The 10 Best Action Roguelikes Games

Hades

Hades might as well have been the game of the year, and in fact, it was for many of us who were stuck at home during the pandemic. But what makes us love this game is that, between runs, we can talk to the various inhabitants of the underworld, including our father Hades. Not only do they allow us to improve and advance missions, but they always have something new to say. The amount of dialogue in this game is insane! | © Supergiant

The Binding of Isaac

One of the genre's forefathers, and for good reason. With a near top-down gameplay style that references the early Zelda games and a cartoonish style reminiscent of the Flash era on Newgrounds, The Binding of Isaac has received many remakes, DLCs, mods, and all kinds of improvements and characters, which you can permanently unlock if you manage to obtain them during your run. But I warn you, the game is a bit gross, and maybe sacrilegious! | © Nicalis

Enter the Gungeon

Imagine a dungeon where everything that enters becomes a gun. The wizards' wands have turned into firearms, enemies into projectiles and giant cartridges, and all the upgrades are made to enhance your gattling gameplay, all with the goal of firing the bullet that can kill the past (literally). But if the incredible music and pixelated artstyle aren't enough to captivate you, just look at the great number of puns in it. No, you're not fighting a dragon, but a DRAGUN! | © Devolver

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors is so awesome that it created its own genre, known as "survivor-like." But before having this category and thousands of clones, we could only define it as a roguelike. And even though you're not actively attacking anyone, you'll be unlocking content with each game you play and using the earnings to improve your characters' stats. And I warn you: Unlocking some of these characters is quite an odyssey... | © poncle

Children of Morta

What sets Children of Morta apart from many other roguelikes is its story, which is usually overlooked in this genre of video games. It's about a family of adventurers, each with their own skills and playstyle, who will appear between runs. As you play more, the family's mansion expands with new rooms, features, and even pets. Plus, it's perfect for playing with friends! | © 11 bit studios

Wizard of Legend

Despite the many pseudo-isometric action games out there, none come close to the magical adrenaline of Wizard of Legend. Imagine you and your friends as swift wizards firing lightning bolts and fireballs at high speed while dodging in fast-paced combat. And since this game is perfect for playing with friends, you'll be improving between runs together, helping each other out. The real magic is the power of friendship! | © Contingent99

Nuclear Throne

Ah, another one of the OGs. Nuclear Throne manages to blend its world with the roguelike genre. There is no better example of the word ludonarrative! If roguelikes are all about playing multiple runs to unlock upgrades, how about a game where you are a nuclear abomination in a post-apocalyptic world, mutating each time you play, thus improving your own body? Oh, and the pyramid character has to be a reference to Bill Cipher... right? | © Vlambeer

Dead Estate

You know the classic horror story where our protagonists hide in a haunted mansion to escape a horde of zombies? That's the premise of Dead Estate, where you'll have to perform specific actions in each run to unlock new characters, who not only have their own different playstyles but also their own stories and reasons for entering the mansion. Maybe not everyone was simply escaping the zombie horde... Maybe some just came for the witch character... and I guess you know why. | © 2 Left Thumbs

Curse of the Dead Gods

Play, die, try again, die again, and try once more. It's starting to feel like a curse, right? Curse of the Dead Gods brings us the action of isometric games like Diablo, with real-time combat where you not only have to deal with hordes of monsters and traps but also with curses. Each of these curses will make your run very different from the others... | © Focus Entertainment

Moonlighter

And to close this list, let's try a lesser-known game. Moonlighter puts a twist on the action roguelike genre, as you have to take care of your village and its inhabitants between runs. Additionally, the weapon selling system doesn't work like in Skyrim, where anyone will buy your 200 wheels of cheese. No, here you have to manage your own shop, setting prices for items and improving the establishment. If the reviews discourage you from trying it, don't worry: it has received hundreds of updates since its initial release. | © 11 bit studios