Summary
Many roguelites take aftergames such asHades, featuring gameplay loops that revolve around action gameplay and creating builds by collecting passive effects. These games also tend to feature meta-progression, usually in the form of permanent character upgrades.
Some roguelites, however, take more inspiration fromthe genre of action role-playing gamesthan they do the roguelike formula. As a result, many of these games feature an abundance of loot to collect, further emphasizing build-crafting as a core part of their gameplay loop over skill-based gameplay.
Much like the smash indie hit,Vampire Survivors, surviving for thirty minutes is all it takes to achieve victory inHalls Of Torment. However, unlikeVampire Survivors,Halls Of Tormentfeatures a whollyunique visual stylereminiscent of old-schoolDiablo, with gameplay to match. InHalls Of Torment, players are able to toggle auto-attack and auto-aim, allowing them to manually hack-and-slash through enemies and prioritize targets themselves.
This results in gameplay that feels closer to the classic hack-and-slash loop ofDiablothan it does to the mindless wandering ofVampire Survivors. LikeVampire Survivors,Halls Of Tormentgrants players access to a variety of traits to choose from every time they level up, butHalls Of Tormentalso features abilities and an abundance of items to loot from treasure chests.
Blending two entirely different phases of gameplay,Moonlightercombines shop-keeping mechanics with classic roguelike dungeon-crawling. The game achieves this by feeding one loop into the other, having players collect lootwhile dungeon-crawlingin order to sell it at their shop.
This is where the roguelite elements come into play, with permanent progression being made above-ground while each run into the dungeon is relatively singular. There’s plenty of inventory management to do, as well, and players will have to deliberate over which items to keep and which to leave behind.
5Into The Necrovale
A Dark And Gloomy Roguelite ARPG
Fluid, fast, and action-packed,Into The Necrovaleis a crunchy roguelite that focuses its effort on build-crafting and skill-based gameplay, featuring a dodge-roll that adds a great deal of skill expression. The game features an old-school pixel-art aesthetic and a gloomy atmosphere that fits perfectly with itsdark fantasy world.
The ARPG loot isInto The Necrovale’sgreatest strength, acting as the primary draw. However, it also features a solid combat system with which to make use of this loot, offering simple but fun hack-and-slash gameplay that’s about as accessible as roguelites can get.
Gunfire Rebornis a first-person shooter with an emphasis on loot and diverse weaponry that’sreminiscent of games likeBorderlandsbut with a roguelite structure. The game features online co-op and a multitude of unique playable characters with their own strengths and weaknesses, allowing players to assemble a variety of teams.
There’s also a strong element of build-crafting toGunfire Reborn’sgameplay, thanks to the sheer variety of weapons and passive items (scrolls), as well as its light RPG character progression in the form of talents.
Loop Herois all about collecting and equipping a massive variety of loot, grinding out loop after loop, battling enemies, and strategically placing new tiles. These tiles add a puzzle-like element toLoop Heroand add some much-needed decision-making to an otherwisesimplistic auto-battler.
SinceLoop Hero’saction is fully automated, much of the strategy is placed on creating a solid build by collecting powerful loot. This results in an experience that can get a little repetitive, but its tightly-designed gameplay loop is also addictive in the best sense of the word.
This first-person roguelite dungeon-crawler features a stark visual style that may be off-putting to some, but it offers an incredibly unique and stylish aesthetic for those that can stomach its harsh colors. The gameplay, however, is the greatest selling point ofMortal Sin.
InMortal Sin, players hack-and-slash their way through all manner of enemies using a diverse arsenal of (mostly) melee weapons. The game also features combos reminiscent ofclassic fighting games, resulting in a meaty, weighty first-person experience that’s fast-paced and intensely rewarding. The game also features roguelite elements in the form of permanent unlocks.
Its moment-to-moment gameplay is just as harsh as a traditional turn-based roguelike, butQuasimorphis made somewhat more forgiving through its nature as an extraction shooter. Gameplay is turn-based but makes use of a unique stance system that players can use to switch between stealthy and aggressive playstyles.
Quasimorphfeatures a great deal of interesting mechanics, from its detailed wound system to the ticking-timer that is the titular Quasimorphosis. The gameplay loop itself, however, is mostly unchanging, revolving around delving into dangerous facilities and attempting to complete an objective while scavenging as much loot as is humanly possible. Death tends to be imminent inQuasimorph, but having a stash of loot to fall back on when a character dies makes every death a little less painful.
