Hey there, you lovely lot. As per usual, there’s a new monthly round-up elsewhere on the site, and so I’m consigning last month’s update to the Archives. Enjoy!
Shadowveil: Legend of the Five Rings | Palindrome Interactive | March 4 | PC (Win) | This smart new fantasy adventure is inspired by a range of Eastern mythologies, and the art is really nice, too. However, the thing that’s most interesting about Shadowveil is how it fuses auto-battler and roguelite deckbuilder mechanics with the L5R setting. You’ll find out more about the game in our in-depth interview.
Knights in Tight Spaces | Ground Shatter | March 4 | PC (Win) | The folks who gave us the excellent Fights in Tight Spaces have returned with a new turn-based slugfest. This knightly-themed follow-up to one of the best roguelike deckbuilders out there is shaping up to be another stylish tactics adventure, where players must dance in deadly combat encounters where every move must be considered.
Grimoire Groves | Stardust | March 4 | PC (Win) | The rise of the cosy rogue is one that I can get behind, and leading the charge is Grimoire Groves, which looks absolutely lovely. The focus here is on growing plant-creatures and tending to your garden, whilst in the background players must uncover the mystery of the Rainbow Socks. I’m not sure what that all means, but I’m going to find out!
Hunt the Pale Gods | Nick Papageorgiou | March 6 | PC (Win) | Another deckbuilder releasing this month worships a very different set of gods. This tactical roguelite blends cosmic horror, a striking colour palette, and a gameplay hook wherein you must kill horrible monsters by using their own powers against them. Consider me intrigued.
Nubby’s Number Factory | MogDogBlog Productions | March 7 | PC (Win) | It almost snuck past me, but nothing evades the ol’ eye of Sauron for long and adding it after the fact is better than not featuring it all, right?! Nubby’s Number Factory might look a little rustic, but it offers a unique and engaging money-goes-up plinko-roguelike experience that’s well worth checking out, especially when you find out that the sun will explode if you don’t deliver!
Rogue: Genesia | Ouadi Huard | March 7 | PC (Win) | This one has been on my radar for ages, and this month it has just left Early Access after a lengthy stint in live development. I played the demo some months ago, and it was already in decent shape back then, so I reckon this one is worth checking out if you like auto-shooters.
Moonbase Lambda | Thunderfox Studio | March 7 | PC (Win) | For something completely different this month, why not take a trip to Moonbase Lambda. The game’s striking low-fi visuals suggest so much and yet they also reveal so little, and with procedurally arranged corridors to explore, no two terrifying trips will be the same.
Schism | Fami | March 7 | PC (Win) | The bullet hell inspiration is strong in Schism, which dropped this month after just over a year in Early Access. The developer name drops Ikaruga as an inspiration, but remixes that with a core loop built on challenging gameplay and broken builds. I’ve grabbed this one as it’s on sale and I’ve been keeping tabs on it for a while now…
Voids Vigil | caiys | March 10 | PC (Win) | I’ve linked to my review, because this is one game that I was ready to write about as soon as I heard that it had left Early Access, after playing it for several hours during that time. Now it’s finished and comes complete with new ways to play, including a challenging new campaign mode.
Metal Bringer | ALPHAWING | March 12 | PC (Win), PS5 | It’s an undisputed fact that mechas are cool as heck, and that remains true in Metal Bringer, a punchy new action-RPG with lovely pixels and a futuristic setting that looks good enough to smash with a giant metal fist. Not only is this sci-fi actioner heading to PC but PlayStation 5 owners can look forward to piloting these mech suits, too.
Mullet MadJack | Hammer 95 | March 13 | Xbox | Game Pass subscribers are in for a treat this month, with Mullet MadJack storming onto both Xbox platforms. This chaotic first-person shooter requires quick thinking and an even quicker trigger finger as you blast your way to top of a tower filled with robots. There have been some great games added in recent weeks, including Balatro, so for a collection of all the Game Pass roguelikes, hit this link!
Fate: Reawakened | gamigo US, Tableflip Entertainment | March 12 | PC (Win) | I’m not particularly fimilar with this series, I must admit, but it’s a collection of four storied games (Fate, Fate: Undiscovered Realms, Fate: The Traitor Soul, and Fate: The Cursed King) with added spit and polish, and I know there will be interest… so here it is, for your consideration!
33 Immortals | Thunder Lotus | March 18 | PC (Win), Xbox | Any new game by Thunder Lotus is worth keeping tabs on, but when the promise is a 33-player co-op adventure steeped in bold religous mythology, it’s worth looking twice or maybe even thrice. I think this could be of particular interest to those who’ve played big MMOs and love a good raid, but the striking art is what holds my attention.
Reignbreaker | Studio Fizbin | March 18 | PC (Win) | I’m getting Hades vibes thanks to the isometric perch and the chaotic ARPG-inspired gameplay. That said, Reignbreaker looks like its own thing thanks to an original setting, a crisp art style, and some deadly trap-filled arenas. Having noted that, there’s a disappointing side to the game’s release, with developer Studio Fizbin winding down after launch after parent company Thunderful had to drastically downsize production at some of their studios. It’s a sad state of affairs and you can find out more in this statement on Fizbin’s website.
Airlock Arena: Profit or Perish | Mason and John Norvell | March 24 | PC (Win) | Airlock Arena sounds like co-op silliness for FTL fans. The top-down perspective is certainly evocative of Subset’s masterpiece, but I think Airlock Arena is bringing more chaotic energy to the party. If you’ve got a couple of friends and you’re ready to risk it all for a bit of space loot, put this on your wishlist.
The Deadly Path | Owlskip Enterprises | March 25 | PC (Win) | I rather enjoyed The Deadly Path when I played it last year, and thus I am glad to report that this interesting new take on dungeon building is finally making an appearance. This one is grim and, at times, borderline disgusting, as you sacrifice your way to creating the ultimate hero-killing dungeon. Sounds delightfully nasty, right?
Nordhold | StunForge | March 25 | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | I’m really enjoying the trend whereby we’re seeing clever fusions of roguish replayability and tower defence gameplay. Releasing this March, Nordhold looks like it’s going to do a good job of blending all that together with turn-based building and a dash of strategy.
Grit and Valor – 1949 | Milky Tea Studios | March 26 | PC (Win) | In this dieselpunk roguelike strategy game, you’ll battle through an alternate version of Europe in a bid to liberate it from the Evil Axis. It’s an interesting premise and that’s not even mentioning the fact that you’ll be controlling giant mechas across tabletop inspired arenas.
Brambe Royale: A Meteorfall Story | Slothwerks | March 26 | PC (Win) | With a name like Bramble Royale, you would be forgiven for thinking that this was some sort of plant-based shooter, but it’s actually a wacky card game in an upcoming fantasy universe created by indie developer Slothwerks. The whimsical theme and its colourful implementation make this a real standout, and I think fans of Adventure Time and the like would do well to take a closer look.
Break the Empire | Edym Pixels | March 26 | PC (Win) | This action-RPG has you storm the capital of a fantasy kingdom and go on a murderous rampage, killing all of the villagers with fire and ice. And so, if the idea of being very, very evil appeals to your sinister disposition, take out your anger on some innocent NPCs and watch the world burn one pixel at a time in Break the Empire.
Wildkeepers Rising | Lioncode Games | March 31 | PC (Win) | If you’re of the generation that spent time catching pocket monsters in the playground, then you’re exactly the sort of person who might like Wildkeepers Rising. This new spin on the survivors-like genre has you taming monsters and finding synergies between your animal pals. It looks quite striking, too.
The Archives!
February 2025: With highlights including Die in the Dungeon and Sworn, this February is very respectable with a diverse selection of rogues to choose from. I think my favourite game this month, however, is Rift Wizard 2, a hard-as-nails turn-based roguelike about growing a spell book capable of taking on all sorts of gnarly monsters.
January 2025: The year has kicked off with a decent selection of games, so hit the link for highlights that include a gritty shooter called Cruel, bullet heavens such as Jotunnslayer and Pinball Storm: Lokanta (both very different games), and OMG Words, a fun little word rogue that have quire enjoyed. There is also the not-so-small matter of the new campaign mode for Darkest Dungeon II, Kingdoms, which also released in January along with new DLC.
November and December 2024: This double bill of archived articles is crammed full of excellent games. The standout game is undoubtedly Caves of Qud, which is finally ready after years in Early Access. However, there’s more going on than just that, with Battle Shapers, Ballionaire, Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, and Magicraft all launched, too.
October 2024: This was a really solid month thanks to the release of [REDACTED], the Early Access launch of Windblown, and a surprising little gem by the name of DICEOMANCER. Lots of caps lock in October, and there’s even some roguish robots in the disguise.
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.
