Rogue
DOS - 1984
Also available on: Mac - Amiga - Amstrad CPC - Atari 8-bit - Atari ST - Commodore 64 - ZX Spectrum
Description of Rogue
The only commercial release of dungeon-crawl classic Rogue, Epyx' version is 1.45, while Jon Lane's original release is 1.1. I'm not quite sure what the difference is/are between the two versions, except that Epyx probably tidied up the codes and tweaked play balance a little bit before the commercial release.
For those of you who've been living in caves for the past 25 years, or started your RPG adventuring with Diablo, here's my review of Jon Lane's Rogue, also on this site:
The "granddaddy" of dungeon hack RPGs, Rogue has a long history that dates back to the 1970's. It was first released as a test application for UNIX, and quickly captured the imagination of popularity among system administrators and computer science students. It was such a popular "test" that enterprising UNIX admins and users distributed it, expanded it, imitated it, and ported it to their home computers.
The game's original concept was unique and rich enough that decades later, it has an entire genre of computer games named after it, commonly called "Roguelike Games", and today still attracts a loyal following and lively community and newsgroups.
What is so special about the game that it still attract gamers for over a decade? Many revolutionary features that have become the norm in today's RPGs. Rogue is an ASCII-interfaced (i.e. all text or text-character based), turn-based, single player dungeon crawl. Its attraction lies neither in plot nor puzzles (both of which are paper-thin... you are a treasure hunter not unlike the Adventurer in Infocom's Zork), but in the seemingly endless combinations of features, a wide variety of monsters and loot, and randomly generated dungeon that guarantees infinite replayability.
In short, Rogue is to RPGs what Crowther's mainframe Adventure is to adventures: a revolutionary game that spawned a genre. It may not stand the test of time very well after all these years, but for those who want to get a sense of where today's blockbuster dungeon crawls the likes of Diablo descend from, Rogue is it. Two thumbs up!"
Review By HOTUD
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Comments and reviews
Aurora 2023-12-03 1 point
I've been playing Rogue almost all my life. Love this great game, never de same doom, never boring. Thanks for sharing it.
Greg77 2023-11-27 0 point
try FTL (faster than light) to experience an exceptionally unique approach to the genre. i'm not affiliated with the author but somewhat like the genre and especially love their game.
Expakun 2023-11-11 0 point
Is this the same as the steam version?
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1443430/Rogue/
pandy 2023-08-01 2 points DOS version
It does not work. A window opens: incompatibility with the version of Window.
There is a solution?
Thank you.
cafe casita 2023-07-09 1 point
what they wrought with 48 kilobytes Sega can't top with 4 gigabytes. Slow down, gaming is not for Evelyn Woods (the speed reader) types. & dont waste time looking for the perfect character. Helen of troy we are not. Talking Yoda style is fun, olde english, not so much. game on.
Cajbor 2023-01-22 3 points
I originally discovered this game via a friend who did IT support for UNIX. I was so enthralled that it drove me to get a computer and a copy of unix so I could play it.
Many years later playing it on many platforms, I finally did make it to level 25 and back out with the Amulet of yendor ! 1000's of other games and this one still holds its own.
FeRRoH 2022-09-12 -1 point
This game, based on the screenshots, reminds me so much of:
CD DRACULA
DRACULA
.
Adrien2002 2022-05-18 1 point DOS version
"how do i use the .scr (screensaver) file ???"
SCR means SCORE not screensaver...
This file is used when you character dies, to record your score on the game. If the file is absent, the game won't save your score when you die, that's all.
ZoGarth 2021-08-23 -2 points
I just checked out the Atari ST version on YouTube and it was definitely the superior version of Rogue. Although I had PD version of HACK for my Amiga that I preferred. It had a editor that I was able to modify the graphics, so I humbly made better looking versions and creatures.
CeeJay 2021-08-10 -6 points
Glad they haven't put a price tag on this game. Make sure you give it a shot cause who knows with this site anymore
Trusteft 2021-06-09 4 points
A fantastic game still 100% playable (fun) today.
At least the ST version that I know and love.
I did 3 videos of it some years ago, if anyone wants to take a look.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-uoQBpXzc
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0__Ezo-plxg
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Tue0rzB2M
Jellz 2020-10-26 -10 points DOS version
The DOS version's IP has been picked up by Pixel Games UK and is no longer abandonware. It can now be purchased on Steam.
Why there isn't any GOG release is beyond me. According to the game's new publisher, they have been ignoring their e-mails regarding a GOG release.
NeveroddoreveN 2020-02-20 -8 points DOS version
I am using Windows 10 with DosBox installed, but I am getting a message that the game Rogue will not run on my computer. What do I have to do to make Rogue run....?
For the Newcommers 2019-11-03 -4 points DOS version
If you want to have the controls figured out for you, then someone already posted the manual on their website.
http://roguelikedevelopment.org/archive/files/misc/EpyxRogueDOSManual/manual.htm
Archived version
https://archive.is/Uy3rF
Brian 2019-09-19 2 points
First Rogue is classic. I played for hours back in the day.
I agree with JMECALL. Any time I get into double digit higher levels I starve to death. It's a great game but there's never enough food. I also hate having to guess what the potions do other than drinking them. I usually wind up drinking a blindness potion and stumbling around without a healing potion and get myself killed.
Other than a rare identify scroll to identify items, how does one figure out what the items do without using them?
jmekall 2019-06-24 2 points
that was a yummy mango! problem I had getting through this game was FOOD! you end up running out as you go back u, and everything edible has been eaten.. eventually I would keep passing out YOU CANNOT MOVE, YOU CAN MOVE AGAIN routine. it was exasperating... note to anyone trying to tackle this game, save your food. beating monsters is easy, but getting back home with a full tummy is very difficult
Purple Squirrel 2016-07-31 -4 points
LOVE this game, but the in browser version has a script error every time I get to about level 14 and the download doesn't seem to work.
lizzard 2016-07-07 5 points DOS version
grew up playing this thing. still love it, it's one of those games that never gets old, even if the graphics are as primitive as you can get :)
Stone Magnet 2015-12-22 -8 points
The very first roguelike! Check out Cataclysm DDA if you are into this genre. It's free and constantly in development.
0gre 2015-12-01 -5 points
I highly recommend lovers of this game to check out Stone Soup. https://crawl.develz.org/
You can download it or even play a version in your browser.
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DOS Version
46 KBMac Version
- Year: 1985
- Publisher: Epyx, Inc.
- Developer: A.I. Design
Amiga ROM
- Year: 1986
- Publisher: Epyx, Inc.
- Developer: A.I. Design
Amstrad CPC Version
- Year: 1988
- Publisher: Mastertronic Ltd.
Atari 8-bit ROM
- Year: 1988
- Publisher: Mastertronic Ltd.
Atari ST ROM
- Year: 1986
- Publisher: Epyx, Inc., Mastertronic Ltd.
- Developer: A.I. Design
Commodore 64 Version
- Year: 1988
- Publisher: Mastertronic Ltd.
ZX Spectrum Version
- Year: 1988
- Publisher: Mastertronic Ltd.
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