Best Roguelike Games Designed Around Co-Op

Key Takeaways

Cooperative play enhances the roguelike experience, making it more inviting & engaging for groups of friends.
Ember Knights offers fast-paced combat, unique abilities, and great co-op potential for fun game nights.
Ravenswatch and Gunfire Reborn are challenging yet rewarding co-op roguelike games with unique gameplay elements.

As someone who has spent countless hours delving into the depths of various roguelikes over the years, I can confidently say that the current crop of co-op roguelikes is nothing short of breathtaking. The sheer variety and quality of these games are a testament to the creativity and skill of the developers who have crafted them.

Roguelike games are intrinsically engaging due to their high replay value, which is built right into them. But when you introduce cooperative gameplay, the genre becomes not just appealing but also much more captivating and dynamic.

Experiencing the repeated phases with distinct characters and builds, taking on the same bosses in various strategies with your companions, is an unmatched thrill. Since roguelike games are designed for repetitive play, they make a great choice when friends struggle to find something fresh to engage with. Often, these games become the default online gathering spots where friends can reunite, catch up, and converse.

8 Ember Knight

Team-Based Action Roguelike

Drawing inspiration from timeless titles such as Hades and Dead Cells, Ember Knights delves into the realm of roguelike games, blending the captivating aesthetics of a pixel art style with the refined mechanics typically found in indie games. This game supports cooperative play for up to four players, making it an ideal choice for enjoyable game nights or extended gaming sessions with friends.

This game caters perfectly to diehard roguelike enthusiasts, offering rapid battles, distinct weaponry, skills, and artifacts, along with an intriguing narrative that’s both straightforward and endearing, enhancing the thrilling encounters.

7 Ravenswatch

The Witch Doctor Vibe

In simpler terms, “Ravenswatch” is a captivating game that balances combat with aesthetics. This dark-themed game leans into an emotional style and amplifies it, establishing itself as the edgy, heavily tattooed older cousin in the cooperative roguelike gaming world.

The game can be very punishing and requires players to work together and cover each other’s backs in order to win a run. Though the maps can feel a little generic, especially after playing on them dozens of times, the build variety is well-worth the time investment for players to explore.

6 Windblown

Dead Cell Dev’s New Project

Originating from the creators of the beloved indie title “Dead Cells”, the game titled “Windblown” is a cooperative roguelike reminiscent of “Hades“, rather than its ancestor. This game offers an isometric perspective, swiftly paced movements that may appear excessive at times, and vivid colors which set it apart distinctively.

In this game, the cooperative element feels seamlessly integrated, allowing players to truly savor the experience together with a companion. Currently, the game is in its early stages and may not offer all the content one might anticipate from the sequel of Dead Cells, but as the developers continue to work on it, there’s no doubt that additional features will be added.

5 Roboquest

Robot FPS Roguelike

In simpler terms, Roboquest, the mechanical sibling of Gunfire Reborn, plunges players into a first-person shooter adventure where they become a robot and battle swarms of hostile robots. The gunplay in this game is engaging, and the movement mechanics keep the time between battles entertaining too.

This game performs exceptionally as a solo adventure, yet it was primarily intended for cooperative play with a friend or ‘bots’. However, users can only engage in duels with one other player at a time. Luckily, it offers public matchmaking, which significantly simplifies the search for a companion on your space expedition.

4 Crab Champions

Rave Party Near The Ocean

A game more akin to roguelike style than a single armed crab with a gun might be? How about a squadron of crabs, all brandishing firearms! The title “Crab Champions” itself signifies a game that doesn’t shy away from characters boasting strong, perhaps even overpowered builds. The escalating power dynamics within the game can sometimes appear ludicrous, but it’s precisely this aspect that makes the game so captivating to play.

Developed by a single developer with a zeal for games centered around crabs, Crab Champions offers an immersive third-person shooter adventure that guarantees challenging high-performance computers during the advanced stages of gameplay. It boasts smooth movement mechanics, an array of weapon options, and a variety of build configurations that could keep a family entertained for several weeks.

3 Gunfire Reborn

First Of The First-Person Shooter Roguelikes

Instead of most roguelike games presenting events from a third-person viewpoint, Gunfire Reborn offers a unique twist by placing the player directly into the action with a first-person perspective. By combining the gameplay mechanics of roguelikes and First-Person Shooters (FPS), this game lets players feel the chaos and destruction they cause from a fresh, immersive viewpoint.

This game offers a wealth of enjoyable customization options, including characters, structures, and armaments, making it ideal for relaxed team play with your pals. Each character’s distinctive skills, advancements, and talent paths, along with the diverse array of weapon selections, ensure that players continue to engage with it repeatedly.

2 Hellcard

Co-Op Card Game With Depth

Developer: Thung Trunk
Publisher: Skystone Games
Release Date: 2024-02-01

In simple terms, combine traditional roguelike aspects with the popular game “Dungeons & Dragons”, add multiplayer functionality, and adapt the system to function as a card game – and voila, we have “Hellcard”. While it’s enjoyable as a solo player, the real magic happens when two or three players join forces to tackle the perilous journey to hell collectively.

Hellcard borrows significant elements from Slay The Spire, yet it boasts unique features that make it distinct. While Hellcard adheres to the path of other deckbuilding roguelikes, it stands out by incorporating party and multiplayer dynamics.

1 Risk Of Rain 2

Petrichor V Never Saw It Coming

In simple terms, “Risk of Rain 2” is a game that’s hard to put down once you start playing. From the initial steps right through to the moment you conquer it, each second is packed with thrilling action, camaraderie, and a wealth of tasks for players to engage with. Essentially, “Risk of Rain 2” is an addictive co-op roguelike game, featuring numerous stages that can be replayed as often as desired, and a solo mode that delivers the same fun experience.

“There are numerous aspects to appreciate in ‘Risk of Rain 2’, such as its diverse range of items, enemies, and playable characters known as survivors. However, what truly sets ‘Risk of Rain 2’ apart is its randomness, which the game masterfully employs to keep each playthrough unique and captivating.

2024-11-15 08:04