Some of the Most Promising Roguelites You Can Try Right Now On PC
Recently, roguelites have become my go-to genre. Short sessions and lots of fun. Lately, I’ve been on the hunt for some hidden gems, and I think I’ve found a few worth mentioning and now, I’m going to talk about them.
First, let me explain what I mean by roguelites. These are games that feature a system of achievements, allowing you to unlock new content, heroes, and elements as you reach certain in-run objectives, collect coins, special resources, and so on. In technical terms, this is called Meta-Progression. I’m not sure if this system originated with deckbuilders, but it has now spread across all game genres.
So today, I’ll be discussing some of the latest roguelites for PC that I’ve tried, as developers have made some incredibly fun and playable demos available.
Fadedlands
The first game I want to talk about is Fadedlands, an RPG where battles take place on 2D maps similar to Darkest Dungeon. However, the combat system is not what you’d expect from a classic turn-based game. Instead, players must select their move before their turn arrives, and once the time bar is full, the move will be executed.
It might sound simple, but then there’s the movement system, which is crucial for avoiding the most powerful enemy attacks. Trust me, when you start facing more challenging battles and managing multiple characters, you’ll have plenty to think about. In Fadedlands, players gradually unlock and hire different characters, each belonging to a different class, and can also upgrade their campfire, which serves as their main base of operations.
Each character needs to rest between missions, so you’ll have to carefully decide who to send on each mission. These missions include not just combat but also events, items, and, of course, the inevitable boss fights. I can only read a “cooming soon” tag for Fadedlands, so the best shot you have is to try the demo.
Bot Loop
Another really interesting title is Bot Loop. In this roguelite, timing is your only real weapon (besides a dual and double-edged sword). You control a robot programmed to fight other robots, and you must memorize their attack sequences to dodge and deflect blows.
As you fight, your robot levels up, unlocking new skills and chips that can enhance defenses, grant extra turns, and much more. The demo showcases a few features, but in my opinion, the core idea is fun and can keep players hooked for hours.
Bot Loop is developed by Blindsoft and is slated for release in Q3 2024, so if everything stays on schedule, we should be able to play the finished product by the end of September. In any case, try the demo and let me know what you think.
Wild City
Roguelites have this power to keep you coming back for another round, even after a defeat, leaving you with the desire to start over again. This element is certainly present in Wild City, an original project developed by the Italian team Monka Studios.
This deckbuilder roguelite puts you in charge of managing a city populated by animals and insects represented by cards. You’ll need to use these cards strategically on hexagonal grid maps to reach a certain value by the end of the day.
Each card has a specific value that can be maximized by adhering to the particular requirements of the cards. For example, placing an ant card next to another ant card will double the score, or placing a bird card next to a flower card will yield more points, and so on. As you progress, things become more complex with the introduction of buildings that you must adapt to in order to meet the required value by the end of the day.
To understand the mechanics in detail, you just need to try the incredibly fun demo. The release date is not yet known.
Lost For Swords
Another deckbuilder with a unique twist is Lost For Swords, developed by MaxBytes. The standout feature is that the cards in your deck are scattered throughout the map, which you must explore, find, and utilize to defeat monsters and unlock the exit.
As you ascend this ever-changing tower, you must strategically equip weapons and armor, cast potent spells, activate powerful auras, and unearth precious loot to combat a myriad of fearsome monsters. Combat demands careful planning and resource management, as equipment can only be used once before being discarded, challenging players to think several moves ahead. With over 100 unique cards to choose from, every decision shapes the journey, making each playthrough a fresh and exhilarating experience.
I can’t recall if the demo lets you use all the characters since the final game will feature three, but regardless, this adds variety to the gameplay style. The graphic style is right up my alley, with an excellent UI and six distinct towers to conquer, each filled with unique monsters, traps, and bosses, as well as quests and random encounters that can alter the course of a run. The game promises endless replayability. Lost For Swords is also expected to be released by the end of 2024 on PC.
Keykeeper
The last game I want to mention in this article is a traditional roguelike with delightful pixel art. It’s developed by VVW Studio and is called Keykeeper.
The game’s concept revolves around having a predetermined number of keys that allow you to enter a corresponding number of rooms. Once you’ve used all your keys, you’ll face the boss fight. It’s up to you to choose wisely which rooms to explore, as each door will give a general indication of whether the room contains equipment, skills, etc., that will help you be well-armed and leveled up for the boss fight if approached correctly.
The character has three stats that need to be matched with the acquired skills to enhance them and achieve greater effectiveness. It’s an idea that works, and it works very well. Keykeeper is expected to be released sometime in 2024, but you can try the demo on Steam right now.
These are the five roguelite titles I’ve tried recently, but there are many more I’d like to talk about in future articles. In the meantime, I invite you to join me on the New TBL Reddit community to share your favorite roguelites. Ciao
