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Best roguelike and roguelite games we reviewed

Runs, random upgrades and permanent death, from phone dice battlers to PC tactics, judged on whether a run can fail because of you.

What roguelike games are

A roguelike is a game you play in runs. You start with little, pick up random upgrades as you go, and when you die the run is over and you begin again, usually with something permanent unlocked. The appeal is that no two runs go the same way and each one is short enough to try just one more. Roguelite is the looser version of the same idea, where more of your progress carries over between runs.

The label now covers almost everything: card battlers, dice games, tower defense, squad tactics, shooters. On mobile these are usually free with ads. On PC most of what we cover are free Steam demos that already show the whole loop.

Our top 5

  1. Dicero

    Zero forced ads, constant unlocks, and dice that change how you play - our favorite mobile game of 2026 so far.

    Android · iOS · Play it

  2. Fell & Sell

    One of the most unique hybrid loops in indie gaming - dungeon crawling that powers up through shop decor - held back by balance that pulls its punches.

    PC · Play it

  3. Shroom and Gloom

    A roguelike deckbuilder that turns healing into a puzzle you solve with your killing blows.

    PC · Play it

  4. RIPCORE

    Doom-style chaos glued to a roguelike loop with a metal soundtrack - the demo alone kept pulling us back for more runs.

    PC · Play it

  5. Deified

    A really challenging tactical roguelite where every choice can change the course of a run, and the same relics that carry you to a win can just as quickly end 40 minutes of progress.

    PC · Play it

How we judge roguelike games

Roguelike has become the label for anything with runs, random upgrades and permanent death, from dice battlers on a phone to turn-based tactics on PC. We use it the same loose way, so this page covers both roguelikes and roguelites. If you came for one, the other half of the list is probably still relevant.

The question we ask of every one is whether a run can fail because of a choice you made, or only because the game decided so. The best games here, Dicero, Fell & Sell, Shroom and Gloom, let you see a mistake coming. The weaker ones roll the dice for you and sell the fix.

Half of this list is free Steam demos. A demo is a fair thing to review when the loop is complete, and we say in each review how much of the game it shows. Mobile roguelikes get the extra check every mobile game gets from us: whether the ads are forced, and whether progress continues without paying.

What we check

  • A run can fail because of your choice, not a roll
  • The demo shows the whole loop
  • Mobile versions keep ads optional

Worth playing

14

Worth a look

3

Roundups and Indie Pulse