[SirYandi]

I find the pleasure in mastering a roguelike to be quite similar to that found in the honeymoon phase of learning a new skill or exploring a new domain of knowledge. Addictive, fresh and empowering. Almost like experiencing the first peak of the Dunning-Kruger effect with each new game I find, until that curve drops and the game inevitably destroys me (damn you Caves of Qud).. Well, most of the time.

Anyway, if anyone is looking for any recommendations I really enjoyed Cataclysm-DDA (super cool) and Caves of Qud for the old school ASCII feel. Then there's Dead Cells, Noita and Hades for a more modern take.

[andwaal]

I would also give Cataclysm DDA my warmest recommendations. Such a refreshing game after year's with nethack and DCSS. Finally a roguelike ditching the fantasy setting for an apocalyptic world. After ten years or so it's still in very active development and it's a pleasure to watch the github repo for what's new every week.

Some recommendations; play it as an open world game and not a roguelike, aka save cheat whenever you want to. It's a very time-consuming game, so loosing a character does not feel like a lessons learned like it does in nethack and dcss, because you basically loose hours spent on training your characters soft skills (reading books, practicing skills). To get the gist and get you through the first days please check out the YouTube channel of Vormithrax, he had some amazing tutorials. And if your stuck the official discord is filled with nice people willing to help out.

Last recommendation (bit controversial) is to check out the tileset undeadpeople. It has been removed by the creator due to him putting out some statements not accepted by the community, but you will find mirrors all over reddit, but the tileset is just one noch above the rest imho.

Good luck and watch out for the hulk :)

[pull_my_finger]

Have you tried Caved of Qud? The setting is also (further into the future) post apocalyptic but there's a little more plot/direction given where CDDA is more simulationist. Probably my favorite rogue-like these days.

[andwaal]

I have not tried it yet, but will defently check it out!

[anthk]

If you like CDDA there's a cyberpunk/scifi TC with a true ending: Bright Nights.

https://github.com/cataclysmbnteam/Cataclysm-BN

[andwaal]

I am aware it exists, but I have kinda put it off as I often feel that forks fail to deliver better than the original (worth to mention as a worthy fork is UnNetHack!). Is BN any good? Worth playing if your not into the magic stuff?

[anthk]

Mutations, technology, crafting...

yes, I'd say it is.

If you want Nethack in space a la pulp magazines/scifi from the 50's, check P.R.I.M.E.

[hypertele-Xii]

That high when playing a new, difficult roguelike for the first time, not knowing what works and what doesn't, is survival horror porn. It's the brief few days I truly feel like a child again.

[govg]

If you liked those, might want to give One Step From Eden a try. It's a mix of deck building combat + real time action, quite fast paced and is technically well done.

[neutronicus]

If deck building floats your boat, Slay the Spire is incredible

[ridiculous_fish]

Yep, Slay the Spire is the definitive deck building game. The earliest such game I know of is Dream Quest, were there any before that?