Best Perma Death games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated perma death games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free perma death games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
State of Decay: YOSE
Make your stand against the collapse of society in the ultimate zombie survival-fantasy game. Explore an open world full of dangers and opportunities that respond to your every decision. Recruit a community of playable survivors, each with their own unique skills and talents.
Domestic Dog
Have you ever wanted to be a dog? Well now you can, kinda...
Lakeview Cabin Collection
Delve into the diverse world of horror movies in this 2D action puzzler. Nothing can prepare you for the R-rated challenges you will face!
Age of Fear 2: The Chaos Lord GOLD
Play as either Bel'Kara, a seductive Succubus at odds with the Underworld, or Katzok, a brutal Orc Chieftan fighting for his clan's dominance. The Age of Fear series is a deep and complex turn-based strategy (full of humour!) that fuses a tabletop wargame with RPG elements.
Tallowmere
Raise your shield. Indulge Lady Tallowmere and her lovingly violent dungeons. New rooms are created every time you play. How deep can you delve?
Catacomb Kids
Catacomb Kids is a brutal platformer roguelike that pits you against the deadly Catacombs aided only by magic, steel, and your quick reflexes. Traverse procedurally generated dungeons and hack, slash, burn, and blast your way through hordes of things that want to kill you.
bit Dungeon II
bitDungeon II is fast action-adventure game with a giant overworld to explore. You are a spirit in an undead world of demons. Your "loved one's " grave has been desecrated. Fight through these corrupted lands, and bring peace to her soul.
NEO Scavenger
NEO Scavenger is a game where you must survive in the wasteland long enough to figure out who you are. Each turn, you must decide where to go, how to scavenge for supplies, and how to deal with anything and anyone you encounter.
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Welcome back to the new and improved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza! As always, Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for death or dismemberment.
Crowntakers
Crowntakers combines turn-based strategy with RPG elements and takes you at the behest of the crown into a medieval fantasy world full of challenging encounters and epic adventures. With its randomly generated world, Crowntakers offers a varied gaming experience every time you set out to fight evil.
Coin Crypt
A roguelite deckbuilding adventure game about magical coins. You play as a lootmancer, who can unlock the hidden power inside of coins and use them in magical duels. The loots you take from chests and enemies also become your next moves, so plan carefully!
Dungeon of the ENDLESS™
Dungeon of the ENDLESS™ is a Rogue-Like Dungeon-Defense game, in which the player and their team of heroes must protect the generator of their crashed ship while exploring an ever-expanding dungeon, all while facing waves of monsters and special events as they try to find their way out...
Sproggiwood
Bring civilization to Sproggiwood, a story-driven, turn-based roguelike set in a humorous world inspired by Finnish mythology. Grow your civilization and plunder procedural dungeons with six unique classes. Outsmart mischievous monsters who work together in unexpected ways. No two dungeon dives are alike.
Paranautical Activity: Deluxe Atonement Edition
Paranautical Activity combines the classic FPS action of games like Doom and Quake, with the randomness and difficulty of modern roguelikes like Binding of Isaac and Spelunky.
TinyKeep
TinyKeep, a top-down procedurally generated dungeon escape game with permadeath - you die and it's game over. Master the frantic physics-based combat, lure enemies into traps or make them fight each other for dominance. There are many ways to survive in TinyKeep!
Heavy Bullets
Heavy Bullets is a randomized FPS dungeon crawler where players make their way through a colorful maze, while protecting themselves from aggressive creatures and malfunctioning security devices. The goal lies at the end of the 8th level, where they must reset the security mainframe to restore order and reap the rewards.
Vertical Drop Heroes HD
Vertical Drop Heroes is a procedural platformer RPG hybrid with roguelike elements, where your hero adventures through randomly generated stages. Armed with a variety of skills and traits, you must use your cunning and reflexes to survive the dangers of each stage.
A Wizard's Lizard
Conquer the forces of Death in A Wizard’s Lizard, an action RPG for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Explore ever-changing dungeons, filled with powerful weapons and items. Battle back the hordes of evil. Rescue villagers to improve your town and increase your power for your next trek into the dungeon.
Rogue's Tale
Rogue's Tale is a single player turn-based dungeon crawling game.
Quest of Dungeons
Quest of Dungeons is a turn based dungeon crawler game featuring a good old 16-bit retro artistic look. By playing as either a Warrior, Wizard, Assassin or Shaman you have to traverse dungeons, defeat enemies and loot everything you can in order to survive.
Tower of Guns
Tower of Guns is a fast paced first-person-shooter for the twitch gamer... with a few randomized elements to keep it fresh with each playthrough. It's a short burst "Lunch Break FPS"... not unlike Binding of Isaac mixed with Doom 2. Tower of Guns was made by a guy named Joe (with his brother Mike composing the music).Most played perma death games on Steam
Take a look at the top perma death games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 19th 2025.
1. Realm of the Mad God Exalt
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the pixelated Realm of the Mad God! Join, an action-packed, free-to-play MMO bullet hell game. Discover a world with danger, challenges, and hidden treasures as you battle through waves of enemies. Team up with players and conquer dungeons to become a legend! Realm of the Mad God Exalt is a pixel graphics, mmorpg and free to play game developed by Wild Shadow Studios and Deca Live Operations GmbH and published by Deca Live Operations GmbH. Released on February 20th 2012 has received 46,443 reviews of which 38,624 were positive and 7,819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played perma death game, thanks to its 1,554 peak concurrent players over the last day.
8.2
38,624
7,819
1,554
players
2. Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2 builds upon the unique, randomized challenges that made the original a roguelike classic, offering a huge adventure designed to satisfy players old and new. Meet the next generation of explorers as they find themselves on the Moon, searching for treasure and missing family. Spelunky 2 is a platformer, 2d platformer and difficult game developed by Mossmouth and Blitworks and published by Mossmouth. Released on September 29th 2020 has received 20,283 reviews of which 18,867 were positive and 1,416 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. While seeing 404 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among perma death games based on player count.
9.1
18,867
1,416
404
players
3. Tales of Maj'Eyal
Tales of Maj’Eyal is a roguelike RPG, featuring tactical turn-based combat and advanced character building. Play as one of many unique races and classes in the lore-filled world of Eyal, exploring random dungeons, facing challenging battles, and developing characters with your own tailored mix of abilities and powers. Tales of Maj'Eyal is a traditional roguelike, rogue-like and turn-based game developed and published by Netcore Games. Released on December 12th 2013 has received 6,679 reviews of which 6,352 were positive and 327 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played perma death games.
9.2
6,352
327
91
players
4. PUMPKIN PANIC
COME TO THIS COZY FARM! Plant crops, take care of the plants, go fishing, or whatever you prefer, but have a good time! But be carefull, they say that strange things are happening in the area... PUMPKIN PANIC is a free to play, horror and agriculture game developed and published by Bilalaika. Released on October 30th 2024 has received 1,557 reviews of which 1,494 were positive and 63 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played perma death games.
9.1
1,494
63
72
players
5. ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery)
ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery) is one of the most successful roguelike games ever created, boasting a brilliant mix of story, RPG, exploration, and intensely strategic & flexible combat. The Steam version adds various features like achievements, difficulty level customization & play modes. ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery) is a traditional roguelike, crpg and dungeon crawler game developed by Thomas Biskup, Jochen Terstiege, Zeno Rogue, Krzysztof Dycha and Lucas Dieguez and published by Assemble Entertainment. Released on November 16th 2015 has received 1,523 reviews of which 1,290 were positive and 233 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played perma death games.
8.1
1,290
233
36
players
6. Heads Will Roll: Reforged
Hardcore survival RPG with non-linear story that lets you play as a young medieval soldier who over the course of battles and adventures becomes the most formidable and respected knight of his era. Or, if he’s not lucky enough, perishes in the chaos of the Hundred Years' War. Heads Will Roll: Reforged is a replay value, war and dark game developed by 1917 Studios and published by Valkyrie Initiative. Released on October 04th 2023 has received 927 reviews of which 811 were positive and 116 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played perma death games.
8.3
811
116
34
players
7. Marauders
Marauders is a tactical first-person multiplayer looter shooter set in a sci-fi universe. As a space pirate, work solo, or in a squad with up to 3 other players to navigate a hostile battleground, hunt for loot, craft new weapons and gear, and salvage what you’ll need to survive. Marauders is a early access, extraction shooter and looter shooter game developed by Small Impact Games and published by Team17. Released on October 03rd 2022 has received 20,567 reviews of which 14,829 were positive and 5,738 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played perma death games.
7.1
14,829
5,738
27
players
8. Brutal Orchestra
Brutal Orchestra is a Turn-Based Roguelike Strategy Game. You died, someone killed you. You are in Purgatory and you will never escape. Make a deal with the "demon" Bosch and set off into Purgatory finding all manner of demented friends and foes on your quest to get petty revenge. Brutal Orchestra is a strategy, rpg and rogue-lite game developed by Talia bob Mair and Nicolás Delgado and published by Hellbent Games. Released on December 17th 2021 has received 1,774 reviews of which 1,739 were positive and 35 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played perma death games.
9.3
1,739
35
24
players
9. Spellmasons
Spellmasons is a magical, tactical roguelike where you customize your spells to survive. Play solo or team up with your friends in online multiplayer, and explore a deep magic system where clever combinations yield powerfully satisfying results! Spellmasons is a turn-based tactics, rogue-like and strategy game developed by Jordan O'Leary and published by Octavia Blue. Released on January 31st 2023 has received 617 reviews of which 573 were positive and 44 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played perma death games.
8.7
573
44
22
players
10. Lost Eidolons
Lost Eidolons is a turn-based tactical RPG with a gripping cinematic narrative, set in a waning empire riven by civil war. Take on the role of a charming mercenary captain, Eden, and lead his band of allies through epic encounters on a classic turn-based battlefield. Lost Eidolons is a jrpg, war and perma death game developed and published by Ocean Drive Studio and Inc.. Released on October 13th 2022 has received 1,925 reviews of which 1,347 were positive and 578 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played perma death games.
6.8
1,347
578
20
players
Best deals on perma death games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of perma death games available on Steam right now, updated on April 19th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted perma death games.
1. Lost Eidolons
Lost Eidolons is a turn-based tactical RPG with a gripping cinematic narrative, set in a waning empire riven by civil war. Take on the role of a charming mercenary captain, Eden, and lead his band of allies through epic encounters on a classic turn-based battlefield. Lost Eidolons is a jrpg, war and perma death game developed and published by Ocean Drive Studio and Inc.. Released on October 13th 2022 has received 1,925 reviews of which 1,347 were positive and 578 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.8 out of 10. Featuring a massive 97% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for perma death category.
6.8
1,347
578
-97%
33.33€
1.00€
2. Battle Ram
Battle Ram - an experiment of scientists developed in a secret laboratory, a powerful creature against robots, who will win? Battle Ram is a spectacle fighter, bullet hell and robots game developed and published by Runic Rise Games. Released on January 05th 2023 has received 317 reviews of which 279 were positive and 38 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 95% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in perma death games.
8.1
279
38
-95%
29.99€
1.49€
3. Crown Trick
Enter a labyrinth that moves as you move, where mastering the elements is key to defeating enemies and uncovering the mysteries of this underground world. With a new experience awaiting every time you enter the dungeon, let the power bestowed by the crown guide you in this challenging adventure! Crown Trick is a rogue-like, turn-based combat and rpg game developed by NEXT Studios and published by NEXT Studios and Team17. Released on October 16th 2020 has received 5,224 reviews of which 4,471 were positive and 753 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 92% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in perma death games.
8.3
4,471
753
-92%
20.00€
1.60€
4. Fallback
Lead the rebellion in an epic rogue-like adventure. Guide your jet-pack equipped post-apocalyptic volunteers through a labyrinthine underground complex by jumping, dodging, and battling against robot minions (and masters) to get to the surface — and bring life back to the scorched Earth. Fallback is a action roguelike, 2d platformer and perma death game developed by Endroad and published by Endroad and Microids. Released on October 11th 2019 has received 385 reviews of which 331 were positive and 54 were negative resulting in a rating of 8 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for perma death games.
8
331
54
-90%
9.99€
0.99€
5. Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy
Dynamic, procedurally generated adventure game that puts exploration first. Build your legacy as each wayfarer will change the fate of the world. Endless replayability with a huge set of difficulty modifiers. Boasting an award-winning soundtrack, a beautiful art style, and regular updates. Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer's Legacy is a colorful, rogue-lite and rpg game developed and published by Ludomotion. Released on May 27th 2022 has received 334 reviews of which 255 were positive and 79 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 87% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for perma death games.
7.2
255
79
-87%
19.08€
2.48€
6. Golden Krone Hotel
Golden Krone Hotel is a gothic horror roguelike. Fight vampires with sunlight or become a vampire yourself and sneak in the shadows. Combines classic turn-based combat with dynamic lighting, an innovative potion system, and fast paced gameplay. Golden Krone Hotel is a traditional roguelike, turn-based and rogue-like game developed and published by Vulgat. Released on October 26th 2017 has received 310 reviews of which 296 were positive and 14 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 80% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for perma death games.
8.7
296
14
-80%
9.99€
1.99€
7. Marauders
Marauders is a tactical first-person multiplayer looter shooter set in a sci-fi universe. As a space pirate, work solo, or in a squad with up to 3 other players to navigate a hostile battleground, hunt for loot, craft new weapons and gear, and salvage what you’ll need to survive. Marauders is a early access, extraction shooter and looter shooter game developed by Small Impact Games and published by Team17. Released on October 03rd 2022 has received 20,567 reviews of which 14,829 were positive and 5,738 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 52% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for perma death games.
7.1
14,829
5,738
-52%
30.23€
14.51€
8. ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery)
ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery) is one of the most successful roguelike games ever created, boasting a brilliant mix of story, RPG, exploration, and intensely strategic & flexible combat. The Steam version adds various features like achievements, difficulty level customization & play modes. ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery) is a traditional roguelike, crpg and dungeon crawler game developed by Thomas Biskup, Jochen Terstiege, Zeno Rogue, Krzysztof Dycha and Lucas Dieguez and published by Assemble Entertainment. Released on November 16th 2015 has received 1,523 reviews of which 1,290 were positive and 233 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a 50% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for perma death games.
8.1
1,290
233
-50%
14.99€
7.49€
9. March of the Living
Roguelike-like inspired by FTL and popular zombie fiction. Guide a group of survivors to a rumoured safe haven. March of the Living is a survival horror, rogue-lite and perma death game developed by Machine 22 and published by Creaky Corpse Ltd. Released on April 20th 2016 has received 531 reviews of which 378 were positive and 153 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.8 out of 10. Currently offered at a 50% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for perma death games.
6.8
378
153
-50%
14.99€
7.49€
10. Dreadhalls
You are trapped deep inside a massive dungeon. Explore it, survive it and find a way to escape. Your only weapons will be stealth, your own courage, and a faint light. Dreadhalls is an intense and scary experience, not for the faint of heart. You have been warned! Dreadhalls is a dungeon crawler, horror and perma death game developed and published by White Door Games. Released on March 09th 2017 has received 341 reviews of which 319 were positive and 22 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. Currently offered at a 32% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for perma death games.
8.6
319
22
-32%
10.01€
6.81€
Free perma death games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play perma death games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on April 19th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play perma death games.
1. Realm of the Mad God Exalt
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the pixelated Realm of the Mad God! Join, an action-packed, free-to-play MMO bullet hell game. Discover a world with danger, challenges, and hidden treasures as you battle through waves of enemies. Team up with players and conquer dungeons to become a legend! Realm of the Mad God Exalt is a pixel graphics, mmorpg and free to play game developed by Wild Shadow Studios and Deca Live Operations GmbH and published by Deca Live Operations GmbH. Released on February 20th 2012 has received 46,443 reviews of which 38,624 were positive and 7,819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. With 1,554 active players enjoying it for free, this strategy game has reached the #1 spot among the top free perma death games on Steam.
8.2
38,624
7,819
1,554
players
2. PUMPKIN PANIC
COME TO THIS COZY FARM! Plant crops, take care of the plants, go fishing, or whatever you prefer, but have a good time! But be carefull, they say that strange things are happening in the area... PUMPKIN PANIC is a free to play, horror and agriculture game developed and published by Bilalaika. Released on October 30th 2024 has received 1,557 reviews of which 1,494 were positive and 63 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played free perma death games on Steam.
9.1
1,494
63
72
players
3. 5050
Each time you press the button, it will either double or lose all the points you’ve put in. How much will you risk? 5050 is a arcade, gambling and casual game developed by and published by Follow The Fun. Released on August 20th 2023 has received 323 reviews of which 284 were positive and 39 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played free perma death games on Steam.
8.1
284
39