4 Incredible Rougelikes to Help Play the Day Away

Written by Jacob Butler

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Kevin Wright on Unsplash

Summer is nearly upon us, and with it tends to come a sudden abundance of free time. Video games are a great way to spend this time, as they serve as a mental break and are also rather useful for developing certain cognitive skills, which can help students with their upcoming schooling. While there are thousands of games that can serve this purpose, there are few that can do it as well as roguelikes. 

A roguelike is a type of video game that procedurally generates its levels, meaning that every playthrough will involve a unique and random combination of enemies, items, and level layouts, which creates an endlessly replayable experience. It's also an extremely varied genre, allowing for many different types of experiences that are tailored to all sorts of different interests and play styles. There are so many great roguelikes to choose from, but here are four of my favourites.

Hades 

Photo from Supergiant Games

Hades is a roguelike with impressive visuals, a fantastic story, and hyper-engaging gameplay. The Game follows Zagreus, son of Hades, as he tries to fight his way out of the underworld. The game has super fun mechanics, with a wide variety of powers, weapons, and enemies alongside very fast-paced and dynamic combat. Where the game really excels though, is in its story. Hades is filled with compelling characters and great dialogue, and the game offers players plenty of chances to develop character relationships and plot threads. 

Perfect for: Fans of quick and complicated combat, and anyone looking for a roguelike with an interesting story. 

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, IOS

Price: $32.50 on PC, $31.49 for Nintendo Switch, $24.99 for Xbox, $33.49 for Playstation, Hades IOS requires a Netflix subscription. 

Website: https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

The Binding of Isaac is one of my favourite games of all time. Its gameplay consists of travelling through a series of rooms, collecting items, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to uncover the game's story. The Binding of Isaac is chock-full of content, with hundreds of items, enemies, and rooms to explore. It also has an immense variety of playable characters, each with unique and powerful abilities that help make every playthrough even more distinct. The game's challenge comes from accounting for all the different enemy types and puzzles that the game presents, and if that challenge is too much for some players, the game has several difficulty options and game modes to help players find their footing. It also boasts an impressive story, with 22 Endings that help explore the game's heavy themes of religious trauma. The Binding of Isaac is an exceptional game, and it's easy to become hooked by its great gameplay and story. 

Perfect for: Fans of dungeon crawler-style games, puzzle games, and players looking for tons of variety and a solid story. 

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, IOS

Price: $16.99 on PC $14.99 on Xbox and Playstation, $19.99 on IOS, $39.99 on Nintendo Switch (Includes Afterbirth+DLC)

Website:https://store.steampowered.com/app/113200/The_Binding_of_Isaac/

Luck be a Landlord 

Photo from the official The Binding of Isaac page on Steam

Luck be a Landlord is a luck-based strategy game with simple yet extremely entertaining gameplay. The game consists of players adding slots to a slot machine each turn, before playing the slot machine in an attempt to make enough money to pay rent. Each combination of slots has unique effects, which encourages players to think carefully about what slots they choose. The game's simplicity makes it extremely engaging at a casual level, and the immense variety of slots and the ways that they interact with each other rewards players who are willing to be more strategic about their choices. It's an extremely addictive game that I often find myself returning to whenever I'm looking for a very fun, casual gaming experience. 

Perfect for: Fans of strategy and luck-based games, and players looking for a more casual experience.

Platforms: PC, Android, IOS

Price: $12.99 on PC, $6.99 on IOS and Android

Website: https://trampolinetales.com/

Death Road to Canada

Death Road to Canada is a randomly generated road trip simulator that follows a group of humans during the Zombie Apocalypse trying to escape to Canada. The game pairs a retro-style beat-em-up experience with a choose-your-own-adventure game, offering players many choices throughout the adventure that will help determine their survival. It’s got a cool, retro aesthetic, fun comedic dialogue, and a variety of events, items and characters that keep each run feeling unique. On top of that, it has many awesome additional features, like a custom character creator, with which players can design hitchhikers that they may meet in the game. It also allows for multiplayer, which only adds to its replayability. It's feature-rich, incredibly engaging, and overall an absolute blast to play. 

Perfect for: Fans of Old School Beat-em-ups, choose your own adventure games, and comedic games. 

Platforms: PC, Android, IOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch

Price: $14.99 on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Playstation, $16.99 on Windows, 19.99 on 

IOS and Android

Website: http://www.deathroadtocanada.com/

Each of these games are fantastic in their own right, and each offers unique and endlessly enjoyable experiences. They’re engaging and provide an excellent summer activity for anyone. I personally have spent many summer days playing through these games, and I hope you found one that you enjoy as much as I have! 

Melissa Alvarez Del Angel