How and why are rogue-likes so popular?

[HazardousCube]

I noticed that quite a few indie games on steam are rogue-likes and after a little digging I learned that not only did rogue-likes invent a sub-genres within its own sub-genre but there is also an International Rogue-Like Development Conference that came up with rules and factors that define what is and isn't a rogue-like. I know the rogue-like game formula existed since the 1980's, and I myself enjoy rogue-likes, but I find it confusing how such a niche genre is able to not only stay relevant, but evolve.
I know they're fairly cheap to develop, but that can't be the only reason right?

 

[sXeth]

Relatively basic quick to grasp mechanics.

Easily replayable in small chunks (usually) without being the same content over and over again (this also makes them good fodder for Youtube and streaming, which is almost a new promotional standard, particularly for indies).

Also generally layered with a retro look that appeals to nostalgia. Probably a side-effect of limitations (I'm not sure you could realistically make a roguelike in anything resembling AAA graphics) rather then deliberate intent, but good for that ever popular market (again, particularly for indie games).

Granted, Im not sure how many rogue likes have held enduring popularity. Most it seems you hear about them for a month or less and they just fizzle off the radar after (sometimes before ever releasing properly in the age of Early Access)

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

From watching Mark Brown's video (embedded below) questioning if souls-like should become a genre, the rogue-like current popularity is probably due to rogue-likes actually evolving into a real genre instead of just the same game copied over and over again ad nauseam. Thus, more players are being introduced to the few core elements of rogue-likes in several different forms of gameplay instead of just not playing rogue-likes because they didn't specifically like rogue basically.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I think there's an element of seeking challenge as well, from games as they used to be. In the age of regenerating health, chest high walls, OP abilities and similar, the threat of actual failure is gone. There aren't many games left which the player can lose at and I think there are still a large number of players who enjoy beating a challenge.

 

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[Cold Shiny]

Its because they are different every time. Its the same addictive principal as gambling, except in rogue likes you are taught to do the best with what you are given, which is way healthier than a gambling addiction. People love getting something random and making the most of it. That's why I like them anyway. Especially stuff like Darkest Dungeon.

 

[Imre Csete]

I like them because they can be played in short bursts. When you don't have 2+ hours for a meaningful gaming session, a well spent 30+ minutes can be a bliss.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Because they validate the incorrect belief that anybody can simply reincarnate into a fresh start after all their human mistakes culminate towards their inconsequential death, therefore avoiding the tricksy existential crisis that brims beneath the surface of everyday life. Sometimes even keeping previously learnt skills and perks! Fucking crazy sapien lumps

 

[Pyrian]

Well, many games aren't. Sometimes I'd really like some more of a game that doesn't have strong procedural elements, but it just doesn't exist. Replaying it doesn't give the same experience, not because the game has changed, but because having played it (perhaps more than once), I have changed. With procedural games, that still happens, but it takes a lot longer. So if I find a game like FTL that I really like, I can play it again and again and again and oh my god I am a sad sad man without any real productivity.

 

[Worgen]

Because Binding of Issac was really good and gave me the false impression that I really liked roguelikes. There are a few good ones like Binding, Risk of Rain and Enter the Gungeon but most are rather meh and don't really use a good progression.

They are popular with devs since you can use random generation to give the illusion of more content for a game.

 

[Bad Jim]

I think the roguelike genre always had a lot of potential, but has simply been ignored by AAA publishers. I suspect the reason is that an executive can readily assess the quality and progress of a story based game but cannot easily assess how good a roguelike is. The main attraction of roguelikes is that they remain interesting after playing for a long time, and to verify this you have to play for a long time.

 

[Pyrian]

They are popular with devs since you can use random generation to give the illusion of more content for a game.

I think that's the biggest and most dangerous misconception about procedural content. Binding of Isaac has an absurd amount of content for its length, and that's typical of popular roguelikes. That's also why the AAA industry isn't all that into the genre; they do high-cost content (like really good textures and models and stuff), and doing that for a Roguelike with enough content to be good would be prohibitively expensive.

 

[Bad Jim]

That's also why the AAA industry isn't all that into the genre; they do high-cost content (like really good textures and models and stuff), and doing that for a Roguelike with enough content to be good would be prohibitively expensive.

That's true as well. If you want really good animation you have to make every X look good with every Y and you get a combinatorial explosion of things that need attention. And roguelikes can have lots of weird iteractions.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Cheaper to make. And they often have interesting build options given less time developing visual interpretations of player-environment interaction. Also introduce a metric fuckton of content over coherency. Also cuts back on having to provide a widely scoped, but directed storyline.

Plus a shitload of them have metric fucktons of content given for almost free.

Cataclysm DDA is a definite timesink and free. And given the simplicity of its design, just about anyone can contribute resources for it. My naturalist went from a misanthropic forest dweller primitive survivor, to a Mad Max style rover of cities with her solar powered car and mobile campsite. Becaming a master mechanic and builder and a legend in the post-apocalypse ruins of civilization.

Rogue-likes provide instant gratification, limited necessity for investment, limited necessity to remember a plot.

It's basically scratching an itch for gameplay without needing to invest into it.

 

[laggyteabag]

Because they are easy to pick up

They are endlessly replayable, due to a focus on mechanics, over story

They are mostly low-spec, so games like FTL can be played on a toaster

 

[CaitSeith]

I'm not sure you could realistically make a roguelike in anything resembling AAA graphics

 

[CaitSeith]

Just for reference. Rogue-likes weren't so popular until they became easy to learn and easy to play (even when they are hard as heck to beat).

 

[Nuuu]

The simplest answer is because an indie game of that type became really popular, in this case: Binding of Isaac.

As others have said, they've become a popular indie genre because they can be really cheap and easy to make, since the core mechanic is built on randomness.
Rogue-lites can create technically infinite replayability with very little. Instead of creating a full-length single player adventure, just create a 30 minute one, add an item pool, randomize the drops, and done!

At least that's the bottom of the barrel types. These are always going to exist in the indie scene.
There are games that do well at cementing a proper place into the genre by solidifying both their main mechanic and mechanics added or changed throughout each run, like Enter the Gungeon.
But my friend and I have found that there are some games that would have been better as longer, linear adventure games, rather than short rogue-lites.