With more than 30 games in the last five years and more on the way, there’s an undeniable charm to the roguelike video game genre allowing it to proliferate
in popularity.
The genre, which takes its name from the 1985 game “Rogue” has altered its characteristics during the last 36 years.
Many gamers agree permanent death (or starting over entirely), randomly generated levels, random power-ups and incremental progress are hallmarks of the modern
roguelike genre, sometimes called “rogue-lites” to denote a difference from older forms of the genre.
This type of gaming was a mainstay in indie-game development and influenced games such as “Spelunky” and “The Binding of Isaac” and has garnered the attention of Triple-A
developers too.
For example, it was added as an element in the Downloadable Content for the 2017 game “Prey” and more recently, Housemarque’s “Returnal” which releases on April 30.
So what’s the appeal?
Part of it is likely because of its somewhat ephemeral nature. Upon death, you tend to lose weapons, power-ups and progress. It sounds like it could be frustrating but it provides a lot of freedom to start fresh and perhaps do better.
Even after players die, they can take what they’ve learned and use it to improve next time.
Roguelikes are paced around small bursts of play, making the genre distinctively suitable for a quick game or a marathon session, both equally satisfying.
Jacob Moreno, SJSU Dungeons and Dragons club member and psychology junior, has more than 300 hours in just two Roguelike games, “Risk of Rain 2” and “Gunfire Reborn.” He said he enjoys how different each experience is.
“I think the reason I have so many hours in them is because of the replayability, also . . . great mechanics,” Moreno said in a Discord interview. “Each run
feels unique.”
Paradoxically, another aspect that makes the genre so appealing is how rewarding long-term play is.
Though death and starting over happens in the modern roguelike, so does progress, even if only incrementally. Characters may drop their equipment and
power-ups on a failed session, but there are game-altering upgrades that can affect future attempts.
The “Risk of Rain” series is an example. After doing certain tasks or completing achievements, players can unlock weapons and items that could appear in
future runs.
In the award-winning game “Hades,” certain currencies are retained upon death and are used to upgrade characters before the next run. Also in a novel approach to game storytelling, every death unlocks new dialogues between characters or an opportunity to bribe them with certain items.
Minh Pham, a computer science senior and Spartan Gaming club member, confessed he’s not the best at the roguelike genre but can’t
keep away from it.
“It’s the fact that I can see myself getting better or making progress,” Pham said through Discord. “It’s the whole . . . appeal of roguelike to be honest, where every loss empowers your next attempt either through you learning new skills and knowledge or the system giving you power-ups.”
Pham also said when playing a roguelike game, if his play is less than exceptional it isn’t as devastating to lose as it is with
other genres.
Though the appeal of roguelike is easy enough to understand, some may scratch their heads at its proliferation but perhaps the greatest strength of the genre is how flexible and easy it is to combine with other types of games.
Modern roguelikes can encompass so many genres: from card games to role-playing games to action games and shooters of
all kinds.
Most game genres can also be roguelikes, which is why there have been so many since the genre’s inception and why there will be so many more.
Or maybe the genre’s true strength lies in the adage: “If at first you don’t succeed, die and die again.”
