Highlights
- Fans of Rotwood should try Death Must Die for a new roguelike experience.
- Hades offers Greek mythology-inspired visuals and weapon variety, perfect for Rotwood fans.
- Fans of Rotwood’s co-op gameplay are sure to enjoy the hack-and-slash experience available in Castle Crashers.
Rotwood is 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.
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Not everything is apparent from the start of a new game, so a helpful list of tips is always welcome to help get your barings.
Though it’s easy to get sucked into a title like Rotwood, there are many other games out there that offer similar experiences. From roguelikes like Death Must Die to hack-and-slash experiences like Castle Crashers, there are various games of differing genres that are sure to scratch that Rotwood itch in some shape or form.
10 Death Must Die
Mow Down Incredible Numbers Of Enemies
Death Must Die
- Released
- November 14, 2023
- Developer
- Realm Archive
Death Must Die is 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 — with some 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.
9 Hades
One Of The Best Roguelike Games Around
Hades
- Released
- September 17, 2020
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Hades is 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.
Like Rotwood, 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 a fair but challenging title that is sure to scratch that Rotwood itch for anyone looking for something similar.
8 Cult Of The Lamb
Adorable, Dark, & Delightful
Cult of the Lamb
- Released
- August 11, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Massive Monster
This game has plenty of adorable-looking characters, just like Rotwood, 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.
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Both also have a hub world that 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 Lamb has a much larger focus on this aspect, while Rotwood puts more focus on completing expeditions.
7 Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
A Twisted & Dark Bullet Hell
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS
- Released: November 4, 2014
- Developer: Nicalis
- Genre: Shooter
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is not some form of definitive edition; it’s a full-fledged remake of the original The Binding of Isaac game — and it’s a true indie game success story. Its gameplay is the most similar to Rotwood in 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.
6 Don’t Starve Together
Charming Paper Cutout-Looking Survival Experience
Don’t Starve Together
- Released
- December 15, 2014
Don’t Starve Together comes from the same developers as Rotwood, but it is not a roguelike dungeon crawler. It is instead a survival game akin to something like Minecraft or Terreria. 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 in Rotwood.
5 Enter The Gungeon
Very Fast Paced, Adrenaline-Pumping Blast Of A Game
Enter the Gungeon
- Released
- April 5, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Dodge Roll
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
Enter the Gungeon is 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 players bring some friends into the game to join them in the carnage.
4 Lost Castle
Adds More RPG Flair To Randomized Runs
Lost Castle
- Released
- August 31, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Hunter Studio
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
While not as colorful as Rotwood, Lost Castle offers 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.
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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 of Rotwood, this game is a fantastic option to play both solo and with friends.
3 Ravenswatch
A Dark Yet Charming World Filled With Danger
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch
- Released: April 6, 2023
- Developer: Passtech Games
- Genres: RPG, Shooter
Ravenswatch may have a darker thematic world setting, but the art style is very charming. The game has a lot of features that Rotwood does 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 how Rotwood will have gamers testing out each 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.
2 Wizard Of Legend
Melee & Range Hybrid With Lots To Discover
Wizard of Legend
- Released
- May 15, 2018
- Developer
- Contingent99
Wizard of Legend has 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 to those bought with Rotwood’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.
1 Castle Crashers
A Co-Op Hack & Slash Marvel
Castle Crashers
- Released
- August 27, 2008
- Developer
- The Behemoth
- Genre(s)
- Hack and Slash
Castle Crashers is 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 love Rotwood both solo and with friends, Castle Crashers is sure to not disappoint in providing a similar, or superior, experience.