The genre of roguelikes and roguelites has enjoyed great popularity for years. But although the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are crucial differences. Anyone who has ever fought their way through Hades, Slay the Spire or Dead Cells knows that not every game with randomly generated levels and permadeath is automatically a roguelike. But what exactly distinguishes the two genres? And why does this distinction in particular always cause discussion among gamers?
Support SPIELECHECK on Patreon - The entire website depends on your support.
The roots of Roguelike - a question of tradition
The term "roguelike" goes back to the game Rogue from the year 1980. This text-based dungeon crawler RPG laid the foundations for an entire genre. The main features: procedurally generated dungeons, turn-based battles and permanent death. If you die, you start all over again - with no saved progress. These mechanics were adopted by later games such as NetHack, Angband and Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup and further developed.
A key distinguishing feature of classic roguelikes is the turn-based gameplay. While modern offshoots such as The Binding of Isaac or Crypt of the NecroDancer While the game focuses on real time, the classic roguelike remains a strategic, decelerated experience. Another typical feature is the lack of a meta-progression system: each round begins with the same conditions, with no permanent improvements for later rounds.
Roguelites - The evolution of the genre
Over time, many developers have begun to diversify the roguelike genre. This gave rise to the "roguelite" - a term that first became popular around 2013. A roguelite adopts many elements of the roguelike genre, but loosens up some of the hardest rules. This often means permanent upgrades, unlockable abilities or progressive story progression.
Advertising
A prime example of a Roguelite is Hades from Supergiant Games. Here, new dialogs and story elements are unlocked with each run, and Zagreus can permanently improve his equipment. This clearly distinguishes it from classic roguelikes, where each attempt is independent of the previous run. The situation is similar with Dead Cellswhich offers randomly generated levels and permadeath, but also contains a permanent progression system with new weapons and abilities.
Not all permadeaths are the same
A common misunderstanding is the equation of Roguelikes with the concept of permadeath. While both genres use permadeath as a central element, the way in which death is handled in the game differs. In classic roguelikes, death means the complete loss of all progress. Each playthrough is a challenge in its own right, with no lasting benefits.
In Roguelites, on the other hand, there is usually some form of reward or improvement that goes beyond death. So in Slay the Spire new cards can be unlocked for later runs, in Rogue Legacy deceased heroes leave behind gold for future generations and in Hades Zagreus gradually unlocks new weapons, god bonuses and story elements. This form of progression is what distinguishes a roguelite from a roguelike.
Why the distinction is important
Even if the terms are often mixed up, the separation has a meaning. If you are interested in a classic roguelike like Tales of Maj'Eyal or Cogmind decides, expects a different Gaming experience than with a Roguelite like Rogue Legacy 2 or FTL: Faster Than Light. While Roguelikes are often merciless, strategic challenges, Roguelites often offer a balance of frustration and progress.
Advertising
Ultimately, it's a question of preference: Those looking for the purist thrill, where every mistake means an immediate restart, are well advised to play a roguelike. On the other hand, those who appreciate the replay value of an evolving character will find the Roguelite the ideal mix of challenge and reward.
Roguelike or Roguelite - the personal hardcore level decides
Whether Rogue, Hades or Dead Cells - Both genres have their raison d'être. While purists prefer classic roguelikes, many enjoy the more modern roguelite variant with permanent progression. So if you are resistant to frustration and are looking for a real challenge, go for a roguelike. If, on the other hand, you like reward systems but still want a tough level of difficulty, you will find what you are looking for in Roguelites.
Or to quote Zagreus from Hades to say: "I think I'll try one more time..."
