I’ve been very reluctant to have any sort of content marketing here on Rogueliker. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with it, but because I recently worked in a content strategy role, and I hated it.

Gaming websites are pitching left, right, and centre for content campaigns and direct ads, and for the most part, they don’t care too much about the quality of the partners they work with. Monetising a website like this one isn’t difficult, but doing it in a way that doesn’t feel icky is much harder to pull off.

That’s why I’ve not been doing sponsored content until now, despite having multiple offers before today. You see, I wouldn’t promote just any old brand on Rogueliker, and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.

NordVPN and I have previous

Back when I was working in publishing, one of my favourite pitches to work on was NordVPN. It was an easy one to put together because not only do they offer a genuinely useful product, but they are also an ethical company with a commitment to helping keep the Internet free. I can certainly get behind that sentiment.

If you’re in the market for a VPN, there are other options out there. However, I chose to partner with NordVPN because not only are their ethics operating in the background, but their products are feature-rich and easy to use.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been using the main VPN service and their password security solution: NordPass, and they are both simple to get up and running, and then easy to use!

Video: What is a VPN?

What is a VPN and why do you need one?

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a secure, encrypted connection that masks your IP address and protects your data from being monitored by your service provider, or anyone else who might be keeping tabs…

If you’ve got security concerns, this is one area where a VPN can make a huge difference in terms of the digital footprint that you leave behind.

By disguising your IP address using NordVPN, you can operate with greater anonymity and access websites via encrypted connections. No more inadvertantly sharing all of your personal details with Google.

This protection extends beyond the home, too. NordVPN can be used across a broad range of devices (up to ten), so you should be able to cover your tracks regardless of the platform you are using, and the location you are visiting from.

If you’re concerned about online security, sign up for NordVPN here.

Video: Introducing NordVPN

Additional benefits of NordVPN

Platform flexibility and a total of 165 servers across the globe – apparently, I didn’t actually count them myself – ensures that you can access your totally legit and alway above board streaming services on whichever device you have with you, from pretty much anywhere in the world.

Malware and trackers are always trying to pin down your details – there’s a whole economy built around it – but NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro is one way to deal with this danger head on.

Furthermore, if any of your accounts are compromised for whatever reason, there is Dark Web Monitoring that will alert you if your details are being shopped around.

Finally, there is also Meshnet, a cool new feature that I’ve only just learned about, which lets you set-up protected local area networks; ideal for filesharing and playing games (which is what I’d use it for).

It’s also worth mentioning another service offered by NordVPN, because if you’ve got tons of passwords and you’re concerned about keeping them safe, NordPass is a significant security upgrade.

Final thoughts

Being aware of your digital footprint is becoming increasingly essential in this day and age, and if you don’t want the powers that be to watch over your shoulder like Big Brother – an increasingly prevalent problem here in the UK and elsewhere around the world – then a good VPN is absolutely the way to go.

And if you want a VPN, then they really don’t come much better than NordVPN, and that’s not just my opinion, sites like Forbes, Wired and PCMag have all recently voted it their number one VPN service, too. 

Anyway, that’s the pitch, if you want a new VPN, sign-up for NordVPN here via this link, and support Rogueliker while you’re at it, you beaut!

Would you like to know more? 

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.

The Best Roguelike Games: great roguelites, deckbuilders, RPGs, bullet heavens, and more

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. 

Great bullet heavens and auto-shooters: Vampire Survivors | There could be only one choice for this category, given how all other games are called survivors-likes for a reason! 

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.

Brilliant roguelite top-down and third-person shooters: Returnal | Bit of a broad one, but with our other favourite action-roguelites featured elsewhere, we were obliged to mention Returnal here. 

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.

Strategy Roguelikes: FTL Faster Than Light | Another classic roguelike that we’re still playing years after launch.

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! 

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