Starward Rogue
A roguelite labyrinth lodged in the side of a star. Dodge gorgeous waves of bullets, claim weapons and upgrades, defeat The Warden, and rescue... Rodney?
SCREENSHOTS
HISTORY
Starward Rogue is a bullet hell roguelike video game from Arcen Games. The game takes place in the same universe as many of Arcen's other games, such as AI War and Stars Beyond Reach. The player controls a mech housing a severed head of an alien hydra (the main character "Hydral" from The Last Federation), shooting through the levels of a procedurally generated prison tower lodged in the surface of a star.
The game was well-received by critics and fans, being favorably compared to games like Binding of Isaac. However the positive reaction did not translate into sales, and the game's poor financial performance shortly after launch was partially responsible for Arcen laying off the majority of its staff.
On January 24, 2018, the AuGMENTED expansion pack was released for the game, which added new items, enemies and rooms.
On January 25, 2024, Starward Rogue was released on various consoles under Polish publisher Klabater.
Reception
Reviewing the game for Hardcore Gamer, James Cunningham concluded: "Starward Rogue is easily the best arcade roguelike since Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and while it doesn't stray too far from its inspiration's influence, it makes up for this by executing its formula incredibly well."
TRAILERS
STORES best right now: Nintendo eShop −85%
Prices are cached from each storefront and may be out of date. Last checked 24 Sept 2026.
PRICE HISTORY
Every price change we know of, per shop. Flat means the price held; PC shops reach back through IsThereAnyDeal's archive, console shops start when this site started watching.
Nintendo eShop low: $2.24 (14 Sep 2026) , Fanatical low: $2.39 (14 May 2018) , Humble Store low: $2.39 (31 Jul 2021) , PlayStation Store low: $2.24 (10 Sep 2026) , Steam low: $2.39 (23 Sep 2024) , Xbox low: $14.99 (26 Aug 2026)
REVIEWS
Published elsewhere, collected here. Every score is the outlet's own, on the outlet's own scale. Follow the link for the full review.
“Starward Rogue is easily the best arcade roguelike since Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and while it doesn't stray too far from its inspiration's influence, it makes up for this by executing its formula incredibly well.”
“Again, this critic is not a big fan of rogue-likes, but can still recognise quality when he plays it. Starward Rogue is an exceptionally-crafted shooter that is packed to bursting with hours upon hours of replay value. Each floor is inhabited by an array of nasty bots that are more than capable of filling the screen with tiny projectiles. However, thanks to the wide selection of playable mechs, as well as an assortment of awesome weapons and upgrades, gamers will always be suitably armed for the task.”
“Starward Rogue is a complete title and is worth playing if you are a fan of roguelike games. It may not be a masterpiece, but it belongs next to other great games in the genre and it will sure to have you stuck playing it for hours.”
“There are elements of a terrific and challenging roguelike here, but it gets at least partially obscured by small issues that add up”
“Starward Rogue presents a solid shooter experience with a rocking soundtrack and plenty of action as you blast your way through five floors of bullet-riddled mayhem.”
“A frantic, toy-filled roguelite with brilliant highs and a few clarity and pacing bumps: great for experimentation, less so for narrative payoff.”
Reviews are the work of the outlets named. Titles, scores and quoted excerpts are reproduced for identification and criticism; each links to the original.