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 March 2024, then this archive article has you covered! Keep scrolling for more links to archive pages if March’s selection doesn’t have what you’re looking for – and thanks for reading!
March 2024
Spell Disk – This one was flagged by a kind reader on social media, and upon closer inspection, I’ve clearly dropped the ball on this one. On the brightside, the game’s March 1st release date means that it gets top billing in the feature and therefore a bit of extra visibility. Page layouts aside, Spell Disk is an action roguelite all about flinging magic-infused disks at mobs of monsters, and it looks really cute, too.
Mortal Glory 2 – I reckon most of us would probably be up for managing a team of fantasy gladiators through a series of turn-based battles, and thus Mortal Glory 2 immediately caught my eye. The roguish gameplay is said to be enhanced by “unique arenas, randomized environments and occasional special rules.” The Steam listing boasts a brutal AI to test yourself on, if being bashed by a minotaur is your idea of a good time. It’s out on March 4th.
Space Will – Modular ship building is a fascinating nook in the gaming world, and Space Will looks to take this sub-genre to a whole new level. Players are tasked with building a space station out of a myriad of different parts, and then steer them around using twin-stick controls while blasting all-comers. It’s described as a “survival roguelike” by the developers and it’s out on March 4th.
Bullet Bunny – I’m not sure how I missed this one in the first sweep, because the brilliantly named Bullet Bunny is actually on my Steam Wishlist, and Past Mike usually knows what he’s talking about. It’s a twin-stick shooter with roguish elements, where the aim of the game is to stay alive for 500 seconds. That doesn’t sound like long, so I’m very much assuming there’s a twist in this particular rabbit’s tail.
Crux – If boomer shooters and games like Quake make you feel all fuzzy inside, then please direct your attention to Crux, a single-player “arena shooter roguelike” that’s due out on March 5th. This classically trained FPS tasks players with battling enemies (and then bosses) in 13 different arenas across five worlds.
The Black Pool – The story in The Black Pool reminded me of an old TV series from my youth: Dungeons & Dragons. Like the ’80s show, The Black Pool takes its players on a journey (in this instance to some unknown galactic system and not a tired northern seaside town) and their aim is simple: get home. To that end players – between 1 and 4 of them – must master a range of supernatural powers and utilise them across a range of different worlds. The Black Pool is out on March 6th.
Bore Blasters – I took a closer look at Bore Blasters during Steam Next Fest, thanks to its fun pixel art visuals and the strength of its premise. You’re tasked with drilling deep into the ground in search of resources, but the structure of the levels means that it’s a race to the bottom as you dig through increasingly dangerous caverns filled with environmental hazards and pesky bat-like creatures. It’s launching on PC on March 8th.
Acid Planet – There aren’t enough Kaiju in the roguelike survival space, and that’s something that Acid Planet is looking to remedy on March 8th. This auto-shooter is wave-based and combines that with drone management and base building. And gigantic monsters, of course – don’t forget the gigantic monsters.
Ancient Weapon Holly – This game’s name alludes to the fact that you’re playing as Holly, a killing machine that looks like a young girl, who was buried for thousands of years. Holly has an understandable grudge against humanity, and that’s why she rises from her slumber and starts battling enemies and luring them into traps. Like Acid Planet and Bore Blasters, AWH is out on March 8th.
Corrupted: Dawn of Havoc – Sci-fi fans take note, this fusion of deck building and auto-battler mechanics (AutoChess et al) sounds like it could be a real blast when it drops on March 10th. Corrupted wants players to build a team of futuristic soldiers and then retake a planet one skirmish at a time, strategically positioning your units in order to take on the alien threat in pausable AI-directed battles.
Goblin Stone – The premise for this one is quite interesting, in my opinion. The setup is that you’re trying to help the much maligned goblin people recover while aggressive ol’ humans are trying to squish them out. With a bunch of goblin classes to develop and a bit of genealogy thrown in for good measure, I think this one has real potential and we’ll find out just how much on March 12th.
Crypt of the Necrodancer: Synchrony – Built in conjunction with the community, Synchrony brings a raft of new additions to the always fun Crypt of the Necrodancer. The highlight is the suite of multiplayer modes, but don’t overlook the new characters, especially Suzu, how has a lightning dash that is very effective in the right hands. The expansion leaves Early Access on PC and lands on PlayStation and Switch (but not Xbox) on March 13th.
Paint the Town Red VR – This is a DLC release on Steam and a standalone release on PS5 and Meta Quest. To call this a roguelike is a stretch, but this brawler has the heart of a rogue and the VR version of the game will give players a chance to experience its specific brand of grim, square-faced violence in the virtual realm. Mark down March the 14th for your next bloody brawl.
Dungeon Drafters – There’s always one game that ends up in my inbox minutes after I hit publish on this update. This month that game is Dungeon Drafters, a “mystery dungeon adventure with roguelite elements” where players build a deck of magic cards using one of six classes (Mage, Brawler, Monk, Bard, Shinobi and Explorer). The PC version dropped last year and is now being followed up by the game’s launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox on March 14th.
Pesticide Not Required – This particular auto-shooter was on the line for inclusion in this little list, so I’ll keep the description brief. In a nutshell: it looks like an amphibious take on Vampire Survivors. It’s out on March 18th, so amphibian lovers can finally get their frog on then.
Artifact Seeker – First of two games to come out on March 25th, Artifact Seeker puts a range of mythological characters into an arena with tons of enemies to mulch. Based on the Steam listing, the writing may not be brilliantly translated in this fantasy auto-shooter, but the action looks bold and colourful.
Kādomon: Hyper Auto Battlers – If battling pocket-sized monsters in a roguish setting sounds like your idea of heaven, then I suggest you take a closer look at Kādomon: Hyper Auto Battlers, which is hitting Early Access on March 25th. Not only is this one super-cute, but it looks like there’ll be plenty to do with over 180 monsters at launch.
Acolyte of the Altar – The other game due out on March 25th is Acolyte of the Altar, a roguish deckbuilder that looks like somewhat inspired by Magic the Gathering. The hook here is that the giant beasts that you face in battle evolve and grow stronger during the encounter, so your aim is to take them down as quickly as possible.
Necrosmith 2 – If you’re the kind of person who likes nothing more than to raise an undead army during your weekend, then mark March 27th in your diary because that’s when Necrosmith 2 is due to arrive. This Alawar-developed game has players exploring a “fully generated world at night” and then fending off enemies from their customisable tower during the day. Here’s hoping it’s good to be bad!
Maniac – Maniac looks like an isometric open-world roguelite take on old school Grand Theft Auto. In fact, the Steam listing references GTA and also Vampire Survivors, as well as Fast and the Furious. I was also inclined to remember Blast Corps, an old N64 game by Rare about destroying stuff with vehicles. Maniac is out on PC on March 28th.
Vellum – This magic-infused roguelite has been on my radar since it was first announced, and after playing the Steam Next Fest Demo in early Feb, I’m eager to see more. There’s a lot going on in this third-person actioner, with Vellum taking notes from games such as Risk of Rain 2, while adding its own magic twist. It’s out on March 28th in Early Access, so bear that in mind before taking the plunge.
OTXO – Another console port is dropping this month with the grizzly but excellent OTXO leaving the confines of PC and taking its Hotline Miami-inspired brand of violence to PlayStation 4|5 and Nintendo Switch. This top-down twin stick shooter is full of thrills and spills and if you’re after a bit of bullet-time ultraviolence, look no further.
Black Dragon Mage – The final game to drop in March, on the 31st according to the Keymailer listing, is Black Dragon Mage. It’s another auto-shooter but the twist here is that you’re riding a black dragon and raining fire on your enemies from above. It’s not all dragon-riding, however, you also get to run around looking like Bad Gandalf, throwing bombs around like Bomberman while still somehow looking cute.
And finally, in an attempt to cover all bases, here are some of the last minute releases that dropped in March.
- Sentry – aliens have invaded and it’s up to you to fight them off in this FPS with tower defence elements.
- Rift Wizard 2 – the original was a fan favourite so the early access release of this traditional roguelike will likely interest a lot of you.
- Slice & Dice – the full Steam release of Slice & Dice has really impressed me. I’ll review it as and when I can.
- Bingle Bingle – In a similar vein to Balatro, Bingle Bingle is all about engineering the odds, this time on a roulette table.
- Stellar Orphans – this one looks REALLY interesting, as you play cards to guide your crew as you’re lost in space.
- Tempus Rail – a Wild West deckbuilder, but first-person, with a temporal loop mechanic… I’m not sure either, but it sounds good.
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.
