Images courtesy of Shiny Shoe/Good Shepherd Entertainment and Mobygames
You’ve probably seen it everywhere on Card Gamer or other gaming sites; the word roguelike is used to describe a certain type of game, usually (but not always) deckbuilding games, and quite often they’re digital too, though there are definitely some physical card games which have roguelike elements.
So let’s take a look at what the word means and what mechanics and elements a game will have in order to fit in this category.
Where Did the Term Roguelike Come From?
Though it wasn’t the first game to feature the elements that have come to characterize roguelike games, the name itself comes from the 1980 computer adventure game, Rogue, which began life as a game that could be played on powerful college mainframe computers. It proved so popular that it was adapted for home PCs; pictured above is the box art from the early DOS version by Artificial Intelligence Design Systems; below is the slightly updated version by Epyx, again for DOS computers.
It’s been updated and re-released for countless platforms over the years, and can even be played on consoles such as the Nintendo Switch today!
Rogue sends players on a delve through a randomly generated dungeon, with even elements such as the monsters and treasure in each room being randomized. As player death is permanent (known in video games as “permadeath”), each time a new game is started (also known as a “run”), it’s from the beginning of an entirely new dungeon.
Play is turn-based, and in the initial version at least, the visuals were created entirely with ASCII characters, such as letters, numbers, and basic symbols, as you can see in the screenshot below.
Though incredibly simple and primitive, visually at least, the gameplay formula has endured and “roguelikes,” that is to say, games which share some of the mechanics of Rogue, are currently among the most popular genre of video games, with many elements also making their way into some physical games too.
What Mechanics Make a Game a Roguelike?
In the modern usage of the term, roguelike games tend to feature a randomized series of levels to conquer, still characterized as a run, along with permadeath and a large amount of content which can be permanently unlocked, to be used on subsequent runs. The difficulty level of a roguelike is often extremely high, but with experience and access to better stats, items, or cards (or even new characters or difficulty levels), which the player unlocks during previous runs, the chances of success can increase dramatically.
What Examples Are There of Roguelike Games?
Games such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate are roguelikes that aren’t card or turn based, but as you’re reading this on Card Gamer, let’s take a look at what card games feature roguelike elements.
First up, and perhaps the most popular current example, is Balatro. A digital, poker-based roguelike, Balatro also has deckbuilding and permadeath elements, and it’s an incredibly addictive game that’s won numerous industry awards. Check out our review of Balatro for more details.
The digital version of Slay the Spire is largely responsible, in my opinion, for the roguelike genre’s current ubiquity. So what better game to feature next, but its tabletop adaptation: Slay the Spire: The Board Game. Despite being a physical game, it’s a near flawless adaptation of the digital deckbuilding experience, right down to the unlockable content which players can earn over the course of many game sessions. Take a look at our review for more insight into what makes Slay the Spire: The Board Game such a fantastic experience.
Psychological horror game Inscryption is a game which showcases just how flexible the roguelike deckbuilding genre can be. Even though it features familiar elements, such as permadeath, deckbuilding, turn-based combat, and runs through randomized stages, its style is completely unique, and there’s more to it than just the creepy card play.
Taking place in a dimly lit cabin, Inscryption pits you against a mysterious and scary stranger, who poses as different opponents using creepy masks. To say any more would ruin the surprises which are around seemingly every corner in the game, with Inscryption being a truly unusual and peerless experience.
Our final example is Monster Train, which features deckbuilding, turn-based combat, a huge variety of unlockables, and permadeath. The verticality of its almost Tower Defense-esque setting sets it apart from games such as Slay the Spire, as does its beautiful, painterly aesthetic and stunning creature design. Like Inscryption, Balatro, and Slay the Spire, Monster Train is available on the Xbox and PC Game Pass subscription service.
So there you have it; now you know what a roguelike is, and you’ve seen some examples of the different games which can be classified as such. Check out our best card games on Steam article, for a few other suggestions of digital card games (roguelike and otherwise) that you can play on your computer, or even your Steam Deck!
