I’m Addicted to These Roguelike Games
▼ Summary
– The author expresses a deep personal love for roguelike video games, describing them as a rewarding and addictive genre.
– The core appeal is the rapid character progression, building a powerful “build” through upgrades within a short play session, even after death resets progress.
– The article notes that 2025 has been an exceptionally strong year for new roguelike game releases.
– It highlights *Hades II* as a standout 2025 release, a sequel expanding on the successful formula of the original game.
– In *Hades II*, players control Melinoë, who battles with god-given blessings to reclaim the underworld from the titan Chronos.
It’s time for a confession: I have a genuine, all-consuming addiction to roguelike video games. The thrill of building a powerful character from scratch in a single, intense session is an experience few other genres can match. The core appeal lies in that perfect loop of risk, reward, and rapid progression, each run is a fresh puzzle where your choices directly shape a unique path to victory or a swift, humbling defeat.
The most satisfying part of gaming is taking a weak starting character and forging them into an unstoppable force. Doing that in under an hour is pure magic. You defeat an enemy, grab an upgrade, enter a new zone, and select a game-changing item. The joy is in assembling a synergistic “build” and watching it dominate. When you inevitably die, your run ends and you start over, but you often return to a hub to unlock permanent bonuses for future attempts. This cycle of incremental mastery is utterly compelling.
While 2025 has been challenging in many ways, for fans of this genre, it’s been an absolute treasure trove of releases. As someone who can’t get enough, I want to highlight some standout titles that reached their official 1.0 launch this year.
Hades II is the obvious and spectacular place to begin. In a year packed with incredible games, this sequel shines brilliantly. The original Hades was widely celebrated as 2020’s game of the year, and the follow-up is a strong contender to claim that title for 2025.
You now step into the sandals of Melinoë, the sister of the first game’s hero, Zagreus, and another child of the god Hades. Her mission is to reclaim the underworld from the titan Chronos. The familiar roster of Olympian deities returns, offering their boons to enhance your attacks and defenses. If you enjoyed the first game, you’ll feel right at home, but the sequel dramatically expands on everything, more content, deeper mechanics, and a rich new narrative to uncover. It’s a masterclass in refining and evolving a winning formula.
(Source: Ars Technica)
