We’ve been reporting on Roguecraft DX for over a year now, first reporting on the isometric 3D roguelike’s release on Evercade. Then, earlier this year, we reported that the game would be making its way onto Steam, which it did, when the Steam version of Roguecraft DX was published by Thalamus Digital, earlier this month, on September 10, 2026.
And now, we’ve finally had the chance to explore the world of Roguecraft DX for ourselves, and it’s fair to say that we’re very impressed!
As you may know, Roguecraft DX is an expanded version of the Amiga homebrew title Roguecraft, which was first released back in 2024.
The game is an isometric 3D dungeon-crawler inspired by the twisted works of H.P. Lovecraft, so, as you might expect, you face off against some pretty horrific beasties throughout the game, including, inevitably, everybody’s favorite cosmic entity, Cthulhu.
Luckily, the turn-based combat in Roguecraft DX with which you battle these hideous beasts couldn’t be more straightforward. You simply approach the enemy that you wish to attack, and push in the direction of the enemy, but in addition to physical attacks with your weapon, you can also collect spells to help you defeat the game’s cast of beasties, and spells are equally simple to cast. You simply highlight the spell you wish to cast and select it.
As well as encountering horrific monsters and vials containing spells as you crawl Rogucraft DX’s dungeons, you’ll also encounter other collectables including treasure and a badger familiar, who you can sic on your enemies. Seeing a badger violently attack Lovecraftian monsters is in equal parts adorable and horrific, but it’s never anything less than enjoyable to watch!
So, Roguecraft DX’s controls are remarkably easy for anyone to get to grips with, and the game itself is easy to play, with your character exploring isometric 3D dungeons that are rendered in gorgeously retro pixel art.
To begin with, there are just two characters to choose from, with the Warrior, who offers the chance to play the game at an easy difficulty level; and the Rogue, who offers a medium difficulty level. A mysterious third playable character can also be unlocked as you progress through the game.
Expanding the longevity of the game, there are three different modes of play, all of which give you just one life to complete your quest: The main mode is Classic Roguecraft DX mode, which serves up the game’s 15 levels at random, and there’s also Endlesss Dungeon mode, which is fairly self-explanatory, but the endless barrage of levels that you’re presented with get progressively harder. This Endless mode means that Roguecraft DX’s longevity is theoretically infinite. But that’s not all, there’s also Chicken Run mode, which is identical in format to Classic Mode, but in this mode, you assume the role of a chicken, armed with only a (surprisingly deadly) beak!
While Roguecraft DX’s Amiga origins are unmistakable, it’s such an elegantly crafted game that it’s easy to see how and why it’s transcended its relatively niche homebrew origins for release on rather more mainstream platforms, such as this very welcome Steam release.
Had the game been released on the Amiga during the format’s 1990s heyday, I have no doubt that it would now be regarded as one of the machine’s all-time classics. Not bad for a game that was released almost 40 years on from the original release of its home format!
While Roguecraft DX’s dark fantasy setting, dungeon-crawling gameplay and turn-based combat are sure to appeal to fans of RPGs, its simplicity means that it’s not only especially suited to time-poor RPG players looking for a quick fix wherever they can squeeze in a few minutes of gaming, but its breeziness and inclusion of a high-score table means that the game will also offer equal appeal to fans of arcade-style gaming, such as myself!
Roguecraft DX is everything I was hoping it would be, making it a serious contender for my game of the year, and like so many of the all-time great video games, Roguecraft DX is easy to learn, but difficult to master, making it a game that’s very easy to recommend to retro gamers of any stripe, no matter their usual gaming preferences.
Developer Badger Punch Games has created something very special with Roguecraft DX, and if we gave scores to games on RetroNews, I strongly suspect that I’d be awarding Roguecraft DX a 10/10. It really is that good. It’s easy to see why Roguecraft DX has been ported to so many formats, as we’ve reported previously, so if you’re a Steam gamer, now’s the perfect time to try this darkly fantastical gem of a game! We’re confident that it’ll have you spellbound from start to finish.
