Update: I just got a little update from developer Moravian, with Dragon Fodder getting a new game: Feed the Scorchpot.
Original: When I was invited to take a look at Dragon Fodder by its developer Moravian earlier today, one or two words in the pitch email caught mine eye.
A closer inspection of the aged digital parchment revealed a new board game inspired roguelite steeped in medieval charm, and that very much sounds like my cup of tea.
For starters, I’m a big fan of board games. Dragon Fodder looks to bring a tabletop feel to PC, with the game taking place on a compact hex-based island.
On this island lives the eponymous dragon. This fire-breathing beast is actually your protector, and your job is to feed it so it can continue to look after your home. Trouble is, your pet dragon is a greedy guts and if you don’t feed it more and more… well I’m sure it’s not going to go be good.
I’m also a bit of a history nerd, I don’t mind admitting. As such, I’m drawn the art style much like I was to the one used in Inkulinati. They are very different games, but clearly both sets of devs and I all have a shared interest in marginalia and manuscript art. I think it looks lovely!
The promise of Balatro-inspired number-go-up gameplay is also rather appealing, given the hundreds of hours I’ve lost to that one so far. Dragon Fodder is all about broken builds, silly combos, and rolling an ever growing collection of dice in order to create more food for your ever-hungry dragon buddy.
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!
