This is just a quick news alert to let y’all know that Bullet Heaven Fest is a new two-week sale event on Steam. It’s not just a clever name, either – there are loads of bullet heaven games on sale!
What is a “bullet heaven” I hear someone scream from the back?! Well, I’m glad you asked, Dear Reader. It’s basically the opposite of a bullet hell, where you’re forced to avoid a screen full of brightly-coloured projectiles. Cuphead is one of my favourite examples of the genre, and it’s a game that most people have heard of.
I love this new term to describe the flip from being the one dodging the bullets to being the one creating them. It’s a change that facilitates a power fantasy where you get to take out waves of enemies, rather than dodging your way through a desperate attempt to stay alive against one or two heavily armed opponents. A great roguelike-inspired example might be Enter the Gungeon.
Bullet heavens have come to prominence on the back of Vampire Survivors, there’s no doubt about that. Since Poncle’s indie hit went viral, we’ve seen a huge wave of copycat games. Some are good, some are bad, and nearly all of them are currently on sale or being promoted in this event. Vampire Survivors is not.
So, if you want to make bullets rather than dodge them, check it out via the link above. And for the record, the screenshot below is for Soulstone Survivors, one of the games currently on sale.
Still with us? Of course you are! If you want to keep reading about great hand-picked rogues, the following articles represent a huge collection of the best roguelike games ever made.
Next, there are genre-specific lists that delve into the best roguelike games of all types. I’ve pulled out the best examples from each category, alongside the links to more in-depth articles!
The best turn-based roguelikes: Caves of Qud | There are some seriously incredible turn-based roguelikes out there. Of all the modern games, these are the closest to the original Rogue.
Awesome first-person rogues: Gunfire Reborn | We almost went with Blue Prince for this spot, but most people checking out first-person rogues probably want to wield a gun, you know?!
Cool roguelike deckbuilders: Balatro | Sorry, Slay the Spire fans, but this poker-solitaire deckbuilder has stolen Mike’s heart and won’t give it back.
Exciting roguelike platformers: Spelunky | Now, don’t get us wrong, Dead Cells is an incredible game, especially with all the DLC switched on. But when it comes to impact, you just can’t beat Spelunky.
Amazing action-roguelites: Hades 2 | And finally, let’s wrap things up with our favourite of them all. There’s no beating the original Hades, although Hades 2 comes pretty close!
