View difference between Paste ID: yfUKx35f and exGzfx2D
SHOW: | | - or go back to the newest paste.
1
Note that the platforms listed are solely the officially supported ones; due to the open-source nature of many roguelikes, and the age of its most classic games, games like Nethack, Angband or the original Rogue are possible to run in virtually any computer if one has the technical know-how to do so - or just enough to use an already-existing port.
2
 
3
----------------------------------
4
----------------------------------
5
What Should I Play First?
6
----------------------------------
7
----------------------------------
8
In addition to these, any of the games under Classic Roguelikes can be good entries if you have a strong stomach when it comes to outdated UIs and ASCII, but these are the easiest ones to get into.
9
 
10
    Brogue: https://sites.google.com/site/broguegame/home
11
    (Windows, Linux, Android, iOS)
12
A design philosophy influenced by Stone Soup and what the original Rogue might look like if it was still being developed today-- simple yet elegant, and very, very cruel. No tiles, but ASCII is unmatched in clarity and beauty. Not large enough to be considered a “major” roguelike, but arguably the better for it.
13
 
14
    DoomRL: http://doom.chaosforge.org/
15
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
16
It's DOOM! Guns, health kits, levers, more guns & a new graphical update so there's lots & lots of blood! All as a turn-based roguelike! Optimal gameplay requires sound to be enabled in order to hear unseen enemies.
17
 
18
    Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup: http://crawl.develz.org/wordpress/
19
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, Android)
20
A fork of the original Linley's Crawl and the most popular roguelike in active development, Crawl’s success stems from a design philosophy supporting clarity, consistency, and accessibility. Thanks to an improved interface, exploration improvements, and a tutorial mode, Crawl is more accessible than most. Dungeon levels are persistent, like Nethack, but huge and scrolling, like Angband.
21
 
22
    Infra Arcana: http://infraarcana.wikispaces.com/
23
    (Windows, Linux)
24
Inspired by the Cthulu Mythos of Lovecraft, Derleth, and co. and Blood, this surprisingly atmospheric RL has marked survivalist tone that'll force you to make the most out of your options to stay alive. Includes sounds!
25
 
26
    One Way Heroics: http://playism-games.com/game/61/one-way-heroics OR
27
    One Way Heroics+: http://playism-games.com/game/213/one-way-heroics-plus
28
    (Windows)
29
If you're okay with paying for a game, One Way Heroics is a great entry to the genre with the eponymous feature of always advancing to the right, for at your heels is a wall of seemingly impenetrable darkness. Has very simple gameplay which puts heavy focus on timing your position to take out enemies without taking hits yourself. Multiple endings and a plot. The Plus version contains several interface and convenience improvements as well as new content including classes, items, enemies, and biomes. The playism version contains a steam key too.
30
 
31
    Sil: http://www.amirrorclear.net/flowers/game/sil/
32
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
33
Where Angband nods to Tolkien, this variant explicitly exists in Middle Earth, with strong emphasis on tactical combat and discovery. Known for its extremely tight design and simplicity; deviates strongly from almost all other *bands. Commonly acknowledged as one of the best entries in the genre.
34
 
35
-----------------
36
>Nethack and its Variants
37
-----------------
38
 
39
All these can at least be run in windows and linux, and dozens of Nethack ports have been made for most popular platforms from the last few decades, so they won't be listed.
40
 
41
    Nethack: http://nethack.org/*
42
Evolving from Hack, Nethack is Rogue’s most direct descendant and the rogue by which virtually all others are judged. Nethack’s slogan is “The Dev Team thinks of everything,” and in effect, every item and player action has clever, sometimes devious uses depending on context, leading to extensive reliance on spoilers and what some have termed “feature-itis”. “-Hack” games are known for persistent, single-screen levels and shops that exist within the game world.
43
Several variants have been created since adding all sort of things, from more content to a better GUI. However the most recommended ones in rlg are NetHack4 (only GUI fixes but otherwise faithful to the original) and DynaHack (GUI fixes, major rebalance and lots of new content). Check the NetHack pasta for more info and links.
44
After over a decade of remaining unchanged, it was last updated December of 2015.
45
 
46
    Dynahack: https://tung.github.io/DynaHack/
47
GUI fixes and a great deal of new content. Also known as the "how did you get all those pretty colors" game. Forked from UnNethack.
48
 
49
    Nethack4: http://nethack4.org
50
Basically Nethack with various GUI fixes.
51
 
52
    PRIME: http://pesky-reticulans.org/
53
PRIME is a variant of Zap'M started in March 2011, who is also known as "the sci-fi nethack." The player controls the actions of a would-be hero exploring a derelict space hulk in search of a fabled artifact, the Bizarro Orgasmatron. Game items are futuristic versions of their fantasy setting analogs (potions become canisters, wands become ray guns, etc.), but several mechanisms are innovative. Monsters present in ZapM include grid bugs, stormtroopers, droids, klingons, daleks, aliens, and Unix daemons. Most sentient enemies use equipment which may be scavenged upon killing them.
54
 
55
    Slash'EM: http://www.slashem.org/
56
Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack - Extended Magic pretty much does what it says on the tin(which I hope you blessed first). Lots of extra content and heavily extends the magic system existing in Nethack.
57
 
58
    Slash'EM Extended (SLEX): https://nethackwiki.com/wiki/Slash'EM_Extended (scroll to the bottom)
59
In many respects, a glorious, bloated trainwreck. The developer has apparently never won it. Manages to be more exploit and spoiler-heavy than Nethack itself by several degrees.
60
 
61
    Sporkhack: http://sporkhack.com/
62
This project is Nethack with some modified code to improve game balance, making it easier in the early game and harder in the end game.
63
 
64
    UnNethack: https://sourceforge.net/projects/unnethack/
65
The main intent of this fork is to put more randomness, challenges, and fun into NetHack. It features more levels, several UI improvements designed to reduce tedium, and many gameplay-related changes. Since 3.6.1 it also bundles a graphical tiles UI for Windows.
66
 
67
-----------------
68
>Angband and its Variants
69
-----------------
70
 
71
Like *hacks they can be run in at least windows and linux and their progenitor game has endless ports, so they won't be listed.
72
 
73
    Angband: http://rephial.org/
74
    (Mac OSX, Android)  
75
Moria’s descendent, the other pillar of the roguelike family tree, and the classic that inspired the Blizzard game "Diablo”. Borrows more liberally from Lord of the Rings, as evidenced by the name. “Band” games, in contrast to “-Hack” games, are known for huge scrolling levels that disappear after you leave, frequently begin on a “town level”, and feature shops that break to a menu screen. Coupled with more items typically having only one obvious use, -Band games tend to be longer and grindier, but less spoiler-reliant than Nethack variants. Angband is the most frequently modded roguelike. Development has been resurrected.
76
 
77
    FuryBand: http://www.fileplanet.com/183047/download/FuryBand-5-Gold
78
A ToME 2 fork made by The Fury, and one of the first among the content-heavy *bands, expanding its already colossal source material in almost every way. The game was left unfinished but fully functional in 2007.
79
 
80
    PosChengband: https://sites.google.com/site/poschengband/
81
The most popular *band on /rlg/ and currently the one with the most content by far. Its late-game is notorious for the copious amounts of loot, grinding, and summoner monsters. Notable for having an absolutely huge range of classes and races, including monster races such as Rings, Balrogs, and Spiders.
82
 
83
    Steamband: http://angband.oook.cz/steamband/steamband.html
84
Fairly straightfoward in being a steampunk *band. Uniques straight from Victorian, steampunk or pulp fiction can be found there.
85
 
86
    Tales of Middle-Earth 2 (ToME2): https://github.com/tome2/tome2
87
darkgod's last released game before ToME 4, which it shares little in common with. Features *band style gameplay with a large overworld with many dungeons as well as a skill system and a wide range of classes and races to choose from. Now being maintained again.
88
 
89
-----------------
90
>Other Major Roguelikes
91
-----------------
92
 
93
    Ancient Domains of Mystery and ADOM 2: http://adom.de/
94
    (ADOM: Windows, MSDOS, Linux, NetBSD, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, AmigaOS 3.x.x, Raspbian ADOM II: Java)
95
A deeply complex roguelike featuring a pregenerated world map, quest tree, multiple endings, and unparalleled character generation system. Features single-screen, persistent levels like Nethack, but also contains a surface world and towns ala Omega. ADOM is notorious among the major roguelikes for never having the source code released.
96
Development of ADOM was resurrected via kickstarter on 2012, but ADOM 2 seems to be all but dead. In late 2015 ADOM Deluxe was released on Steam and free updates stopped, but all previous versions are still available at the official site.
97
 
98
    Tales of Maj'Eyal (ToME4): http://te4.org/
99
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
100
Featuring the T-Engine, this roguelike has unlockable content and support for player created modules. Combat is based on cooldowns not unlike popular MMORPGs. Heavy on fixed rather than procedurally generated terrain, with there being only a limited amount of fixed dungeons which always play similarly The last installment on a series of 4 games made by darkgod, all unrelated. Only 3 were ever released and only ToME 2 and 4 survive. The former is, unlike 4, an actual Ängband variant and a *band in gameplay mechanics.
101
 
102
-----------------
103
>Classic Roguelikes
104
-----------------
105
All these are available on windows and linux.
106
 
107
    Rogue: http://rogue.rogueforge.net/rogue-5-4/
108
The original roguelike! Rogue’s use of ASCII characters allowed for true screen orientation in a CRPG, making it a landmark in gaming history and paving the way for virtually every video game “RPG” since.
109
 
110
    Hack (Unix): http://homepages.cwi.nl/~aeb/games/hack/hack.html
111
The Rogue spin-off that would eventually become Nethack, so it plays like a sophisticated version of the former or a very crude version of the latter. An important benchmark in the genre’s development.
112
 
113
    Larn: https://github.com/atsb/RL_M/releases
114
The first roguelike with a “town” level, but not the obvious predecessor to Angband (that would be Moria). Level generation is more mazelike, but does not yet scroll.
115
 
116
    nlarn: http://nlarn.sourceforge.net/
117
The developers of this project re-coded the roguelike "Larn" from scratch and the result is a more stable and aesthetically pleasing version of a classic.
118
 
119
    Moria: http://www.remarque.org/~grabiner/moria.html
120
The predecessor to Angband and the historical equivalent to Hack. Map scrolls, but only when character approaches the screen’s edge.
121
 
122
    Omega: http://www.alcyone.com/max/projects/omega/
123
A somewhat obscure but very in-depth roguelike which features a world map, a questing system, and a good sense of humor. While clearly an influence on ADOM, differs from Hack and Moria in that it remains unique and therefore has appeal beyond historical curiosity. In other words, play this one.
124
   
125
    Linley's Crawl: https://archive.org/details/Dc400b26W32 for windows and MSDOS, http://www.geocities.jp/ita_iluvatar/cr/index-e.html for Linux
126
The original version of Crawl as designed by Linley Henzell. More generic, grindy, and outright brutal, it may feel somewhat primitive compared to Stone Soup, but still holds its own against Nethack and Angband.  
127
 
128
-----------------
129
>Sandbox Roguelikes
130
-----------------
131
 
132
    Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead: http://en.cataclysmdda.com/
133
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
134
The open source, greatly expanded (read: hilariously bloated) successor to the defunct Cataclysm. Post-apocalyptic, extreme sandbox with heavy survival and sci-fi elements; thanks to the sheer amount of people working on it it's easily THE roguelike with the most content (mostly fur suits). Luckily, one developer has recently been heavily improving its systems instead of adding more dildos and electric diamond chainsaws, so the days ahead may not be so dark.
135
 
136
    UnReal World http://www.unrealworld.fi/
137
	(Windows, Mac, Mac OSX)
138
Developer status: Nourished. This game can be considered donationware but you can play it for free. Also, it's getting a Steam release soon that will have extra features but it shouldn't be too different from the free version. A survival roguelike set in what is basically Iron Age Finland. There is no magic but you can learn various rituals to appease the gods of UnReal World and ask for their assistance with hunting, fishing, and even crafting. Learn to hunt and track wild game, fight the Njerpez, or just establish a trade route as you trade furs and other items with other tribes. Watch out for those elk as they can take quite a few javelins...
139
140
	Elona+: http://elona.wikia.com/wiki/Elona_Wiki
141
    (Windows)
142
The most direct, complete and popular successor of Elona. A Japanese (read: lewd jokes abound) roguelike with an overworld instead of a single dungeon. Tons of things to do, lots of grinding to be good at each thing. Only a roguelike if you play on inferno mode. Most people don't, and instead hang out in the Elona thread on /jp/.
143
 
144
-----------------
145
>Mobile Roguelikes (Yes, these are the only good ones)
146
-----------------
147
Ports of classic roguelikes (Nethack/Angband/Rogue) are usually good, though the interface may be clunky unless your device has a physical keyboard. Masochistic individuals may instead try any game that's available through ssh/telnet.
148
 
149
    Hoplite (Android,iOS) (Freeish on Android)
150
Originally a 7DRL, it has a hexagonal grid and a unique positioning-heavy combat system which tries to avoid the typical bump-to-attack, simplistic feel of the genre. Movement itself is a semi-limited resource which replenishes at every level.
151
 
152
    Pixel Dungeon (Android, iOS, Desktop) (Free on Android and Desktop versions):
153
Coffee break roguelike. Runs can be completed in under a hour; gameplay and design influenced by Brogue. It is reccomended that one of its variants is played instead of the base game, though this is impossible to iOS players.
154
 
155
    POWDER (Android, Desktop, GameBoy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP) (Free)
156
A simple but fairly difficult roguelike in the vein of Nethack. Great for beginners to the genre. If on Android, emulating it may be preferable to the actual port.
157
 
158
-----------------
159
>Coffee Break Roguelikes
160
-----------------
161
These are all shorter games that are generally easy to learn. Of course, all the mobile specific games fit into this category as well. Many Seven Day Roguelike challenge entries fall under this category. Don't expect huge amounts of content or deep gameplay from most of these.
162
 
163
    Alan's Psychedelic Journey: http://exador.sourceforge.net/apj.html
164
    (Windows, Linux)
165
A coffee-break roguelike in which you attempt to make your way through a dungeon while eating every mushroom in sight
166
 
167
    AliensRL: http://alien.chaosforge.org/downloads
168
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
169
Based on the movie aliens, this coffee-break roguelike is action packed and features sound effects
170
 
171
    A Quest Too Far: http://www.randomstuff.org.uk/~geoffrey/roguelikes/aquesttoofar.html
172
    (Windows, Linux)
173
A coffee-break roguelike where you are an old veteran adventurer who starts out very powerful but becomes weaker as you gain experience.
174
 
175
    Berserk!: https://sourceforge.net/projects/berserkrl/
176
    (Windows)
177
This coffee-break roguelike is a fantasy survival game of tactical bloodshed, loosely based on Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga.
178
 
179
    CastlevaniaRL: http://slashie.net/downloads/cvrl073.zip
180
    (Java)
181
Castlevania lovingly made into a roguelike. Music, classes, monsters & more!
182
 
183
    ChessRogue: http://chessrogue.sourceforge.net/
184
    (Windows, Linux)
185
If you are a fan of chess, than this coffee-break roguelike is for you!
186
 
187-
    CoDRL: https://www.4shared.com/rar/GNecVS1-ba/codrl.html
187+
188-
/rlg/-made roguelike, covers the troubled journey of an allied soldier through Afghaniran in the 100 years war. High level simulation gameplay.
188+
189
A minimalist roguelike which borrows creatures and items from DCSS, but plays completely differently with no regenerating health and a different experience system. If you are inexperienced with setting up a unix environment, setting it up might take several coffee-breaks.
190
 
191
    Gruesome: http://www.gamesofgrey.com/games/gruesome/gruesome0.0.3.zip
192
    (Windows)
193
"It is pitch black. You are likely to eat someone..."  This coffee-break roguelike is stealth based, incorporating light sources and a FoV for NPCs
194
 
195
    The Ground Gives Way: http://www.thegroundgivesway.com/
196
    (Windows)
197
Takes 'tough luck' to the extreme. Some games are unwinnable by design and enemies eat your corpse after slaying you.
198
 
199
    InCaveAd: http://dungeon.name/
200
    (Windows, Linux)
201
A harsh coffebreak roguelike with an extremely aggressive hunger clock. The game has a unique dungeon generation and a new approach to the player's inventory, you can't carry anything that you're not wearing, so choosing what gear to keep and what to discard is a major strategic choice in the game. The game is won when you return the ring of power on the astral throne. The ring makes your hunger skyrocket so you gotta dive fast or die starving and hope the next dude doesn't suffer the same fate!
202
 
203
    The Slimy Lichmummy: http://www.happyponyland.net/roguelike.php
204
    (Windows)
205
A short roguelike with an abnormal bestiary and a curious combination of cyberpunk and magic. Inspired by games like Deus Ex and Nethack.
206
 
207
    You Only Live Once: http://www.zincland.com/7drl/liveonce/
208
    (Windows, Linux)
209
This coffee-break roguelike has a unique combat system (attacks never miss) and a nice dungeon generation system
210
 
211
-----------------
212
>Other Roguelikes
213
-----------------
214
 
215
    Caves of Qud: hhttp://freeholdgames.com/?page_id=39
216
    (Windows)
217
Not your everyday far-future, post-apocalyptic roguelike! Also available in a updated version in Steam.
218
 
219
    Demon: http://demon.ferretdev.org/
220
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
221
Unconventional roguelike reminiscent of the Shin Megami Tensei series. The gameplay consists of 'capturing' and 'training' demons.
222
 
223
    Forays into Norrendrin: http://forays.github.io/
224
    (Windows)
225
A game much like Brogue, with a focus on tactical gameplay and using everything you come across. Unique skill+equipment system.
226
 
227
    Frozen Depths: http://frozendepths.net/
228
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
229
Featuring solid gameplay, this is a combat-oriented roguelike game that takes place in a cold fantasy world.
230
 
231
    Gearhead 1/2- MECHAS!: http://www.gearheadrpg.com/
232
    (Windows, Linux, FreeBSD)
233
(To get GH1 to run properly download http://sourceforge.net/projects/gearhead/files/gearhead/1.100/gh-1100-sdlimage.zip/download and unzip it to the same directory as arena.exe)
234
 
235
    Guild: http://www.roguetemple.com/guild/
236
    (Windows)
237
A very unique roguelike in the sense that it gives you control over a party of 4 adventurers rather than the traditional solo dungeon diving
238
 
239
    Hydra Slayer: http://www.roguetemple.com/z/hydra.php
240
    (Windows, Linux, Mac OSX)
241
Carefully select what weapons to use to cut off all the hydra's heads.  Basic math skills are needed to get anywhere in this game.
242
 
243
    Incursion: https://bitbucket.org/rmtew/incursion-roguelike/downloads
244
Incursion: Halls of the Goblin King was "a promo game for the upcoming roguelike Incursion: Return of the Forsaken", which would have featured overland map, multiple dungeons, towns, more prestige classes and other features. Well, that never became a reality because the project was too huge for a single person. Worth playing at least once in your life just for the sheer amount of options, character races, classes, skills and gods, this old timey roguelike is still an extremely good example of what a D&D on steroids roguelike could have been. Also it's open source now!
245
 
246
    IVAN: https://github.com/Attnam/ivan/releases
247
    (Windows, Linux)
248
Iter Vehemens ad Necem (violent way to death) or IVAN, is an extremely fun, addictive and absolutely sadistic roguelike with an overworld, NPCs, shops and mobs that will haunt your nightmares for years to come. It was created first as a tongue in cheek roguelike like Omega, but it quickly grew in something a lot bigger. Monsters become stronger the stronger you become, so grinding is not just pointless, but also harms you. There's no time limit, but there's also no real reason to waste time, since grinding is useless. The objective is to slay the great dark frog Elpuri, who's rallying an attack on the city of New Attnam. you alone, a lowly slave must kill Elpuri, to earn your freedom. Of course, you might even delve deeper and uncover some mysterious artifact nobody has ever seen before!
249
 
250
   Prospector: http://www.prospector.at/forum/dm_eds/dmedsdl.php
251
In an unexplored sector of space, humanity seeks to establish a permanent presence. Megacorporations have set up starbases in the region, where they employ freelance prospectors to find exploitable resources and map unknown planets. You command a team of these prospectors. The goal is to explore the unknown systems and bring back valuable minerals, alien artifacts, and biodata... without being killed by hostile life forms, space pirates, harsh planet conditions, interstellar gas clouds, running out of oxygen, and the many other dangers of the sector. Can you make enough money to retire in luxury, or does a brutal TPK await your crew?
252
 
253
    Quest for the Unicorn: http://www.elf-emulation.com/rcs/unicorn5/index.html
254
    (Windows, MSDOS)
255
An ancient roguelike which after 20 years without player input, has had a new release! Expect lots of searching for secret doors and boring gameplay.
256
 
257
    Rogue Survivor: http://roguesurvivor.blogspot.com/
258
Zombie themed RL where the goal is survival.
259
 
260
    ZeldaRL: http://slashie.net/downloads/zrl072a.zip
261
    (Java)
262
Based on the hit video-game franchise "The Legend of Zelda"
263
 
264
-----------------
265
>Dead Games
266
-----------------
267
 
268
    ADOM 2: http://www.adom.de/adom-ii/downloads/javawebstart/index.php
269
    (Java)
270
Nothing has been heard about it from Biskup almost since 2012, and seems to be largely ignored in favor of the resurrected ADOM. A working but very crude version is available at the official site.
271
 
272
    Cataclysm: https://github.com/Whales/Cataclysm
273
The original Cataclysm is long-dead, and its sequel (although technically still in development) is being remade almost from scratch and will no longer be a roguelike. Its open-source successor is Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead.
274
 
275
    Elona: http://homepage3.nifty.com/rfish/index_e.html
276
Development halted on 2010, but source code was released. Its most direct, complete and popular successor is Elona+.
277
 
278
-----------------
279
>Commercial Roguelikes
280
-----------------
281
 
282
    Dragon Crystal
283
Now this game might not be flashy, but it's an old classic.
284
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlkamUfS94A
285
 
286
    Dungeons of Dredmor: http://www.dungeonsofdredmor.com/
287
Widely despised for its lack of diagonal movement and monster depth, hilarious skill tree balance and overall terrible sense of humor. Contains copious amounts of cheese.
288
 
289
    The Mystery Dungeon series.
290
Essentially includes some of the best roguelikes ever made, and is also the biggest roguelike series ever made.
291
 
292
    Mystery Gensokyo:
293
Get the CHRONICLE edition that includes all the past releases, then get the latest game that was released last week. A series of Mystery Dungeon inspired games with a Touhou skin.
294
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-_V-mLG-To