You don’t walk away from a conversation with Luca Galante, creator of Vampire Survivors, without discussing roguelikes. During a recent interview about his publishing label Poncle Presents, Galante was more than happy to chat about the surge of roguelike elements in games—especially in RPGs and JRPGs, where he feels many titles squander the best parts of their systems by the time the story wraps up.
What Galante Thinks
- He’s thrilled roguelike mechanics are leaking into mainstream and AAA titles: modes, systems, gameplay loops that emphasize repeatability, risk/reward, and emergent systems.
- Galante points out that in many modern RPGs and JRPGs, it takes 30 hours or more in story mode before things “click”—before combat becomes genuinely enjoyable. By then, the game often ends, preventing players from really getting into the mechanics they’ve mastered.
- That’s where roguelikes shine: they let players engage those mechanics early, and allow for challenge, mastery, and depth without waiting for the story to “unlock” the good parts.
Examples & Personal Experience
- He cites God of War: Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part II, Destiny 2, Elden Ring Nightreign, and even Donkey Kong Bananza’s new DLC as evidence of roguelike influence creeping into mainstream games.
- For Galante, the ideal layout is: story mode to set the stage; then roguelike-style loops so the player can really flex skills, experiment with loadouts, challenge themselves, and stay engaged long after narrative beats are over.
Why It Matters
- It’s a critique of pacing and structure: many RPGs front-load story, hold off on depth, then end just when mechanically things are exciting.
- Roguelikes, by contrast, often start simpler but let systems compound, evolve, and reward player mastery throughout.
- For players who love mechanics, builds, challenge, and replayability, games that embrace roguelike loops offer richer long-term engagement.
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