Rougelike

Workers with endless descendants happy to repeat their work over and over? Anne-Marie Coyle has never seen The Management so happy…

The first Rogue Legacy won the hearts of many aroguelike fan with a clever twist on the genre that saw failure go hand in hand with progress. And nearly a decade on, Cellar Door Games faces not only the weight of expectation that comes with creating a sequel but competition from an army of titles inspired by its roguelite formula. Far from buckling under pressure, the developer has crafted a spectacular follow-up that revitalises the series with fresh ideas while expanding on what made the original so immensely enjoyable in the first place.

Once again, you step into the shoes of a randomised hero tasked with navigating the levels of a procedurally generated castle. Said castle is a gruelling gauntlet teeming with tough enemies to defeat, tricky obstacles to overcome and valuable gold to steal. If – or, more likely, when – your hero reaches the bottom of their health bar, you swiftly find yourself in the footwear of their descendant. Any gold pilfered on your previous attempt is now yours to spend on permanent upgrades to give you more of a fighting chance this time around. At the start of each run, you’re given a choice of three characters from an array of unlockable classes. Old favourites such as the Knight and Barbarian make a welcome return, and these are mixed with new options such as the fast-firing Gunslinger and the spear-wielding Valkyrie. Classes come with their own unique stats, weapons, talents and passive abilities, making each feel distinct. The Barbarian, for instance, benefits from increased vitality, and their talent, Winter’s Shout, freezes enemies in place, leaving them wide open to a devastating axe attack.