10 Best Co-Op Roguelites

Highlights

• Roguelite games often incorporate meta-progression or remove turn-based combat to differentiate themselves from traditional roguelikes.
• Multiplayer co-op is a common feature in roguelite games, providing a social and collaborative experience.
• Procedural generation adds variety and unpredictability to roguelite gameplay, keeping each run feeling fresh and distinct.

The roguelite genre takes heavy inspiration from roguelikes, but strips away some of the more classic elements that make them so much like Rogue. Roguelites tend to do this by adding in some form of meta-progression that allows players to progress between runs, or, more often than not, by removing turn-based combat.

Most of these games feature real-time gameplay that makes them ideal for online co-op, though others use turn-based combat to great effect. Together, these games should provide a variety of solid co-operative experiences that make dying repeatedly a little less lonely. Genre fans who enjoy multiplayer are sure to have hours of fun with these titles.

10 Children Of Morta

Metascore: 82

• A story-driven action RPG with a roguelite structure

This roguelite action RPG tasks players with taking control of a family of adventurers, hacking and slashing through corrupted monsters in varied dungeons as they progress through the game’s well-written story.

Although Children Of Morta doesn’t feature permanent death (players instead play as a variety of characters in the form of family members, each of which is important to the story), the game is played in runs, with players being sent back to the family’s home base upon death. Children Of Morta also features procedural generation that makes retreading dungeons less repetitive, as well as unique boss fights that help to spice up the gameplay.

9 Vagante

Metascore: 69

• A fantasy RPG in the style of Spelunky

This fantasy-themed roguelite features RPG elements and high-lethality gameplay that fans of Spelunky will be no stranger to. Deadly traps, vicious enemies, and platforming gameplay make Vagante an action-packed experience, and like Spelunky 2, Vagante can be played in online co-op.

Vagante also features procedural generation that makes each run feel distinct from the last and keeps the gameplay unpredictable. The game’s different classes also help to make Vagante’s gameplay varied, especially when adventuring as a party. It’s a lot of fun and quite the challenging title, too, so forming an effective team is players’ best chance for survival.

8 Across The Obelisk

Metascore TBD, Metacritic User Score 7.5

• A co-operative deckbuilder

This turn-based, deck-building roguelite has players taking turns playing through hands of cards in parties of up to four players. The game features a hand-drawn aesthetic utilizing only simplistic animations, but the overall visual style is more than palatable.

Across The Obelisk makes turn-based combat collaborative by allowing players to see each other’s hands while playing, encouraging players to discuss and strategize together. However, each player controls their own individual character throughout the game. It’s an unusually social twist on the format, and one that works very well. Each player’s decisions are of equal importance, and each must take into account the others’ cards.

7 Inkbound

Metascore TBD, Metacritic User Score TBD

• A co-operative turn-based roguelite with simultaneous actions

Inkbound is a co-operative roguelite game. The title’s well-crafted gameplay centers around an innovative twist on turn-based combat that keeps things fresh and fast-paced while remaining strategic.

In Inkbound, players are able to explore the game’s levels in real-time, and transition into a turn-based style of play when entering combat. Although Inkbound’s combat is technically turn-based, players are able to move freely during their turns and take turns simultaneously. The experience blends the two styles of play almost seamlessly, while also lending a level of very different strategy that similar titles lack.

6 Barony

Metascore TBD, Metacritic User Score 7.3

• A Dungeon-Crawling Roguelite RPG

This first-person roguelite RPG features a voxel-based graphical style and gripping dungeon crawling gameplay. Barony tasks players with rummaging through different biomes, battling enemies and avoiding traps as they collect loot and level up.

Playing Barony in online co-op can almost feel like old-school Dungeons & Dragons. The game features different playable classes, strong RPG systems, and plenty of deadly enemies and traps alike. It may look rather simplistic, but Barony has considerable hidden depth in its action and there’s a good deal of replayability in making the journey again a a different class.

5 Gunfire Reborn

Metascore 75

• A looter shooter roguelike

This co-operative first-person shooter features a simple cartoon art-style and looter shooter gameplay that seems to take heavy inspiration from games such as Borderlands. Gunfire Reborn also shares similarities with the aformentioned series in its focus on elemental effects and huge-scale and sometimes ludicrous boss fights.

Gunfire Reborn doesn’t ask the player to think too much, instead focusing on light build management and the frantic shooter gameplay that’s just so satisfying. The multiplayer works well, and the abundance of playable characters allows players to strategize over team building to ensure that their choices complement each other well.

4 Ember Knights

Metascore TBD, Metacritic User Score TBD

• A Co-Operative Hack And Slash Experience

This top-down action roguelite features hack and slash gameplay and a brilliant pixel art visual style. The game tasks players with battling through a variety of distinct locations and taking down challenging bosses.

Ember Knights allows players to tackle the game’s challenges in a variety of ways, constructing various builds by choosing from a broad range of unique weapons, skills, and passive upgrades. On top of being an action game, Ember Knights also features meta-progression, which allows players to gain bonuses between runs. A lot of roguelite titles disappoint a little in this regard, so it’s great to see this game implement that so well.

3 Roboquest

Metascore: 85

• A Fast-Paced FPS With Satisfying Combat

Roboquest has a brilliant visual style and shooter gameplay that, like Gunfire Reborn, feels influenced by the likes of Borderlands and other light-hearted shooters. Furthermore, the game features a variety of distinct weapons and solid movement controls that make moving around its unique environments a joy.

Although Roboquest does feature online co-op, unfortunately, it only allows for two players. While this is certainly a negative, it also prevents the game from becoming too easy or overly chaotic, making for a more streamlined, fast-paced experience. In this way, players get the best of both worlds, and the end result is a bright and bolder shooter that implements the roguelite loop without leaning upon it too much.

2 Risk Of Rain 2

Metascore: 85

• A Fast-Paced Experience With A Visual Style All Its Own

This sequel to the hit 2D indie roguelite features unique gameplay elements, in the form of fully open levels packed with goodies to find as well as an ever-ticking timer. This timer gradually increases the difficulty of the game and forces players to keep moving. The switch to a 3D perspective was also a bold move, but one that paid dividends.

Risk Of Rain 2 is best played with friends. Hone your strategy as you decide who should take each item. Debate how to approach bosses in order to defeat them quickly and efficiently. Generally communicate as much as possible. These things are the key to the experience. As a bonus, Risk Of Rain 2 also has a great visual style and plenty of playable characters to choose from, each of which offers a genuinely different and unique way to play.

1 Streets of Rogue

Metascore: 82

• An immersive top-down action sim

This immersive sim roguelite takes clear inspiration from classic Grand Theft Auto games and other similar sims like Deus-Ex, wearing its influences on its sleeve to create a sandbox-style roguelite packed with variety.

Streets Of Rogue facilitates multiplayer shenanigans around every corner, thanks in large part to its nature and level design. It tasks players with completing a handful of objectives on each floor. Every one within Streets Of Rogue gives players complete freedom to explore, and they can tackle each mission in any way they see fit, allowing for an attempt at careful planning and teamwork that often devolves into frantic chaos.