With Hallowe'en fast approaching, we have compiled a list of our eight favourite PlayStation 4 roguelike dungeon crawlers for all you creeps out there to enjoy in these dark, dark times. So, in no particular order...
The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac is a twin-stick shooting dungeon crawler perfect to play on Hallowe'en with its very dark and twisted plot. Isaac lives alone with his mother, and one day she hears a voice which she believes is God telling her to sacrifice Isaac. She draws a knife on him and tries to kill him, but luckily, Isaac manages to escape into their monster-ridden basement. The game tasks you with guiding Isaac safely through this procedurally generated dungeon using his tears to fight off monsters in fast-paced combat in the hopes of finding an exit. The high difficulty, solid gameplay, and the multitude of unlockables make this a game that you'll just keep returning to even after completion.
Nuclear Throne
Nuclear Throne is also a twin-stick shooter, but here you use the more traditional weapons to defeat your foes: guns. It's set in an apocalyptic nuclear wasteland inhabited by mutated creatures, perfect Hallowe'en territory if you ask us. You take on the role of one of these mutants and progress through the various procedurally generated environments, collecting loot, dodging bullets, and bashing beasts in order to conquer the lands and take control of the Nuclear Throne, it's really quite a blast, especially with a co-op friend in toe.
Crypt of the Necrodancer
Crypt of the Necrodancer is a dungeon crawler with a twist: rhythm is required to make any progress. You must time every step, sword swing, and chest opening to the funky, funky beats in order to complete those feats. It's a very unique take on dungeon crawling and should definitely be given a go by all those Monster Mash lovers out there. You know who you are.
Rogue Legacy
Rogue Legacy is a combination of 2D platforming and simple combat that marries together perfectly. You take on the role of a family of knights who must clear out castle dungeon after castle dungeon, and if one of them should meet their inevitable fate, then they will be replaced with one of their heirs and the process continues. It's a simple but addictive formula and one that will keep you returning again and again without fail.
Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell, twin-stick shooter in which you have to conquer the gungeon, a dungeon where the enemies have designs relating to guns. Some are shotgun shells, some rubber bullets, others empty casings – you get the idea. Each enemy has a alternative way of attacking you; for example, the rubber bullets will fling themselves in your direction bouncing off anything that they happen to hit, whereas shotgun shells will fire a three-burst shot at you. Your ultimate goal is to traverse every level of the gungeon collecting the parts of a bullet that can kill your past as you go, allowing you to rewrite your entire history.
Darkest Dungeon
In Darkest Dungeon you take control of a band of unlikely heroes who set out exploring underground dungeons beneath a gothic mansion in a roguelike, turn based RPG. With constant battles against ghastly ghouls, deathly diseases, and ever diminishing supplies everything points towards a deadly fate. Luckily death isn't the end which is brilliant considering the extreme difficulty. You can recruit, train, and level up new band members to replace those that fall in battle.
Downwell
Downwell is a very unique roguelike that is difficult to put down once you pick it up. As the title suggests it plays vertically rather than horizontally as you work your way down a well, defeating monsters and collecting loot as you go. The only weapons you have are guns attached to your boots, allowing you to fire down on your enemies from above as you fall, and these can of course be upgraded en route. It's a very simple concept, with very easy, fun, fast paced and addictive gameplay that works a treat.
Spelunky
Spelunky is a classic roguelike and is one that is definitely more co-operative focused, allowing you to bring up to three friends with you to explore a series of randomly generated dungeons in a 2D environment. Looting chests, disarming booby traps, mining resources, defeating monsters, and discovering the unknown depths is always going to be better with a few friends along for the ride. And with the recent announcement of a sequel, this Hallowe'en is the perfect time to jump into this dungeon if you haven't done so already.
Do you plan on scurrying through any of these dingy dungeons this Hallowe'en? Did we miss any of your favourites off our list? Let us know by going rogue in the comments below.
Comments 18
Am I the only one who couldn't get into Spelunky?
Stay away from Nuclear Throne.
It's still a buggy, unplayable mess on the Vita and the devs have apparently abandoned work on a patch. We've been waiting for almost two years now and Vlambeer keep saying that it's Sony's fault.
It works fine on PS4 now (which took 1 1/2 years after its release) but I still regret giving the devs money.
@Enuo No, you're not. I can't get into that game or Cave Story either.
Nuclear Throne is hard. Enter the Gungeon is also hard. Both games have caused me many "one more time" 3AM nights!
@RedMageLanakyn That's the best thing about these games; they entice you to play just one more time and several hours later you are still going XD
I would replace Nuclear Throne with Cryptark.
@Simon_Fitzgerald I've managed to beat Gungeon twice, and still haven't bested Nuclear Throne after 20 hours of play, which is pretty frustrating. I dare say Throne has TOO much RNG for my liking, compared to the other games on this list. Still can't stop playing it though.
If you like this type of game I thoroughly recommend Iron Crypticle.
@Speedy-R Interesting, I'll check it out.
@RedMageLanakyn Nuclear Throne is certainly a toughy.
@Kidfried Thanks, Enter the Gungeon is one of my most played on this list, definitely worth a play. I think it was on sale not too long ago as well.
@Wosty Can't say I've heard much about Cryptark, I may have to take a look at it.
@Kidfried The Binding of Isaac is my personal favorite with Enter the Gungeon a close second. You?
I've never understood the term "roguelike." If that is a genre, then shouldn't "rogue" be a genre first? As in some games are "rogue" and others are "roguelike"? How can you have games that are like something that doesn't exist??
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@sketchturner Unfortunately I don't create the terminology used for game genres but I can explain the term "roguelike".
A roguelike is a subgenre of role-playing game that contains procedurally/randomly generated environments, usually dungeons. Often permanent death is included meaning with each death you have to start from the beginning again.
So many good games on this list. I haven't gotten to the end of any of them yet but I don't care because they are so enjoyable.
This must be my genre, because I’ve enjoyed all of these. It’s extrmely rare for me to see a list of games, all of of which I’ve liked, and several of which would be among my favorites from recent years.
Spelunky is a special game for me. It held my primary attention for an unusually long time - multiple periods of several months each. I’m not the most skilled or patient gamer, but eventually I did develop sufficient ability to reach the ending, several times — albeit the “normal” one.
Gungeon and NT have a similar appeal to me. Although I never beat those, I enjoyed the many hours I’ve invested. Isaac has that appeal for me as well, although I did reach its basic ending a few times.
Now that's a brilliant list!
Finally some recognition for Nuclear Throne.
Although every since one of those games is a gem.
@Enuo nope; I couldnt get into it at all - or downwell for that matter.
Some brilliant games on this list, I have bought 6 of them and enjoyed some more than others. I think Spelunky, Isaac and Darkest Dungeon are my faves.
A game missing from this list which is brilliant is Flinthook, it's criminal it didn't make this list in my opinion. Also, a big, BIG shout out to Galak-Z, another stellar title.
Oh yeah, how fantastic is the art for Isaac? I love it, that piccy at the top of the page for example is fantastic.
@Lovespuds yeah I have played Flinthook and it is amazing. I've not tried Galak-Z though, may give it a look
@sketchturner This is because the term "roguelike" is often used incorrectly (including this article).
Roguelikes are a genre of games with common roots with computer RPGs, but which have evolved in a completely different direction. They have many features which make them completely different from typical games, and these features tend to only work great together — if you add one of these features to a typical RPG, you basically get a very badly designed game. For these reason the genre is named not after any of these features, but after Rogue (1980), the first influential game in this genre. The name is quite appropriate too — you do not play a hero with "I am a hero, I can't die" attitude, but rather a Rogue, an underdog. (Google for 'Berlin Interpretation' to know what exactly these features are. Actually they more sense if you add them to a turn-based tactical game, though — for this reason I consider them to be rather a subgenre of turn-based tactics where you play a single but extremely detailed character.) Great roguelikes are still created, but they do not seem to be very popular on consoles, probably for two reasons: (1) they are often best played on a big keyboard, (2) their 'do-it-yourself' culture which does not agree with the heavily commercial nature typical to consoles.
In more recent times, Spelunky has managed to successfully combine some aspects of roguelikes (procedural generation and permadeath) with the platformer genre rather than turn-based tactical RPG. After this, many other games have successfully managed to do so, with other genres. Some people who did not know what "roguelike" means have started referring to these as roguelikes, but they are not — a more correct term is "games with roguelike elements" or "roguelite". From the games mentioned in the article, none is a roguelike — Crypt of the Necrodancer is a borderline case as it is partially turn-based grid-based tactics (and it is a roguelike when played as Bard, although unfortunately an extremely simple one), Darkest Dungeon is turn-based but its tactics are completely different, and other ones are not turn-based in any sense AFAIK.
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