Summary
Rotwoodis a roguelike dungeon crawler with a big focus on co-op. It offers players a great deal of freedom when it comes to their preferred playstyles while also encouraging them to change things up as they progress.
Though it’s easy to get sucked into a title likeRotwood, there are many other games out there that offer similar experiences. From roguelikes likeDeath Must Dieto hack-and-slash experiences likeCastle Crashers, there are various games of differing genres that are sure to scratch thatRotwooditch in some shape or form.
Death Must Dieis a truly fantastic and enjoyable game, and it’s one of the best roguelike experiences around. There is a treasure trove of abilities to try out and many different ways to play. It features a dark aesthetic, more enemy variety, and a roster of playable characters that bring something different to the table — withsome being better than others.
Combining the plentiful variety of abilities can result in game-breaking combos, and even with days of playing, players will not scratch the surface of some of the amazing combinations on offer. This is a perfect title for fans of roguelikes to enjoy while waiting for friends to come online.
Hadesis one of the most well-known and enjoyable Roguelike games out there. It features gorgeous visuals and a world setting heavily inspired by Greek mythology — as is evident in its name. In it, players will control the son of Hades.
LikeRotwood, this game has various weapons to change how gamers play, and each of them has different variants that offer a wide range of playstyles. It’s afair but challenging titlethat is sure to scratch thatRotwooditch for anyone looking for something similar.
This game has plenty of adorable-looking characters, just likeRotwood, and a focus on randomized runs. Players will control the titular “Lamb” as they recruit new followers to their cult to accomplish their objective of freeing the godlike being that gave them their power.
Both also havea hub worldthat players will return to in order to develop their base of operations. Returning to base lets players make all manner of choices in developing it before setting out on the next run, adding some management elements to the experience.Cult of the Lambhas a much larger focus on this aspect, whileRotwoodputs more focus on completing expeditions.
7Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
A Twisted & Dark Bullet Hell
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirthis not some form of definitive edition; it’s a full-fledged remake of the originalThe Binding of Isaacgame — and it’s atrue indie game success story. Its gameplay is the most similar toRotwoodin that players will need to master using 2D sprites moving in all directions. It also features the roguelike element of each run offering different possible rewards, affecting an ever-changing character build.
This game puts a lot more emphasis on projectile combat and knowing where attacks will connect while also not being where potential damage will be. Combining powers in the game can radically ramp up how powerful they are.
Don’t Starve Togethercomes from the same developers asRotwood, but it is not a roguelike dungeon crawler. It is instead a survival game akin to something likeMinecraftorTerreria. The game started off as a single-player focused title, but over time, it added plenty of new mechanics, locations, characters, items, and even full-fledged co-op.
This is one of Klei Entertainment’s best titles, and anyone looking to enjoy a game with their friends should add this to their list of titles to try out. It has a slightly different art style, but it features all the same flair and whimsy seen inRotwood.
Enter the Gungeonis a much faster-paced bullet-hell styled roguelike that will have players constantly being mobile while trying to damage their enemies. From the very start, players will need to focus on not being hit by the barrage of projectiles that will come their way, making learning to survive a higher priority than dealing damage.
As players progress, they will discover plenty of new weapons and items to make use of. This will create memorable runs and experiences. This enjoyment is significantly enhanced once playersbring some friends into the gameto join them in the carnage.
While not as colorful asRotwood,Lost Castleoffers gamers a ton of the same enjoyment. Players have a wide range of classic RPG-style classes to cover a love of both swords and sorceries. Players will also be developing a hub world filled with NPCs, providing different benefits along the way.
Plenty of treasures can be acquired to change all manner of passives for the player’s character, but they can also give them augmented ways to play. For fans ofRotwood, this game is a fantastic option to play both solo and with friends.
3Ravenswatch
A Dark Yet Charming World Filled With Danger
Ravenswatchmay have a darker thematic world setting, but the art style is very charming. The game has a lot of features thatRotwooddoes not that make runs feel like grander journeys. This includes side quests and map exploration.
The game offers a roster of amazing and unique characters that will have players changing things up frequently to find their favorite option of the lot — similarly to howRotwoodwill have gamers testing outeach of the weapon types. The diverse range of enemy behavior will also keep players on their toes, preventing them from sticking to just one strategy.
Wizard of Legendhas a significantly larger focus on magic and spells, but this allows for a massive range of versatility. Floors will have randomized enemies, each with their own weaknesses and behaviors that players will need to experience and adapt to. Players will also need to understand their load-outs and know how to juggle between their spells for the best results.
The game features a hub world, can be played with friends through co-op, and offers plenty of permanent upgrades, similar tothose bought withRotwood’s Corestones. There are also plenty of NPCs to meet and interact with, each offering something special. Players will become stronger as they progress and have access to more spells.
Castle Crashersis not a roguelike due to the complete lack of randomization. However, few games provide a hack-and-slash co-op experience as enjoyable as what’s on offer in this title.There is an obscene number of unlockable characters to get later, and each will have access to different magic and can be upgraded between levels. Players can also change their loadouts between levels at the Blacksmith.
In this title, gamers can work together across brilliantly designed levels, encounter a vast range of different types of enemies, and overcome mighty bosses. For those who loveRotwoodboth solo and with friends,Castle Crashersis sure to not disappoint in providing a similar, or superior, experience.
