If death has been your adversary, prepare to turn it into your ally. Hades is a roguelike game whose captivating visuals and fantastic soundtrack engulfed me from the very beginning. And, as soon as I escaped the Underworld, I had a thirst for more of this bloodthirsty action.
And, we at WhatIfGaming tend to put our money where our mouth is. So, with weeks of diligent research and a lot of fun, lo and behold, our list of the 10 best games like Hades that’ll surely keep your appetite satiated for just a while longer.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS
Release Date: November 5, 2014
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is one of the more unique games like Hades on the list. Its story is primarily based on the biblical reading and heavily inspired by the creator’s religious upbringing. Don’t take the biblical inspiration for granted, though, because it hides an amazing game underneath.
Isaac fights monsters using his tears as projectiles. You can unlock new items as you go through the various random basement rooms that act similarly to roguelike dungeons. These items can allow you to change Isaac’s appearance, attributes, and skills, letting you battle monsters in a variety of ways.
It might be one of the oldest games on our list, especially since it was released in 2014. However, it did receive a few updates and DLC that gave it a ton of life.
Children of Morta
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: September 9, 2018
Did you get hooked by Hades’ captivating storytelling and engaging narrative? Then you’re bound to love Children of Morta. It’s a story-driven roguelike game about a family of heroes, each with unique skills. Discover their special talents and learn more about the protectors of Mount Morta.
There are a total of seven playable characters within the Bergson family. Each member has a unique playstyle and different mechanics that you have to learn. They can also level up by gaining XP that strengthens them and other members.
Children of Morta is also one of the games on our list that has a similar art style to Hades, making you feel right at home. On your journey, you go through a series of caves within the mountain’s constantly changing environment that will have you feeling like it’s a unique playthrough every time.
Cult of the Lamb
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, macOS
Release Date: August 11, 2022
Cult of the Lamb is another one of those weird-looking games hiding a roguelike gem underneath. If you can get past the strikingly vibrant visuals, the creepy yet cute and stunning graphics, and the satanic cult vibe, it becomes a fun and enjoyable experience.
In Cult of the Lamb, you play as a possessed lamb who, you’ll never guess this, starts to form a cult. You must then search the five regions in the game and defeat enemies along the way to spread the word of your ominous deity and grow your following. Sounds a lot like real-life religion, huh?
Kidding aside, Cult of the Lamb is a solid roguelike game where you battle against non-believers using the weapons and perks you’ve gathered on your journey. You’re also tasked with micromanaging your cult and ensuring they perform tasks within the village.
Cult of the Lamb is highly reviewed by the community and instantly became a cult classic since it was released in August 2022.
Enter the Gungeon
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, macOS
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Next up, we have gun-based roguelike on our list. From the name itself, you can already tell that the game promotes a heavy combination of guns and dungeons. What’s more fun than exploring dungeons filled with enemies and killing them down with unique guns?
Admittedly, the story isn’t one of the game’s strong suits. But, in a fast-paced game where you can get exotic weapons, fight against enemies called the “Gundead,” and is a bullet hell type of game, I’m sure the story is the least of your concerns.
Luckily, it excels in its gameplay, where you get to kill enemies in a variety of unique ways, collect rare loot, and build up the power of your character. The game’s use of a permadeath system also adds an extra layer of thrill and excitement to the game.
Risk of Rain 2
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: August 11, 2020
Next, we have another great indie game like Hades. Risk of Rain 2 is the sequel to the highly successful original Risk of Rain game released back in 2013. Luckily, you don’t need to play the original game to understand the basics of Risk of Rain 2.
The game presents you with an endless loop of engaging third-person shooter-esque combat filled with tons of areas to explore, monsters to kill, and loot to collect. Don’t worry. You don’t need one of the best aim trainers to play the game since its aiming mechanics are very forgiving.
Risk of Rain 2 has a beautifully crafted world that matches its aesthetic art style well. If you like experimenting with crazy overpowered combinations using items and weapons you find, I highly suggest Risk of Rain 2.
Dead Cells
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Release Date: August 7, 2018
This next one is for our Metroidvania-themed game lovers out there. Dead Cells is a game that can keep you occupied for hours upon end, crawling around the ever-changing castle. It’s an insanely fun and challenging game with a ton of DLC expansion packs, both free and paid. This game can keep you occupied for hours upon end, crawling around the ever-changing castle.
You play as a nameless “Prisoner” who awakens with amnesia and is locked on a rotten island. Your main goal is to escape the prison of the diseased island and slay the island’s King, believing that it would help you regain your memories.
I suggest giving Dead Cells a try if you’re itching to play one of the best souls-like games with roguelike gameplay and don’t want to spend thousands of hours on a game.
Gunfire Reborn
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
Release Date: November 18, 2021
If you’re a fan of FPS games, Gunfire Reborn might be the best game like Hades for you. It features an awesome mix of roguelike, RPG, and FPS elements, resulting in a unique gameplay experience like no other. Maybe you can finally put that expensive FPS gaming mouse that you bought for Valorant to good use.
Gunfire Reborn can be started off as a single-player game, or you can also play with friends with a four-player coop mode. However, the difficulty level will also scale with the number of players, allowing you to challenge yourself when in a group.
Gunfire Reborn offers over 52 different weapons, each with different gun attributes that affect the way you use the item in-game. Others also come with unique elemental bonuses, status effects, critical hit rates, and an increased rate of fire, among others.
Neon Abyss
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: July 14, 2020
Have you ever wondered what blinding neon lights would look like in a dungeon? Nope? Well, me neither. Because who would’ve thought that throwing glowing lights into a roguelike would be so much fun? Well, Neon Abyss brings all things bright, colorful, and neon into a frantic run-and-gun style game.
Neon Abyss is centered around a team called the “Grim Squad.” Your ultimate goal is to explore the Abyss and hunt down the New Gods and their followers. As you progress, you’ll unlock more members of the Grim Squad and get to try out unique characters with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Neon Abyss definitely excels at providing a fun and casual experience like no other. I highly suggest giving it a shot because you can enjoy the game in more ways than you’d expect.
Wizard of Legend
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, macOS, Android, iOS
Release Date: May 15, 2018
Wizard of Legend is a fast-paced dungeon crawler game that heavily emphasizes stunning magical combo-based combat. Feel like a true master of the mystical arts and use your unique spells and potions to defeat your enemies.
In Wizard of Legend, you get to compete in a series of procedurally generated rooms that increase in difficulty every time you beat them. The game also features over 100 unique spells to mix and match different items to suit your playstyle.
Combining the magic spells and abilities on your own is already fun. However, you can take it to the next level by finding a friend to play co-op with. With your co-magic user, you can create a variety of special combinations that can either complement each others’ kit or stand on your own. Either way, this adds an extra layer of difficulty and customization to the game.
Curse of the Dead Gods
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: February 24, 2021
If you’re looking for a game like Hades that also explores Gods, mythological creatures, and features relics from the past, take a good look at Curse of the Dead Gods. It’s also played from a top-down perspective and features hack-and-slash combat. If that doesn’t scream a game like Hades to you, I don’t know what will.
At first glance, Curse of the Dead Gods might seem like a complete Hades knockoff. However, once you give it a chance and look past the similarities, you’ll see that the game has a ton to offer that definitely adds to the roguelike and dungeon-crawler gameplay experience.
Unlike Hades, there isn’t much story to tell, and you just kind of get dropped into the dungeon, allowing you to explore on your own while easing into the more challenging parts of the game.
You can choose from the 10 different weapon classes that each have their own attributes and effects. You also slowly earn Crystal Skulls and Jade Rings that you can use to purchase upgrades to your stats.
