Rogue Legacy

A decent Roguelike with decent gameplay. It's a fun time and doesn't overstay its welcome. Some mechanics are really powerful, like keeping the map form the last castle. Which kind of defeats the purpose of a roguelike, but whatever. It also has some truly awful jokes about disabilities. The game hasn't aged too well.

Regardless, it's a good time with some cool visual effects. It's a good time.

I play a game that is similar - Dead Cells - but while the concepts are the same, this game seems to make me unnecessarily with the feedback loop not appealing to me with dying way easier than I would anticipate, no way to take breaks when you explore the castle, and having some awful characters to sort through when starting over.

I don't appreciate writing something negative with a game that has a lot of polish and presentation, but this title is a no from me, chief.

Jogo divertido, tanto no gameplay como nas habilidades dos seus personagens que vão surgindo quando você perde vidas.

You'll probably like Rogue Legacy if (but not only if!): You're up for a tough-but-fair 2D platformer roguelike with big chunky graphics which thematically feels a bit like a Castlevania game, but whose gameplay features fast movement and big floaty jumps, feeling bit more like a "melee Mega Man" game.

(I recommend this game, Rogue Legacy over its sequel, Rogue Legacy 2; I prefer the tighter character movement and level design of this original game, which does still hold up well here in 2025.)

Very fun! Excellent Challenge! I'd be playing it through a second time if I was good enough at games like this to have beaten it a first time by now! Now, excuse me while I take the Archmage, Sir Skunky II, and dive back into the castle. FOR MY FAMILY- and I'm dead again...

YA

Neat idea but looses it's charm very quickly.

VERY GOOD

good gameplay

I remember playing this gme on my friends psVita a long time ago, after all this years I finally got around to finish it jaja, the game is fantastic easy to pick up, the graphics are charming and change in some ways depending on heir you are playing with, the difficulty its nice, it scales from zone to zone like any rogue like, the music is a stand out for me I really liked it, I think this is the first game were I have no complaints not even small ones.
Thanks for the amazing game I'll check out the sequel :)

I forgot this game existed till clearing out my backlog. I remember having a good time with it. Randomizes your character when you die in fun ways. I seem to recall some very "of the era" humor. Like, using the word "teh" as a joke "of the era."

A decade or so years back i was absolutely obsessed with this game, playing on Xbox i got to around NG+19. A few months ago i got it on my PC and it was the most nostalgic game i have ever played. i had also forgotten just how amazing this game is. Thank you Cellar Door for making this amazing game, it will always have a place in my heart. <3

Fun overall, though not without flaws.

Its biggest boons are its music (which is consistently banging) and the depth and breadth of its progression systems. Expanding your manor feels great, as does unlocking new gear and experimenting with different runes.

Its biggest flaw for me would be its controls, which are awkward at best and infuriating at worst. Compared to how smoothly some more recent competitors such as Dead Cells play, it feels practically unfinished. I also found certain rooms in the castle to be pointlessly punishing.

A good first entry for people new to roguelites, though certainly not the pinnacle of the genre.

Fun game, I love the randomness of it all!

Yes

Rogue-lite with options to make it lite-er. I highly recommend this and the 2nd installment of this series. Worth full price, but with 2 out now, catch this one on a sale or start with that one(if you don't plan on coming back to this one).

.

kinda outdated and old but still pretty fun

Jogabilidade e historia muito incriveis. experiencia maravilhosa

Quite a simple story,but yet good, I would say that this game is simple in terms of fighting, but still great, but you need to get used to it to be good, there is a lot of content, and you will explore all of it during the game, and also contains something like hidden content in terms of bosses, that you can find after beating the game once, as an achievement addicted person also approved, but it was actually hard to obtain, especially achievement where you can’t just grind it, but you need to use glitches to make it easier, or just to be pro, but still enjoyable to play and to complete achievements, approved

Coming back after a decade, I can't fault a game this old and genre-defining for making you grind to win - but trying to achievement chase, it's a real nightmare trying to git gud at this game at low levels.

nah

Not my thing, just way too grindy.

Edit : I would swear that game f*cked my controller.
Since I tried the game I can't even use the sticks on any games and they worked perfectly before that.

Edit 2 : Took another controller and everything worked with it.
Very suspicious that the other one got f*cked right after playing Rogue Legacy once.
Had to put it in the trash.

Fun Fact: This game actually coined the term "Roguelite", to describe Roguelike elements while not actually fitting into the mold of the genre, which is actually a set of rules determined by Roguelike developers of yore in an event called the "Berlin Convention". This game is most-assuredly not an actual Roguelike, which is why "Rogue-LITE" is used in the marketing material, because it was a brand new term and style of game at the time.

Most games people call "Roguelikes" don't actually meet the real criteria, and this has been a source of annoyance for actual Roguelike fans like me for over a decade, since the Roguelite boom, which this game is partially responsible for along with Binding of Isaac. I like Roguelites a lot, this isn't a slight against the genre, but people SERIOUSLY need to distinguish them better.

If you want to know what a real Roguelike looks like, the Genesis game Fatal Labyrinth, the Game Gear version Dragon Crystal, Nethack, Caves of Qud, Angband, Path of Achra, Cataclysm Dark Days Ahead, Quasimorph, Tales of the Maj'Eyal, ADOM, why yes I did just skim Sseth's channel to remember half of these names.

What these games all have in common, are grid-based maps, being turn based, permadeath, zero progression between runs, ("metaprogression" being out of run progression), a strong focus on being non-modal. meaning every action you can do is always available, peaceful options rarely exist, procedurally generated levels make up most of the game, and "emergent gameplay" is prioritized, meaning you have a ton of out-of-the-box options that are all generally accounted for in normal gameplay.

I actually grew up with the 3DS VC version of Dragon Crystal and the PS3 Genesis disc that had Fatal Labyrinth on it. Although, gonna be honest, I played more Dragon Crystal, and when I was playing the PS3 Genesis disc, I was playing Shinobi 3 and Streets of Rage 2, a true classic. That reminds me though, the stellar Phantasy Star 1-4 was also on that disc, and also, the PS2 Shinobi reboot and it's sequel Nightshade are actually peak, despite getting sub-par reviews for the time. Time was very kind to those games despite their insane difficulty, and I don't think I'll have another opportunity to mention those games unless Sega puts them on Steam or something.

Less faithful to the original criteria, but still great examples are the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, the other Mystery Dungeon spinoffs, and also Shiren The Wanderer by the same team, which has 2 releases on Steam. Also another strange example of a Roguelike is FF X-2 Last Mission, a pack-in on the HD releases of FF X+X-2, in case getting the previously PAL/JP-only vastly superior re-release version of FF X with 14 extra bosses and a better, much more open, Sphere Grid wasn't enough of a bonus.

Rogue Legacy is a very good Roguelite, and it still holds up. As you can see by my playtime, this game was a staple for me in high school, and I still come back to this game and it's sequel. The "Neo" fights in this game are entirely unbalanced, but otherwise this game is very, very good. The Donation Box was a new feature to make the "Neo" fights less crushing, and it does help a lot, but the big problem is a lot of the Neo fights require playing against your play-style. The equivalents in the sequel are much better, since instead of having set strategies you're required to learn, it's a test of how well you can clear them as each class.

Class dichotomy is also not as good in this game as in it's sequel, and the disabilities provide no compensation like in the sequel. Rogue Legacy 2 is definitely a better game, but that doesn't mean this game is BAD. After all, the sequel came out 7 years later, and hindsight is 20/20. For a while, this was one of the best 2D Roguelites out there, before we got Dead Cells, which I played extremely late, and this game still has plenty of really good ideas, even if it has some design flaws.

A lot of those design flaws really don't become apparent until you've already beaten the game and are on NG+++, so in that regard, Cellar Door succeeded at making a sufficiently well-designed game. Also, as a bonus, Cellar Door included a copy of a fan-made overhaul mod, Lament of Zors, to the game, with permission, as an alternative launch option, and that fan-made mod is very interesting and adds a lot of new areas to the game, and rebalances a lot.

In short, the sequel is a better game, but this is still a great game to come back to, even with the sequel existing. I recommend this game wholeheartedly. I know half the text here ended up talking about other games, and the distinction between Roguelite and Roguelike, but there's not really too much to say about this game itself other than that it's a well-designed action platformer responsible for the Roguelite boom.

I really liked the generational aspect of it, where you play as the various iterations on one bloodline. And the more that you know about the game, the easier it will be for you. Just knowing things makes you more powerful.

rogue legacy

basically just life

Great game, I suck at it. Looking forwards to trying Rogue Legacy 2.

Ridiculously difficult. You die in just a few hits, and if you don't earn enough money for upgrades in a single run, the entire run is wasted.

What a game, what an ost (The Fish and the Whale is a part of me). A simple game- polished to a sheen. Fun as a roguelike, and fascinating as the arguable birth of the genre's current indie dominance.
What more can I say, why haven't you played it yet? Go on, go!
I mean, it's a modern classic for a reason. You could even say it has a... Legacy? eh? eh?

(I am struck down by Sir Johannes)

(also don't let my playtime fool you. this is my second copy. it's worth it.)

not that fun to be honest

I am deeply attached to this game and I'm not sure why.

you feel dumb useless playing this but its fun

Grind for permanent upgrades.
Underwhelming magic skills.
No idea why this received so much praise when there are much better games out there.

rng slop

"Rogue Legacy" is a brilliantly addictive roguelike that puts a unique spin on the genre with its innovative inheritance system and charming pixel art style.

In this game, you'll venture into a procedurally generated castle filled with deadly traps, fearsome enemies, and challenging bosses. But here's where things get interesting: when your character dies, you don't start over from scratch. Instead, you'll play as their heir, who inherits both their strengths and weaknesses, along with any gold and upgrades you've acquired.

This inheritance system adds a fascinating layer of strategy to the game, as you'll need to carefully choose which upgrades to invest in and which traits to prioritize in your heirs. Whether you prefer a powerful mage, a nimble assassin, or a hulking barbarian, there's a wide variety of classes and abilities to experiment with.

The gameplay is challenging yet rewarding, with tight controls and precise combat mechanics that make every encounter feel intense and exhilarating. As you delve deeper into the castle and uncover its secrets, you'll encounter increasingly tough enemies and obstacles that will test your skills to the limit.

Pros:

* Innovative inheritance system adds depth to gameplay
* Charming pixel art style and catchy soundtrack
* Wide variety of classes and abilities to experiment with
* Tight controls and challenging yet rewarding gameplay

Cons:

* Some may find the difficulty level daunting
* Randomized nature can lead to frustration at times

Overall, "Rogue Legacy" is a must-play for fans of roguelikes and action platformers. With its addictive gameplay, clever mechanics, and endless replayability, it's sure to keep you coming back for more, generation after generation.

"the sunlight, I had forgotten what it felt like"

9/10

game is good, even if you suck at it

Love this game, way better than the second one

This is gonna be a quick and unstructured review on my end, because simple this title is not worth any more of my time and effort lol.

Quite outdated roguelike for todays standards.

Game is GRINDY AF for half the time you spend with it. You just upgrade your stats for the first 10 hours so you can stand a chance in most situations. That being said my progress after the 10 hour mark was exponential but beware of my playtime! I revisited this game every few years. It was loop. I played a few hours up to the point it got exhausting and tedious af. I played some more and didn't touch for 2 years. I kid you not. I could not invest more than 3 hours in this.

Locations even tho randomly generated, are not infinite and you can find recycled rooms and patterns.
Magic in an afterthought for most runs.
Bosses (especially remix ones) are total bs and absolutely no fun to be had slaying them.
Not much fun to be had here.
Hitboxes are weird, so is attacking (you have to face the direction you hit leading to many missed attacks).

Overall I can't recommend Rogue Legacy. Try the 2nd one if you dig it's retro 2D gameplay and art style, which are reminiscent of Ghosts and Goblins. The sequel seems to have the superior combat and pacing to me.

Great roguelike game, very addictive. Progression feels a little slow at the start and it gets a little repetitive towards the end, but that is the time to try the challenge bosses. Good to kill couple hours in.

Very classic and good roguelike, i approved

It was good , sometimes it become too much like a bullet hell game, but majority of the time it was fun and there was always someway to progress

Black Catalog Review #1: Decently challenging but can get repetitive with limited environments and small enemy roster.
7/10

Peak roguelite, still holds up today

Great roguelite. The movement felt too tight when I first started, but it gets easier and is essential for effective combat.

Thought this was an excellent rogue lite game. While the graphics are somewhat dated the gameplay is still excellent and it has lots of nice little ideas. It's the sort of game where you die a lot but each death feels like it's a step forward and it was hard to put down. The learning curve is fairly steep but never felt too daunting.

gfy u f i|

A classic roguelike, worth a play for historical reasons. Rogue Legacy 2 really does blow it out of the water, but I go back to play it from time to time for the happy memories.