Summary
- Roguelike games on PlayStation 5 offer challenging, unique experiences with reactive combat and endless replayability.
- Titles like The Light Brigade and Curse of the Dead Gods offer variety with first-person shooter elements and curses to overcome.
- Modern roguelikes like Inscryption and Slay the Spire combine genres for fresh gameplay experiences on PS5.
Roguelike games are some of the best for players who are looking for a challenge, as well as an action game that feels different every time they start a new run. While roguelike titles are commonly played on PC, many successful games from the genre have also made it to consoles such as the PlayStation 5.
Best Tactical Roguelikes For Beginners
For a soft landing into the tactical roguelike genre, here are some of the best beginner-friendly titles to start with.
These games work wonderfully even when using the DualSense controller of the PlayStation 5, as combat feels reactive and quick, allowing the player to survive for longer. With a focus on Roguelike titles, these are by far the best that players can enjoy on PlayStation 5.
Updated on February 27, 2025, by Megan Smith: Looking for the best roguelike on PS5 is a lot harder than some players may expect. Especially as nowadays, there are not only roguelike titles, but also roguelite games as well. These two genres are quite similar in gameplay and style, with roguelike titles being far more intimidating due to the challenge it forces players to face, with many of them not allowing players to make permanent progress. These roguelike games on the PS5 have strictly referred to themselves as roguelike titles and not roguelite, while also impressing players with their intense gameplay. These are by far the best roguelike PS5 games for players to enjoy while using a controller.
14 Wizard Of Legend
Combo Spells And Play Wisely
Wizard Of Legend
- Released
- May 15, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Shooter, Fighting
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PS4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Linux
Dungeon Crawlers are some of the best for using rogue-like elements in their games. Wizard of Legend challenges players to explore dungeons while finding various relics and spells that a player can combo to cause interesting effects.
Every new run in Wizard of Legend is something new, as each dungeon is procedurally generated to create a new challenge for its players. This, alongside the assortment of unlockables, means players on the PlayStation 5 are sure to find countless hours of challenging fun while attempting to create a powerful wizard.
13 The Light Brigade
A Shooter Roguelike That Uses VR
The Light Brigade
- Released
- February 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Virtual Reality, FPS, Strategy
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Unlike many of the other roguelike titles, which are seen as some of the best on the PlayStation 5. The Light Brigade is a roguelike that plays as a first-person shooter. There are few games like this that can be enjoyed through a first-person point of view, making the battles within The Light Brigade rather exciting.
Not to mention that this game is also enjoyed through the PlayStation VR, making players feel a more personal connection to the intense shooter combat they are likely to face while they attempt to restore light against the darkness. It isn't just guns in The Light Brigade, as players also have an assortment of spells on hand to use against the various bosses a player is likely to face.
12 Curse Of The Dead Gods
Face Off In A Near Infinite Labyrinth
Curse of the Dead Gods
- Released
- April 3, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Passtech Games
- Genre(s)
- Fighting, Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
Curse of the Dead Gods is more than a simple roguelike title, as players are forced to not only face foes but use the environments of the labyrinth they explore if they hope to survive and therefore delve even further down.
Roguelikes & Roguelites With Innovative Gameplay
These roguelikes and roguelites spice up the usual formula with unexpected and innovative gameplay guaranteed to reel players in.
As the name of the game suggests, players in Curse of the Dead Gods will face various curses while hoping to fulfill their greed. These curses may seem like a burden, but they can also be a double-edged sword the player can use to their advantage. With an abundance of curses to face, each run, like any classic roguelike, is sure to feel different.
11 Invisible, Inc
Infiltrate Some Of The Most Dangerous Organizations
Invisible, Inc.
- Released
- May 12, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Klei Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based Strategy
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Although Invisible, Inc doesn't directly state that it is a roguelike title, looking at how the game works and the mechanics within it makes it a prime example of a modern roguelike title. Players are put into a randomly generated world that each has its own random threats and locations to make each playthrough feel unique. This is a great example of what makes a roguelike so unique, as well as keeping the gameplay feeling fresh.
Players that are also looking for a different experience may enjoy Invisible, Inc, as it forces players to take a different approach in this turn-based title, as players must remain in stealth if they hope to survive, as getting caught will set off alarms.
10 Cult Of The Lamb
Run A Cult In-Between Attempts To Take Down Gods
Cult of the Lamb
- Released
- August 11, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood, Violence.
- Developer(s)
- Massive Monster
- Genre(s)
- Roguelite, Indie Games, Simulation
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Cult of the Lamb is a fascinating roguelike title that combines these mechanics in combat while also allowing players to somewhat catch a break while managing their own cult. Players are not only going back out to the various Bishop areas in the hopes of releasing their old god but also to find the supplies needed to keep their cult happy.
If a player dies while in a skirmish, their cult may be disappointed with them, but at least they will return home. With the choice of instead focusing on the cult, The Cult of the Lamb is a must for any player on the PS5 who also wants a game they could use to relax, as they instead manage their followers.
9 Enter The Gungeon
One Of The Greatest Bullet Hell Rougelike Games
Enter the Gungeon
- Released
- April 5, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Blood, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Dodge Roll
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Not every roguelike title that is also a dungeon crawler requires the player to experience medieval-like battles that make the most of swords and shields, as Enter the Gungeon follows a group of adventurers as they plan to shoot and loot their way through the dungeons ahead.
Roguelike Games With The Best Real-Time Combat, Ranked
There's no shortage of action and thrill in these roguelike games that do real-time combat the best in their genre.
While attempting to make it to the ultimate Gungeon treasure of the gun that can kill the past, players will see themselves met by a Bullet Hell wonderland that encourages players to pick up their pistol and try again when they fail. Aiming is incredibly easy with a controller, which makes Enter the Gungeon a great roguelike to enjoy on the PlayStation 5 without the worry of trying to attack.
8 Until You Fall
Another VR Roguelike With An Intense Soundtrack
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Meta Quest
- Released: 2020-10-27
- Developer(s): Schell Games
- Genre(s): Hack and Slash and Roguelike
While many games on the PlayStation 5 are played with the controller, players are also able to enjoy various games that use the PlayStation VR. Until You Fall is one such roguelike that must be played with the PS VR, as players must physically hack and slash at the various enemies they encounter if they hope to survive.
As the name of the game suggests, players will need to keep fighting until they die and start over again, unless they have tired themselves out through the active gameplay. Surrounded by a world of neon, it's no surprise that Until You Fall is also enjoyed alongside an incredible synth-wave soundtrack to keep players pumped up with adrenaline.
7 Returnal
Break The Cycle Against An Alien Empire
Returnal
- Released
- April 30, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Housemarque
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Returnal was originally a PlayStation-exclusive roguelike title that players could only enjoy on the PlayStation 5. However, in recent years, the game was also released on PC. This third-person shooter encourages players to break the cycle as they fight to survive against an ancient alien enemy.
Each moment of bullet hell combat will feel different from the next as players notice that every time they die and start their journey again, the cycle on this isolated planet feels different. Early in the game, it is where Returnal is the most challenging, as players fight to make progress that will likely see them starting over multiple times.
6 Inscryption
Play Cards Carefully To Make It Far
Inscryption
- Released
- October 19, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Commonly, roguelikes are seen as titles where players encounter difficult combat situations where they must learn the move set of a foe if they wish to pass. These games are common on the PS5, but aren't always the case. Inscryption is a great example of the other sort of roguelike possible for players to enjoy even on the PlayStation console, as the game is primarily a deckbuilding title too.
Roguelike Games With The Best Strategic Combat, Ranked
Players with a mind for strategy and a passion for roguelike games will no doubt find their new obsession in these games.
Players must build up their deck of cards during their adventure in Inscryption and hope that they have made the right choices if they wish to make any progress. These battles aren't as intense as other roguelike games but still have the players putting their thinking heads on if they wish to outsmart Leshy, as well as the other enemies in the game.
5 The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
A Grim But Great Roguelike
The Binding of Isaac
- Released
- September 28, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Violence, Blood and Gore, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- Edmund McMillen, Florian Himsl
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Even with a variety of new roguelike games, players still rate the classics of the genre as being some of the best. The Binding Of Isaac is a roguelike title that has seen various expansions over the years, adding entirely new content through new rooms to explore and new items to use.
The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth is arguably one of the best as it makes the classic roguelike title feel like an entirely new game with the assortment of content it includes. Each attempt at making it to mom's heart feels different in The Binding of Isaac, as players are encouraged to take different items and make an entirely new build.