Best Roguelike Games on Steam: 14 Picks for Every Taste

The best roguelike games all share one irresistible loop: you start a run, build something clever and slightly unstable, lose it, and immediately want another go. Every attempt is different, so the fifth hour feels as fresh as the first, and getting better is the real reward.

Below are 14 roguelikes on Steam, sorted by how you like to play. Whether you want fast sword-and-spell combat, a deck of cards to break, or a screen full of explosions you barely control, one of these should fit.

Quick picks: the best roguelike games on Steam at a glance

What is a roguelike, and how hard are they?

A roguelike is a game built around runs. Each attempt gives you a temporary character, a random layout and a pile of choices. If you die, the run ends and you start over. The name comes from Rogue, a 1980 dungeon crawler that gave the genre its template: randomly generated levels and permanent death.

You will often see a second word, roguelite. A roguelite is a looser version where some progress, like new unlocks or permanent upgrades, carries over after death. The line is blurry, and Steam store pages use both terms freely. This list includes games from across that spectrum, because the question that matters is whether a game is satisfying to restart.

Are they hard? They are built around failing, so yes, you will lose a lot. But the difficulty is usually the kind that teaches. You learn enemy patterns, spot card combinations, and make better choices each time. Several picks below, such as Hades and Vampire Survivors, also reward you for losing, so a bad run still moves you forward.

Is a roguelike an RPG? Traditionally yes, since the early ones were dungeon-crawling role-playing games. Today the label covers shooters, card games and strategy games too, so some picks here have RPG elements and some do not.

Action roguelikes with fast, skilled combat

If you want your reflexes tested and your build to matter, start here. These are the best roguelike games for players who like to dodge, aim and feel fast.

Hades

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Hades is the easiest recommendation for anyone new to the genre. You play the Prince of the Underworld, fighting out of the realm of the dead with weapons and powers from Olympus. Combat is quick and readable, and each run’s story beats make dying feel like progress rather than punishment.

It suits players who want a roguelike with character and narrative. It is single-player with full controller support, comes from the makers of Bastion, Transistor and Pyre, and Steam lists its reviews as Overwhelmingly Positive.

Hades II

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Hades II keeps the formula and widens it. You play the Princess of the Underworld, using dark sorcery against the Titan of Time in a bigger, deeper mythic world. Steam describes a story that keeps unfolding through your setbacks, which is exactly what made the first game so hard to put down.

It is the pick for anyone who finished the original and wants more, or who wants the newest take on the style. It is single-player with full controller support, released Sep 25, 2025, and its Steam reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

Dead Cells

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Dead Cells describes itself as a roguelite, metroidvania-inspired action-platformer. A metroidvania is a game of connected exploration where new abilities open new areas. Here you possess a series of bodies and fight through a sprawling, ever-changing castle with no checkpoints, using what Steam calls 2D souls-lite combat.

It suits players who like punishing but fair combat, and who want to move quickly through levels rather than stop and plan. It is single-player with full controller support and Steam Workshop, and Steam reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

Enter the Gungeon

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Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell dungeon crawler. You pick a hero, shoot and dodge roll through a series of floors packed with the Gundead and tough bosses, and buy items from merchants to gain an edge. Bullet hell means screens full of slow, dense projectiles you weave between.

It suits anyone who enjoys dodging patterns and a big pile of silly guns. Steam lists single-player, multi-player and shared/split-screen play, and notes you can team up in co-op, so it works with a friend on the same couch.

Returnal

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Returnal brings a big-budget feel to the genre. You play Selene, who has crash-landed on a shape-shifting alien world and must fight through it in a third-person shooter with bullet hell clashes. The store page also mentions Suspend Cycle, Photo and Co-op modes.

It suits players who want a roguelike that looks and plays like a blockbuster shooter, with a lonely, mysterious mood. Steam lists single-player and online co-op, Windows only, with a Very Positive review summary.

Deckbuilding and strategy roguelikes

A deckbuilder starts you with a small set of cards and has you add, remove and combine them as you go. Turn-based, no twitch reflexes needed. If you prefer thinking to dodging, these are the best roguelike games to try.

Slay the Spire

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Slay the Spire is the game that made card-based roguelikes a style of their own. Each climb gives you a new route, new cards and new relics, and the aim is to build a deck whose pieces work together. Steam says the layout of the Spire differs every attempt.

It suits patient planners who love finding a combo that suddenly works. It is single-player with full controller support and Steam Workshop, and reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

Balatro

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Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder. You play valid poker hands, combine them with unusual Joker cards, and try to earn enough chips to beat each blind. The fun is in discovering how a handful of Jokers can multiply into outrageous scores.

Steam lists a campaign with eight difficulties plus challenge and seeded runs, so there is plenty of room to grow. It suits anyone who likes number-go-up satisfaction. You do not need to know poker well, though it helps. Single-player, Overwhelmingly Positive reviews.

Monster Train

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Monster Train is a deckbuilder with a twist: you defend a train to hell across three vertical floors against forces from heaven. You choose a primary and a supporting clan from five, which changes the cards you can draw, and visit locations between fights to upgrade units and cards.

It suits players who liked Slay the Spire and want a more spatial puzzle. Steam lists single-player and online PvP, Windows only, and its reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

Inscryption

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Inscryption blends a deckbuilding roguelike with escape-room style puzzles and psychological horror. You collect woodland creature cards in unsettling ways and uncover what is lurking in a cabin. Steam is clear that the game wanders into unexpected places, so it is best to know little going in.

It suits players who want a mystery and an atmosphere as much as a card game. It is single-player, comes from the creator of Pony Island and The Hex, and has Overwhelmingly Positive reviews.

FTL: Faster Than Light

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FTL calls itself a spaceship simulation roguelike-like. You take your ship and crew on a trip through a randomly generated galaxy, handling fights, events and tough calls under pressure. Steam notes the free Advanced Edition expansion comes included.

It suits players who like managing a crew and living with the consequences of a bad jump. Single-player, with Overwhelmingly Positive reviews, and a good fit if you want something older and more tactical than the rest.

Roguelikes built on chaotic builds

These games hand you more power each minute and challenge you to survive what that power attracts. They are the best roguelike games for players who enjoy a build that goes slightly out of control.

Vampire Survivors

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Vampire Survivors is a time-survival game with minimal controls and roguelite elements. You move, your weapons fire themselves, and you collect gems and choose upgrades while hundreds of monsters close in. Gold from each run buys upgrades for the next survivor.

It suits short sessions and anyone who wants a relaxed way into the genre. Steam lists single-player, multi-player, online co-op and Remote Play Together, and the store page mentions local co-op for up to 4 players. Reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

Risk of Rain 2

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Risk of Rain 2 puts you on an alien planet, fighting through hordes of monsters and enormous bosses. Steam says more than 110 items combine in surprising ways, and a scaling system makes both you and your enemies stronger as a run goes on.

It suits friends who want to build monstrous characters together. Steam lists single-player, online co-op and online PvP, on Windows, and reviews are Very Positive.

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

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The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy roguelike elements. Isaac descends into a basement full of deranged enemies and finds bizarre treasures that change his form and abilities. The story is dark, and the game is not for every mood.

It suits players who love discovering weird item interactions. Steam lists single-player, multi-player, shared/split-screen and Remote Play Together, and it has more than 460,000 reviews rated Overwhelmingly Positive.

Noita

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Noita is a magical action roguelite where every pixel is physically simulated. You burn, freeze, melt and explode your way through a procedurally generated world using spells you combine yourself. Steam describes it as more interactive than almost anything else you have seen.

It suits experimenters who enjoy making a mess and learning from it. It is single-player on Windows with Steam Workshop support, and reviews are Overwhelmingly Positive.

How to choose among the best roguelike games for you

• New to the genre: start with Hades or Vampire Survivors. Both reward a bad run.
• Prefer thinking over reflexes: try Slay the Spire, Balatro or Monster Train.
• Want to play with friends: Risk of Rain 2, Vampire Survivors and Enter the Gungeon list co-op or split-screen. Our co-op picks are a good next stop.
• Want story: Hades, Hades II and Inscryption lean hardest on it.

Two mistakes are common. The first is quitting after a few early losses. Most of these games expect you to fail while you learn, and the first win often comes after several hours. The second is chasing the strongest item every time. A balanced build usually lasts longer than a flashy one that collapses.

If your tastes run elsewhere, browse our best games on Steam hub or the games like topic page. If you prefer a calmer pace, games like Stardew Valley may suit you better, and upcoming games shows what Steam lists as on the way.

Which of the best roguelike games should you play first?

If you only pick one, make it Hades. It is welcoming, polished and rewarding, and it shows why people love the genre. If cards are more your thing, Slay the Spire is the classic, and Balatro is the newest way to get hooked.

Every game here has a Steam page with screenshots and a trailer, so a quick look at the cards above will tell you which one feels right. Roguelikes are cheap to try in terms of time: one run shows you whether the loop clicks.

Questions and answers

Which game invented the roguelike?

The genre is named after Rogue, a 1980 dungeon-crawling game with randomly generated levels and permanent death. Players later used the word roguelike for games that followed its approach. Most modern picks on Steam, like Hades or Slay the Spire, are looser descendants that keep the run-based structure.

Are roguelike games hard?

They are built around losing and trying again, so you will fail often. Most of the difficulty is about learning enemy patterns, card synergies or item combinations. Many modern picks, such as Hades, Vampire Survivors and Balatro, give permanent upgrades or difficulty options so progress still feels steady.

Is roguelike an RPG?

Traditionally yes. The original roguelikes were dungeon-crawling role-playing games with character stats, loot and permanent death. Today the label stretches across action games, card games and shooters, so a roguelike may have RPG elements, as Hades does, or none at all, as with the poker-based Balatro.

What is the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite?

A traditional roguelike resets almost everything when you die. A roguelite usually lets you keep some progress between runs, such as unlocks or upgrades. In practice the words overlap, and Steam stores often use the roguelike tag for both, so treat them as two ends of one spectrum.

Can you play roguelikes with friends?

Yes, a few of the best have co-op. On Steam, Vampire Survivors lists online and local co-op, Risk of Rain 2 lists online co-op, Enter the Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth list split-screen play, and Returnal lists online co-op.