I’ve recently shaken a multiyear addiction to Slay the Spire just to replace it with yet another Hades binge. I also just played the crap out of Cult of the Lamb and Into the Breach, and just discovered the joys of Balatro. These games are challenging, addictive, and amazing– I dare say roguelikes are the best of all games to ever exist.
What is a Roguelike Game?
Putting it simply– it’s a game that only ends when you either clear the winning condition or lose/die. After that, everything resets. In most roguelikes, you gain something with each run thru. For instance, in Hades you gain jewels, darkness, keys, and other collectibles you use to buff up your stats. However, not every roguelike is as merciful– in Slay the Spire, you start from square one each time, as well as Balatro. At least in Balatros, you do get access to new decks to play with and unlock new Jokers with subsequent playthroughs.
Another feature of roguelike games is that each playthru is unique. In Hades, Cult of the Lamb, and Into the Breach, the maps are randomly generated each time. In Slay the Spire, the order of enemies changes each time and with each act, you fight a roster of different bosses.This randomness keeps the games fresh and allows you to explore different strategies with each playthru.
I would say another common factor (and perhaps what makes roguelikes so addictive and fun) is the infusion of luck into the gameplay. The right relic or card at the right time in Slay the Spire can mean the difference between losing to the Act I boss and an A20 Heart kill. But I would argue that if luck is too much of a factor in any game, it will eventually lose its appeal.
1. Modern Games are Too Easy
If you’re north of 30 years old or an old school gamer, you’ve probably noticed that many modern games are really easy. They save automatically for you, they allow you to restart right where you died, or they make it so your opponents are almost always weaker than you (looking at you, Fortnight bots and modern Pokemon games). Maybe I’m a dying breed of gamer that enjoys a true challenge but I’d like to think with the rapid proliferation of roguelike games I’m not the only one.
For the sake of argument, I’m not talking about PvP (player vs. player) games like your COD: Warzone or Rocket League. The fact that you’re up against other human players makes it inherently challenging and basically impossible to max out on difficulty. And this is a big reason these types of games are hugely popular– people try to be the best at them. I’ve gotten my ass handed to me by many a sailor-mouthed 12-year-old and I hold no delusions about my skill in these games.
Honestly, what soured me on some PvP games was not getting my ego shattered time and time again, but the fact that they added bots into the PvP mix. Back in the early Fortnite days, it felt like a real accomplishment to me to achieve even the top 20, nevermind get a Victory Royale. Now, I can’t tell if I’m playing a bot or not. Granted, I haven’t touched Fortnite in years now so maybe this issue is fixed.
But I ramble– and let me qualify– modern PvE (player vs. environment) games are too easy. And for some people, that’s not a problem. Playing video games for relaxation is completely valid, as seen with the success of games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. But those games aren’t for me, because I’m a complete masochist that wants to be inches away from chucking my controller at the screen. I’m the gamer that wants a sequel to F-Zero GX, which is the only game that ever caused me to break something.
2. Bang for Your Buck
Most roguelike games are produced by indie studios on fairly shoestring budgets. They also don’t take 10 years to develop and vast teams to make them. Therefore, they tend to be a bit cheaper– just a few days ago, I picked up Balatro for $12. Judging by my enjoyment of the game so far, that’s an absolute steal. In the days of drop boxes, endless skins to buy, seasons, and all that nonsense, it’s nice to have games that you can come back to and still be entertained for hours and hours. I’ve played Slay the Spire more than all my Zelda Switch titles combined and payed 1/10th the price basically. If you’re a price-conscious gamer, I’d argue these games are the best way to spend your hard-earned dosh.
3. Lady Luck
An undeniable aspect of what makes rougelikes fun is sheer luck coming into play. I personally hate actual gambling with money, since the house always wins. But the rush of uncertainty and fun that comes with making a bet is undeniable. Luck and sheer chance makes games not only addictive, but also fun to keep going back to. And you only lose the money you spent on the game. I have a feeling if casinos replaced slots with Balatro, I’m pretty sure people would get addicted to that and stop throwing down their cold hard cash.
4. supporting the Little Guy
From my knowledge, most roguelikes out there are indie games and made by smaller studios. While I like AAA games as much as the next person (currently also playing Red Dead 2 as a matter of fact), it feels good to back the underdog rather than your EAs and Nintendos. You also get less of the DLC BS, devs that actually fix bugs and interact with the community, and the feeling you’re influencing the future of games with your money. While games like Slay the Spire, Balatro, and Into the Breach aren’t the prettiest graphically, it allows devs to not be so focused on the more superficial parts of gaming and focus more on finessing the gameplay and balance of these games. However, you still get graphical masterpieces in the roguelike genre, like Hades and Dead Cells.
5. Genre-Defying
While roguelike may be a common label applied to these games, their genres vary. Some are deckbuilders, like Balatro and Slay the Spire. Others are more hack-and-slashy, like Hades or Cult of the Lamb. But Cult of the Lamb is also a base builder/messed up cousin of Animal Crossing and Hades is more akin to a Baldur’s Gate/Diablo than to CotL. Into the Breach also dabbles in the puzzle genre as much as turn-based strategy. If you’re open to genre-bending creativity and not sold on playing games of just one genre, I’ve found roguelikes a fun way to give games from genres you wouldn’t normally play a chance.
Play These Games!
I promise you won’t be disappointed if you’re a hardcore, long time gamer like me who’s a bit disillusioned with many modern AAA titles. The only problem is how good these games are– you might get hooked. I’d love to hear about more roguelikes you’ve played and plan on trying more (FtL is next up…). We’re in a great era of indie gaming and it’s a lot of fun seeing how creative these devs can get. Now excuse me as I get back to playing my Balatro machine, erm I mean my Switch.
