Hades is one of, if not the best roguelike in the market right now, and the second installment has been in early access as of 2024. While waiting for the sequel to be finished, fans may be looking for alternatives in the meantime. Here’s a list of five other fast-paced titles like Hades that are all available on various platforms!
[Updated 11/14/2024] – Nothing removed, but some information updated for better clarity. Also noted that Hades II is now in early access!
#1. Otherworld Legends
This high-octane beat ’em up features simple, yet brutal, combat that can absolutely punish you for missing dodges or mindlessly spamming attacks without paying attention to what your enemies are doing.
Similar to Hades, you can customize your runs in various ways through auxiliary content that you can unlock/upgrade through progression. Rather than an arsenal of weapons, Otherworld Legends instead lets you choose from a wide selection of playable characters, each with varying abilities you can choose from that can drastically change how they play.
The only real downside is that it also comes with a lot of DLCs, with a handful of them being some of the playable characters. Luckily, it seems that you can grind them all for free, though it may take quite a bit of time if you wish to acquire every single one.
Did I mention that it’s free to play now? It does place more emphasis on its microtransactions as a result, though characters can still be earned through some grinding.
#2. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a must-have for any fans of the genre. It comes with tons of unlockable content to discover, including a wide range of power ups with incredibly vague (or sometimes pretty obvious) effects, difficult bosses, and all sorts of other secrets.
It rewards exploration and experimentation, as memorizing what each item or enemy does can greatly affect how successful you will be, even if you find yourself shafted by the game’s randomness.
Luck plays an important role in determining whether or not you can win a run, but even the most unlucky players can get by in this game with just their skill. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out, as it never goes out of fashion!
#3. Going Under
In Going Under, you play the role of Jackie, a fresh grad working at Fizzle Beverages. During your orientation, you immediately get exposed to the presence of monsters in the company’s basement, which houses various failed startups. You’re asked to delve deep underground to kill these creatures as a part of your tasks as an unpaid intern.
It’s a lighthearted and humorous romp featuring a satirical take on workplace culture. Its fast-paced combat has you using various office equipment and other improvised weapons to slay enemies throughout the many procedurally generated business-themed rooms.
There’s a bit of strategy involved as weapons tend to break rather quickly, and you’re forced to make do with whatever you can stumble across in any given room. Will you go for the oversized pencil, or would you rather try your luck with a flimsy keyboard or broom?
#4. Cult of the Lamb
Cult of the Lamb is unique in that it combines elements of base building with isometric hack-and-slash gameplay. As the title implies, you have to build up a cult of cute looking animals in order to progress through the game, and it almost feels like a cross between Hades and Animal Crossing.
There are varying weapon types and spells to discover and use, as well as fleeces that can force you into different playstyles. For example, one fleece increases your damage with every kill, but this bonus resets whenever you take damage.
Personally, I found the base-building aspect to be really enjoyable, especially since you can also unlock purely cosmetic additions to spice up your camp. Those who like the idea of managing other mechanics and customizing their own little base in between runs will surely love this entry.
#5. Soundfall
Unlike the other titles on this list, Soundfall is a mix between a rhythm game and a looter shooter. To add some extra difficulty to an otherwise straightforward isometric combat experience, players must time their shots, dashes, and slashes to the beat, and missing too many times in a row will cause you to “reload” your weapon.
One of my favorite parts of the game is the free play mode, which allows users to import their own songs. Soundfall‘s own list is full of bangers, and it varies a lot per biome too, as the songs can range from chill lo-fi tunes to upbeat rock tracks.
It can get too varied the point where staying on beat may become challenging at times as the BPM does not stay consistent with every level. Still, it’s an absolute blast to play, especially if you just want to sit back and enjoy some nice tunes!