Losing interest in roguelikes

[ekolis]

So I haven't played many roguelikes lately, and I think I finally realized why. It's actually two features of roguelikes that used to be really cool for me, but now they just turn me off. Those features are permadeath and procedural content generation. It used to be I thought those were cool features because you'd never see the same game twice - but now it seems more like every time I play, it's the same old repetitive maze of twisty passages, all alike. Sure, it's technically "different", but it all just blends together and feels the same anyway. And permadeath makes it even worse - unless you win, there's no real sense of accomplishment, and the levels you explored are gone forever.

I know there are a lot of great games out there, though... maybe someone could recommend a game to get me interested again?

[Darren Grey]

Maybe say which you've played most and which you're bored of?

I agree some can get samey. A solution may be to try lots of small games, so you get lots of new experiences. They suffer from permadeath less as they're not as long. Here's a list of a few to try:

http://www.reddit.com/r/roguelikes/comments/1hntbj/roguelikes_that_are_out_of_the_box/cawbqdq

[ekolis]

The funny thing is, I can be bored of game despite having experienced only 10% or so of the game's content. It's just that I'm not very good at these games, so I play the shallow levels over and over again, and hear of the rest of the game only via tales on forums. It's happened with Angband, Crawl, and Nethack, at the very least. (Artifacts? Runes? Quest levels? What are these mythical things?)

I'll have a look at the games you suggested, thanks

Wow, you use your real name on Reddit? I at least use my first initial and last name

[Eben]

You might also try Incursion. Despite it being incomplete and a little buggy it's got a crazy number of options and interesting features.

http://www.incursion-roguelike.net/

[Darren Grey]

Wow, you use your real name on Reddit? I at least use my first initial and last name

My real name is easier to remember

If it's death you're struggling with then I suggest ToME4. It has a good variety of starting dungeons (based on race and class) and the multiple lives system makes it a little more forgiving sometimes. I prefer to play it in single-life mode, mind

[Anvilfolk]

Desktop Dungeons is also nice - definitely more of a puzzle game, but everything is easy to understand, it has some nice stuff that you can unlock and you feel like you are progressing as you win with more races in more places and unlock new stuff.

I've also never reached any of those epic mythical things, but I do still enjoy a bout of Crawl every now and then

[Vanguard]

Check out PrincessRL.  When you run out of health, the game keeps going, but the consequence for "death" is still meaningful enough that you'll want to play carefully.  The character building system is solid and it has multiple endings.  Getting a good ending is reasonably easy, and there's a good chance you'll get one on your first try.  The best endings are harder.

Mage Guild is also a good choice.  The difficulty level is a bit more gentle than most RLs and its excellent character building system means that every time you play you can run a unique character.

[Krice]

they just turn me off. Those features are permadeath and procedural content generation.

There are games that are like roguelikes but don't have those two features. Technical term for such game is a "role-playing game" (RPG).

[NON]

they just turn me off. Those features are permadeath and procedural content generation.

There are games that are like roguelikes but don't have those two features. Technical term for such game is a "role-playing game" (RPG).

Yeah.

Sounds to me like you'd enjoy something like Baldur's Gate (play through the whole series: BG + Tales of the Sword Coast + BG2 + Throne of Bhaal... you will be occupied for months/a year )

Another great RPG is Planescape Torment. It's heavily focused on dialog though, feels more like a book than a game. The combat is terrible but the story and dialog is amazing.

[Vanguard]

Yo ekolis, what is it that draws you to roguelikes in the first place?  We could give much better recommendations if we knew what parts of the genre appealed to you as well as which ones turn you off.

There are games that are like roguelikes but don't have those two features. Technical term for such game is a "role-playing game" (RPG).

Yeah, but most RPGs focus on their crappy stories rather than their mechanics.

[guest509]

Maybe say which you've played most and which you're bored of?

I agree some can get samey. A solution may be to try lots of small games, so you get lots of new experiences. They suffer from permadeath less as they're not as long. Here's a list of a few to try:

http://www.reddit.com/r/roguelikes/comments/1hntbj/roguelikes_that_are_out_of_the_box/cawbqdq

Darren beat me to it. I'm a small game guy myself. Short and hard, hope for lots of variety in each run but if not that's okay. There are more games out there.

The only issue with this is the learning curve and wonky interface issues, each new game you pick requires 15 minutes of frustration. But if you've played a bunch of them you can figure them out pretty quick.

So yea, a single game can get a little samey, but the genre as a whole does not. Especially compared to any other game genre.

Also you don't have JUST play Roguelikes. I don't. I like arcade action, the occasional RPG grinder, FPS with the buddies and I probably like grand strategy games just as much as RL's. I like to design RL's though, so...

[ekolis]

Yo ekolis, what is it that draws you to roguelikes in the first place?  We could give much better recommendations if we knew what parts of the genre appealed to you as well as which ones turn you off.

Well, honestly, what initially drew me to roguelikes was those very same features I said I didn't like. It's just that now I've kind of grown tired of them...

[guest509]

Well then, go play a few AAA games and we'll see you back her in a month. :-)

[NON]

Well then, go play a few AAA games

Nooo don't play friggin Mass Effect and Skyrim! Play good RPGs!

Try Fallout 2.

[ekolis]

I have been playing a lot of FTL lately. Which some people seem to consider a roguelike for some odd reason...