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I’ve played a few different roguelikes over the past year, and I’ve really come to like certain mechanics the games share. Today I would like to discuss with everyone what I think are the best features, and what roguelike mechanics work well.
Permanent Upgrades
Anyone who has played any games such as Vampire Survivors, Army of Ruin, Dead Cells or Children of Morta can relate to this. Although the games do it differently, aside from Army of Ruin and Vampire Survivors, there is always a way to permanently upgrade something to make each run a little easier.
This could be in the form of upgraded start health, attack, weapon size, or more. Dead Cells, in particular, offers the use of souls to make the weapons you find a better quality. Hades also offered a similar mechanic, I believe, where you could upgrade your weapons in the main lobby before starting a run.
Unlockable Characters and Weapons
There’s just something about finding the favorite character or weapon that makes the game even better than it already was. I know when I bought Army of Ruin, again, my focus went towards getting Ker. She was my main, and afterwards, I started working on other weapon unlocks, etc.
This also goes for weapons, as some just work better with others and you can make a killer combination.
Random Dungeons
I feel like this is very common and potentially not even necessary to discuss, but having the dungeons spawn out randomly when you play really offers more adventure. Not exactly knowing what lies ahead is part of the fun for me. Of course, not every roguelike title can work this way.
Conclusion
Although this list could be longer, I think this sums up my personal opinions of what roguelike mechanics work, and which ones specifically draw me into a game.
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