roguelikes
Procedural dungeon crawlers
Roguelikes are video games featuring procedurally generated levels, permanent death, and turn-based gameplay—named after the 1980 dungeon-crawler *Rogue*.
The genre emphasizes resource management and tactical decisions where death means starting over.
Modern "roguelite" games borrow elements like procedural generation while allowing some progress to carry between runs: I've been playing roguelikes all week.
Extremely taxing or severe
- brutalSavagely harsh or severe
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- hardcoreUncompromisingly devoted
- gruelingExtremely tiring and demanding
demanding · permadeath · mortality · consequence · irreversible · restart · loss · setback
Players alternate actions
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- tacticsMethods to achieve goals
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
- permadeathIrreversible character termination
grid-based · ASCII · tiles · combat · items · equipment · stats · classes
Subterranean prison chamber
- monstersFrightening imaginary creatures
- lootStolen valuables
- dragonLegendary fire-breathing reptile
- wizardPractitioner of sorcery
goblin · elf · dwarf · necromancer · lich · artifact · spellbook · sorcery
Introducing chance systematically
- generationAge-defined peer group
- seedEmbryonic plant capsule
- algorithmFinite problem-solving procedure
- variabilityTendency to change
unpredictable · dynamic · emergent · infinite · replayable · unique · shuffled · modular
Greek afterlife realm
- roguelitePermadeath game with carryover
- indieProduced outside majors
- retroEvoking recent past
- ASCIIElectronic character encoding standard
classic · traditional · modern · action · deckbuilding
punishing
Extremely taxing or severe
- brutalSavagely harsh or severe
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- hardcoreUncompromisingly devoted
grueling · demanding · permadeath · mortality · consequence · irreversible · restart · loss · setback · frustrating
turn-based
Players alternate actions
permadeath · grid-based · ASCII · tiles · combat · items · equipment · stats · classes · skills
dungeon
Subterranean prison chamber
wizard · goblin · elf · dwarf · necromancer · lich · artifact · spellbook · sorcery · potion
randomization
Introducing chance systematically
- generationAge-defined peer group
- seedEmbryonic plant capsule
- algorithmFinite problem-solving procedure
variability · unpredictable · dynamic · emergent · infinite · replayable · unique · shuffled · modular · branching
Hades
Greek afterlife realm
ASCII · classic · traditional · modern · action · deckbuilding
- gamesboard games, card games, board game, card game, video games
- strategy gameschess, strategy, checkers, go, Go
- challenging gameschess, Dark Souls, sudoku, Go, Elden Ring
- indie gamesindie games, Hollow Knight, Hades, Undertale, Cuphead
roguelikesJRPGs
Japanese role-playing games
open-world games · MMORPGs · The Elder Scrolls · Final Fantasy · Dragon Quest
roguelikescasual games
Simple, accessible interactive entertainment
cozy games · visual novels · Animal Crossing · sandbox games · idle games