Everyone has a preference for the video game genres they prefer to play. With Xbox, a lot of your favorite genres are easily accessible through services like Xbox Game Pass, but what if you're favorite genre of games is the randomly generated, dungeon-crawling experience provided by roguelike games?

Fortunately, Xbox has plentiful options for trying out the best roguelike games on consoles, and each title has its own variation and twist on the genre. So if you're interested in finding out about some of the best roguelikes available on Xbox Series X|S, we can help.

1. Hades

One of, if not the most recognizable roguelike game you can play on your Xbox Series X|S is the mythology-plunging tale of family and romance, Hades.

Setting itself aside from other roguelike titles by taking a mythological theme, Hades places you in the shoes of Zagreus, an unknown Greek God and the son of Hades. As Zagreus, you must attempt to escape the underworld, learn the truth behind your parents, and defy your controlling God of the Underworld father.

Aside from providing stellar combat and gameplay loops, with multiple Greek god-related Boons that allow you to use and combine the powers of the Greek gods, Hades also offers more of an in-depth and narrative-focused experience than most other roguelike titles on Xbox.

This narrative focus elevates the quality of Hades above most other roguelikes available, with the title winning the 2021 GDC Game of the Year award to show for it. So if you're interested in an addictive and endless roguelike with a narrative steeped in Greek mythology to play on Xbox, Hades is the game for you.

With Hades taking the 2021 GDC award, if you are looking for other potential Game of the Year contenders to expand your gaming horizons, the best games available in 2022 could help you find the next quality title to add to your repertoire.

2. The Binding of Isaac

While not a Game of the Year winner, one of the most long-standing and consistently enjoyable roguelikes available on Xbox that, despite its initial release in 2012, is still getting content updates in 2023 is The Binding of Isaac.

Taking the demented experiences of a young boy named Isaac and his suffering at the hands of his bible-obsessed family, The Binding of Isaac twists Isaac's trauma into a dungeon hellscape you must navigate to defeat your own Mother. This roguelike, then, is not for the faint of heart.

But while The Binding of Issac's themes are incredibly dark and mature, the core at the center of the roguelike is an insanely in-depth modifier and item system that makes no one run the same as the next. In one run, you may be a weak and feeble Isaac shooting droplets from your eyes; the next, you could be a demon with laser breath.

This gameplay loop and power creep make The Binding of Isaac a long-standing and essential title amongst other roguelike games. For roguelike games you can play on your Xbox Series X|S, then, The Binding of Isaac is a staple.

3. Cult of the Lamb

A newer type of roguelike available on your Xbox Series X|S that takes two genres of games and twists them both is the cult-building roguelike Cult of the Lamb.

Playing as a sacrificial lamb, raised from slaughter and seeking to take revenge against those that wronged you, Cult of the Lamb expects you to must garner followers and grow powerful enough to defeat your enemies.

Taking the farm-building formula created by games like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley and turning the farm into a cult was not the obvious choice when thinking of a roguelike with its own unique spin on the genre.

After you play the game and cut down swathes of enemies and bosses in a series of dungeons for followers and resources, the roguelike intent behind Cult of the Lamb becomes clear.

Because of the cult simulation side to Cult of the Lamb, however, the game has a defined end; once you defeat the game's main bosses, there isn't much more to do besides grow your cult. Even then, there is still only so much you can do in Cult of the Lamb's post-game.

So, if you're looking for a roguelike to pass the time on your Xbox Series X|S without indefinite commitment, then Cult of the Lamb is the game for you.

4. Enter the Gungeon

Despite the many roguelikes available on your Xbox, no other has such a clearly defined theme tied to its styling, gameplay loop, and narrative than Enter the Gungeon, and that is guns, guns, and more guns.

Enter the Gungeon's premise is simple and indicative of roguelikes as a genre: enter a randomly generated dungeon, collect buffs and get as far as you can. What makes the game unique is the countless guns you can use, and most are recognizable from other infamous franchises.

Want to use the BFG from Doom and the Noisy Cricket from Men In Black simultaneously? Well, with Enter the Gungeon, you can. The game takes the dungeon-crawling premise from classics like the Legend of Zelda and adds more guns than you could ask for.

While simple and purposefully silly, Enter the Gungeon is more fun for it and represents one of the best time-killing roguelike games you can play on Xbox.

5. Vampire Survivors

A unique title not only available on Xbox but also on Xbox Game Pass that represents one of the easiest-to-play yet in-depth roguelikes available is Vampire Survivors.

Almost completely void of narrative, Vampire Survivors expects you to choose a character and survive its randomly generated arenas for as long as possible. And strangely, your only control is directional movement through your analog stick, and there is no way to aim or fire attacks as they all play automatically.

While this may seem basic, the idea of having the game play itself offers its own benefits, with you being able to move your character, gain XP, and plan your build for the run as you play.

This makes the gameplay loop in Vampire Survivors unique, with in-depth items and modifiers allowing hours of combinations and variations of runs to support the game's roguelike roots.

The game is also readily available on Game Pass, meaning that being a fan of quality roguelikes, like Vampire Survivors, could stand as one of the reasons Xbox users should have Xbox Game Pass.

Enjoy a Variety of Gaming Genres on Xbox

Now you know some of the best roguelike games Xbox has to offer, you can start to enjoy the genre and all the variations that come with each game, whether it's the gun-orientated Enter the Gungeon or the Greek mythology-grounded Hades.

Aside from roguelikes, Xbox offers a variety of great games associated with staple genres of the medium, whether it's co-op play or first-person shooters, so be sure to check out all the other hits Xbox has to offer from different gaming genres.