make again. Against Great Darkness is a brick breaking arcade shooter blended with roguelite staples, and it looks like the kind of addictive arcade experience that I enjoy. It’s in Early Access at this stage, but I already like the muted colour palette and pixel-art style – and after the excellence of Breakout Survivors, I’m ready to smash more bricks.
Inkbound (April 11) – Next up from the team that gave us Monster Train comes Inkbound, a turn-based tactical action roguelike that you can play alone or with a couple of buddies. Between combat encounters players move around more like they would in an ARPG, but when it’s time for battle we get more brain melting challenges that fans of Shiny Shoe will know all too well.
Wildfrost (April 11) – Dropping on the same day is the mobile port of another tactical game from an accomplished developer. In this instance I’m talking about Wildfrost, the roguish card game from one of my favourite studios, Chucklefish. Good news for iOS and Android owning deckbuilders looking for something to play on the go.
Enter the Lost Chamber (April 12) Enter the Lost Chamber is rather intriguing. It looks like an action roguelite with charming if slightly sparse pixel-art graphics, with a title that suggests it’s a bullet hell in a similar vein to Enter the Gungeon. Whatever it is, it’s out on April 12.
Anomaly Collapse (April 12) – Anomaly Collapse looks like the lovechild of Darkest Dungeon and Cobalt Core, and if it’s anywhere near as good as either of those games, then we’re in for a treat. Players are invited to lead a squad of anthropomorphic warriors into battle against “otherworldly beings”, with turn-based combat where players can move into the ranks of their enemies to land powerful attacks.
Outer Terror (April 12) – If you’re into horror, more specifically pulp horror (the best kind in my humble opinion), then Outer Terror is the game that you’ve been waiting for. This grotesque title landed last year on PC and that’s now being followed by a console release on PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox. I didn’t try it last year, but I will try and play it ahead of its console bow, so stay tuned for that!
Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother (April 12) – The 12th is obviously the day to release your game, because Lotus Lantern: Rescue Mother is yet another game to release on this most sacred of dates. LLRM is an action-roguelite all about trying to rescue your momma with a bit of help from Sun Wukong himself. The whole thing is delivered with a painterly art style and plenty of Chinese mythology.
Rootin’ Tootin’ Lootin’ & Shootin’ (April 12) – Another late addition, but a fun one. I’ve had a quick look at the brilliantly name Rootin’ Tootin’ Lootin’ & Shootin’ – and I’m going to dive back in for a longer session as soon as I hit save on this update. This is a roguelike with a Superhot-inspired time-movement mechanic, but also a cute frog with a big gun. My 12-year-old son enjoyed playing it, too, FWIW.
Vertical Kingdom (April 15) – City builders are becoming increasingly exciting in terms of how they’re experimenting with different mechanics, and Vertical Kingdom is one of the more ambitious. This builder wants you to develop your cities upwards, even onto floating rocks and flying turtles. There’s also a roguelite card playing element, which makes this one to watch, in my opinion.
Dwarf Fortress Adventure Mode (April 17) – It has been a long time coming, but the Adventure Mode is finally coming to Dwarf Fortress on April 17. For those who don’t know, this is the roguelike mode that puts players in the same world as the fantasy simulator, but thousands of years later (so your old settlement can be a ruin you explore). I’m eager to dig into this one when it arrives – in beta, I should add – and I would imagine there’ll be a bit of coverage here on Rogueliker, so stay tuned for that.
Big Shots (April 18) – The Borderlands vibes are strong in Big Shots, an upcoming VR roguelite that looks great. I’m absolutely not going to be able to play this one as VR makes me want to curl up in a ball and whimper, however, if you’ve got a VR headset, this FPS mech-shooter has tons of style. Fingers crossed it plays as good as it looks.
ArcRunner (April 18) – Another game in this month’s release schedule to make the leap from PC to console is ArcRunner. This TrickJump title is a sci-fi shooter with plenty of style and an emphasis on co-op play. That said, you can go it alone if you prefer, leveling up your abilities and gear between runs – I’m sure you know the drill by now. Check this one out on PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox.
Ants Took My Eyeball (April 19) – Rivalling Throne of Bone for the best game title of the month is Ants Took My Eyeball. They are, however, very different games, and in this case we’ve got a lovely-looking pixel-art side-scrolling action platformer. Players are tasked with entering an ever-shifting ant hill in a search for… you guessed it, your missing eyeball. Subtle? Maybe not, but it looks decent.
Shadow of the Depth (April 23) – I have to admit, I like the look of this one, too. Shadow of the Depth is a top down action-roguelite with combat and a fair amount of nuance and variety. I only played a short demo, but I’ll try and get my hands on the full game if I can, because I’ve got a feeling this one could turn out to be a keeper.
DeadBlitZ (April 24) – Another late addition to this list comes in the form a DeadBlitZ, which looks like a slick first-person shooter about zapping your way around a procedurally-generated city. Fighting a mix of robots and zombies (hence the capital Z in the title), this one is a sci-fi shooter built around intense traversal, roguish mechanics, and scoring big fat killstreaks.
Rotwood (April 24) – One of my all-time favourite studios is back this month with a new roguish game. Rotwood looks right up my street, with the studio’s distinctive art style the first thing that hit me. After that it’s all about the eye-catching battles and the promise of an increasingly tactical combat system. It’s only Early Access at this stage, but I’m liking what I’m seeing so far.
Dave the Diver (April 30) – I don’t like to highlight too many console ports, but this last main entry is too good not to get a mention. Dave the Diver is a lovely blend of roguish elements, where you dive in the oceans during the day, and serve up your catch in your restaurant at night. It makes for a delightful experience that is easy to recommend. After last year’s launch on PC and Switch, PlayStation owners (both PS4 and PS5) get their turn this month.
Tendryll (April 30) – This fantasy deckbuilder looks classy as hell, and it got bumped up from the below round-up to the main list because we’ve finally got a release date. Tendryll looks like it’s going to blend a bunch of ingredients, all of which I like, and then wrap them up with some lush cartoon graphics and grid-based combat. There’s a demo if you want to try it before then.
Footgun: Underground (April 30) – This action platformer is a very playable post-apocalyptic physics game about kicking balls at metal monsters. I’ve been playing a bunch this past week and I’ll have an opinion to share closer to launch, however, my first impressions are that it’s good and very challenging. It turns out that I suck at football even when I’ve got a bionic leg and heavily-customised balls…
The Archives!
October 2024: There were several big releases in the month of October, but none as exciting as Windblown, the next game by Motion Twin (Dead Cells). I did enjoy [REDACTED], which is a comic book spin-off based on The Callisto Protocol, and I also picked up Diceomancer, a very underrated deckbuilder with a lovely graphical style and plenty of charm. Other releases included Wizard of Legend 2 and Transformers: Galactic Trials, for a truly unique blend of titles.
September 2024: What an excellent month for new roguelike games, with the highlights including deckbuilders Shogun Showdown and Pyrene, the FPS blaster otherwise known as Wild Bastards, and there was the mobile release of Balatro. Rogue Waters delivered pirate-themed turn-based tactics, and I also really enjoyed both Realm of Ink and Halls of Torment (the first which landed in Early Access and the second which just left it).
August 2024: The August archive boasts highlights including the blackjack-themed deckbuilder Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, a co-op update for Cult of the Lamb, plus excellent games including Peglin, Terminus: Zombie Survivors, Knock on the Coffin Lid, and Nova Drift all left Early Access. Plot twist: Risk of Rain 2’s latest DLC launched to very mixed reviews.
July 2024: Headline acts this July included the console release of Darkest Dungeon II, and Lost Castle 2 releasing into Early Access. The original Epyx version of Rogue has finally been ported to Nintendo Switch, with one or two improvements that no doubt explain the delay. Finally, shout outs to Arc Seed, because I do love a giant mecha battle, and Wastelander, because I’m a sucker for sci-fi strategy games.
June 2024: This month got better as it went on. June closed out with a tetromino-powered tower defense roguelite by the name of Emberward, a turn-based western rogue called Guncho (wanted dead or alive, apparently), the quirky auto-battler otherwise known as Million Monster Militia, and the early access exit of Champion Shift. All of them landed in the back nine of the month, so keep on scrolling.
May 2024: Hit this link for some of the very best launches of the year, including the Early Access release of Hades II, the wonderful turn-based roguelike Path of Achra, and a big crossover as Contra comes to Vampire Survivors. Plus stellar shooters Robobeat and Mullet MadJack both dropped in May, and there’s a certain Prince from Persia who arrived before the end of the month, too. Phew.
April 2024: One of my favourites in April was peaceful puzzler Planetiles, which certainly contrasts the grimy first-person horror of Buckshot Roulette. Traditionalists will note the release of Story Mode in Dwarf Fortress as a milestone, while console owners finally got to savour the delights of Dave the Diver. Finally, I want to highlight Against Great Darkness and Inkbound; two indie gems out this month.
March 2024: Mortal Glory 2 dropped in March and it’s an excellent tactical turn-based roguelite about fantasy gladiators. The always brilliant Crypt of the NecroDancer got a big multiplayer update by the name of Synchrony. Two very different magic games were released into Early Access this month, with third-person actioner Vellum landing alongside turn-based spell-simulator Rift Wizard 2. Finally, the wonderful dice roller Slice & Dice made an appearance on Steam.
February 2024: An earlier iteration of this format – February’s round-up is a bit of a mess. Nevertheless, it was a good month for games with the release of Balatro on PC and console, which has been my most-played game of the year by far, and Shiren 6 finally arrived on Nintendo Switch. Other highlights include the full release of Inkulinati, and the Early Access launch of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivors.
January 2024: The first month of the year is usually pretty quiet across the industry (except for at Capcom for some reason) but we did get some good rogues, too. Lonestar is my personal pick, but Go Mecha Ball landed on PC and console, and the unofficial Indiana Jones parkour simulator otherwise known as Phantom Abyss left Early Access. Finally, BlazBlue Entropy Effect also left EA.
November and December 2023: It was still early days for Rogueliker and the formatting is all over the place, but if you want even more games, I’ve got a few from late 2023 to tell you about. Picayune Dreams is one of the highlights, as is Against the Storm, two of the year’s best games, in fact. Other top-tier titles to drop before the end of the year include Cobalt Core, Roboquest, and Risk of Rain Returns.
