MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus has been sinking into a very special genre of games: roguelites. In these, you can’t really win – at least not in a traditional sense. And yet they captivate him. But why?
I bet each of you knows games that feel impossible. At the very least, every fan of Elden Ring can relate to what it’s like to constantly take hits and stand before a proverbial wall.
Sure, there are plenty of hard games or those with unfair balancing. Recently in the latest WoW raid, even pros got stuck on one of the bosses over 1,800 times – and that wasn’t even the final boss.
But that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about games that you literally cannot win.
Roguelites are a genre where losing is part of the game concept and even represents the goal. Moreover, there often isn’t even a true win condition. Winning is impossible, but that’s exactly what makes these games fascinating. Some of my favorite games in the genre are:
- Slay the Spire
- Tainted Grail: Conquest
- The Binding of Isaac
- Night of the Full Moon
I have been captivated by these games for years, especially during my travels. Playing a few rounds on the laptop or smartphone makes every long train ride shorter. And dying can be relaxing – really!
Roguelites – Created to not be conquered
A brief excursion into this strange genre: Roguelites are played in rounds. You always start a new run fresh. Depending on the game, you select a class or play across different levels.
The process is always the same. You fight your way through hordes of enemies and find random items or abilities. With these, you improve yourself and try to get as far as you can.
Many roguelites even have an “end” to a run, which merely marks the beginning of the next run. In the end, it’s a series of endless rounds that keep sending you back to the start.
However, if you die, the game is over, and you have to start over. Depending on the game, there might be an “end” that again leads to a new round – usually at a higher difficulty. Like a New Game+.
It’s characteristic of roguelites that after each run – regardless of the outcome – you take a little something from the game. This can be levels that enhance the character on a meta level or access to new items that might appear in the next run.
Among the more popular variations of roguelites are card games or so-called “deck builders”. In these, you compete with an ever-expanding deck of cards that you improve over the course of the run. The randomness of drawing cards largely determines how far you can go.
Roguelites are not roguelikes!
For anyone wondering: no, that’s not a typo. Roguelites and roguelikes are distinct genres. At the International Roguelike Development Conference in 2008, the “Berlin Interpretation” established which games can truly call themselves roguelikes.
The term derives from the game “Rogue”, a dungeon crawler from 1980 and the first of its kind. Players must explore a dungeon and find treasures. If they die, they must start a new run.
Roguelikes must fulfill certain criteria to be able to bear that name. These include:
- Permadeath as a system
- turn-based gameplay
- a certain level of complexity
- dungeons that can be explored
Roguelites are not bound by such strict rules and can pick individual components. Traditionally, they are mainly characterized by the ability to improve after each run – no matter how it turns out.
Over time, the terms have become a bit blurred, so they are often used interchangeably. While that’s not entirely correct, I specifically speak of roguelites here; however, modern “roguelikes” often don’t truly fall under that designation anymore.
Playing for the sake of playing – “L’art pour l’art”
So why do I even play such games, and enjoy them so much, if I’m only capable of losing? The answer lies in the game principle.
Roguelites may not have an end, but they certainly have a goal. I play to improve and to simply play the game. The mechanics themselves are the game, and I enjoy just surviving them.
Especially indie developers have the chance with roguelites to spread their version of a game. And it’s fun to explore them. This relates to the art theory concept “l’art pour l’art” – art for the sake of art.
And that is precisely why I enjoy roguelites so much. Playing for the sake of playing is becoming increasingly rare today. MMORPGs are based on obtaining the best equipment possible. Shooters advance competitive thinking with skill-based matchmaking. Survival games force me to survive in order to even play.
Roguelites slow things down and help you to focus more on the game itself. I don’t need the next piece of equipment for my character or the new attachment for my gun. I play for the game.
But that alone is not the reason. Since I, too, have a certain damage from the pursuit of achievement, I need the famous “carrot before the nose.” And roguelites do that just right.
Even a defeat pushes me forward
In roguelites, it is impossible not to make progress. I always move forward and get better. It can’t be any other way.
Even if I only complete the first fight, I take experience with me from the run and improve. I grasp the mechanics, maybe level up my character, or learn new cards and effects.
Usually, I get more out of a run if I survive, and then death is just the “consolation prize.” Still, I gain experience points or the chance to find new items in the next game.
And even if I die just because of absolutely terrible RNG – in the next run everything could come together perfectly to build an indescribably strong deck. Thus, the element of chance becomes a motivating, performance-independent “carrot before the nose.”
Unlike competitive games or raids in MMORPGs, I am not only improving myself but also changing the game. Because I can find more items, my next run changes – along with the statistical chances of finding exactly the item I want.
The gameplay itself expands – so I have even more to discover, bringing me back to the previous point: playing for the sake of playing.
Not core games, but my favorite pastime
It is admittedly rare that I take several evenings in a row to just play roguelites. But especially during breaks or when I’m really stressed, playing a round of Slay the Spire or Tainted Grail in between is simply delightful.
Since I CAN’T win, I don’t get upset about losses at all. Or at least only briefly because the next run goes on anyway. And that’ll surely be better because I now have more options.
Roguelites help me to relax and also gain a new perspective on other games. When you don’t always strive for performance, it plays much more pleasantly – and everywhere. I can only recommend checking out games where you cannot win. It casts a whole new light on your way of playing.
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