Over the past few years, we’ve seen a comeback of the roguelike genre, largely due to independent developers. Unlike many games in this category that focus predominantly on intense battles, which may not appeal to all players, there are some innovative titles that introduce unique elements into the traditional gameplay.
Some roguelike games opt to bypass or minimize combat, instead offering rewards for strategic thinking, skillful resource management, and even elements of chance.
This compilation aims to highlight ten exceptional games demonstrating that roguelike gameplay isn’t solely dependent on continuous combat.
I’ll group together games labeled as roguelike and roguelite, as their gameplay structures share significant similarities.
10. Cursed to Golf
Par for the Cursed
Who would have thought that Purgatory was an ever-changing golf course?
In the game titled “Cursed to Golf“, our main character decides to end his life moments before executing the winning swing in a global golf tournament. Remarkably, he’s given an opportunity to be reborn, but there’s a condition: he must play golf in order to regain his life.
Playing golf in a fictional setting like Purgatory presents unique challenges compared to regular courses. Unlike traditional obstacles such as sandtraps and water hazards, here you’ll encounter challenging elements like hidden spikes, explosive devices, and various other unexpected dangers.
In each adventure, our protagonist is bestowed with a variety of powers that shift from one occasion to another. These powers can range from subtly modifying the trajectory of the ball in mid-air, to making it burrow through the ground.
The intriguing and endearing mix of golf-style gameplay and rogue-like elements in “Cursed to Golf” sets it apart from other games in the genre, offering a fresh and captivating experience.
9. Against the Storm
Winds of Change
In a world shrouded in darkness and plagued by the destructive force known as the Blightstorm, only one beacon of civilization remains – the City Ablaze. It’s high time to retaliate and reclaim our once-lost domain by establishing new outposts.
In the storyline of “Against the Storm”, you assume the role of a governor, tasked with broadening the reach of the Smoldering City’s dominion, much like a city-building game in the roguelike genre.
In the wake of the Blightstorm, you face a seemingly never-ending series of difficulties, ranging from unfriendly terrains to potentially dangerous fauna. Additionally, you will be tasked with addressing the unique requirements of multiple races, requiring you to make difficult choices throughout your journey.
Instead of concentrating on a single town, you should develop several communities, each with distinct skills and challenges. Each playthrough offers a new, captivating challenge that tests your strategic thinking and ability to adapt.
8. As Far As The Eye
A City Builder With No City
Instead of traditional city-building games where you primarily focus on resource collection, border expansion, and maintaining a thriving populace, imagine a game where your city travels across the globe.
In essence, the game titled “As Far As The Eye” endeavors to address this question: How can you navigate a nomadic city-building experience with roguelike features, where you lead your migratory populace towards the heart of the world, all while ensuring that rising waters don’t consume it before you reach your destination?
In this setting, there are no adversaries or battles; instead, the struggle revolves solely around survival and managing resources. To conquer the challenges that lie ahead and reach the heart of the world, you’ll have to nurture and grow your tribe.
7. dotAGE
Old Man Yells at Villagers
In the realm of combat-free roguelikes, city-builder games are currently popular, but what sets dotAge apart is its distinctive concept. Rather than indulging in a peaceful town-building experience, you’ll find yourself strategizing your settlement’s growth to prevent a foretold apocalypse.
Beware, the vivid hues and charming artwork may deceive you; dotAge can be merciless! Initially, the game seems straightforward with just a few villagers (or “pips”) to oversee and a settlement to construct.
In just a moment’s notice, you’ll be tasked with safeguarding one hundred tiny lives amidst a sweltering summer heatwave. Unfortunately, some of them may stray from the path and spark building fires – all while we nervously watch the seconds tick down towards the next catastrophic event.
This game is extensive, filled with opportunities for engagement and the potential for multiple playthroughs. It’s astonishing what a single developer can achieve in today’s day and age.
6. Streets of Rogue
Don’t Need Combat to Sow Chaos
I’ll be honest—this game features plenty of combat, but it’s only there when you decide to engage.
In a different phrase, the game titled “Streets of Rogue” transforms into a roguelike version of an immersive simulation, offering diverse strategies for navigating levels and tasks, often favoring tactics that bypass head-on conflicts.
Instead of confronting a guard at the entrance of a building, wouldn’t it be more prudent to bypass them and gain entry from another angle? Rather than attacking your objective head-on, why not set up a trap or use technology to create a dangerous situation that will affect them indirectly?
While fighting is a fundamental aspect for numerous characters, it’s usually wiser to steer clear of it whenever possible, given that circumstances can escalate rapidly and potentially lead to unfavorable outcomes.
The game “Streets of Rogue” encourages innovative and lateral thinking. Opting for strategic gameplay often yields a deeper sense of fulfillment compared to adopting an aggressive approach.
5. Luck be a Landlord
Fighting the One-Armed Bandit
In the roguelike genre, which is distinguished by innovative ideas, a slot-machine game still manages to be distinctive.
In the game called “Luck be a Landlord,” instead of earning money through traditional employment, you’ll pay your rent by winning money from spinning a slot machine. This means no hassle from day jobs interfering with your gaming experience. With each spin, you can choose to add a new symbol to one of the open spaces on the reels.
Every symbol yields a reward, and some work harmoniously together. For instance, the Chef icon amplifies the worth of neighboring fruit icons, whereas a Coal icon doesn’t immediately pay out but transforms into a precious diamond after 20 spins.
To achieve victory, you should skillfully arrange your pieces within the confines of the board’s restricted area, utilizing tactically placed items you’ve acquired along the way. Although chance plays a role, it’s strategic planning that truly paves the path to triumph.
4. World of Horror
Not for the Squeamish
Conflict isn’t the sole means to create suspense. The game “World of Horror” is an eerie supernatural investigative title, immersing players in a chilling tale set in a small Japanese town where strange, unexplained, and terrifying occurrences have started taking place.
As the protagonist, you’ll delve into the mysteries hidden within these occurrences, facing horrors that appear to have been plucked from a chilling tale by Junji Ito or H.P. Lovecraft.
In your role as the investigator, you’ll explore and unravel the enigmas surrounding these events, encountering unspeakable horrors that seem eerily reminiscent of a Junji Ito comic or Lovecraftian novel.
With its minimalist black-and-white design and haunting electronic soundtrack, World of Horror skillfully evokes the unsettling ambiance of horror comics, leaving you perpetually tense.
If you enjoy spine-tingling horror stories and aren’t easily scared, World of Horror is a must-try.
3. Renowned Explorers: International Society
This Belongs in a Museum
The objective of “Renowned Explorers: International Society” is to offer players a compact, engaging experience that recreates the spirit of epic explorations found in timeless tales such as “Around the World in 80 Days” and Marco Polo’s “The Million.
In the game Renowned Explorers, you choose a team of three characters from the pool provided. These characters can specialize in areas such as combat, research, negotiation, or exploration. This enables you to experiment with different tactics for each adventure by customizing your team composition for each expedition.
Delving into uncharted territories entails utilizing every team member’s unique abilities to conquer diverse obstacles. This could encompass anything from learning about peculiar customs of native groups, locating essential supplies, retrieving historical relics, or resolving conflicts through either physical strength or negotiation.
2. Curious Expedition 1&2
The Thrill of Discovery
Building on the spirit of 19th-century adventure-themed roguelike games, we present “Curious Expedition,” frequently pointed out as an ideal model of what Early Access games should aim to achieve.
In every playthrough, Curious Expeditions presents a colossal, randomly generated world for you to traverse as you guide your team through mysterious, perilous locales in search of treasures and interactions with native communities. The journey is fraught with hazards, and conflicts with hostile tribes and wildlife are unavoidable.
Fundamentally, these games revolve around managing resources, with your team’s psychological wellbeing serving as the most valuable asset. Navigating the challenges posed by an enigmatic environment, far from home, falls upon you to ensure the expedition is meaningful and successful.
1. Balatro
Five of a Kind
Even though Balatro appears straightforward due to its mechanical nature, it can be quite challenging to describe to someone unfamiliar with the concept.
If someone unfamiliar with the gaming world were told that a poker game, in which you collect points to progress to the next level, was nominated for Game of the Year alongside Astrobot and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, they might find it utterly preposterous or unbelievable.
There’s a certain something about the straightforward yet infinitely engaging gameplay of Balatro that mimics the thrill of gambling without requiring real betting.
Each run presents unique challenges due to the Jokers encountered, cards purchased from the store, and strategic use of items – all with the goal of amassing such a high score that even numbers would envy letters!
In a short span of two weeks following its acquisition, I invested approximately 50 hours into it. This is one of those unique games that I would heartily endorse to anyone who shows even a hint of interest in its theme.
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2025-03-19 16:41