Roguelikes, roguelites, whatever you want to call them - don’t worry, I know there’s a difference, but the genre has never appealed to me regardless. WhenHadeshad everyone’s attention and swept up a slew of Game of the Year awards, I watched on like Squidward in that SpongeBob meme, the only difference being that I wasn’t jealous of everyone else having fun, I was simply uninterested in being a part of it. The same applied toReturnal. The idea of playing an excruciatingly difficult game only to keep dying and lose hours of progress as part of the experience wasn’t for me.
That the entire premise of a roguelike involves doing the same thing over and over with small tweaks to your surroundings and challenges each time just isn’t my cup of tea. Pretty rich coming from someone who playsFortnite, I know. However, other than dropping onto an island just to get maimed and start over ten minutes later, having to repeat the same parts of a game has always been something that’s frustrated me. Everything from difficult boss fights that keep getting the better of me to games I love that I’ll never play again. I’ve not even replayedMass Effect, a trilogy I can experience entirely differently the second time through.
I have unpopular opinions that will annoy certain hardcore gamers, I’m just hoping if I share them here rather than on Twitter/X I can avoid their completely rational and level-headed reactions. I like my games to be linear, and if they aren’t, please, tell me where I’m supposed to go next. Give me a map cluttered with points of interest to choose from, I don’t want to figure it out all by myself. It’s that very same simple-mindedness that makes me malleable to change, though. Show me something I’ve claimed not to like crossed with something I love, I’m so easily swayed that I’ll almost certainly give it a try. That’s whyPlayStation’s newfound penchant for roguelike spin-offs has piqued my interest.
Not one, but two of my favorite series have been given roguelike makeovers, handed out for free when it comes toGod of War Ragnarok, and for an extra $10 inThe Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered. As I continue to try and catch up with the loaded year that was 2023 before it all begins again (that’s not for a while yet, right?), had just one of those games received a roguelike update, I may well have given it a miss. However, two appeared in quick succession, and in games I love. It feels like PlayStation is trying to send me a message.
Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC dropped at the end of 2023, but since it was a busy year and roguelikes are yet to win me round, I’ve not tried it yet. When I woke up tothe news of free God of War DLCthe morning after The Game Awards, I was incredibly excited. But the reveal that it was a roguelike mode brought me right back down to Midgard. Then people started to talk about it, discussing how much it expands on Ragnarok’s story, andhow great it feels to have the sequel’s weapons back in your hands. I was convinced to give it a go, and even alone it might be enough to turn me into a roguelike lover.
But there’s more.The Last Of Us Part 2has its very own roguelike mode, No Return. Not quite as narrative-rich as Ragnarok’s Valhalla,but seemingly the best thing about the remaster. I plan on paying the $10 for the remaster, and with roguelikes on the brain right now, it would be silly of me not to at least give it a go. Especially with The Last Of Us’s multiplayer spinoff canceled, season two of the adaptation at least a year away, and no indication there will ever be a Part 3.
I know what you’re thinking. Why is he buying the remaster when he doesn’t replay games? It’s to convince my wife to pick the game back up after she dropped off afterthatmoment. And, you know, maybe I’ll play it too.
This whole situation feels a little familiar, and that’s becauseNintendodid the same thing with Metroidvanias, just over a longer period. Having never played a Metroid game before, I checked outDreadand it quickly became one of my favorite games onSwitch. A very different Switch-exclusive Metroidvania,Disney Illusion Island, then mademy top ten list of games for 2023. Speaking of Metroidvanias, if you’re not too busy playing The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered, givePrince Of Persia: The Lost Crowna try.
2024 may well be the year of the roguelike for me, and if it is, I’ll have Playstation to thank. With Hades 2 entering early access later this year, now is the perfect time to find an affinity for it if there’s one to be found. Perhaps I’ll join the rest of you on the Hades bandwagon this time around if all goes to plan.
