One of the biggest gaming success stories of 2020 was the roguelike ARPGHadesfrom indie studio Supergiant Games. After being released in September out of early access,Hadeswas met with universal critical acclaim and a massive following. Winning multiple awards at theGolden Joystick Awardsand the Game Awards 2020,Hadeshelped the roguelike genre generate mainstream attention with its emphasis on narrative.
InHades,while the player will often die, they also continue to receive buffs, treasures, and weapons, making subsequent runs a little easier. This mechanic along with the use of procedurally generated rooms and enemies define the roguelike genre. WhileHadeshas undoubtedly become the new face of the genre, there are a number of fantastic indie roguelikes that players should not miss out on.
Updated July 16, 2025, by Huzaifa Haq:Supergiant’s success withHadesmight seem like it came out of nowhere, but the studio has been in the game making business for a while, withincredible titles likeBastionandTransistorunder its name. With the early access release of their sequel toHades, it is about time to revisit this list and update it with some new competitors that have entered the arena.Hadesis a roguelike game with an incredible amount of polish and a lot of character, but there are roguelites — games that blend the roguelike genre with another one — that are sure to strike fans' fancy as well.
Everyone has played the hero fighting off hordes of monsters and slaying the big bad necromancer attacking the castle. ButSkul: The Hero Slayerasks players to approach the same situation from a different perspective: that of the monsters.
Instead of a traditional story about humans fighting off skeletons, the player takes control of a cute little skeleton that goes to fight off the big bad human army that’s threatening to destroy its entire life. The gamefeatures a variety of powers, cute graphics, and a surprisingly gripping story.
An in-depth look at the final moments of Black Iron Prison, from theCallisto Protocol,REDACTEDhas the player take control of a guard fighting through hordes of monsters, and a couple of fellow would-be-escapees, to reach the last shuttle leaving the site.
The graphics of the game are unique, with a fun comic-book aesthetic that isn’t found in many titles. This style is a departure from the one used inCallisto Protocol, and the tone of the story is quite different as well. The game features decent combat variety, with a couple of different suits and weapons for the players to choose from.
Gunfire Rebornis an FPS experience that blends progression and roguelike mechanics masterfully. The graphics of the game are a little simplistic, but they only add to the overall charm of the title. The vastweapon selection and character rosterkeeps players coming back for more.
Additionally, the game is co-op, meaning players can finally having a good rogue experience with their friends. There isn’t an intricate story to follow while players smash through enemies, but the combat is good enough to carry the experience to great heights.
The developer ofRealm of Inktook the base ingredients fromHades, combined them in a Chinese-style hot pot, added folklore elements from the great nations of the East, and presentedRealm of Ink. The game has a lot of the same gameplay elements asHades, but has enough differences to keep it from feeling tedious or unoriginal.
The combat feels good and the enemies are quite varied, but the game lacks truly great metaprogression. The currencies are too easy to obtain, the perks aren’t very good, and the player can unlock almost everything after a few semi-successful runs. The game is decent, but it doesn’t have a lot of replayability.
Cult of the Lambgives the player control of a deceptively cute lamb, andtasks them to take over a cult, as one might expect from the name of the game. The gameplay is a mixture of base management, resource gathering, a little fishing, and a lot of roguelike combat.
The game has surprising depth, with tons of customization options and combat mechanics. The contrast between the cute appearance of the player and cult members, and their barbaric practices makes the game very fun to play.
What’s a great game for someone who really likesHades? Why, the direct sequel to the game developed by none other than Supergiant Studios themselves. Admittedly,Hades 2is a little lackingwhen it comes to content and polish compared to the original, but that’s because it’s still in early access.
It can be a little disappointing for someone looking for a fleshed out experience, but it is still a lot better than many other games in the genre. Everything that madeHadesgreat,Hades 2has in droves. Good combat, great lore, amazing dialogue, in-depth lore,and infinite replayability; what was in the original, can be found in the sequel. Hopefully, the full release will resolve any lingering issues the game has.
Wizard of Legend 2brings to life the elemental magic dreams that fantasy nerds all over the world have had since their childhood. Whether itslobbing giant rocks at enemies, summoning a mini tsunami, or firing ice spikes at monsters,Wizard of Legend 2has it all.
The bosses in the game are a little annoying to deal with, but they can be defeated with dedication, the proper tools, and the right mindset. There aren’t a lot of things to upgrade in the game, but players can tweak the difficulty settings in different ways to make their runs more interesting.
Poker is part luck and part skill. Take both those factors, crank them up to 200, pray to the RNG gods, and viola! It’sBalatro. Aroguelike poker game with no microtransactions, no actual gambling, and no predatory design; the only thingBalatrois going to take away is the player’s time.
The game is a single-player experience that has the player counting cards and spamming powerful perks for a chance to win it all. It has a surprising amount of build variety, enough replayability to keep thousands of players coming back, and a score counter that keeps on rising.
Enter the Gungeonis a fast-paced roguelike that deserves all the praise in the world for being such an unapologetically fun game. The game almost feels like a bullet-hell shooter at times, given how much stuff can be happening on the screen at a moment’s notice.
Getting great weapons and blasting the opposition never fails to be entertaining.Enter the Gungeondeserves a ton of credit for its mesmerizing gameplay loop and more people should check this amazing game out.
The idea of combining roguelike gameplay with deck management sounds like a rather odd experiment on paper. So, props should be given toSlay the Spirefor the innovative manner in which the game manages to combine both forms of gameplay together.
The end result isa highly replayable gamethat is a ton of fun to get through. After a few runs, players will have a great set of abilities to tackle even the toughest foes in the game.
