Roguelikes comes in all shapes and forms across genres, ranging from card games to town management, to sports and twin stick shooters. But when you’re feeling like you’re sliced pixels and dicing multiple times, you can hack and slash where it is.
Action Roguelikes is great at providing players with visceral sensations with every hit.
The combat system built on constant repetition and steady improvements is deeply cathartic– The glorious satisfaction that comes from gradually becoming able to pull away from increasingly wild and impressive stunts.
Whether side scrolling or isometric, in gameplay, you can send dozens of enemies with blades, other melee weapons, or even magic. In this list we explore eight roguelikes that are great for achieving a thrilling experience.
8 Astral rise
Flashy is an understatement
If the first thing you’re looking for in Roguelike actions is the number of effects that fill the screen at any time, then you won’t be disappointed with Astral Ascent.
This 2D platformer action roguelike is not shy about dealing screen filling abilities to both players and enemies. From the devastating rays of death to the movement of lightning.
Its pixel art style is clean and well-made, making it easy to track everything unfolding on screen, even during the most desperate battles.
The battles are fast, fluid and balanced, but there’s still plenty of room for players to experiment and create flashy combinations of upgrades.
7 Ember Nights
I’ll cut it with my friends
Hacking and thrashing are great, but even better with friends. That’s exactly where Ember Knights is great.
This isometric action allows you to team up with three other players as you slice a vibrant world filled with enemies and large bosses. Combat is fast, engaging and packed with synergistic upgrade paths to promote teamwork and build creativity.
Complementing the vibrant battle is a vibrant pixel art style with cartoonish charm. Given the focus of the cooperative, the visuals may remind you of the Castle Crusher. And I mean that as a heartfelt tribute.
Ember Knights is still fun when playing solo, but Playing with friends turns it into an endlessly playable joy.
6 Morta’s children
Family problems
Today, many roguelikes have proven that the genre can provide a compelling story, and Morta’s children were among the first to fully demonstrate this.
The game follows the story of a family of wardens tasked with including the overwhelming darkness brewed in the mountains they protect. The story revolves around this family, offering moments filled with family warmth and emotional depth. But that doesn’t mean that the action takes the back seat.
Instead of playing a single letter, You choose from all your families and each offers a unique fighting style. Whichever character you choose, you will fight through horde of monsters in caves, dungeons, and even more ominous places, bringing you closer to the story’s conclusion with each run.
Morta kids present a rare perspective in action, blending heartfelt storytelling and thrilling gameplay.
5 Curse of the Dead Gods
The curse burns very well
If you are looking for roguelike that each victory feels truly earning, and if power is always at the price, the curse of the dead gods is perfect for you.
Dark dungeons, brutal combat, and appetizing risk reward mechanics form the heart of this isometric action when you fight horde of enemies and dodge fatal traps in the dark darkness.
To survive, you will collect powerful bounties from the dead gods, but at the expense of increasing corruption. Each new power and treasure will seduce you, but even so accurate prices tooalways bold to gamble you with destiny.
The Curse of the Dead Gods’ Corruption Mechanics Learns a Balance of Risk and Reward. Combine it with timely dodge, split 2-second decisions and dynamic combat built around a unique art style, and you’ll have an addictive roguelike experience in your hands.
4 Skul: Hero Slayer
Don’t lose your head
Are you tired of playing as the savior of the good two shows in the realm? Do you think these so-called “heroes” deserve to take down one or two notches? Second, Skul: Hero Slayer is the game for you.
In this charming pixel art action platformer, you play as a small skeleton (honorable skull) in your quest to save his demon king, captured by the Imperial Army. It’s certainly a difficult task, but this little skeleton is far more powerful than he appears.
Skul’s unique power is to exchange skulls. Each skull gives you a clear move set, ability, and synergy. He can carry two skulls at once, and exchange them freely to allow for numerous creative combos. As you progress, you can unlock new skulls, fresh abilities, and even exciting strategies.
With fluid combat, stunning visuals and healthy doses of humor, Skul gives the Roguelike action a very unique twist.
3 A fatal sin
Unknown cruelty
Mortal Sin appears to have been designed to make players say, “Damn it, that’s metal!” It is absolutely glory.
This first-person brawl does not eschew violence. This is only emphasized by intentionally low detail and dreamy aesthetics.
Players are encouraged to unleash chaos against infinite horde of enemies using giant swords, powerful magic, and more. The first person perspective makes each of their brutal encounters feel incredibly intense.
But it’s more than just heartless button masking. In combat, you need to carefully dance the balance between strikes, dodges and targets to avoid being overwhelmed. Fatal sin rewards boldness, accuracy and adaptability, each turning into an adrenaline-filled rush through its procedurally generated nightmare.
The game is technically still early access, but it is expected to be fully released within a year. Frankly, it’s already too good to not recommend it.
2 Hades
A super huge game, you did it again!
While Roguelikes has steadily gained popularity among indie niches, Hades is one of the standout titles that put the genre on the radar of mainstream viewers.
Super Giant Games were able to create a compelling narrative experience without sacrificing the fast-paced strength of action-packed hack-and-slash logriques.
Hades’ combat emphasizes constant movement, accurate evasion, and making the most of powerful benefits From God.
Even if it’s not as mechanically extensive as some of the other entries on this list, it’s extremely rewarding, especially since each encounter you meet enriches the story as much as the story enriches the action.
Hades is widely regarded as one of the best roguelikes ever made. What can outweigh that?
1 Dead cells
If action is required
In the context of hack and slash roguelikes, dead cells are everything a gamer can ever seek.
That battle is blazing and complemented by a massive weapon of weapons, powers and tools that offer almost infinite renewable potential.
A variety of challenges, different biomes, and countless unlockability promote the addictive “one more run” mentality, making the game extremely difficult.
The battle of dead cells is as intense as fluid, combining reactive hacks and slash mechanisms seamlessly with Metroidvania-style exploration.
Levels are procedurally generated for each run, but rather than mentioning the game’s stunning visual style or brutal boss fights, it carries many hidden secrets that will really satisfy your exploration.
Even as more and more roguelikes are hitting the market, if you’re taking relentless hack-and-slash actions, dead cells remain your biggest choice.
