I’m late getting this one to you because of reasons (you don’t want to know), but I still had just enough energy before the weekend ended to gather together enough games to make a fulsome monthly round-up.
I’m glad I did, too, because there are some seriously interesting games coming out this month, including a nice blend of slick-looking big budget offerings and brain taxing indies.
For what it’s worth, I’m going to play Abyssus for review, and there are several more that I fancy, including Passant. Kieran mentioned a couple that he wants to play, too, so we’ll be busy trying to cover what we can. Stay tuned for impressions in the coming days, including for The Rogue Prince of Persia, which is due to drop this month but doesn’t have a confirmed release date at the time of writing.
Gatekeeper | Gravity Lagoon | August 1 | PC (Win) | This co-op focused shooter is one for the Risk of Rain crowd, with up to four players able to work together in spectacular firefights. Gatekeeper has been working its way through Early Access for ages now, and the big 1.0 update includes new locations, a new Gatekeeper, and the final boss: Chaos.
Luck and Loot | SMARTcreative | August 1 | PC (Win) | This old school RPG blends dungeon crawling with dice-themed deck building, and I’m rather taken with the antiquated presentation, too.
Metamancer | Colter Grant Robinson | August 4 | PC (Win) | It’s not a visually vibrant game by any stretch, however, Metamancer sounds fascinating from a gameplay perspective.
Hell Builder | Cuddle Code | August 6 | PC (Mac, Win) | I do enjoy an opportunity to play the villain, and as the name implies, in Hell Builder you’ll be creating your own underworld and carrying out the Dark Lord’s work. I’m quite taken with the colour scheme, too.
Guntouchables | Game Swing | August 7 | PC (Win) | The rise of the co-op roguelite is in full swing and the next challenger is called Guntouchables. It’s a 1-4 player arcade-powered extraction roguelite about shooting zombies in the face and getting the hell out of Dodge. I’ve played an early demo of this one and I’ll take a closer look at the final version if I can round up a couple of friends.
The Royal Writ | Save Sloth Studios | August 7 | PC (Win) | Strange anthropomorphic creatures, cards, and a medieval setting – it doesn’t sound like it should work on paper but The Royal Writ looks like a really characterful roguelike deckbuilder.
Drop Pockets | Children of Madness | August 8 | PC (Lin, Win) | I’m an absolute sucker for physics-based table games like Drop Pockets, which I discovered during my research for this month’s write-up. I have to say, I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on this one, although it’s still only an Early Access release.
CleanFall | Humanyoyo | August 8 | PC (Win) | With its Klei-inspired art, Noita-esque emphasis on physics, and strange contraption-building, CleanFall sounds like a truly unique proposition. It’s an Early Access release, but the plan is to check in on this one at some point soon.
Passant: A Chess Roguelike | Marc Makes Games | August 11 | PC (Win) | I love roguelikes and chess, so there’s a reasonable chance that I’m going to enjoy Passant: A Chess Roguelike, don’t you think?!
Neon Spellstorm | TopCog | August 11 | PC (Lin, Mac, Win) | Neon Spellstorm doesn’t quite burn the ol’ eyeballs, but it comes close – however, I still can’t look away from it. The visual intensity seems to extend to the game’s magic-charged gameplay, too. One to watch for all you chaoticians out there.
Abyssus | DoubleMoose Games | August 12 | PC (Win) | Another game that we took a good look at during the most recent Next Fest is Abyssus, the BioShock-inspired first-person shooter set in a strange underwater temple. It’s another co-op game, too, which makes this one to watch in my book.
Super Farming Boy | Lemonchili Soft | August 12 | PC (Win) | I missed this the first time around and so Kieran, who likes the look of it, made me go back and update. And so, here it is: Super Farming Boy, in all its glory!
Dino Topia | XA Studio | August 12 | PC (Win) | While I will always struggle to find enthusiasm for in-game farming, Dino Topia’s production values look really strong, and so it gets a mention. Plus, as alluded to in the segment above, Kieran is rather partial to a farming sim, so while it’s not my personal cup o’ tea…
Metavoidal | Yellow Lab Games | August 13 | PC (Win) | While we’re on the subject of our Kieran, he would get salty if I didn’t mention Metavoidal, an upcoming action-roguelite about a rock drummer who just failed an audition for a metal band. After missing out, you must now escape the evil clutches of said metal band. The pixel art is lovely and the theme is borderline unforgettable.
Ovus Loop | LIFUEL | August 14 | PC (Win) | With smooth-looking pixel platforming, sci-fi werewolves and a story about a strange AI gone rogue, and with a playable robo sheep (!), Ovus Loop sounds like a fever dream of the best possible kind and it has my attention.
Beneath the Six | Magicave | August 14 | PC (Mac, Win) | I don’t want AI content to define Beneath the Six’s segment, but the use of AI in the game had me wrestling with where the line for inclusion should be drawn. Metamancer, mentioned above, had a bit of AI in the concept art on the store page, but none in-game. Fine, just. Beneath the Six has an AI-powered narrator for the daily dungeons, which feels like an accessibility feature and probably how AI should be used if we’re going to have it integrated into our games. So yeah, Beneath the Six is a hex-based turn-based co-op roguelike, and it looks really nice, too.
Threads of War | KoS | August 14 | PC (Win) | My dear old ma is an elite stitcher, and so I grew up with sewing-based art all over the place. I think that might be one of the reasons I’m intrinsically drawn to Threads of War, a fascinating-looking strategy game about driving foreign invaders from Ukraine – timely, don’t you think?!
Dice Gambit | Chromatic Ink | August 14 | PC (Win) | Equally as striking, but in a completely different way, is Dice Gambit. In this action-RPG you play a family of so-called inquisitors who are out to kill chromatic monsters in an eye-catching world, where you’ve got to marry right before you fight, or something like that.
Bendy: Lone Wolf | Joey Drew Studios | August 15 | PC (Win) | With striking art, procuderally-generated level design, and a reasonably popular IP behind it, there’s every reason Bendy: Long Wolf could take off when it launches this month. My kids like the Bendy series, so I’m expecting to play this one at some point, even if it’s not at launch.
Hordelord | Fatbot Games | August 18 | PC (Win) | Following a week after Abyssus comes Hordelord, another first-person shooter dropping this August. I’m including Hordelord because those chunky guns made me think about playing Unreal Championship in my youth. Good times.
Once a Pawn a King | Clover Bite | August 18 | PC (Win) | If you read through the Passant segment, then you already know why I’ve included Once a Pawn a King, but even if I hated chess roguelikes, I would have included this one out of respect for the top quality name.
Cyber Seekers: Conquest | Harsh Agarwal | August 18 | PC (Win) | This could well be one for third-person action fans out there, although Cyber Seekers: Conquest is up against some seriously steep competition this month. Maybe the wall-running focus will be enough to capture your attention?
Void/Breaker | Stubby Games | August 20 | PC (Win) | Another exciting-looking first-person shooter out this month is Void/Breaker (which I refuse to write in all-caps, sorry not sorry). The presentation looks pretty good in this vibrant and polished robo-blaster, and it’s definitely on my wishlist.
Fresh Tracks | Buffalo Buffalo | August 26 | PC (Lin, Win) | Skiing down a mountain while holding a magic sword is never a good idea, ok? The only exception is if you’re immortal and can be reborn again and again, which, to be fair, is the case in Fresh Tracks.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor | Funday Games | September 17 | PC (Win) | I’ve been playing DRG Survivor since it first landed in Early Access and it’s already got a spot in my guide to auto-shooters, reverse bullet hells, and games like Vampire Survivors. I’m looking forward to returning for 1.0 and the new Gear System.
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree | Brownies | September 18 | PC (Win), PS, Switch, Xbox | I mean, of course you can see the Hades inspiration writ large, but Towa might be one of the first games that looks just as good as Supergiant’s underworld epic. This action-roguelite is another one being developed by a major publisher – in this instance, Bandai Namco – so expect to see plenty of Towa in the wider gaming press later this summer.
Wander Stars | Paper Castle Games | September 19 | PC (Win), Switch | If you’ve ever wanted to catch ’em all, Wander Stars has over 200 of them for you to collect. Except in this instance I’m talking about words, which are your weapons in this charming-looking turn-based RPG. (Delayed from August 1.)
Mewgenics | Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel | February 10, 2026 | PC (Win) | While it might be a bit far off, we’ve still got a release date and so it gets a mention here. Just in case you don’t already know, Mewgenics is the next game from the creators of The Binding of Isaac, one of the most enduring action-roguelites ever made. While the games are very different, the personality of their creators shines through, and I can’t wait to see more!
Morbid Metal | Screen Juice | DELAYED | PC (Win) | When it comes to technical quality, the bar continues to rise as more and more dev teams bring their games to market. Recently delayed, Mordid Metal by Screen Juice, looks good and feels smooth and plays fast. Ubisoft are publishing this one, so expect to see it around…
The Archives!
July 2025: An ecclectic month by any measure, with the standout games including co-op platformer Neon Abyss 2, the well-received action-roguelite Hell Clock, strategy games like He is Coming and Lost in Prayer, and even a Pac-Man inspired survivors-like (Maze Mice).
June 2025: There were several big announcements this month due to Summer Game Fest and all that, but one or two great rogues slipped out at the same time, including Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, Battle Train, and Soulstone Survivors. The port of Against the Storm for consoles also proved quite popular, at least based on the activity I saw here on the site.
May 2025: May was an absolute belter of a month, with more games than we could reasonably keep up with. Hit the link for all the latest on a month that ended with Elden Ring: Nightreign and started with Maze Mice, with a stop off at Monster Train 2 and Into the Restless Ruins along the way.
April 2025: I didn’t expect Blue Prince to deliver such an astonishing single-player experience; I finally got to check out the roguelite mode in The Last of Us: Part II after the remaster hit PC; I was surprised when Lonestar left Early Access, but very pleasantly so; Soulslinger and Kiborg both delivered decent mid-budget roguelite actioners; Approaching Infinity made an appearance before the month’s end!
March 2025: This March there was a dizzying array of promising roguelike releases. Highlights included Knights in Tight Spaces, Rogue: Genesia, Schism, Metal Bringer, Voids Vigil, 33 Immortals, Reignbreaker and Nordhold. Phew (and there’s more that I could have included, so hit the link for a healthy selection of new games).
February 2025: With highlights including Die in the Dungeon and Sworn, this February is very respectable with a diverse selection of rogues to choose from. I think my favourite game this month, however, is Rift Wizard 2, a hard-as-nails turn-based roguelike about growing a spell book capable of taking on all sorts of gnarly monsters.
January 2025: The year has kicked off with a decent selection of games, so hit the link for highlights that include a gritty shooter called Cruel, bullet heavens such as Jotunnslayer and Pinball Storm: Lokanta (both very different games), and OMG Words, a fun little word rogue that have quire enjoyed. There is also the not-so-small matter of the new campaign mode for Darkest Dungeon II, Kingdoms, which also released in January along with new DLC.
November and December 2024: This double bill of archived articles is crammed full of excellent games. The standout game is undoubtedly Caves of Qud, which is finally ready after years in Early Access. However, there’s more going on than just that, with Battle Shapers, Ballionaire, Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, and Magicraft all launched, too.
October 2024: This was a really solid month thanks to the release of [REDACTED], the Early Access launch of Windblown, and a surprising little gem by the name of DICEOMANCER. Lots of caps lock in October, and there’s even some roguish robots in the disguise.
September 2024: What an excellent month for new roguelike games, with the highlights including deckbuilders Shogun Showdown and Pyrene, the FPS blaster otherwise known as Wild Bastards, and there was the mobile release of Balatro. Rogue Waters delivered pirate-themed turn-based tactics, and I also really enjoyed both Realm of Ink and Halls of Torment (the first which landed in Early Access and the second which just left it).
August 2024: The August archive boasts highlights including the blackjack-themed deckbuilder Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, a co-op update for Cult of the Lamb, plus excellent games including Peglin, Terminus: Zombie Survivors, Knock on the Coffin Lid, and Nova Drift all left Early Access. Plot twist: Risk of Rain 2’s latest DLC launched to very mixed reviews.
July 2024: Headline acts this July included the console release of Darkest Dungeon II, and Lost Castle 2 releasing into Early Access. The original Epyx version of Rogue has finally been ported to Nintendo Switch, with one or two improvements that no doubt explain the delay. Finally, shout outs to Arc Seed, because I do love a giant mecha battle, and Wastelander, because I’m a sucker for sci-fi strategy games.
June 2024: This month got better as it went on. June closed out with a tetromino-powered tower defense roguelite by the name of Emberward, a turn-based western rogue called Guncho (wanted dead or alive, apparently), the quirky auto-battler otherwise known as Million Monster Militia, and the early access exit of Champion Shift. All of them landed in the back nine of the month, so keep on scrolling.
May 2024: Hit this link for some of the very best launches of the year, including the Early Access release of Hades II, the wonderful turn-based roguelike Path of Achra, and a big crossover as Contra comes to Vampire Survivors. Plus stellar shooters Robobeat and Mullet MadJack both dropped in May, and there’s a certain Prince from Persia who arrived before the end of the month, too. Phew.
April 2024: One of my favourites in April was peaceful puzzler Planetiles, which certainly contrasts the grimy first-person horror of Buckshot Roulette. Traditionalists will note the release of Story Mode in Dwarf Fortress as a milestone, while console owners finally got to savour the delights of Dave the Diver. Finally, I want to highlight Against Great Darkness and Inkbound; two indie gems out this month.
March 2024: Mortal Glory 2 dropped in March and it’s an excellent tactical turn-based roguelite about fantasy gladiators. The always brilliant Crypt of the NecroDancer got a big multiplayer update by the name of Synchrony. Two very different magic games were released into Early Access this month, with third-person actioner Vellum landing alongside turn-based spell-simulator Rift Wizard 2. Finally, the wonderful dice roller Slice & Dice made an appearance on Steam.
February 2024: An earlier iteration of this format – February’s round-up is a bit of a mess. Nevertheless, it was a good month for games with the release of Balatro on PC and console, which has been my most-played game of the year by far, and Shiren 6 finally arrived on Nintendo Switch. Other highlights include the full release of Inkulinati, and the Early Access launch of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivors.
January 2024: The first month of the year is usually pretty quiet across the industry (except for at Capcom for some reason) but we did get some good rogues, too. Lonestar is my personal pick, but Go Mecha Ball landed on PC and console, and the unofficial Indiana Jones parkour simulator otherwise known as Phantom Abyss left Early Access. Finally, BlazBlue Entropy Effect also left EA.
November and December 2023: It was still early days for Rogueliker and the formatting is all over the place, but if you want even more games, I’ve got a few from late 2023 to tell you about. Picayune Dreams is one of the highlights, as is Against the Storm, two of the year’s best games, in fact. Other top-tier titles to drop before the end of the year include Cobalt Core, Roboquest, and Risk of Rain Return.
