2022 was a really wild year, to say the least. With all that’s happening in the real world right now, the gaming world is just as crazy. The roguelite genre is no exception, but it’s a “good” crazy than a “bad” one as we’ve witnessed multiple incredible releases the past year, from Rogue Legacy 2 to the full release of Vampire Survivors.
But with all the amazing games that were released in 2022, 2023 is shaping up to be just as good, if not better. In my opinion, we’re witnessing a new golden age of roguelites as more eyes are looking at the genre through popular influencers like CohhCarnage and Maximillian, and even well-known celebrities like former UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion and current WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey.
So what are some of the games that lead the way this year? Well, I’m glad you asked because we’re about to list some of the highly-anticipated roguelite games in 2023.
Returnal
I can’t think of a better way to kick off this list than a game that earned multiple accolades to its name in both 2021 and 2022.
Since its release in 2021 as a PlayStation exclusive, Returnal garnered mainstream attention as the first-ever full-fledged AAA roguelite game, and while that caught people’s attention, they stayed for the incredible gameplay along with the story intertwined with the roguelite elements.
Players have been clamoring for the game to hopefully arrive on the PC and their wishes will finally be fulfilled when during The Game Awards just last month, a trailer was shown for the game confirming its PC debut, scheduled for an early 2023 release.
Ak-Xolotl
For what it’s worth, Kickstarter is not always a good indicator of whether or not people will look forward to your game, but in Ak-Xolotl’s case, I guess it’s safe to say so especially considering the fact that it received almost 10 times the amount of pledges developer and publisher 2Awesome Studio was asking for.
We totally get it though if the Kickstarter trailer is an indication of how the game will look when it’s released. The game looks fun, action-packed, and full of personality.
Arcrunner
Maybe it’s just me, but the first time I saw Arcrunner, it reminded me of Warframe and Destiny 2. Maybe it’s the third-person view coupled with both shooter and melee mechanics or the futuristic setting, but whatever it is, the game surely piqued our interest.
As of this writing, what we know about the game is that you can choose among three classes: Soldier, Ninja, or Hacker, and the last one makes me giddy because it is very rare to see a Hacker class in the game, and I’m very eager to see how it plays. The game also features online multiplayer ala Risk of Rain 2 or the aforementioned Returnal, so if you’re into multiplayer roguelites, then this game is for you!
Voidborn
The shooter roguelite subgenre has been picking up lately. From Risk of Rain 2, then came along hits like Roboquest and Gunfire Reborn followed up by AAA games like Back 4 Blood and Returnal, which was mentioned just a while ago.
2023 will likely see the release of another shooter roguelite in Voidborn, and we like the game’s fast pace based on the trailers that were released, with visuals resembling that of the old Quake games. The game looks to follow suit following the success of the aforementioned titles, and judging by the looks of it, the future looks bright.
And speaking of Risk of Rain…
Risk of Rain Returns
Just a month ago, Gearbox Publishing and Hopoo Games have announced that the original Risk of Rain, the 2D platforming shooter roguelite, will have its new shiny version called “Risk of Rain Returns”. Keep in mind though that this will not just be a simple remaster but a complete remake that will enhance the gameplay, which includes new survivors, an overhaul of the multiplayer experience, and even some of the Risk of Rain 2 elements will be introduced in the game.
There’s no word yet as to what happens to owners of the original game whether they’ll get a free upgrade or not, but for what it’s worth, I don’t think they’ll mind double-dipping as “Returns” could potentially be an entirely new experience.
Furcifer’s Fungeon
There’s something about Furcifer’s Fungeon that peaks my interest as soon as I laid my eyes on the game. Maybe it’s the cutesy art style which includes a duck and a dog as selectable characters, or perhaps the gameplay which involves the biome automatically scrolling.
Perhaps it’s the fact that they’re including all of us along the ride through their youtube dev vlogs as well as Godot-related content, but whatever it is, Furcifer’s Fungeon is personally a title that I’m looking forward to this year.
A demo is already out if you want to try that out, and the devs just recently announced a crossover with the bullet heaven roguelite Her Name Was Fire as Fire has been introduced as a selectable character, so there’s even more stuff to look forward to.
For The King II
With the massive success of the first title, a sequel to it is more than likely to be planned sooner than later. The good news for For The King fans, or roguelite fans in general, is that For the King II is coming in 2023!
Not much information has been shared about the game as both publisher Curve Games and developer IronOak Games are keeping their lips sealed, so we have yet to find out what sets this apart from its predecessor, but it’s safe to assume that the game will be visually better, and more mechanics are going to be introduced.
IronOak Games have been sharing episodic dev vlogs called “The Book of Lore” which covers information about the game recently, so more information will be coming to light soon.
Dungeons of Aether
Dan Fornace’s Aether Studios looks to expand the Aether universe with its first foray into the roguelite genre with Dungeons of Aether. Honestly, I was expecting something that plays to its main game Rivals of Aether’s strengths which are fighting and platforming, so it came as a shock to me that the game was announced as a turn-based dungeon crawler.
The game still has its charming pixel art style and takes you to the Julesvale Caverns where you get to select one among the four heroes as you uncover the cavern’s mysteries in Story Mode. There’s also a challenge mode in the game if you just want to do those.
The game currently has a release date of March 1 this year, so here’s to hoping that the development process is smooth sailing from here on out.
Combo Card Clashers
I received an email from someone from Burnt Games LLC half a year ago about this game that they want us to cover called Combo Card Clashers, and they described it as a “roguelite deckbuilder with a twist” and told me that popular Youtube content creator Retromation liked the game when he highlighted the game in one of his videos, so there’s no way I’m not going to try it for myself, so I created a first-hour playthrough video of the game as well.
Based on my first hour, not only did I have a lot of fun, but I also saw a ton of potential with the game despite the limited amount of cards I have to work with because it was just a demo. Its main selling point, the combos, was so cool and surprisingly straightforward in a good way.
Honestly, the visual presentation could use a teeny tiny bit of polishing, but with still a few months before their self-imposed deadline of Q3 in 2023, I’m sure they’d be able to work on that, and I’m definitely looking forward to the end product.
Darkest Dungeon II
The last game on the list, like For The King II, is looking to raise the bar set by its predecessor even higher, which is going to be challenging considering that Darkest Dungeon was a massive hit. So far, developer and publisher Red Hook Studios looks to be up to the task as Darkest Dungeon II looks very promising and has gained a lot of traction, especially on Twitch.
The game still has the dark and gloomy aesthetic as well as the turn-based combat from the original, but these mechanics have been refined and improved. In addition, an all-new Token system has been implemented to spice up the gameplay.
Currently released on the Epic Game Store as an Early Access title, Darkest Dungeon II is being targeted for a full-game release in the 2nd quarter of 2023 for both Epic and Steam.
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