November is coming to a close shortly, and what an eventful month it has been. Lots of new titles, some unexpected stumbling blocks behind the scenes, a fun milestone for the website, and a growing selection of interesting games for me to cover in the month ahead. There’s no rest for the wicked, it would seem.
Before we get started: last month there were a few complaints about the adverts in the November Update. I’ve had these ads on the site for a while now and it was strange to get such an avalanche of criticism all at once like that, but it has prompted a slight shift in approach. From now on, I’m going to cover fewer games but what I do write about, I’ll do so in more detail and with fewer images. Hopefully, those changes will break up the ratio of ads to screenshots, and make this whole page easier to parse.
That doesn’t change the overall form and function of this page: to introduce you to some promising new roguelikes and roguelites, all of which have confirmed release dates in the weeks ahead. On that front, December does not disappoint, with a broad and varied release schedule that has a bit of everything. Let me know if you intend on giving any of these a try – I’d love to hear about what you’re enjoying over on Reddit | Bluesky | Discord | Facebook 🙂
Anyway, as per usual, I’ve skipped on anything too derivative, plus AI-heavy projects and demo/prologues – and with those formalities out of the way… please keep reading for a selection of promising new roguish video games that have caught my eye, in near-chronological order! Starting with a triple bill due on December 1.
Runewood, Solo Chess, and Pay 2 Win
Like buses, there are three interesting deckbuilders all landing on the first of the month. The one that really captured my attention of the three is Runewood: Hundred Nights, by Jestercraft.
This cute-looking card game is hitting all three PC platforms (Lin, Mac, Win), and it looks like it has a really nice survival theme and some interesting auto-battler mechanics. Runewood has you attempting to survive a Sylvanian forest for 100 nights, with magic elements, trading, and randomised runs. Sounds like my cup of tea!
Also dropping on December 1 is Solo Chess by NourSailFR, which also sounds like my cup of proverbial tea, what with it having a chess theme. I also like the fact that Solo Chess is bringing a cozy feel to the genre, which last month’s games (including Below the Crown) did very differently.
The other roguelike deckbuilder to arrive on the very same day is Pay 2 Win: The World is Mine by Patriots Division. This eye-catching card game is all about running a game studio, and finding the synergies you need to take over the world! Might be worth a looksy if you played and enjoyed Crush the Industry…
Effulgence RPG | Andrei Fomin | December 2 | PC (Win)
While I don’t think Effulgence is a rogue, it does have a striking visual style that I think roguelike fans will be interested in knowing more about. It’s the work of Andrei Fomin, a developer who has invested years in creating incredible visuals with ASCII characters.
Tower Dominion | Parallel 45 Games | December 3 | Android, iOS, PC (Win)
I’ve linked to the Steam version of this quirky-looking tower defense game, which arrived earlier this year. Now Parallel 45 has ported its alien-blasting strategy title to mobile platforms.
I’m actually in the early stages of researching an article about roguelite tower defense games, and this particular TD is very much on my list of games to try. Now I have more options to consider when picking a platform to play on!
Ocean Keeper Co-Op | RetroStyle Games | December 3 | PC (Win)
Following on from Ocean Keeper: Dome Survival earlier this year, Ocean Keeper Co-Op does exactly what the title suggests: it’s a co-op remix, with mechanised roguishness on the ocean floor for up to four.
Four Rogues on the 4th: Starring Toy Smash Kaboom
I’m going to start off this sub-section with Toy Smash Kaboom by Free Particle on PC (Mac, Win), a cute-looking auto-battler that feels like a toy shop crossed with a sticker book, then brought to life by magic.
There’s also a fun backpack management aspect to add further challenge, as you look to upgrade items and find useful synergies that can turn the tide as your summoned toys engage in tabletop battles.
Elsewhere, Gungho Online and Supertrick are dropping Let It Die: Inferno, and Fubu Games are also releasing Night Swarm on the 4th, both on PC (Win). I had intended to delve deeper into both, but after discovering that they both used AI in their respective developments, my interest in them has somewhat cooled. (Update: I have since been told that the plan is to phase out the AI voice work in Night Swarm soon, so stay tuned for more on that in due course).
The fourth noteworthy release happening on Dec 4 is Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage. This scurvy-looking deckbuilder has a light and breezy visual style and what looks like a well-implemented theme. That said, I’ve never seen a pirate game with bears in it before, so who knows?!
Cult of the Lamb returns to pastures new
The fifth and final game arriving on the 4th of December is the biggest game of the lot;l however, it’s also hitting just the one platform. Swings and roundabouts, eh! That’s because the excellent Cult of the Lamb is joining Apple Arcade.
I’ll have a bit more to share about this one around launch, but I will say that our earliest playtests revealed a smooth level of technical performance in the opening world and past the first boss, even on a standard iPhone SE.
As long as you’re signed up to Apple’s service, Cult of the Lamb will be fully playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the Apple Vision Pro.
Ironborne | Tres Interactive | December 5 | PC (Win)
Ironborne arrived last night in a vision email, and I was immediately taken back to an old Flash game called Motherload. This spiritual successor is a 2.5D drilling roguelite with a corporate twist, and it looks pretty sweet!
Set on a strange alien world that you must burrow into for cash, there are loads of different minerals to extract and automaton enemies at every turn. I’m also a fan of the tongue-in-cheek corporate theme that comes with all the digging!
High Fructose | Chazak Games | December 8 | PC (Win)
The Steam listing linked describes High Fructose as a first-person survival roguelite that blends aspects of Ghostrunner with Fruit Ninja. The runner bit manifests as parkour-driven combat with auto-firing weapons, and the Fruit Ninja reference alludes to the possessed fruit you’ll be up against.
Just based on the visuals, I also detect a hint of Gunfire Reborn’s animalistic spirit, which makes this one to keep an eye on, methinks.
Death Howl | The Outer Zone | December 9 | PC (Win)
I’m not sure what a soulslike deckbuilder is going to do to me, but I’m willing to find out when this 11 bit studios-published card game drops in mid-December. At least, it’ll be an interesting experiment, even if it does feel punishing.
Death Howl also sounds like more than just an intriguing fusion of genres, though; it also offers a poignant story that explores grief and a mother’s efforts to traverse a mystical world full of spirits inspired by Scandinavian folklore. Consider my interest piqued.
Netherworld Covenant | MadGoat | December 9 | PC (Win)
On the same day as Death Howl lands, it’s time for Netherworld Covenant to exit early access on Steam. This one’s a isometric roguelike with tactical, soulslikey combat. There seems to be some limited AI art used in marketing, which isn’t great, but I think that’s it. The game itself looks pretty good, especially for those who like brutal fantasy and fast-paced combat.
Liege of the Labyrinth and Unto Deepest Depths
If you’re an enjoyer of traditional roguelikes, or at least games inspired by those earliest desktop RPGs, then Liege of the Labyrinth and Unto Deepest Depths should both be on your radar.
Liege of the Labyrinth by CV33 Games is landing on Windows PC this month, and it has you guiding a small party of adventurers through a labyrinthine dungeon. Unto Deepest Depths by McCollum Games, on the other hand, has a similarly low-fi style, but this turn-based dungeon crawler has a more modern twist: every character has to move and attack every turn – what an interesting-sounding wrinkle.
NeverAwake Flashback | Neotro | December 10 | PC (Win)
If you were unaware of the original NeverAwake (2022), then you would also be unaware that this shooter sequel takes the essence of that first game and then injects some roguishness into it. It sounds like a remixed version of the first, albeit with lots of new content and some procedurally-arranged elements.
Rhyolite | Long Lost | December 11 | PC (Win)
I find a lot of new games as part of my research for these monthly round-ups, but there are many more that are already on my wishlist after catching my eye more organically. Rhyolite is one such game.
I think I bookmarked this for later because of the interesting setting. You and up to three of your friends are all aboard an old steam locomotive, wherein you must work together to battle ghost trains and other spooky enemies. There is a single-player mode if you don’t have a willing party, but I think Rhyolite is aimed squarely at the co-op crowd.
Sengodai | Tsunoa Games | December 12 | Android, PC (Lin, Win)
This eye-catching deckbuilder is hitting mobile and PC on the same day this month. Sengodai will have you collecting gokai monsters and then growing them with elemental powers before forming them into a powerful team that engages in turn-based battles. Sounds like one for Pokémon fans, maybe?
Raiders of Blackveil | Wombo Games | December 15 | PC (Mac, Win)
Earlier this year, another MOBA-inspired roguelite (Shape of Dreams) proved that this particular mash-up of genres has the potential to stick around. The next action-RPG to have a go at this formula is Raiders of Blackviel, which is coming from a new studio helmed by IOI co-founder Janos Flösser, Wombo Games.
One thing I will say about Raiders of Blackveil: it certainly looks the part, with graphics that borrow from the classic Mike Mignola style, which seems to be everywhere at the moment. No shade intended.
Anyway, I’ve added Blackveil to my wishlist, and I will be keeping an eye on it for sure, as this first release is only Early Access, and it sounds like there are big plans for this one.
Bearly Brave | Barbaric Games | December 15 | PC (Lin, Mac, Win)
A late update for this article comes in the form of a release date for Bearly Brave, a toy-themed deckbuilder about cute teddy bears fighting for shelf space supremacy in a strange toy shop.
One thing I will happily say about this one is just how good it looks. I love the visuals, the card art, and the whole Toy Story vibe that this one’s got going on.
Out of Time | Manticore Games | December 16 | PC (Win)
Another release that I’m currently tracking is Out of Time. This high octane third-person auto-shooter has a big focus on MMO-like co-op gameplay, and I had a good time with it when it landed on Epic Games Store (here’s my EA preview). Now it’s time for this colourful shooter to make an appearance on Steam!
What is really interesting in Out of Time is how your armour pieces change your character, and while there are plenty of stats to buff in true survivors-like style, it’s the weapons and armour sets that you collect that will determine how your character feels during each run.
A Last Minute Switcheroo or two (or three)
Finally, there are one or Switch-related announcements to cover before we dig into the archives. The first heads-up is about Kiborg, an intense and bloody roguelite beat ’em up hybrid set in a dreary dystopian world, so says Kieran’s review. Switchers will get this one on December 8th.
Next up there’s Dunjungle. I’ve only played a couple of hours of this roguelite platformer by Bruno Bombardi on PC. However, that was enough time for me to see that this would fit nicely on Nintendo’s handheld.
Update: Since first publishing this article I have discovered that Dunjungle is also heading to PS5 and Xbox Series, although at the time of writing it’s the PlayStation Store that has the December 11th release listed, and there’s no date on Microsoft’s store.
Finally, there’s one more big hitter making its way to a new platform this month. The third and standout Switch port of December comes in the form of The Rogue Prince of Persia by Evil Empire and Ubisoft. This wall-running, spike-hopping platform game is heading to Nintendo’s consoles on the 16th!
CloverPit | Panik Arcade | December 17th | Android and iOS
The final big realease before Xmas, unless another one slides in on its knees with moments to spare, is going to be the mobile version of CloverPit. This satanic slot machine roguelite is all about staying alive as long as possible in a hellish prison cell. Failure to meet your targets means death, but there are some interesting trinkets that might help you stay alive a little longer. CloverPit is a bit odd, but it’s also a lot of fun in an evil, menacing sort of way, but only as long as you don’t dancing with some devilish RNG.
Rising Heat | Fuzzy Sock Studios | Delayed | PC (Win)
I’ve been around the block a few times by now, so when I see game backed by Apogee (who later became 3D Realms, before becoming Apogee again, albeit spiritually), I’ll raise an eyebrow at least.
Rising Heat gets more than a raised eyebrow here because it’s a cool-looking co-op roguelite about mixing up ships, pilots, maps, and abilities to create interesting starfighter builds that can withstand the inevitable horde.
It looks really retro with its old-school PSX visual style, but I really like the colour palette – it kinda looks like top-down F-Zero, but with guns, and I’m down for that!
Update: Finally, this was originally down as a December 2nd release, however, it has today (December 1st) been pushed back into 2026.
The Archives!
November 2025: Scanning back through this article reveals a great line-up of games, including Forestrike and a winning DLC for Risk of Rain 2. I’m going with Dog Witch as my personal pick for the spotlight, though, as I found this quirky little deckbuilder to be most enjoyable.
October 2025: When we look back it’ll probably be Ball X Pit that we remember as the standout game of October, but the new beat ’em up, Absolum, was also really good. In fact, there were loads of fun games out this month, so hit the link and find something awesome to play.
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.
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.
