Pressure's On The Whole Time
Some games don't give you any room to relax. One small screw up, and you lose everything! There's no saving progress halfway through and no second shot at the same situation from a convenient checkpoint. It's all or nothing from the start. Let's show you 20 games that expect you to earn your progress every step of the way or risk starting over.
1. Hades
Die once, and it's straight back to the House of Hades. This myth-packed roguelike from Supergiant Games throws you into hack-and-slash chaos with procedurally generated runs. Every attempt reshapes your strategy. Mastering boons and timing is your only way out.
Hades - Wish I Knew Sooner | Tips, Tricks, and Game Knowledge For New Players by Legacy Gaming
2. Dead Cells
Timing matters more than armor here. Released in 2018, Dead Cells drops you into a constantly changing prison with one goal: escape or die trying. There's no save and no mercy. Critical hits only trigger at the end of combos or midair attacks.
DEAD CELLS Gameplay Walkthrough FULL GAME (4K 60FPS) No Commentary by Shirrako
3. Dungeon Of The Endless
Dungeon of the Endless blends tower defense with squad management. Escort a power crystal through procedurally generated floors while building defenses and managing resources. Opening doors spawns waves of enemies; hence, strategic planning is vital. Losing the crystal or your team ends the run, so progress carefully.
Dungeon of the Endless (2021) - Procedural Dungeon Defense Roguelike RPG by Splattercatgaming
4. The Binding Of Isaac
This 2011 indie hit redefined roguelikes. As you crawl through randomized dungeons and collect disturbing power-ups, you face grotesque bosses. You're surrounded by unpredictability, and nothing feels safe. Some runs give you Brimstone and flight early. Others hand you Lemon Mishap and broken dreams.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 - Isaac First Run (PC) by ZackScottGames
5. Spelunky
Rewards in Spelunky are tempting but risky. This classic dangles fortune just out of reach, then smashes your hope with a falling boulder. Procedural levels mean no memorization, only raw skill. Ghosts appear after 2 minutes and 30 seconds, so don't overstay your welcome.
Spelunky - Gameplay Walkthrough / Let's Play - Part 1 [HD] (X360) by TomWalksThrough
6. Enter The Gungeon
This bullet-hell roguelike loads the screen with chaos and expects you to dance through it flawlessly. Released in 2016, it's as much about item harmony as it is about reflex. Secret rooms can be revealed by using blanks or firing at cracked walls.
The Modern Gungeon GUIDE | TIPS to WIN | Enter the Gungeon by Chow
7. FTL: Faster Than Light
When missiles are fired, hope your shields hold. In FTL, each battle could be your last. This 2012 space sim throws pirate ambushes and oxygen leaks into your path. Ion weapons disable systems without hull damage—combine them with drones for brutal, low-risk boarding runs.
FTL Faster Than Light - Gameplay (PC/UHD) by SergiuHellDragoonHQ
8. Slay The Spire
Draft carefully; one bad draw can wreck your build. Each card holds fate here. Since 2017, players have tried climbing that cursed tower—each floor trickier and crueler. Energy, card draw, and relic harmony are the three pillars of consistent victory.
Slay the Spire - Gameplay (PC/UHD) by SergiuHellDragoonHQ
9. Noita
Every pixel in Noita simulates physical interaction. That means acid melts terrain, and water conducts electricity. Spells are modular and stackable, creating both genius and disaster. One shot can trigger a catastrophic chain reaction. Death isn't unfair, as it’s usually caused by your own invention.
A Full Noita Run by DunkOrSlam
10. Darkest Dungeon
Stress breaks your team faster than swords in this gothic turn-based RPG. Released in 2016, Darkest Dungeon forces you to balance sanity and survival across torchlit expeditions. Heroes can develop afflictions like paranoia or hopelessness mid-fight. Retreating saves lives but ruins morale and wastes expensive provisions.
Darkest Dungeon Gameplay (PC UHD) [4K60FPS] by Throneful
11. Project Zomboid
In this isometric zombie survival sim, broken windows cut you, food rots, and boredom kills focus. It’s not about fighting but about not being seen. One bad wound leads to infection and delirium. Reading skill books speeds up leveling but wastes precious daylight hours.
Project Zomboid Playthrough #1 (no commentary) by EmptyVine
12. The Long Dark
You see a cold and dangerous setting. There are no monsters, but there are frostbite and wolves. Campfires keep you alive, but wood’s heavy and rare. The aurora can activate electronics, but also wild predators. Death often arrives quietly while you sleep without enough insulation.
The Long Dark: A Calm Playthrough: Ep 1 - A Fresh Start by Survivor Mike
13. Temple Run
Simple controls, brutal reflexes. Tilt and swipe to avoid bottomless pits and tree roots. One blink too long, and it’s game over. Coins boost your score, but magnet and shield upgrades fade quickly. Power-ups don't stack, so use timing wisely, especially near broken bridges and fire traps.
14. You Only Live Once
A 2009 Flash platformer that locks out gameplay after one failure. Even refreshes won't reset it—only clearing your browser will. The game parodies how players treat death casually. After you die, the screen shows your funeral. That's not a joke. You're done forever.
You Only Live Once - "Good ending" by n0bbit
15. Don't Starve
Crafting and hunger management rules in this wilderness survival roguelike. Watch shadows after dark—without a light source, you’ll be devoured instantly. Each biome holds different resources and threats. Frogs steal items, and tall birds stalk their eggs. Sanity drops during full moons and near strange structures.
I Played 100 Days of Don't Starve by Seanie Dew
16. Legend Of Dungeon
Procedural dungeon floors stack deeper challenges as you descend. Lighting mechanics are essential as dark rooms hide traps and items. You can drink mystery potions mid-battle, for better or worse. Co-op adds chaos, especially if someone accidentally knocks you into lava.
Legend of Dungeon Gameplay - Splattercat's Indie Shorts by Splattercatgaming
17. Realm Of The Mad God
MMO bullet hell. One mistake and your high-level character vanishes permanently. Loot drops fuel progress, but stats and gear don't carry over to the next life. The harder the dungeon, the riskier the haul. Maxing all stats takes dozens of runs. It's multiplayer but still ruthlessly personal.
Should you play Realm of the Mad God? by Charziken RotMG
18. Downwell
You fall, and that’s it. The whole game is a vertical descent. Gunboots let you shoot enemies or hover in midair. Shops appear between levels, but health upgrades cost combo streaks. Fall too far without stomping something, and you take damage. Red bricks break; white ones bounce. Choose fast.
Downwell - Extended Gameplay Video [60FPS] by DevolverDigital
19. Into The Breach
This grid-based tactics game forecasts every enemy move. You see what’s coming—you just can’t always stop it. Units level individually, and power cores are limited. Letting buildings fall ends the timeline. Sacrificing a pilot saves the mission, but it means losing their experience. Nothing here feels disposable.
Let's Play Into The Breach - PC Gameplay Part 1 - We Have To Go Back! by Wanderbots
20. PokeRogue
It’s Pokémon—but cruel. This fan-made roguelike strips healing between battles, removes Poké Centers, and randomizes routes. Held items can’t be reused. Status moves like Toxic and Spikes carry entire runs. If your starter faints early, you’re done before it even begins.
PokeRouge - Zero to Victory Pt1 - No Commentary by The Review Playthrough
