Don’t mind me, I’m just having a minor crisis over the fact that we’re already halfway through 2026. Looking back on the year’s first six months, it’s hard not to be impressed by the strength of roguelite releases, with the likes of Mewgenics and Slay the Spire 2 ranking among the biggest launches in all of gaming.
As we enter the month of Steam Next Fest and Summer Games Fest, the pace has admittedly slowed a little. That said, there are still plenty of gems to be found, most notably Dave the Diver’s Into the Jungle DLC, the hilarious-looking roguelite shooter Killer Bean, and Dark Scrolls, doinksoft’s follow-up to Gato Roboto.
As always, I’ll be sticking to our usual guidelines: steering clear of AI-heavy projects, demos, and anything that feels overly derivative.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in with our first pick: Starforged Legacy.
Starforged Legacy | Second Shift Games | June 1 | PC (Win)
A Survivors-like set among the stars, Starforged Legacy puts players in command of customisable starships that can be outfitted with more than 100 strategy-defining upgrades.
As you progress, you’ll chart a course through hazardous sectors, choosing your own route across the galaxy. Completing missions and optional objectives rewards valuable resources that can be used to strengthen your ship and improve your chances of survival.
Freefall 95 | S-bend Games | June 1 | PC (Mac, Win)
Set aboard a doomed flight in 1995, Freefall 95 is a unique “falling-from-the-sky” simulator that casts you as the sole survivor of an air disaster.
During your rapid descent to Earth, you’ll chain together radical tricks and dangerous stunts while collecting falling items to rack up huge scores, all while weaving between debris and other airborne hazards.
Drawing inspiration from classics like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and SSX Tricky, the game embraces a hefty dose of ’90s nostalgia to complement its wonderfully absurd premise.
Shattered Chess | Arti Works | June 4 | PC (Win)
We’re clearly in the midst of a small boom in chess roguelikes, and Shattered Chess is the latest to put its own spin on the formula. Here, you’re given just 10 moves to capture as many pieces as possible and build out hefty combos.
Boss encounters shake things up further with them introducing new mechanics that disrupt your strategy and force you to think on the fly.
River City Saga: Journey to the West |
Arc System Works, UnitePlus | June 4 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch
Our first multi-platform release for June is a roguelite action spin-off from the long-running River City series, best known for its classic beat ’em up roots.
Journey to the West features several familiar faces from the series, each with their own distinct fighting style. You’ll start with the speed-focused Sun Wukong, before progressing through the story to unlock the power-focused Zhu Bajie and the long-range Sha Wujing.
Grimloop | Slipgun Studios | June 5 | PC (Win)
A spooky roguelite bullet heaven built around time-bending mechanics? Count me in. In Grimloop, you command an army of your past selves as you take on nightmarish creatures across the battlefield.
Planning ahead is essential, as every 30 seconds a spectral copy of your character spawns and replays your previous movements, gradually building an ever-growing echo of your run.
Cursemark | CLYDE games | June 8 | PC (Win)
Our first release from the busiest day of the month is Cursemark, a Souls-inspired roguelike that promises intense melee and spellcasting combat, near-limitless build variety, and dark mysteries to uncover. Players can also use runes to shape their playstyle, altering the elemental properties of their attacks.
Like more traditional Soulslikes, The Unknown Lands is brimming with hidden secrets, concealed passageways, and forgotten relics waiting to be discovered. Exploration sits at the heart of the experience, with a marker-free map that offers minimal guidance and rewards curiosity.
Killer Bean | Killer Bean Studios LLC | June 8 | PC (Win)
Anyone else getting flashbacks to those old M&M’s adverts when looking at the star of our next game, Killer Bean?
Based on a cult classic film starring an anthropomorphic coffee bean, Killer Bean is an open-world action roguelite with a full single-player campaign. Betrayed by the Shadow Agency, the Bean embarks on a quest for revenge, taking on armies of enemies and rival Shadow Beans.
The combat in this one looks absolutely wild, with the Bean being able to throw himself into the air and slow down time to time those headshots.
Hell Bug | Artisan Knights Studios | June 8 | PC (Win)
Taking down a challenging boss is reward enough on its own, but in Hell Bug you’ll also unlock new characters who inherit the bosses’ abilities.
Designed as a straightforward arcade action experience, Hell Bug is packed with a wide range of unique guns and features, alongside handcrafted stages that are selected at random.
Wanted Shadows: Unchained | Conradical Games | June 8 | PC (Win)
This next one is a bit of an outlier, being a full remake of a game that originally launched back in 2023.
A Survivors-like at its core, it sees you battling creatures of the night in compact arenas, fighting to stop them from overrunning the underworld.
Unchained has been rebuilt from the ground up, featuring a deeper progression system and a central hub that expands the game’s world and sense of scale.
Voidling Bound | Hatchery Games | June 9 | PC (Win)
If you’re a fan of creature-collecting games, the concept behind Voidling Bound will likely be music to your ears.
Playing as a Space Wrangler, you can hatch, evolve, and take direct control of creatures known as ‘Voidlings’. Each can be evolved along different paths, with choices affecting their appearance, elemental alignment, playstyle, and abilities.
You can find Voidlings by rescuing them from infested locations, and there’s even a breeding mechanic where you can combine natures and attributes.
Decks of Dexterity | Coded Games | June 9 | PC (Win)
Deck of Dexterity takes an interesting approach to fusing two of the biggest roguelite sub-genres: deckbuilders and Survivors-likes.
Here, your deck determines your power, with cards used to unleash devastating attacks and game-changing abilities. You’ll also need to duck and dive through an onslaught of incoming bullets.
The game has been in development for an incredible eight years and will be launching as part of Steam Bullet Fest.
Lost Castle 2 | Hunter Studio | June 11 | PC (Win)
After almost two years in Early Access Lost Castle 2 is now punching and kicking its way towards a 1.0 release. The beat em’ up boasts an impressive arsenal of 200 weapons and 130 treasures with distinct effects.
What’s new in the 1.0 you might wonder? Well, this completed version of the game includes the game’s final chapter, Ethereal Nightmare difficulties 4 and 5, and all weapons introduced in Early Access.
Beastro | Timberline Studio | June 11 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Xbox
The first of two games to slip from last month’s list into this one is the food-fuelled fantasy adventure Beastro.
Part life sim, part deckbuilder, it sees players cook up tasty dishes to build their deck, with each ingredient acting as a card. Battles then unfold through charming puppet theatre sequences inspired by traditional trick-taking card games.
Tabletop Tavern | TJ | June 11 | PC (Win)
Few concepts are as instantly charming as a medieval RTS fought with miniature units on a tabletop, and that’s exactly what Tabletop Tavern brings to the table.
Here, players can build their tiny army from scratch before leading it into intense real-time battles. Players can command a range of factions, from the elite infantry of the Vikings and the monstrous trolls and giants of the Orcs to the agile and flashy Elves and the stalwart Humans.
Once a Pawn a King | Clover Bite | June 15 | PC (Win)
Our second and final chess-focused roguelike on this list, Once a Pawn a King leaves Early Access on June 15th.
It sets itself apart with party-building mechanics, tasking you with assembling a team of chess pieces and empowering them with magical abilities. Each piece brings unique movement, abilities, and strategic possibilities.
The Gate Must Stand | Senmu Studio | June 18 | PC (Win)
Tower defence roguelites have been in short supply this month, but The Gate Must Stand looks to fill that gap. Here, players fend off relentless demonic hordes in a desperate bid to stop the titular gate from coming crashing down.
Players can strategically place allies, shape the build of their character through upgrades and engage in intense Survivors-like combat. Each follower has their own unique upgrade path, so experimenting with these will be your key to success in future runs.
Dave the Diver – In the Jungle Content Pack | Mintrocket | June 18 | PC (Mac, Win), PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Perhaps the biggest release of the month, Dave the Diver’s Into the Jungle DLC is said to feature more than 10 hours of additional content.
Taking place after the main game, it sees Dave continue his adventure into the heart of the jungle to investigate a mysterious phenomenon. Along the way, he’ll encounter new characters, critters, and mini-games as he ventures into this uncharted territory.
Dark Scrolls | doinksoft | June 22 | PC (Win), PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Having shifted to avoid Mina the Hollower, Dark Scrolls is instead arriving almost a full month later than originally planned.
Playable either solo or in co-op, it’s a fantasy-themed platformer blending shmup and roguelite elements. Each run features hand-crafted screens, unique bosses, and evolving routes shaped by player choices and quests.
I’ve had my eye on this one for a while, and I’m hoping it can match the quality of the studio’s previous effort, Gato Roboto.
Rift Wizard 3 | Dylan White, Khoops, Jacob Martinez | June 23 | PC (Win)
Trilogies aren’t something you see every day in the roguelike genre, but the Rift Wizard developers have managed to release three entries in just five years.
Arriving just over a year after its predecessor, Rift Wizard 3 introduces a host of new enemies and bosses, from returning favourites like Slazephan the Serpent Philosopher to new threats such as the vengeful nature god Gaia. It also has a deep and strategic crafting system, where you can create powerful magical artefacts from limited resources.
Slot or Die | cr0cq | June 25 | PC (Win)
Feeling straight out of the PS1 era, Slot or Die is a dungeon crawler roguelike that casts you as a knight armed with a relic-shaped slot machine.
This strange device powers your actions, triggering attacks, healing, and defence depending on the order it lands in. It adds a rhythmic, almost timing-based twist to combat, as you try to line up the right outcomes in the heat of battle.
Type or Die | Hunt Games | June 25 | PC (Win)
Playing as a steed whose master has fallen on the battlefield, you take up arms and, as the title suggests, must type or die.
Type or Die draws inspiration from board games and roguelites, with your keyboard serving as your primary weapon. You’ll need to type out words displayed on screen to attack, dodge, and break through armour.
Every victory, chest, and event rewards you with a card granting permanent bonuses, curses, unique effects, or heroic abilities. Combine them to build devastating or delightfully chaotic loadouts.
Velato | Velato | June 26 | PC (Mac, Win)
We’re closing things out with Velato, a poker-bluff roguelike deckbuilder that challenges players to outwit AI opponents through clever deception and calculated bluffs.
With opponents reading your every move, however, they can quickly grow wise to your strategy and call you out. Getting caught comes with some hefty consequences, so you’ll need to constantly vary your approach and avoid getting too greedy on a winning streak.
The Archives!
May 2026: May was another absolutely insane month, with us featuring around 50 games worthy of your attention. Heavy hitters from this stack included Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core, the 1.0 release of Die in the Dungeon, and Huntdown: Overtime, a prequel to the 2020 shooter.
April 2026: The strongest month of the year so far, April was packed with more roguelikes than you can shake a stick at. Highlights included the Vampire Survivors spin-off Vampire Crawlers, the Xbox and PlayStation ports of Hades II, and the long-awaited Returnal successor, Saros.
Late March 2026: Whilst March was a admittedly a pretty front-loaded month, the latter stretch did still include some noteworthy titles. My personal highlight was the Steam Next Fest breakthrough hit RACCOIN: Coin Pusher Roguelike. Other highlights included the Switch 2 port of Deadzone: Rogue and The King is Watching’s Crowns of History DLC.
Early March 2026: This was a very special edition indeed as it saw the release of the biggest launch of the year so far, Slay the Spire 2. My other highlights from the first stretch of March included Switch 2 ports of Blue Prince and Rotwood, as well as Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse.
February 2026: February saw the release of Mewgenics which one of our most anticipated releases of the year and has become one of the biggest rogue launches of all time on Steam. Other standouts included Caves of Qud heading to Switch as well as BlazBlue Entropy X.
January 2026: The year kicked off strongly, with Cult of the Lamb’s first paid expansion, Woolhaven, headlining the month. It might have been the most high profile release of the month by far, but we still saw the release of a few hidden gems including Lort, Hungry Horrors, and Blightstone.
December 2025: Reflecting on the final month of 2025, it was The Rogue Prince of Persia landing on Nintendo’s consoles that was my personal highlight. Some other fun additions included the mobile version of CloverPit as well as the soulslike deckbuilder, Death Howl.
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.
