Rogue

What is Rogue?

Rogue is a pioneering computer role-playing game from 1980, created by Michael Toy, Glenn Wichman, and Ken Arnold. Departing from traditional dice-based RPGs, Rogue introduced a revolutionary walk-through randomly-generated dungeon format, where players navigate passageways and rooms, finding and using scrolls, potions, weapons, and wands to combat monsters in search of the Amulet of Yendor. The game's core innovation lies in its procedurally-generated worlds, ensuring that no two playthroughs are ever the same. Rogue's minimalist ASCII-based visuals belie its deep gameplay, as players must contend with increasingly challenging foes on each dungeon level. While saving progress is possible, death results in the deletion of the saved game, adding to the game's punishing yet addictive nature. Rogue's pioneering design and enduring appeal have solidified its status as a landmark in the history of computer role-playing games

Highlights

• Randomly-generated dungeon maps for each playthrough, resulting in unique experiences
• Text-based ASCII visuals with a focus on core RPG mechanics like combat, items, and exploration
• Ascending through increasingly difficult dungeon levels to reach the Amulet of Yendor
• Challenging gameplay with the threat of permanent death upon player character demise