Xbox April Indies deliver exactly what burned-out Hades 2 players need: variety. After dozens of runs through the underworld, switching to a cozy bookshop sim or pixel-art metroidvania feels like switching genres entirely. These five newly released ID@Xbox titles offer genuine alternatives, each with its own rhythm and reward structure.
Key Takeaways
- Dark Light is a cyberpunk metroidvania soulslike priced at $17.99 with hundreds of augments to unlock.
- Absolum brings roguelike progression to a side-scrolling beat ’em up, playable solo or co-op on Game Pass.
- Grimoire Groves combines witchy gardening with spell-unlocking and element mastery in a pastel world.
- Demonschool blends tactical RPG combat with school-building mechanics and demon-slaying.
- All featured games launched on Xbox via ID@Xbox in April as fresh alternatives to roguelike fatigue.
Dark Light: Cyberpunk Soulslike That Demands Precision
Dark Light stands out as the hardest game on this list—but in a completely different way than Hades 2. This cyberpunk pixel-art metroidvania soulslike casts you as an elite Dark Hunter sealing rifts across six biomes in a post-apocalyptic dystopia. The combat is fast-paced and demanding, but the progression system is what hooks you: hundreds of cybernetic augments unlock as you progress, letting you customize your build dramatically. At $17.99, it’s a meaty single-player experience that respects your time investment. Unlike Hades 2’s roguelike resets, Dark Light lets you keep your augments, turning each run into permanent character growth.
Absolum: Side-Scrolling Beat ‘Em Up with Roguelike DNA
If you want Hades 2’s run-based progression without the top-down perspective, Absolum delivers. This hand-drawn roguelike beat ’em up plays like Streets of Rage filtered through roguelike design: you pick a character, brawl through enemies, unlock power-ups mid-run, and either win or restart. The real hook? You can play solo or co-op locally and online, turning solo roguelike grinding into a social activity. Absolum is available on Xbox Game Pass, making it the lowest-friction entry point on this list. The hand-drawn fantasy art gives it personality that pure pixel-art can’t match, and the arcade beat ’em up DNA means runs feel snappier than Hades 2’s methodical combat.
Grimoire Groves and Demonschool: Cozy Alternatives
Sometimes you don’t want combat at all. Grimoire Groves is a witchy gardening game set in a pastel world where you unlock spells, master four elements, and solve the mystery of the Rainbow Socks to restore forest spirits. It’s the kind of game you play in short bursts, watching your garden grow and your spell book expand. For something with more structure, Demonschool pairs tactical RPG combat with school-building mechanics, letting you manage a demon-slaying academy while fighting turn-based battles. Both games offer the progression and unlocks that roguelikes train you to crave, but without the permadeath stress.
Why These Games Matter Right Now
The indie landscape in 2025 is unusually strong, and April’s ID@Xbox slate reflects that depth. Rather than forcing you to choose between roguelikes or nothing, these five games carve out distinct niches: pixel-art action, cozy management, tactical strategy, and beat ’em up nostalgia. Hades 2’s full 1.0 release on September 25, 2025 for PC and Nintendo Switch will likely dominate conversation, but Xbox players have options right now. The variety isn’t just quantity—it’s genuine design diversity. You’re not playing five roguelikes with different skins; you’re sampling five genuinely different genres, all available on the same platform.
Are any of these games on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes. Absolum is available on Xbox Game Pass, making it the most accessible entry point. The others are available for individual purchase on Xbox, with Dark Light at $17.99. Game Pass availability varies by region and changes monthly, so check your local Xbox storefront for current offerings.
How do these games compare to Hades 2?
Hades 2 is a top-down roguelike with brutal difficulty and permadeath progression. Dark Light and Absolum both feature roguelike elements but shift the perspective and genre: Dark Light goes cyberpunk metroidvania with permanent augment unlocks, while Absolum becomes a side-scrolling beat ’em up. Grimoire Groves and Demonschool abandon roguelikes entirely for cozy management and tactical strategy, respectively. The common thread is progression—they all reward repeated play—but the moment-to-moment gameplay is radically different.
Can I play Absolum with friends?
Yes. Absolum supports both local and online co-op, making it the only game on this list designed explicitly for multiplayer. This makes it ideal if you want to break from Hades 2’s single-player grind with a friend.
The best reason to try these April Indies isn’t that they’re alternatives to Hades 2—it’s that they’re good games in their own right. Absolum’s co-op, Dark Light’s augment system, Grimoire Groves’ charm, and Demonschool’s tactical depth each deserve attention. Hades 2 will still be there when you’re ready to get beat up again, but April’s Xbox Indies are worth your time now.
This article was written with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
Source: Windows Central
