Welcome, Dear Reader, to my guide to contemporary roguelikes. And when I say “roguelikes”, I actually mean it in this instance!
That’s right, we’re not talking about action-roguelites, survivors-likes, or deckbuilders, instead we’re focusing on proper turn-based roguelikes with procedural generation and an unhealthy side portion of permadeath. Just how you like it, I’m guessing.
The Classics
Before we get stuck in, though, I think it’s worth taking pause and reflecting on the original Rogue, the game that first introduced so many of the core themes that have persisted through time.
Developed by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman (with a lot of help from Ken Arnold), their game has spawned countless updates, copycats, and a whole genre of video games. Not bad, eh!?
Beyond the original Rogue, there are plenty more games from the ’80s, ’90s, and beyond that have helped evolve the genre with new mechanics and fresh ideas. The list below includes a number of the most important roguelike releases of the last 40-odd years, and rest assured I’ll be back with another article that offers a deeper dive into these all-time classics…
- Rogue (1980)
- Sword of Fargoal (1982)
- Hack (1982)
- Moria (1983)
- Nethack (1987)
- Angband (1993)
- The Mystery Dungeons (1993)
- ADOM (1994)
- Dwarf Fortress (2006)
- Brogue (2009)
- Dungeons of Dredmore (2011)
We had to have a cut-off point, though, and I went with the birth of my son, who recently became a teenager…
Caves of Qud | Freehold Games | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
A lot has happened between the release of Rogue and the final evolution of Caves of Qud, which launched in 2024 after an extended stint in Early Access. That time has been well spent, however. The attention to detail that has gone into all aspects of the game is one of Qud’s selling points, and its potential for creative, emergent gameplay is huge thanks to the developer’s meticulous approach to world building and immersive storytelling.
One way that Caves of Qud stands out in the context of this feature is its aesthetic, which isn’t quite ASCII but is low-fi by most standards. In this respect, Freehold keeps it visually simple because the studio knows that this simplicity makes space for so much more systemic potential. Player-generated narratives can be more powerful than any triple-A cutscene, and deeply simulated games such as Caves of Qud are able to facilitate these emergent moments more often than most.
Cogmind | Grid Sage Games | PC (Win)
Cogmind is a futuristic turn-based roguelike filled to the brim with spare parts and explosive robotic combat. In this stylish digital adventure you must build yourself from the scrap you pick up along the way.
Cogmind is a very good roguelike that, according to my Steam account, I hadn’t played since 2017, which incidentally was back when the game first arrived in Steam Early Access.
Returning to it in 2025 revealed a roguelike RPG in really good shape. There have been numerous quality of life improvements, and overall I’ve been impressed by how Grid Sage has managed to make an extremely detailed world inviting instead of overwhelming.
There’s even an ASCII mode for those who want it, but I prefer the slightly more detailed standard graphics, which are retro-inspired without feeling too archaic. I also think they make the game more accessible, and considering the sheer volume of detail that this turn-based roguelike needs you to parse, I’ll take all the help I can get.
The Doors of Trithius | Jake Donkersgoed | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
It’s the tactile movement and combat that sets The Doors of Thrithius apart from the rest of the turn-based RPG party. I really like the way you interact with and then navigate the world around you, and the self-described “tick-based combat system” requires careful planning.
While it’s quite traditional in terms of its medieval fantasy setting, there are politics at work behind the scenes. The procedurally-generated world that you explore is filled with competing factions which you must survive while dungeoneering and all that fun stuff.
The Doors of Trithius is filled with oodles of detail, and there’s more on the way as it nears the milestone of full release. The game doesn’t currently feel incomplete, though, as there’s tons of polished content already baked into the cake.
Shattered Pixel Dungeon | Shattered Pixel | Android, iOS, PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
This traditional roguelike might look like a charming little fantasy romp, but it’s actually a hard-as-nails dungeon crawler where everything is out to get you and every step forward feels hard earned.
Shattered Pixel Dungeon insists that all of its players tackle challenging environments and increasingly dangerous creatures, but stubborn persistence should arm you with the tricks you need to stay alive.
There are five different classes to unlock and they each offer a different pathway through the game, with sub-classes and then endgame abilities, if you get that far. ShatteredPD is full of things to do thanks to the game’s dedicated dev team, which has been working on the game since it splintered from the original Pixel Dungeon in 2015, an open source dungeon crawler that first saw the light of day all the way back in 2012.
Terminus: Zombie Survivors | Longplay Studios | PC (Mac, Win)
Roguelikes are notorious for being difficult, but Terminus: Zombie Survivors takes things to a whole new level by placing you in the heart of a zombie outbreak. The aim of the game: get across town to the station and escape the undead horde.
The turn-based gameplay structure has Terminus broken up into segments of time. Within each beat you have a number of action points that can be spent on rummaging through shelves, setting up defences, and slapping zombies in the face with whatever comes to hand. It’s a really well-implemented system that left me thoroughly impressed because it really made me prioritise my immediate needs.
Given the zombie theme, there is an expectation that you will die frequently as you try and reach the eponymous train station. What’s more, because of the procedurally-generated world building, said station is always in a different place. Do you take your chances and follow the tracks, or move through town one building at a time? I’ve died frequently doing both so, you tell me…
Jupiter Hell | ChaosForge | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
It’s time for one of my personal favourites: Jupiter Hell. It’s the spiritual successor to DoomRL, which was inspired by the id’s all-time classic shooter, Doom. DRL is a traditional roguelike about blasting demons back to whence they came, and Jupiter Hell is more of the same but with slick presentation and a new setting that doesn’t infringe on any IP.
What I love about Jupiter Hell is the way it encourages you to play aggressively through a combination of intuitive movement and satisfying turn-based gunplay. This marriage of elements creates a distinctive and exciting roguelike experience quite unlike anything else mentioned in this list.
The final thing to highlight is the stellar presentation. Jupiter Hell looks and sounds great, and it quite rightly stands as one of the best produced traditional roguelikes out there. If you’re a sci-fi fan and into turn-based combat, I’d go as far as saying that it’s utterly essential.
PS. Jupiter Hell Classic is out now in Early Access, and it’s already really good (and it has a total conversion mod that sets the game on a certain red planet).
Golden Krone Hotel | Vulgat | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
It was Golden Krone Hotel that first introduced me to the notion of the coffee break roguelike. This vampire-themed turn-based roguelike is one of the most accessible games on this list and it has aged rather well, all things considered.
While it’s definitely a good entry-level rogue, don’t be put off if you’re after a challenge, because you’ll find plenty of that here in the form of GKH’s main light-focused mechanic, which is handy if you’re trying to take down vampires but less so if you’d rather suck some blood.
Either way, this lovely little roguelike has endured thanks to a strong central core mechanic that’s well implemented and supported by an engaging and thoughtful gameplay loop.
Approaching Infinity | IBOL | PC (Win)
I fell in love with Approaching Infinity almost immediately after booting it up. Maybe that’s because I spent a lot of time watching Star Trek TNG as a pre-teen, and I can tell that the developer behind this turn-based RPG has watched a lot, too. There’s reverence in every action and reaction, but at the same time it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I think this one’s genuinely funny, for what it’s worth.
The game casts you as the captain of a small ship, but there’s tremendous freedom from the very start, and you can take your game in a variety of different ways by simply tinkering with your stats. Then you’re sent off out into the universe to forge your own destiny, with main questlines to explore alongside loads of procedurally-generated content.
Approaching Infinity is so deep and immersive that I think it would a great entry point for sci-fi strategy fans looking for something with a bit more personality than Stellaris but perhaps not quite as much as you’ll get in Rimworld. It’s still in Early Access, but what’s there is worth exploring, Captain.
Path of Achra | Ulfsire | PC (Win)
Developer Ulfsire has woven just enough auto-battler elements into the roguelike formula to make Path of Achra feel really distinct. It might look somewhat spartan, with a limited tileset and a focus on mechanical complexity over visual detail and aesthetics, but this fantasy roguelike is utterly absorbing in all the important ways.
The game has you running away from the rising tide. This encroaching wave of death forces you to march through a harsh, almost primal wasteland filled with monsters of all shapes and sizes. Lucky for you, Path of Achra is all about creating powerful fantasy builds that can crush anything, chosen from an array of potential combinations.
You’ll feel like a badass fantasy wizard or a deadly warrior, unlocking new abilities as you march through a constant stream of combat encounters that resolve according to your pre-set abilities and any blessings you might utter. Of course, it’s not too long before you’ll start encountering more dangerous enemies and you’ll have to think a bit more about your build. It is herein that lies the fun in Path of Achra; it’s a game that wants you to experiment with items and abilities, and it frequently rewards players who go back to the drawing board.
Dwarf Fortress | Bay 12 Games | PC (Lin, Win)
Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed that Dwarf Fortress was also in the list of classic roguelikes, which makes sense given that it first appeared around 20 years ago. However, I think the recent Steam release marks a distinct turning point for the project, and so I’m including it here as well.
There are two sides to Dwarf Fortress, and both are compelling in their own right. The first is the colony management aspect, which is built on top of one of the most complex and nuanced in-game simulations ever devised.
However, it’s the roguelike Adventure Mode that’s of particular focus here, as it allows players to take a character on an RPG journey through the worlds that they have created. The twist is, the roguelike adventure takes place many generations after the events of your colony management game, if you are so inclined.
You don’t have to have a base ready to play the Adventure Mode, however, and you can simply build a character, simulate the history of your world, and then head off in search of your fortune, if you prefer. There’s so much freedom on offer here, and basically two great games for the price of one.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island | Spike Chunsoft | Switch, PC (Win)
The info bar above fails to mention that the Shiren series has been around for ages and there are games on a whole bunch of legacy consoles. If you’re after retro roguelikes on the Dreamcast, the N64, or even the PS Vita, then there’s a Shiren game out there for you. The fifth core game in the series even made it to PC and mobile. And, of course, there are spin-off Mystery Dungeon games set in other IP, including Pokémon and Dragon Quest.
Yet I’m going to focus on the most recent entry in the mainline series, which is available on both the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island.
This quirky fantasy RPG brings the series into 3D and introduces a huge number of dungeons for players to explore. This barrage of content includes a season pass for those who are truly invested in unravelling the mysteries of the eponymous Serpentcoil Island.
I made a review here, if you’d like to read a bit more about it.
Rift Wizard 2 | Dylan White | PC (Win)
Building a spell book filled with powerful attacks has rarely been more entertaining than it is in Rift Wizard 2. This turn-based roguelike throws you into a string of compact arenas with increasingly challenging hordes of enemies, and you’ve got to deal with them all before they end your wizardy little life.
There is tremendous depth in Rift Wizard 2 thanks to a huge assortment of spells and abilities that can be unlocked over the course of each run. The learning curve is steep, and to survive for any length of time you’ll need to mix and match with care.
Each mission takes place over a map with loot and XP scattered about the place, and grabbing these items allows you to improve your build on the fly as you move between portals. You’ll need every bit of help you can get as your enemies attack from all sides, but even when they overwhelm your little wizard, it won’t be long before you’re back in the action.
Shadowed: The Demon Castle of Ooe | Lab Rabbit Games | PC (Win)
Shadowed hit 1.0 in August 2025, but I don’t have enough time with the post-launch game to have a full review of Shadowed live at the point of writing this. However, I did really enjoy my time with the game in Early Access – enough to want to mention it here.
Shadowed, as the name implies, has a strong stealth component, which certainly helps this unique little roguelike stand apart from the rank and file. That, and a super-interesting Japanese setting.
There are several distinct classes to master and each one encourages a new playstyle. Stealth is important, but the core of the game is its combat system, and it is here that your choices are revealed as good or… fatally poor.
Mortal Glory 2 | Redbeak Games | PC (Win)
Mortal Glory 2 is one of the more compact games on this list, but I really enjoyed its offer of turn-based combat and gladitorial team building.
Following an FTL-style map through a fantasy world, players take their little troop of warriors into arena battles against other fantasy creatures. The various battlegrounds are simple, certainly, but there are also enough interactive elements to keep each round feeling fresh.
Best of all is the character variation on both sides of the divide. Not only are you able to build unique little teams with abilities that can synergise, but your enemies are also really diverse.
There’s a lot to think about here during battle, but the more limited over-arching structure keeps things focused and on track. It’s not the deepest nor the most expansive game on this list, but on the other hand, it is one of the easiest to pick up and play.
The Land Beneath Us | FairPlay Studios | PC (Win), PS5, Switch, Xbox
I’m not here claiming that The Land Beneath Us is an all-time classic roguelike, but I do want to give it a mention because I think it offers something a little different from the other games on this list.
I’m talking about the game’s pacing which, thanks to the stripped back level design, is much quicker than most other rogues out there. As you can see from the screenshot attached, the arenas are compact and minimalist.
The controls are simple and effective, too, which overall makes the combat system really easy to get into and therefore I’d call this one of the more accessible rogues out there and a good one for newcomers.
Finally, a shout out for the setting and story, which I thought was a really interesting mix of technology and Welsh mythology. That might sound like a weird mix, but it works!
Tales of Maj’Eyal | Netcore Games | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
I came to the TOME party really, really late. Silly me. After losing myself in the base game, I’m going to dive back in again very soon, this time with all the DLC switched on, so I can do a proper review for you here on the site.
What I can tell you after playing a bunch of the base game is that Tales of Maj’Eyal is an incredibly deep and nuanced roguelike. It’s also reasonably accessible considering the depth that it offers, and an experienced RPG player will have little trouble getting to grips with the game’s interlocking systems.
TOME is roguelike design done right, and there’s a reason that so many people swear by it: it is a true modern classic that offers some of the best character building in the business, and I think it’s a great way to see out this roguelike round-up!
Stay tuned for future updates as I’ll add more great roguelikes as I play them, with Lost in Prayer, Cataclysm: DDA, Sword of the Stars: The Pit, and Zorbus next up on my to-play list.
