Summary
The rogue-lite genre has become increasingly popular in recent years, with games such asRogue Legacy 2,Hades, andVampire Survivorsbeing some of the most popular examples. These games often feature gameplay loops that are familiar withthe classic rogue-like genre, but make a few sizable changes in the name of accessibility and replay value. Although it could be argued that almost any rogue-like bereft ofturn-based combatis no longer much like the originalRogue, many players understand rogue-lites as rogue-likes with permanent progression.
While this isn’t the only change to the genre that can pull a game out of its rogue-like roots, it’s certainly the most common, and the most obvious. At the more subtle end of the spectrum, these progression systems simply allow players to unlock new items/areas/characters to find/play as in future runs. However, more often than not, these systems directly influence the player’s strength.
This uniqueindie strategy gameis an innovative combination of city-builder gameplay and a rogue-lite structure. InAgainst The Storm, playersbuild a variety of small settlements, abandoning them once they’ve completed their given objectives. While this sounds antithetical to the genre,Against The Stormtaps into the sheer fun that’s often derived from the start ofa standard city-builder, and its rogue-lite elements are deftly woven into its gameplay. This tight, fast-paced loop of building small settlements is what makesAgainst The Storm’sprogression feel so rewarding.
As players progress throughAgainst The Storm, building settlements and completing objectives, they’llearn resources that can be spent on meta-progressionin the hub world in between runs. These upgrades ensure players are always progressing and provide helpful boons for future runs, as well as new content for players to explore.
Streets Of Rogueis a top-downaction rogue-like/rogue-litewith elements ofpermanent progressionthat push it towardthe rogue-lite genre. However, this permanent progression doesn’t make the player stronger over time, keepingStreets Of Roguecloser to a game about player skill than most other rogue-lites.
Streets Of Roguefeaturesseveral kinds of progressionthat add toits replay valueand work to encourage players to play the game over and over. By completing specific objectives, players can unlock a wide variety of playable characters, each of which changes the game in unique ways.
This action-packed rogue-lite, themed aroundGreek Mythology and the Underworld, takes a story-driven approach to its design. Because of this, developers, Supergiant Games (the prominent indie team behind games such asBastionandPyre), opted to includeheavy amounts of meta-progressionin the game’s design, encouraging players to keep returning to the game and rewarding them for repeat plays. This ensures that players remain engaged as they progress through the narrative.
Hadesfeatures asimple but intuitive progression systemin which players spend meta-currency between runs to upgrade their abilities and strengthen themselves for their next run. While this does make the game easier over time, players have to frequently take risks to acquire this meta-currency, and the game’s heat system can counterbalance this if the player finds the game too easy as a result.
This top-down shooter features action rogue-like gameplay in a rogue-lite structure, in which playerscollect meta-currency over the course of multiple runsand spend it to unlock new items. Unlike many rogue-lites, however,Enter The Gungeonnever directly increases the player’s power. Instead, playersunlock new active items and gunsto discover in their next run through the game.
Enter The Gungeonis packed with these unlockable items, and it can take players hours to unlock everything the game has to offer. While these new items and weapons don’t directly influence the player’s strength, many of them are extremely powerful additions to the player’s potential arsenal. Furthermore, they provide a great deal of variety to the otherwise repetitive gameplay loop.
This action-platformer is a combination of the Metroidvania and rogue-lite genres, tasking players withdelving through dungeons in a run-based fashion. WhileDead Cellsfeatures permanent death, players can also collect and spend meta-currency on permanent upgrades.
However,Dead Cellsdoesn’t just feature standard rogue-lite upgrades but classic Metroidvania elements as well. This means thatDead Cellsfrequently encourages players toexplore as they fighttheir way through the game, slowly (and permanently) unlocking abilities that allow them to explore new areas. This offers a unique sense of progression that’s not often seen in the rogue-lite genre.
This indie action RPG features a well-crafted, pixel-art aesthetic and weighty combat wrapped in a rogue-lite package. Despite using the rogue-lite formula for its gameplay loop,Children Of Mortais anRPG at heart and features a progression system that’s in keeping with the genre.
Children Of Mortais a story-driven rogue-lite, which allows it to lean into its elements of permanent progression in a more natural way than other games in the genre. The game’s action-RPG elements make up for most ofChildren Of Morta’sprogression; players canlevel up, gain new skills, and unlock passive upgradesthat give them a leg-up in the next run.
When players die inRogue Legacy, they pick a new character with their own set of unique strengths and weaknesses. Each run, players cancollect meta-currencythat can be spent onupgrading the family manor and gain new persistent upgradesthat strengthen them for future runs.
This progression feels natural thanks to the succession theme, which ties into the meta-progression perfectly. Furthermore,Rogue Legacy 2features aNew Game+ mode that allows players to make the game harderon themselves, ensuring that there’s still a challenge.
