Best Roguelikes to Play in 2026
The roguelike genre exploded in 2025-2026. Hades II went 1.0. Slay the Spire 2 hit Early Access. Mewgenics finally launched after 13 years. Saros is days from release. Whether you've never played a roguelike or you've platinumed Hades, here are the 10 best roguelikes worth your time in 2026.
Ranked by overall quality and current accessibility — not just hardcore difficulty.
Hades II
BUYThe best-reviewed game of 2025 by Metacritic and OpenCritic. 96% Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam across 62,000+ reviews. Now playable on PS5 and Xbox at 120fps with QoL improvements over the PC version.
If you've never played a roguelike, this is your starting point. If you have, it's the new genre benchmark.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYFULL VERDICTSaros
BUYHousemarque's bullet-ballet evolution of Returnal, with permanent progression and ~30-minute runs. Hands-on previews call it a GOTY contender. Best for players who want intense action over deckbuilding strategy.
PS5 Pro support uses the latest PSSR upscaler. Pre-order if you trust Housemarque.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYFULL VERDICTSlay the Spire 2
BUYMega Crit's sequel sold 3 million copies in its first week and passed 5 million within a month. Validates the original's formula while proving the audience is still growing. Two new playable characters, co-op mode, ongoing Early Access updates.
If you loved the first Slay the Spire, this is essential. If you're new to deckbuilders, start here.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYBalatro
BUYSolo developer LocalThunk's poker roguelike turned into a phenomenon — 5 million+ copies sold, Game Awards 2024 Best Independent Game. Runs are 30-45 minutes. The 'one more run' pull is among the strongest in the genre.
At $14.99, the highest value-per-dollar roguelike on this list. Mobile support means it travels everywhere.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYHades (Original)
BUYStill the best entry point to story-driven roguelikes. GOTY 2020 nominee, regularly $15 on sale. Six weapons, the full Olympian roster as boon-givers, gorgeous hand-painted environments.
If you're going to play Hades II, do this first. Story callbacks land much harder.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYReturnal
BUYThe cosmic-horror bullet-hell shooter that made everyone realize what PS5 + DualSense could do. 2021 GOTY nominee. Tower mode adds endless replay. Brutal difficulty with no real progression mitigation — pure skill check.
If you have a PS5 and you're considering Saros, play Returnal first.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYVampire Survivors
BUYOver 10 million copies sold at $5. The entry point for players who've never touched a roguelike. Auto-attack means mechanical skill is irrelevant — it's pure build optimization. Comfort food, not a five-course meal.
The roguelike to play while listening to a podcast. Nothing wrong with that.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYDead Cells
BUYThe benchmark for action-platformer roguelikes. Tight combat, satisfying weapon variety, and a metroidvania-roguelite structure that respects your time. Years of free content updates from Motion Twin.
If Hades is too narrative-heavy and Returnal is too brutal, this hits the sweet spot.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYMewgenics
BUYEdmund McMillen's (Binding of Isaac creator) creature-breeding roguelite finally launched after 13 years of development. Sold 1 million copies in its first week. Tactical RPG with roguelike randomness applied to cat genetics — breed cats with procedural traits and send them through dungeons.
Strange premise, executed brilliantly. One of 2026's pleasant surprises.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYEnter the Gungeon
BUYFive years old and still the benchmark for bullet-hell roguelikes. Hundreds of weapons, dozens of items, synergies that transform garbage loadouts into room-clearing machines. The table-flip dodge roll remains one of the best-feeling defensive mechanics in any game.
Pure mechanical challenge with a comedic wrapper. Skip if you want narrative or strategic depth.
CHECK ON AMAZON CHECK PRICE ON EBAYFinal Thoughts
If we had to pick one roguelike for someone who's never played one: Balatro. $15, no mechanical skill required, immediately addictive.
If we had to pick one for action fans: Hades II. The genre-defining sequel of the decade.
If we had to pick one for budget: Vampire Survivors. $5 for endless gameplay.