Welcome back, Dear Reader, to yet another big round-up of upcoming roguelikes, roguelites, and rogue-adjacent games of all shapes and sizes. This is the monthly digest of all the projects that have caught my eye, with a bit of personal opinion to justify each inclusion.
I’m trying to stay away from certain things, though, including overly sexualised games, generic asset flips, AI guff, or anything very low quality. There are still loads of new releases to tell you about though, so get comfortable and enjoy the September Update!
BlazBlue: Entropy Effect X Dead Cells | 91Act | Android, iOS, PC (Mac, Win) | While not a full release, this collab between BlazBlue and Dead Cells is too good not to mention. This content update sees The Prisoner make his way over from Dead Cells into the side-scrolling beat ’em up. Best of all, the new biome and prototype are free!
Deadzone: Rogue | Prophecy Games | September 3 | PS5, Xbox Series | I’m really glad that Deadzone: Rogue is following up on its PC release with a console one shortly after, because this feels like the one that slipped by me last month. I’ve got the game on PC and I’m keen to dive in properly, so you can expect some more in-depth thoughts from me in due course.
Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel | Games Farm, ARTillery | September 3 | PC (Win), PS5, Xbox Series | It’s three big games on the third, and so you can imagine how busy I’m going to be if I try to keep up with the release schedule this week. Jotunnslayer is the latest in a line of highly polished survivors-likes. This one, as you can tell from the name, is steeped in Norse mythology, but there’s more to it than that, as you’ll find out here. I’ll get to reviewing this one, too, I think.
Star Fire: Eternal Cycle | Ethereal Fish Studio | September 8 | PC (Win) | If you’re a big fan of side-scrollers, Star Fire has been built with you in mind. This ode to the old-school has been dressed up for more modern audiences, and the whole thing is wrapped in a roguelite progression system that hopes to keep you in the loop. There’s a demo still live at the time of writing, too.
Mage and Monsters II | Lasse Zacho Malver | September 8 | PC (Win) | Roguelike autobattlers are an interesting new breed of game, and this emergent genre is throwing up a constant stream of interesting titles. This offer is a fantasy battler where you must focus on magic and armies, and balancing everything right involves bringing new forces to bear and upgrading your spellbook.
Katanaut | Voidmore | September 10 | PC (Win) | I think there’s room in the market for a visceral side-scrolling platformer with swords and space zombies, and that’s exactly what Katanaut is. I just love the art style and the aesthetic, and this is another game that you can bet your procedurally-generated bum that I’ll be covering here on the site in the days ahead. Stay tuned!
Yet Another Zombie Survivors | Awesome Games Studio | September 11 | Xbox | This squad-based survivors-like is not quite ready to shake off the Early Access tags on PC, where it already resides, but it is joining the Xbox Game Preview Program, so if you’re rocking an Xbone or a Series S/X, you can get in on the action, too.
Shape of Dreams | Lizard Smoothie | September 11 | PC (Win) | This action-RPG has the backing of Neowiz, and what I’ve seen so far looks slick and polished. Shape of Dreams is a top-down fantasty RPG that looks and plays a bit like a MOBA, but with a roguelite structure and an emphasis on co-op for up to four players.
Upgrades & Enemies | YKey Games | September 11 | PC (Win) | Not only does this colourful incremental shooter looks mesmerising, the developer has built their own engine to facilitate the thousands of enemy units that the player must clear in each round. Consider me intrigued.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor | Funday Games | September 17 | PC (Win) | I’ve been playing DRG Survivor since it first landed in Early Access and it’s already got a spot in my guide to auto-shooters, reverse bullet hells, and games like Vampire Survivors. I’m super looking forward to returning for 1.0 and the new Gear System.
Flick Shot Rogues | Butter By The Fish | September 17 | PC (Win) | Not a lot of people know this, but back in the day I used to be a world class Blast Billiards player. I had a really boring admin job, you see. Any, that context will hopefully explain why I’m super excited about taking a look at Flick Shot Rogues when it drops in the pocket later this month – I do love a good trick shot!
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree | Brownies | Sep 18 | PC (Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | I mean, of course you can see the Hades inspiration writ large, but Towa might be one of the first games that looks just as good as Supergiant’s underworld epic. This action-roguelite is another one being developed by a major publisher – in this instance, Bandai Namco – so expect to see plenty of Towa this month, especially here on Rogueliker!
Moros Protocol | Pixel Reign | September 18 | PC (Win) | Moros Protocol ticks a lot of boxes for me personally. The pixel art visuals look great, the setting sounds very exciting, and I’m a sucker for well-paced sci-fi horror. I’m a little nervous about the soulslike inspired boss battles, but I’m going to give them my best shotty.
Megabonk | vedinad | September 18 | PC (Win) | Here is yet another late addition to the article, the wonderfully named Megabonk. This quirky actioner wants you to break your build in what looks like a uniquely absurd expression of the survivors-like formula.
Ratatan | TVT Co. Ltd., Ratata Arts | September 19 | PC (Win) | We’ve been covering this one since it was first announced, likely because of our Kieran’s fond memories of Patapon. Ratatan is that game’s spiritual successor, and after a slight delay, the rhythm roguelite is heading to Early Access on PC this month!
Wander Stars | Paper Castle Games | September 19 | PC (Win), Switch | If you’ve ever wanted to catch ’em all, Wander Stars has over 200 of them for you to collect. Except in this instance I’m talking about words, which are your weapons in this charming-looking turn-based RPG.
Folly of the Wizards | UpFox Labs | September 19 | PC (Win), PS5, Switch, Xbox | If you’re after a bit of hapless chaos in your gaming life, then Folly of the Wizards sounds like it could be a lot of silly fun. Numskull Games have got behind this one, so there’s even a cross-platform release with physical editions. It looks cuper cute, too.
Deadly Days: Roadtrip | Pixelsplit | September 22 | PC (Win) | I never knew that I was totally up for dressing up as a banana and going on a zombie killing spree, but Deadly Days: Roadtrip has opened my eyes to this previously unmet need. Here’s hoping this one doesn’t slip.
Northwind | Barking Kitten Interactive | September 22 | PC (Win) | The Early Access release for Northwind has just been confirmed, and this Steam page description paints quite a picture. This deckbuilder has card crafting alongside MtG-inspired mana management, and a tug-of-war mechanic where you have to overpower your opponent.
Aethermancer | moi rai games | September 23 | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | This Early Access release looks like Pokémon for grown-ups, and that alone should be enough to entice a few of you into taking a closer look. Other reasons to have one eye on Aethermancer include: lovely pixel art and cute animations, turn-based combat and team synergies, and the threat of losing your favourite beasties in battle!
Lords and Legions | Warborne Studios | September 23 | PC (Win) | War gaming fans have options this month, but unlike Master of Command, which you can read about above, Lords and Legions adds fantasy creatures into its military sandbox. Both games have elements inspired by Total War, but this one also has you controlling a specific unit in combat and getting stuck in yourself.
Sworn | Windwalk Games | September 25 | PC (Win), PS5, Xbox (and Switch later) | After several months working through the Early Access process on PC, this Team 17-backed action-RPG is ready for a full release and a bow on console. The elevator pitch for Sworn is something along the lines of: Hades meets Arthurian legend with co-op, and as you can imagine, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve played during EA.
Out of Time | Manticore Games | September 25| PC (Win) | If you’re after a new co-op shooter this month, Out of Time might be worth checking out given its big budget feel, polished gameplay, and a chaotic setting that blends the past, the present, and the future. Out of Time supports up to four players, and it looks like a lot of effort has gone into bringing it all to life. I just wonder how many will be able to look beyond the timed exclusivity, and how many will wait a year.
Command Deck | k-critical | September 25 | PC (Mac, Win) | My love of FTL means that I’ll usually give a polished-looking sci-fi roguelike the time of day. Command Deck is the latest to catch my bionic eye, except this is a deckbuilder with a charming retro-futuristic style. I’m including this one entirely on vibes, as I hadn’t seen it before today, but it does look like it could be interesting. Also, full points for the title.
Brew | Snow Lead Studios | September 25 | PC (Win) | This third-person actioner looks like it has plenty of family friendly spirit. The emphasis is on alchemy and creating your own potions, which you’ll use during combat, which happens alongside your studies at the Alchemy Academy! Now doesn’t that sound sweet 🙂
Hades 2 | Supergiant Games | September 25 | PC (Mac, Win), Switch, Switch 2 | Announced mid-month, the long-awaited full release of Hades 2 is almost upon us on PC, and it’s also dropping on Nintedo Switch 1 and 2 on the same day (PS5 and Xbox owners will have to wait a bit longer). I can’t wait.
Hotel Barcelona | White Owls | September 26 | PC (Win), PS5, Xbox Series | One of the most exciting collabs to grace the realm of roguelikes in recent years is Hotel Barcelona, which is the creation of SUDA51 and SWERY, two of Japan’s boldest game designers. I can’t wait to see what they come up, because it’s almost certainly going to twist my expectations at some point. Then again, it could also end up being a bit of a clanger – you just never know with those two. Still, it’s a fascinating proposition and I’m eager to get playing!
Holy Shot | Lonewolf Digital Arts | September 26 | PC (Win) | While Holy Shot doesn’t sound like it’s going to reinvent the wheel, this quirky top-down shooter does look really cute. Might be one for younger rogues-in-training perhaps?
CloverPit | Panik Arcade | September 26 | PC (Win) | I covered the delay to CloverPit when it was announced, but didn’t have the wit to add it here until now. Long story short, this one moved release dates to dodge Hollow Knight: Silksong. This one armed bandit simulator takes inspiration from the likes of Buckshot Roulette, and if that sounds like your jam, you can read more about CloverPit right here.
The Archives!
September 2025: Thanks to the release of two massive indie games, September was one of the busiest imaginable. Silksong dominated the headlines in the first half of the month, but it was Hades II that had my attention for most of September. On top of that there’s Towa, Moros Protocol, Ratatan, CloverPit, MegaBonk and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor – truly one of the best months ever for roguelike enthusiasts!
August 2025: I’m mentioning it here because Jupiter Hell Classic isn’t actually in the August round-up – it dropped late in the month. However, it’s bloody great and I wanted it to get a mention here one way or t’other. There are other games out in August, of course, but now you know about one more!
July 2025: An eclectic month by any measure, with the standout games including co-op platformer Neon Abyss 2, the well-received action-roguelite Hell Clock, strategy games like He is Coming and Lost in Prayer, and even a Pac-Man inspired survivors-like (Maze Mice).
June 2025: There were several big announcements this month due to Summer Game Fest and all that, but one or two great rogues slipped out at the same time, including Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, Battle Train, and Soulstone Survivors. The port of Against the Storm for consoles also proved quite popular, at least based on the activity I saw here on the site.
May 2025: May was an absolute belter of a month, with more games than we could reasonably keep up with. Hit the link for all the latest on a month that ended with Elden Ring: Nightreign and started with Maze Mice, with a stop off at Monster Train 2 and Into the Restless Ruins along the way.
April 2025: I didn’t expect Blue Prince to deliver such an astonishing single-player experience; I finally got to check out the roguelite mode in The Last of Us: Part II after the remaster hit PC; I was surprised when Lonestar left Early Access, but very pleasantly so; Soulslinger and Kiborg both delivered decent mid-budget roguelite actioners; Approaching Infinity made an appearance before the month’s end!
March 2025: This March there was a dizzying array of promising roguelike releases. Highlights included Knights in Tight Spaces, Rogue: Genesia, Schism, Metal Bringer, Voids Vigil, 33 Immortals, Reignbreaker and Nordhold. Phew (and there’s more that I could have included, so hit the link for a healthy selection of new games).
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 quite 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 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 of which landed in Early Access and the second of 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 Return.
