Evolution — Rogue-like:

At the International Roguelike Development Conference, developers codified the "8 must-haves" for a "pure" roguelike:

The genre eventually split into two distinct evolutionary paths: Roguelike (Classic) Roguelite (Modern) None; every run starts from zero. Persistent upgrades/unlocks between runs. Gameplay Turn-based and grid-based. Often real-time (Action/Bullet Hell). Difficulty Extreme; requires deep system knowledge. Scalable; often more forgiving. Examples Caves of Qud , NetHack , ADOM . Hades , Vampire Survivors , Dead Cells . Rogue-like: Evolution

Strategic decision-making over mechanical reflex. Grid-Based: Movement on a discrete spatial layout. Often real-time (Action/Bullet Hell)

The roguelike genre began as a technical solution to a creative problem: how to make a game that could surprise its own creators. Examples Caves of Qud , NetHack , ADOM

Modern titles like Everything is Crab allow players to stack mutations like poisonous spines with dash attacks to create unique biological "builds".