Best Roguelike Games For Fast-Paced Gameplay, Ranked

The roguelike genre has stood the test of time in gaming. From indie games to triple-A, the roguelike, or roguelite, structure has been used to create an amazing variety of gaming experiences. Developers have used this conceit to create everything from clever, intertwining narratives focused on one character, to infinitely playable, procedurally generated playgrounds.

It feels like almost every kind of gameplay has been explored in the roguelike structure, too. Roguelike FPS, roguelike platformers, roguelike card games — the list goes on. Some roguelikes like to create tension with slow and tactical gameplay. These titles, however, all opt for lightning-fast minute-to-minute gameplay to keep the thirst for one more run going.

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8

Rogue Legacy 2

Rogue Bloodlines

Rogue Legacy 2 combines platforming, roguelite progression, and side-scrolling combat. The gameplay foundation is solid, but the game’s hook makes it even better. Each run represents a new member of a player’s bloodline continuing their quest, and they each have random genetic traits. Traits range from useful to wacky, and complement the game’s existing class system.

The combat of Rogue Legacy doesn’t need the fastest reflexes and responses to play well, but the game handles progression at a nice, quick pace. Players can steamroll through enemies when they get a bit of momentum in a run. Being a roguelite, death can still happen in the blink of an eye, but the meta-progression elements of Rogue Legacy 2 mean that death never feels like a huge progression blocker.

7

Enter The Gungeon

Gun Runners

When it comes to fast-paced gameplay, the top-down bullet hell of Enter The Gungeon rubs shoulders with the best. Offensive options are plentiful, but the random rooms and enemy compositions can quickly overwhelm unprepared players. Having the ability to dodge roll and create ad-hoc obstacles in a room with kicks adds a strategic layer to the combat that never takes away from the pacing.

The one area where new players may feel that the game slows down is the meta progression, as permanent progress can be difficult to achieve. Once players are further into the game, this becomes less relevant as different NPCs are collected at the hub, and shortcuts can be opened up. The minute-to-minute gameplay remains fast and frantic, especially in the game’s numerous boss fights.

6

Risk Of Rain 2

Risk And Reward

As difficulty scales with the player’s level and progress in Risk of Rain 2, later fights can turn into a chaotic whirl of bullets and lasers. This is especially true for multiplayer gameplay. Four players defending at a teleporter can look like something akin to a bullet-hell, although the third-person shooter gameplay doesn’t go quite that far.

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The risk-reward loop of Risk of Rain 2 allows players to continuously cycle levels and scale their power, and thus the difficulty, to incredible degrees. There are a number of survivors to play, and some of the gameplay styles lend themselves to a faster pace than others. But overall, the third-person shooter chaos comes thick and fast once players progress a few levels.

5

Noita

Physics Wizardry

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Noita

Systems

Released

October 15, 2020

Developer(s)

Nolla Games

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Noita has its moments of downtime, when players are sat in between zones, fixated on creating the perfect wand. Once players are in the thick of the action, though, there’s no resting for even a moment. Once projectiles start flying and hundreds of unpredictable physics-based reactions start occurring, death and victory can both happen in an instant.

This only intensifies as players progress down the games’ floors. Enemies become more numerous, stronger, and bigger. The player’s ability to create completely broken damage outputs is tempered both by enemies being able to do the same, and the likelihood that any strong creation can easily backfire in the player’s face in unpredictable ways. Controlling the little levitating wizard while firing off spells requires some deft finger-work with a mouse and keyboard, too.

4

The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth

Twin Stick Despair

From its uniquely unsettling setting and religious themes, to attacking enemies with Isaac’s salty tears, saying that The Binding of Isaac has some dark themes would be an understatement. Still, the top-down twin-stick shooter gameplay is fast, fun, and infinitely replayable.

Even those who experienced the original Flash-based game would admit that the re-release, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, surpasses the first iteration. The graphics are improved, and features and content were added that co-creator Ed McMillen has said weren’t possible because of the limitations of the original. The Binding of Isaac is one of the primary games that reignited the passion for the roguelike genre, and Rebirth is worth playing today.

3

Returnal

Unique Narrative Bullet hell

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Returnal

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Released

April 30, 2021

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Roguelike games often sideline storytelling, providing only cryptic opening and ending cutscenes. Returnal is the complete opposite, using its roguelike structure to weave a narrative that keeps the player invested as they progress. Without going too deep into spoilers, the game uses death and repetition as core story elements, creating a unique narrative roguelike.

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Outside of that, the gameplay of Returnal is pure adrenaline-fueled, third-person bullet hell. Standing still leads to a quick death, and the game gives the player plenty of maneuverability to navigate its combat arenas while dodging shots and dealing death. The meta-progression elements are there, but the game strikes a satisfying balance between the classic “start again from nothing” approach, and the more modern roguelite approach of continuous progress.

2

Hades

Battle Out Of Hell

Stepping into the shoes of Zagreus and escaping his father’s underworld domain is the core plot of Hades. To achieve this goal, players will have to fight through room after room of enemy battles, gauntlets and bosses. The gameplay allows for ranged and melee options in combat, but either way, staying mobile and reacting quickly is essential.

The combat can often reach a frantic pace in the latter stages of a run, as Zagreus dodges poison-flinging fiends, traps and environmental effects while trying to return attacks. The bosses, too, require fast reactions. Players will need to learn their most damaging attacks and how to avoid them to get through, especially in the final encounter with the God of the Dead himself.

1

Dead Cells

The Speedrunner’s Roguelike

When it comes to fast-paced gameplay in a roguelike, there can only be one winner. Dead Cells dedicates itself to providing a challenging, learnable experience and provides for a number of playstyles. Yet, once players are skilled enough, speed is king, with extra rewards waiting for those who get through the campaign levels fast enough.

This isn’t easy, and requires finding routes in procedurally generated environments, as well as being able to navigate enemies without taking too long to engage them. Even outside the speedrunning focus, the gameplay can never be described as slow, whether players are going for fast times or not. Attacking first and making good use of weapons and abilities is essential to survival, and even normal enemies will keep players on their toes in the latter areas.

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