I’m a peaceful man at heart. As I’ve greyed, I’ve come to dislike confrontation and I’m increasingly convinced that it’s best to avoid violence of all kinds as much possible. If only the world agreed.
Yet despite my pacifistic disposition, I bloody love blowing shit up in video games. Rocket launchers, machine guns, giant lasers, sticky blue-ball grenades – making pixel explosions happen is fun.
With my feelings on the matter established thus, I thought I’d pull the trigger on a list of the best top-down and third-person roguelike shooters (that I’ve ever played) across all genres, platforms, and perspectives. That means top-down blasters a la Nuclear Throne and third-person explodathons in the vein of Risk of Rain.
If you’re after first-person rogues, head this way instead.
Star of Providence | Team D-13 | PC (Lin, Win) and Nintendo Switch | I wanted a big hitter to start things off and Star of Providence is exactly that. This sci-fi shooter takes you through a series of connected rooms in a strange facility full of pixelated enemies that are out to get you. The majority of the rooms include a combat encounter, and there are some brilliant little battles to be had. There is also a wealth of upgrades and some great weapons, and that allows you to steer your build in a variety of directions, which helps elevate Star of Providence (formerly Monolith) to the top tier of the action-roguelite genre.
Picayune Dreams | Stepford, Andy Land, milkypossum | PC (Win) | This ode to Vampire Survivors is one of most surreal shooters I’ve ever played; at times it can feel like you’re floating through a fever dream. What elevates Picayune Dreams above pretty much every other survivors-like out there is the combination of bullet-hell gameplay and roguelike character building. You grow in power as new abilities are bolted on and then, using an array of incredible powers, you go on to battle giant space hamburgers et al. There’s also a surreal edge to the meta-story which might hook you in, but for me it was all about the quirky combat and the clever implementation of genre staples.
Hitman Freelancer | IO Interactive | PC (Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | Freelancer is a new way to play Hitman, and if you own the World of Assassination version of the game, you should have access to it. This roguish variation of the third-person stealth game remixes levels to give you new targets, and a rising danger level means you’ve got to be as efficient as possible. You’re constantly on the move around the game’s many locations, and playing Freelancer ensures that there’s something on the line for each mission. The story in Hitman has always played second fiddle to grandiose level design and systemic gameplay, and these aspects really come to the fore in Freelancer.
Starward Rogue | Arcen Games | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | They say that nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, but it was a re-release of Starward Rogue on current-gen consoles eight years after the PC version that nobody truly anticipated. Whether you played it the first time around, or picked it up in 2024, Arcen’s bullet hell shooter is jam-packed with content and is built around a considerable challenge. Set aboard a giant starship lodged in the side of a star, you – a head in a mech, of course – must venture through a series of increasingly chaotic gauntlets in search of loot and answers. Not for the faint of heart, but very good nonetheless.
Voidigo | semiwork | PC (Win) | This excellent top-down shooter channels the spirit of Nuclear Throne and injects it with some seriously batshit weaponry. Voidigo is a quirky and chaotic shooter with some inspired enemy designs and a fun spin on boss battles; you’ll end up chasing the game’s frankly ridiculous big bads from room to room, dodging their attacks while dishing out the pain with whatever contraption you’re wielding. On top of the lovely pixel-art visuals, I also really like the bold colour palette, which helps further differentiate this cracking little co-op shooter from the grim-faced masses.
Jupiter Hell | ChaosForge | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | I promised you roguelikes in the headline and I’m a man of my word – apologies for taking this long to get to it. Jupiter Hell is a traditional roguelike based on the Doom universe, and while it is ostensibly a turn-based affair, the pace has been turned up a notch and the atmosphere it creates is nothing short of exhilarating. That means some of the most exciting gun battles you’ll encounter in any game, this time with the added tension of taking turns and waiting for your enemies to fire back.
Fury Unleashed | Awesome Games Studio | Android, PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | I bought Fury Unleashed on a whim for a couple of quid in a sale and it turned out to be one of the best surprise purchases ever. Not only does the game look excellent and boast a brilliant comic book aesthetic, but the controls are so silky smooth and the gunplay is crisp and precise. There’s a great range of weapons to find out in the wilds, but I was completely sold on the game when it put an off-brand Halo Needler in my hand and let me use it to shoot down my enemies. A great side-scrolling roguelite run ‘n’ gun that deserves to be in more game collections.
Enter the Gungeon | Dodge Roll | PC (Lin, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | Most articles about the best roguelikes will include Enter the Gungeon and with good reason; this sassy little shooter is jam-packed with some of the best pixel-art gunplay ever made by human hands. Guns are the order of the day here, and Dodge Roll has woven so many nice details into this bullet hell ballet that it’s impossible not to be won over by its table-flipping charms. The added bonus of co-op makes it even more of a no-brainer; just make sure your buddy is up to scratch because the challenge ramps up pretty quickly.
Nuclear Throne | Vlambeer | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | It’s borderline embarrassing that I’ve got this far without shouting out to Nuclear Throne. This Vlambeer classic won over a big audience thanks to the game’s open development process, but once finished it earned even more fans thanks to its brilliantly balanced gameplay. This top-down shooter takes you through the mutated wastelands of the future and puts you up against all manner of weird and wonderful creatures. It’s not very friendly at first, but a determined shooter aficionado will quickly find their feet and before long start discovering the nuances that make this one of the most popular indie games ever made.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate | Super Evil Megacorp | iOS, PC (Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | I’m throwing this one in like a shuriken because I finally got around to playing this Hades-inspired TMNT adventure on PS5, after it had landed on nearly everything else. I was missing out too, because this supports 1-4 player co-op and is a hoot to tackle with younger gamers. It makes this list though, because it’s also a decent game in its own right, and the devs have done a great job making the Turtles fit into the roguelite formula. It’s not the best, but it’s definitely good enough.
Risk of Rain 2 | Hopoo Games | PC (Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | If I was going to take a poll about which game the wider roguelite community likes the best, I suspect that Risk of Rain 2 would be sitting right near the top of the pile. The original is an excellent side-scrolling sci-fi shooter, but its sequel changed perspective for the better. In fact, I’d argue that Risk of Rain’s blend of high octane third-person combat, the remixed elements in each level, and the depth that comes from hidden secrets means that it’s one of the most replayable games on this list – and that’s really saying something.
Returnal | Housemarque | PC (Win), PS5 | When it comes to game studios that specialise in shooters, there aren’t many with a better track record than Housemarque. The Finnish studio makes excellent video games and therefore it was no surprise to me that Returnal is a truly outstanding roguelite. Not only does it look and play phenomenally – it’s one of the true triple-A rogues out there – but it’s also wrapped up in an immersive and engaging narrative that keeps you coming back for more. The alien world you find yourself stranded on is full of challenging third-person combat encounters and mysteries to unravel, and I think most people will have a brilliant time working through both.
Galak-Z | 17-BIT | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | There are two versions of this game but the mobile version is free-to-play and I suggest you avoid it. I can, however, heartily recommend you check out the standard edition of the game, which started life out as The Dimensional, then became known as The Void, and now is simply Galak-Z. Whatever it’s called, this is a gorgeous but punishing side-scrolling space shooter with a wonderful Saturday morning cartoon vibe to it. With great art and an engaging setting, it offers many hours of roguish entertainment to those who can master its control scheme.
20 Minutes Till Dawn | Flanne | Android, iOS, PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | Despite being lumped in with Vampire Survivors and its ilk, I think 20 Minutes Till Dawn offers a very different experience from those that inspired it. As implied by the name, you’ve got to endure just a few more minutes of darkness before the sun is up and I presume you go back to your office job or whatever. Between now and then, however, is 1200 seconds of chaotic gunplay where you must stitch together a good build while dodging the attacks of Eldritch terrors. Fun, right?!
OTXO | Lateralis Heavy Industries | PC (Win), PS, Switch | The name at the top of the page might read “Rogueliker” but I’m a fan of all types of video games. OTXO (pronounced “ot-cho” I think) was billed to me as a roguish spin on Hotline Miami and boy, was I excited when I heard that because it’s one of my favourite indies ever. While there are a few key differences between them, OTXO and Dennaton’s actioner share a lot of DNA, including their frantic, twitchy gunplay and the strangeness of their respective settings. Like its inspiration, OTXO is a bit of an enigma and I had a great time digging into its offbeat mysteries.
Nova Drift | Chimeric | PC (Mac, Win) | If what you’re after is mechanical depth and purity of gameplay, look no further than Nova Drift. This ode to Asteroids has recently exited Early Access, and the game that has released is extremely polished. Nova Drift is full of clever systems that all intersect well with one another, and that means you can put together some really creative builds once you start to unlock all of the different skill trees. Playing this one reminded me of the joy I had when I first discovered Galak-Z, yet Nova Drift skips on the story and instead takes its focused top-down gameplay to a whole new level.
Hades | Supergiant Games | iOS, PC (Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | Hades is one of my favourite games ever and arguably it’s also the catalyst for Rogueliker, as it was the first game that pulled me back into the hobby after a period of burnout. What hooked me in was a blend of the game’s lush audio-visual presentation, the brilliantly implemented narrative layer, plus the constant stream of interesting little decisions required as you min-max a build for the run ahead. Utterly compelling stuff, and Hades 2 ain’t bad either.
Vampire Survivors | Poncle | Android, iOS, PC (Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | The auto-shooter that defined a generation: Vampire Survivors has been captivating gamers the world over for a couple of years now. The game’s success has been so great that it has inspired a huge wave of similarly automated action-RPGs, although none compare to Poncle’s masterpiece. I think part of the reason we’re seeing so many imitators is that VS makes it look easy. However, the relaxed gameplay belies the complexity of the systems that lay on top, and the many failed attempts to replicate its moreish gameplay loop proves that Vampire Survivors is more than just a fluke.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth | Nicalis, Edmund McMillen | PC (Lin, Mac, Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | Have I saved the best for last? You bet your poopy bum I have! The Binding of Isaac – ideally with all the DLC up to and including Repentance – stands tall as one of the deepest, most satisfying shooters that money can buy, roguish or otherwise. Yes, there is a strong religious theme and yes, there is an awful lot of excrement in there, too. However, if you can get past these thematic quirks you’ll discover a top-down shooter that perfectly balances simple gameplay with incredible mechanical depth.
Over the course of a run you’ll discover all manner of strange and wonderful items, but experimenting with them as you try to craft a winning build is half the fun. The Binding of Isaac is as challenging as hell, but it rewards dedicated players like no other, which is why it remains one of the most popular action roguelikes of all time.
