Welcome to another archive edition of The Best New Roguelikes and Roguelites! You’re here for the best new roguish games, and July kicked up a broad selection of them for your gaming pleasure. Of course, if that’s not enough for you, there are links to more archived round-ups at the foot of the article. Enjoy!
July 2024
Mad World Survivors (July 3) PC – The Steam description for Mad Survivors references Vampire Survivors as an inspiration, so I think you’ve already got a good idea of what to expect based on that. What separates this from the crowd is the “cyber-post-apocalyptic horror” setting, which ticks off most of the popular sub-genres in one fell swoop. Gentle snark aside, the visuals look suitably grimy given the various inspirations that have come together in this one.
Taboo Trial (July 4) Switch – This action roguelite is heading to Switch this month, and it looks like a JRPG take on the PlayStation’s Horizon series. In Taboo Trial you take control of a Valkyrie, each one with their own style, as well as different weapon classes, which they use to battle giant metal creatures.
Calculate It (July 5) PC – In a sea of derivative works, Calculate It sounds like a genuinely interesting buoy. Instead of characters, you unlock new calculators to play with, and with them you’ll have to solve number-based puzzles but with limited button presses. This could be the perfect novelty roguelike for anyone who tried to write BOOBIES on their calculator at school.
Litha and the Sunhouse (July 10) PC – The combat in Litha and the Sunhouse looks vibrant, and the overall visual layer looks very Klei-inspired, which should appeal to a few of you. This dungeon-crawler casts you as Litha and wants to you to battle monsters and dodge traps on your way to defeating the so-called Sun Usurper.
Wastelander (July 12) PC (Lin, Mac, Win) – Wastelander has a rock solid premise, and that’s not just a pun because you have to blast through mountains in this survival colony sim. You could also describe it as roguelike-adjacent turn-based strategy, as you have to expand your base and choose upgrades wisely as harsh storms ravage your growing colony.
Sleep Stream (July 12) PC – A streamer called Layla can’t get no sleep and the solution seems to be murdering a bunch of monsters using a range of items and ability synergies. You know how this works by now, but at least the theme and concept is nice and original here, and the visuals seem to be pretty solid, too.
The Dragonhood (July 12) PC – The Dragonhood is an auto-battler that wants you to collect and grow your own flaming lizards and then send them into automated encounters as you search for new loot and what have you. Apparently there are more than 30 dragons to hatch and/or collect, and you can empower them with a bunch of magic amulets on your quest into each dungeon.
Zero Division (July 12) PC – This eye-catching deckbuilder integrates roguelike and CCG elements. Playing as one of the game’s various “operators”, you’ll lead three-person teams in a cyberpunk world ravaged by a war against the so-called Artificial General Intelligences. You’ll battle robotic enemies, mutant-looking things, and more in an exclusion zone that’s battled over by evil corporations.
Counterpick Labs (July 12) PC (Lin, Mac, Win) – Counterpick Labs is an upcoming free-to-play platform fighter that looks to channel the chaotic spirit of Smash Bros as well as more roguish genre entries such as Rounds. I tend to stay away from these types of games because it’s absolutely humiliating getting defeated by my kids all the time, but they live with me so that shouldn’t put you off, right?
Darkest Dungeon II (July 15) PC, PS, Switch, Xbox – The console version of Darkest Dungeon II is almost upon us. This long-awaited sequel takes the twisted formula of the brilliant first game and then turns it into the road trip from hell. Update: It’s landing on PlayStation, Switch and Xbox on the same day – good new for all console-owning masochists. Here’s my review.
Galactic Glitch (July 15) PC – I do like a roguelike or roguelite that implements powerful in-game physics. Galactic Glitch is the next game to give it a go, and this abstract sci-fi shooter certainly looks like it might have nailed it thanks to its blend of systemic gameplay and distinctive audio-visual design. One to watch, methinks.
Space Order Mine (July 15) PC – I’m not going to pad this out for the sake of it: Space Order Mine looks like my kind of fun thanks to its reverse Minesweeper mechanics, inventory management, and cute pixel graphics. And yes, I played a lot of Minesweeper growing up.
Astro Looter: Survivor (July 15) PC – Fair play to the developer of Astro Looter: Survivor for getting all those keywords in the title. Based on that alone I think you’ve got a good idea of what to expect: space beasties, looting and shooting, and Vampire Survivors-inspired mechanics. But wait, Dear Reader, because there’s more: this one also throws in tower defense elements and some slick-looking visuals, too.
Boons & Burdens (July 16) PC – If this month you’re after an action roguelite that sends you into the depths of Hell, then Boons & Burdens might be the pixerart adventure you’ve been waiting for. The interesting twist is all in the name: you’ll find gems to power your boons, but you’ll also get lumbered with burdens that have the potential to derail your best efforts.
The Dark Cave (July 16) PC – The Dark Cave caught my eye because of its format, where turn-based combat takes place across two 3×3 boards, with movements in one translating to actions in the other. While this may be a limiting in some respects, focused design choices often lead to some truly interesting gaming experiences.
Mach K9 (July 16) PC – Dog lovers take note: Mach K9 is a game about saving a race of space-faring dogs against invading robot aliens. To save all those good boys and girls you’ll have to control a giant mecha ball which you use to smash said aliens out of a futuristic arena. I’m not saying that large quantities of hallucinogens were consumed during the ideation process for this game, but that sure would make a lot of sense…
Epyx Rogue (June 18) Switch – The game that started it all – well, the Epyx version at least. If you want to go back to the beginning and play the original procedurally-generated turn-based RPG, you will be able to do so on Nintendo Switch as of July 18. It’s also worth noting that this version also supports some quality of life improvements that should make the game more accessible.
Space Prison (July 18) PC – I rather like the look of this sci-fi prison game by Wooden Alien. It has, in fact, been delayed once already this year, so I’m hoping the extra time behind bars has been put to good use. The aim of the game is to rise up through the ranks of your prison in the stars, rubbing shoulders with aliens of all sorts, until you can eventually escape.
Earl vs. the Mutants – (July 18) PC – I’ve had my eye on Earl vs. the Mutants since I first stumbled across it earlier this year. Taking control of the eponymous Earl, you must drive your way through the apocalypse, scything down enemies with increasingly bonkers upgrades. I’m hoping this one goes full throttle – pun intended.
Union of Gnomes (July 18) PC – If you’ve ever wanted to take down that pesky Snow White then join the Union of Gnomes. Yeah, I’m not sure either, but this deckbuilder looks like it’s fairly polished with cute graphics and a strong theme, so I thought it worth a mention.
SWARM 2 (July 18) PC – If you’re looking for a new roguish shooter to play on your PC VR headset then look no further than SWARM 2. Any game that describes itself as “like Spider-Man with guns” has my attention, although I’ll probably skip this one personally as I’ve not got the stomach for virtual reality.
Hate Me Not (July 19) PC (Lin, Win) – It was the striking black and white visuals of Hate Me Not that made me take a closer look. In this novel twin-stick shooter you must battle monsters on the dark side of the Yin-Yang, and then head over to the white side for health and bonuses.
Forgotten Mines (July 23) PC – I loves me a fantasy dungeon crawl, and that’s why Forgotten Mines is on my radar. The aim of this game is to retake mines that have been overrun by goblins, skeletons, and other such creatures of the night, and we’re promised a “small-scale tactical roguelite RPG”. Consider me intrigued.
Lost Castle 2 (July 25) PC – This side-scrolling sequel looks a visual treat. It’s a beat ’em up that brings a wealth of items/treasures as well loads of different weapons and armour sets. The result should mean plenty of run variety, and despite this being an Early Access release, there appears to be tons of content already included.
Bella Wants Blood (July 24) PC (Lin, Mac, Win) – The roguish puzzle game looks like it was designed by Alkaline Trio. The black, red, and white colour palette brings this quirky-looking tower defense game to life. I think the word “macabre” best sums up this one.
Codename: Ocean Keeper (July 25) PC – Diving into Early Access this month is Codename: Ocean Keeper, which offers a really interesting blend of ingredients. One portion of the game is pure isometric shooter and has you scuttling around on the ocean floor blasting robots and aquatic enemies. However, at times you’ll switch to a side-on perspective and start drilling down into the ocean floor for the resources that you’ll need.
The Fall of Aether Station (July 25) PC – There was a few sci-fi space shooter rogues coming this month, but the one that I’m featuring here is The Fall of Aether Station, as it looks the most polished. It’s a tower defense RTS hybrid but with a decent pixel-art presentation. I’ve not played it, but I think it has potential.
Deathless (July 29) PC – Deathless looks like the roguish spawn of League of Legends what with its punchy visuals and dwindling green health bars. It’s actually a survivors game with roguelite elements, but it’s also co-op focused and playable online, if you’ve got buddies.
Towerful Defense: A Rogue TD (July 29) PC (Lin, Mac, Win) – Another tower defense game with roguelite elements, only this one looks like it might have something interesting to say thanks to its huge range of potential item synergies and the abstract presentation.
Songs of Death (July 30) PC – Not only does Songs of Death have an ominous title, but it sounds like the kind of game that will test your reactions thanks to its unique blend of action and rhythmic elements. The theme is pure Chinese fantasy as it’s based on characters from the Three Kingdoms. The devs cites Vampire Survivors and Taiko no Tatsujin as big inspirations; not two games I ever thought would end up next to each other, but there you go!
Arc Seed (July 30) PC – Turn-based tactics, destructible environments, deckbuilding elements, and giant mechas – all things I like in my video games, and all present and accounted for in Arc Seed. In this pixelated isometric tactics game, it’s up to you to save humanity from interstellar invaders. I’m not sure exactly how roguish this Early Access title is, but it ticks a lot of boxes for me, hence the inclusion on this little missive.
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 hts, 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.
