As far as the best roguelikes games go, the Risk of Rain series from Hopoo Games is certainly up there. Deftly maneuvering between 2D action platform game and 3D gameplay, the series is coming back around to its first installment, as Risk of Rain Returns has been announced by Gearbox for PC via Steam, and it’s releasing next year.
Risk of Rain Returns is part remaster and part colossal expansion, as the 2D action platform game with endless waves of enemies is getting new HD pixel art, gameplay tweaks, new survivors, and new survivor abilities.
There are also new items, enemies, interactables, stage variants, and a revamped multiplayer experience, which will likely be the most notable improvement for players of the original. While there’s no release date yet outside of 2023, the original was launched on November 8, 2013, so maybe we’ll get an anniversary release?
“Carefully designed, beautifully remastered, and loaded with new ways to play—Risk of Rain is back and better than ever! This remake of the classic Risk of Rain packs enhanced visuals, an updated codebase, and tons of new content,” says Hopoo Games.
Check out the gorgeous animated trailer below.
If you’re interested in giving the original release a go, it’s currently on Steam for $8.99 USD (£6.99 GBP), and you can also buy a four-pack to make sure you can play the game with some friends too. The sequel, Risk of Rain 2, is also on Steam, but this is a strikingly different game.
Risk of Rain 2 trades the 2D platforming for a 3D environment, and while many of the mechanics and ideas in the sequel are similar, the change in perspective and core design offers an entirely new way to play.
So you’ve got two options, which is always nice. Fans of the roguelike genre that missed these two at launch (myself included) should definitely check the series out. Risk of Rain Returns is available to wishlist on Steam now.
If you want to play something similar, why not try out indie roguelike Dead Cells? There’s even been a series of Dead Cells updates that add in other indie games, including Risk of Rain. Alternatively, you can take a look at our breakdown of the best indie games currently available on PC.
