Broughlike

Broughlikes are roguelikes which emphasise mechanical tightness and focus on singular mechanics of the roguelike genre. They feature small grids, have low randomness, and are extremely replayable. Broughlikes rarely if ever have wait commands as "attacking is already a form of waiting;" when waiting is an available command it consumes resources.

"Certain recurring stresses are characteristic of Brough's approach:
Small, square boards & small integers
Orthogonal 4-way movement
Parity & zugzwang (or "compulsion to move," i.e. inability to freely "pass" a turn)
Streamlined controls, e.g. attacking with the same input as movement
Roguelike mechanics like procedural level generation, permadeath, teleport, polymorph, etc.
Numerology, i.e. conspicuously consistent integers
"Glitch" mechanics / aesthetics
Identification & decryption
Positional tactics: pushing, pulling, choke points & egress
Differentiated resource binaries, e.g. credits & energy, blood & mana, etc.
Unconventional scoring systems
Idiosyncratic art & audio
Topologies, synchronies, overlapping matrices"

There are plenty of Broughlikes that are not in IGDB, such as:
Loopy Wizard
Arcane Tower
Marsh Adventure
Chesh
Saugzwang
Unit 4
Crab
Limonchik
Crypt of the Bone King
A Dreamless Hopeless Life Of Grave Robber

Hunt the Wumpus
Hunt the Wumpus
Proto-Broughlike - Embodies many of the same sensibilities as Broughlikes, particularly Cinco Paus
Game Title
Game Title
Zaga-33
Zaga-33
Corrypt
Corrypt
Hoplite
Hoplite
868-Hack
868-Hack
Post-Future Vagabond
Post-Future Vagabond
Imbroglio
Imbroglio
Morphblade
Morphblade
Cinco Paus
Cinco Paus
Twinfold
Twinfold
P1 Select
P1 Select
Maze Machina
Maze Machina
Castaway on a Weird Island
Mosaic
Mosaic
Shotgun King: the Final Checkmate
Shotgun King: the Final Checkmate

1 Comment


1 year ago

Don't know much about broughlikes but this game is described (by the creator) as one: https://www.backloggd.com/games/mosaic--1/


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