The Best Roguelike Games to Play in 2026
From Mewgenics to Slay the Spire 2, here are the best roguelikes and roguelites of 2026 so far, plus the most anticipated releases coming this year.
2026 is shaping up to be one of the strongest years for roguelikes in recent memory. Slay the Spire 2 launches in March. Vampire Crawlers is on the horizon. And the year has already delivered two of the highest rated indie games on Steam.
This list covers three categories: the best new roguelikes released in 2026, the most anticipated upcoming releases, and the essential modern classics you should still be playing. We will update this article throughout the year as new games launch.
New in 2026
Mewgenics
Developer: Edmund McMillen & Tyler Glaiel | Released: February 10, 2026 | Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive
Fourteen years in the making, Mewgenics was worth the wait. Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac) and Tyler Glaiel built a tactical roguelite about breeding, battling, and evolving cats. Over 1,000 abilities, 14 character classes, and a procedurally generated world that changes every run.
The turn based combat is deep and strategic. The cat breeding mechanics are wildly entertaining. And the sheer volume of content (200+ hours by most estimates) makes this a game you will keep coming back to for months. It hit #1 on Steam on launch day with 65,962 concurrent players.
We wrote a full review of Mewgenics if you want the deep dive.
Vital Shell
Developer: MarvinWizard | Released: January 7, 2026 | Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (97%)
The highest rated new Steam game of 2026 so far. Vital Shell is a top down arena shooter with PSX era visuals where you pilot mechs inspired by classic fantasy archetypes. Each mech has unique weapons, traits, and abilities that synergize in increasingly absurd ways as runs progress.
It was made by a solo developer as a way “to learn game dev,” according to GamesRadar. The result is a $6 game with a 97% positive rating from over 1,200 reviews. That ratio is almost unheard of. If you enjoy Vampire Survivors style escalation with more tactical depth, Vital Shell is a must play.
MENACE
Developer: Overhype Studios | Publisher: Hooded Horse | Released: February 5, 2026 | Steam Reviews: Very Positive (91%)
From the creators of Battle Brothers comes a sci-fi tactical RPG with heavy roguelike DNA. Every operation is procedurally generated. Every squad member can die permanently. Every run plays differently thanks to a massive pool of characters, equipment, and mission scenarios.
MENACE blends XCOM style tactics with the permadeath stakes and replayability of a roguelite. It launched into early access and immediately attracted a dedicated community. Over 4,900 reviews at 91% positive within three weeks is a strong signal.
We covered the launch of MENACE when it hit Steam.
Monster Train 2: Destiny of the Railforged
Developer: Shiny Shoe | Released: February 2, 2026 | Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive
The Destiny of the Railforged expansion brought Monster Train 2 back into the spotlight with a new Soul Survivor mode, a new clan, fresh artifacts, and tougher enemies. If you bounced off the base game at launch in 2024, this is the reason to return.
Monster Train 2 remains one of the best deckbuilder roguelites on the market. The multi-floor tower defense meets card game formula is still unique, and the expansion adds enough to keep veteran players engaged for dozens more hours.
Coming Soon in 2026
Slay the Spire 2
Developer: Mega Crit | Early Access: March 5, 2026
The most anticipated roguelike of the year. Slay the Spire 2 enters early access on March 5 with a refreshed art style, new and returning characters, and a headline feature nobody expected: four player online co-op from day one.
The original Slay the Spire invented the roguelike deckbuilder genre. The sequel does not need to reinvent anything. It just needs to deliver more of what made the first game a classic, and early previews suggest Mega Crit is doing exactly that. Expect this to dominate the roguelike conversation for the rest of the year.
Wishlist Slay the Spire 2 on Steam
Vampire Crawlers
Developer: poncle | Expected: Early to mid 2026
The next game from the studio behind Vampire Survivors reimagines the formula as a deckbuilding dungeon crawler. A demo is available right now during Steam Next Fest. Demo progress carries over to the full game.
Wishlist Vampire Crawlers on Steam
Hordes of Fate
Developer: Spitfire Interactive | Expected: Q2 2026
A bullet heaven meets deckbuilder inspired by Hand of Fate. Pick a hero, build your deck, and fight through swarms of monsters in a dark fantasy setting. Planned for PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox. Demo available during Steam Next Fest.
Wishlist Hordes of Fate on Steam
Still Essential
These are not 2026 releases, but they are the roguelikes and roguelites you should absolutely be playing right now if you have not already.
Balatro
Developer: LocalThunk | Released: February 2024 | Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive (97%)
Balatro is not really a poker game. It is a numbers game where you rig the rules in your favor using Joker cards that bend, break, and stack in increasingly absurd ways. It won multiple Game of the Year awards in 2024 and continues to receive major content updates. If you have not played it, start here. We have a full review.
Hades II
Developer: Supergiant Games | Released: September 25, 2025 | Steam Reviews: Overwhelmingly Positive
Supergiant took the original Hades formula and turned everything up. More weapons, more boons, more story, more biomes. You play as Melinoë, sister of Zagreus, on a quest to defeat Chronos. The 1.0 launch in September 2025 brought the full story, new areas, and refined combat.
It is the gold standard for action roguelites. If you enjoyed the first game, the sequel is better in every way.
Slay the Spire
Developer: Mega Crit | Released: January 2019
The game that started it all. Every roguelike deckbuilder since 2019 exists because Slay the Spire proved the genre worked. With the sequel launching in March, there has never been a better time to play (or replay) the original. It is one of the most tightly designed games ever made.
What to Watch
The rest of 2026 is stacked. Beyond the games listed above, keep an eye on the Steam Next Fest demos for emerging roguelikes, and watch for GDC announcements in March that could reveal new titles.
We will update this list as major roguelikes launch throughout the year. Bookmark it and check back.
Written by
Florian HuetiOS dev by day, indie game dev by night. Trying to give life to GameDō Studio.
Building games and talking about the ones I can't stop playing.
