Roguelikes are the genre that turned "you died" into a feature. You run, you build a wild combo, you lose, you learn, and you dive back in smarter. This guide ranks the best roguelike games you can actually buy right now, sorted by budget, group size, and platform, so you can stop scrolling and start a run.
Last updated: June 7, 2026. Prices checked: June 2026. Sources: Steam, Epic, publisher pages and partner stores. We refresh prices and sale notes regularly.
Best picks at a glance
- Best free-ish entry: Vampire Survivors (under $5, frequent giveaways) free game giveaways
- Best cheap pick (under $5): Brotato
- Best premium pick: Hades
- Best deck-builder: Slay the Spire (tie with Balatro)
- Best for 2 players: Enter the Gungeon (local co-op)
- Best for big groups (up to 4): Risk of Rain 2
- Best couch co-op: The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
- Best cross-platform: Dead Cells (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile)
- Best for horror fans: Noita / October Night Games
- Best hidden indie on our shelf: Space Robinson: Hardcore Roguelike Action
Quick list
| Game | Best for | Players | Platforms | Entry cost | Why pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hades | First-timers | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | Best on-ramp in the genre, story rewards death |
| Hades II | Returning fans | 1 | PC | ~$29.99 (1.0) | Bigger, deeper, witchier sequel |
| Dead Cells | Action platformer | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | Razor-tight combat, endless DLC support |
| Slay the Spire | Deck-builders | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | The genre's gold standard |
| Balatro | Card + numbers brain | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile | ~$14.99 | Poker turned into a slot machine of dopamine |
| Vampire Survivors | Cheap thrills | 1-4 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, mobile | ~$4.99 | Insane hours per dollar |
| Brotato | Quick runs | 1 | PC, Switch, mobile | ~$4.99 | 5-minute runs, deep build variety |
| Risk of Rain 2 | Online co-op | 1-4 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | Best 3D roguelike for friends |
| Gunfire Reborn | FPS co-op | 1-4 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$19.99 | Looter shooter meets roguelite |
| Enter the Gungeon | Local co-op | 1-2 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$14.99 | Bullet-hell with a sense of humor |
| The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth | Couch co-op | 1-2 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$14.99 | Endless secrets, decade of updates |
| FTL: Faster Than Light | Strategy fans | 1 | PC, mobile | ~$9.99 | Tense spaceship management classic |
| Spelunky 2 | Platformer purists | 1-4 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$19.99 | Mastery sandbox, deadly and fair |
| Inscryption | Story lovers | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$19.99 | Card game wrapped in a mystery |
| Noita | Sandbox chaos | 1 | PC | ~$19.99 | Every pixel simulated, spells go wild |
| Cult of the Lamb | Roguelite + sim | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | Dungeon runs plus base building |
| Returnal | Premium AAA | 1 | PC, PlayStation | ~$59.99 | Bullet-hell shooter with real production budget |
| Rogue Legacy 2 | Metroidvania-lite | 1 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ~$24.99 | Generational heir system, smooth feel |
| Space Robinson | Hardcore arcade | 1 | PC, Switch | budget | Punishing twin-stick action on a dead planet |
| No Turning Back | Pixel-art fans | 1 | PC | budget | Compact pixel-art action-adventure runs |
| RACCOIN | Casual oddball | 1 | PC | budget | Coin pusher arcade with roguelike upgrades |
Best free and cheapest roguelikes
You do not need to spend $25 to get hooked. Vampire Survivors is the gateway drug here: it regularly drops under $5, lands in bundles, and sometimes shows up in our giveaways tracker. You move, the game shoots, and an hour vanishes. Brotato is the other budget king, with sub-5-minute runs that make it perfect for a lunch break or a Steam Deck session on the couch.
If you want chaos for almost nothing on our own shelf, RACCOIN: Coin Pusher Roguelike is a weird, charming take that bolts roguelike upgrades onto an arcade coin pusher. It is not deep like Hades, but it nails one loop and keeps you tapping. For pixel-art diehards, No Turning Back: The Pixel Art Action-Adventure Roguelike gives you tight, short runs at a low price.
Best premium roguelikes (worth full price)
When you want the polished, top-shelf experience, three names lead. Hades is the easiest recommendation in the whole genre: fast combat, gorgeous art, and a narrative that literally advances every time you die. Dead Cells pairs metroidvania exploration with combat so crisp it feels like a fighting game, and it has years of free and paid content behind it. Returnal is the big-budget outlier, a PlayStation and PC bullet-hell shooter with cinematic production values and a steep, rewarding difficulty curve.
For thinkers, Slay the Spire remains the deck-building benchmark, and Balatro proved a roguelike about poker hands could swallow entire weekends. Inscryption deserves a shout for hiding a genuine mystery inside its card battles. Browse the rest of the genre in our indie hub if you want more left-field picks.
Best roguelikes for 2 players
Most roguelikes are solo by design, so be careful what you trust as "co-op." These genuinely support a partner. Enter the Gungeon has a local two-player mode (the second player gets a weaker character, but the chaos is worth it). The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth supports couch co-op where extra players act as orbiting familiars, which is goofy and great for a casual pair. Both are cheap and run on anything.
Best roguelikes for 3-4 players (online)
For a small squad, two games stand above the rest. Risk of Rain 2 scales beautifully to 4 players, turning a tense survival run into an item-stacking explosion by the late game. Gunfire Reborn brings a first-person looter-shooter spin with co-op for up to 4, and it is one of the most underrated group roguelikes on PC. Spelunky 2 also offers up to 4-player online play, though friendly fire makes it as much a friendship test as a co-op game.
Best couch and local roguelikes
True couch roguelikes are rarer than you would think. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Enter the Gungeon both handle local play, and Spelunky 2 supports local multiplayer for a more chaotic living-room session. Vampire Survivors added local co-op too, so a cheap pick covers the couch crowd. If your "couch" is a Steam Deck, almost everything here runs great; see our Steam Deck compatible games list for verified picks.
Best cross-platform roguelikes
If you switch between a PC, a console, and a phone, a few games follow you everywhere. Dead Cells, Slay the Spire, and Balatro all run on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and mobile, which makes them ideal "play anywhere" picks. Vampire Survivors is the same story with cloud saves on most platforms. For action specifically, our action hub has more genre-blenders worth a look.
Roguelikes for horror fans
Roguelike structure and horror pair shockingly well, because permadeath makes every dark corner feel heavier. Noita is the technical marvel here, a pixel-physics sandbox where your own spells frequently kill you. On our own shelf, October Night Games leans into occult, Halloween-flavored mischief with a roguelike streak, and it is a fun seasonal pick. Horror buffs should also browse the dedicated horror hub for scarier, story-led options.
Honourable / adjacent picks
These flirt with the genre or borrow its DNA without being core roguelikes, so they sit here on purpose.
- Gamestonk Simulator: Gone Rogue: a meme-flavored simulation with rogue-style run structure, more novelty than depth.
- Shard Games: leans collection-and-progression, only loosely roguelike, but a low-cost curiosity.
- Incredible Dracula 4: Games Of Gods: a time-management strategy game, included only because the "run and retry" energy will appeal to some roguelike players.
- Cult of the Lamb: a real roguelite, but half the game is base-building sim, so it is a hybrid rather than a pure pick.
FAQ
What is the difference between a roguelike and a roguelite? Purists say "roguelike" means turn-based, grid-based, and fully permadeath (think Caves of Qud), while "roguelite" means you keep some permanent upgrades between runs (Hades, Dead Cells). In everyday use, most people say "roguelike" for both, and this guide follows that common usage.
What is the best roguelike for complete beginners? Hades. The combat is forgiving enough to learn, the story actively rewards you for losing, and permanent upgrades mean you always feel like you are making progress. Vampire Survivors is the easiest budget alternative if you want something even more relaxed.
Are there any genuinely good co-op roguelikes? Yes. Risk of Rain 2 and Gunfire Reborn both support up to 4 players online and are built around it. For two players, Enter the Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth do local co-op. Just avoid assuming a roguelike has co-op by default, because most do not.
What is the cheapest roguelike that is actually worth it? Vampire Survivors and Brotato both sit around $5 and routinely deliver dozens of hours. They are the highest hours-per-dollar picks in the genre, and they go even lower during sales tracked on our Steam sale page.
Which roguelikes run best on Steam Deck? Short-run roguelikes are ideal handheld games. Vampire Survivors, Dead Cells, Balatro, Slay the Spire, and Brotato all run great. Check the Steam Deck list for verified compatibility before buying.
Is Hades II worth it over the original Hades? If you loved the first game, yes. Hades II is bigger, adds a new witch protagonist, and deepens the combat and systems. If you have never played either, start with the original Hades first, since it is cheaper and a cleaner introduction.
What is the best deck-building roguelike? Slay the Spire is still the benchmark for pure card strategy. Balatro is the breakout favorite if you want something more numbers-driven and instantly addictive. Inscryption is the pick if you care about story and atmosphere as much as deck-building.
Do roguelikes go on sale often? Constantly. Indie roguelikes are some of the most frequently discounted games anywhere, often 50% or more. Bookmark our deals page and compare across Steam, Eneba, Kinguin, Epic, and GOG before you commit.
The bottom line
Roguelikes are the rare genre where losing is the whole point, and there is a perfect one for every budget and group size. Start with Hades if you want the safest great pick, grab Vampire Survivors or Brotato if you want maximum value for pocket change, and rally a squad around Risk of Rain 2 or Gunfire Reborn. Whatever you choose, check live prices first: compare every title in our full catalog and scan today's deals so you never pay more than you should.
Alex, Scout Team