Improvise or Die: Rogue Worlds is a Free Chaotic Roguelite Platformer

Chaotic Tactical Roguelite platformer — Rogue Worlds Launches Free on Steam May 14

Improvisation is Your Greatest Weapon in Cognitive Forge’s Fast-Paced, Free-to-Play Platformer

[Australia, Melbourne] April 30, 2025 — The indie team Cognitive Forge, and publishing platform indie.io are proud to announce that Rogue Worlds, a free-to-play curated roguelite platformer, will launch on Steam May 14, 2025.

Rogue Worlds is a chaotic, tactical roguelite platformer where the environment is your toolkit. Players must outwit deadly traps, swing across dangerous gaps, wield the strength of enemies against them, and turn hazards into chaotic advantages at every turn.

When an academy experiment goes disastrously wrong and fractures the time-space continuum, worlds begin bleeding into each other, leaving hope for restoration in your hands.

Think Fast, Play Smarter

In Rogue Worlds, there’s always more than one way forward.
Grapple across deadly pits, reflect attacks, pirouette off enemies, or tackle them into each other, or just blast through obstacles in a glorious spray of debris.

Every object has multiple uses: grab a lantern, carry it for light, or hurl it as a fiery Molotov. And enemies? That giant skull ghost winding up for an attack? Leap off its head to reach a distant treasure chest, or enthrall it to fight by your side.
Survival demands quick thinking, bold exploration, and turning adversity into opportunity.

Each run features procedurally generated layouts filled with shifting hazards, dynamic challenges, and deadly surprises. No two attempts are ever the same, and no single solution is ever the only way forward.

Explore Treacherous Biomes

Accompanied by handcrafted pixel art and a vibrant, atmospheric soundtrack, Rogue Worlds brings its treacherous realms to life.

Whether grappling across spike pits, blowing up lava pits, or manipulating explosives in flooding passageways, players must master their surroundings to progress.

Explore three biomes, each with their own dangers:

Grotto of Guidance: Ruins wind their way through the caves below. The ancients took this path as a rite of initiation.
Gnarled Gardens: Once a place of peace, now reclaimed by distorted jungle growth.
Celestial Catacombs: A once-sealed crypt unmoored from the earth, now a haunted tower in the sky.

Progression, Combat, and Steam Deck Support

A quicker, high-intensity campaign compared to Aura of Worlds, Rogue Worlds rewards daring plays, fast thinking, and bold improvisation. Players must master their environment, adapt to shifting hazards, and carve their own path through procedurally generated challenges.

But Rogue Worlds isn’t just about survival.
Rescue allies, conquer combat arenas, and battle ancient guardians that test both reflexes and ingenuity. As you progress, rescued friends unlock new stations in the hub world, giving you strategic control over perks, starting gear, and playstyles.
These upgrades are fully optional and can be toggled off for a more streamlined or purist run.

The game supports multiple difficulty modes, from relaxed to hardcore, is fully Steam Deck Verified, and offers controller support, ensuring smooth, responsive gameplay on handheld or desktop.

Connected to a Larger Universe: Aura of Worlds

Rogue Worlds offers a focused, free start to the creative survival gameplay that defines Aura of Worlds. While it stands on its own, it’s also part of a larger, evolving universe, with Aura of Worlds receiving ongoing content updates, expanded biomes, new items, challenges, and more surprises still to come. Progress made in Rogue Worlds carries over to Aura of Worlds, allowing players to seamlessly continue their journey with unlocked gear, rescued allies, and upgraded options intact. Whether you’re discovering the series for the first time or jumping in from the full game, Rogue Worlds is a fast, flexible, and chaotic entry point built to reward experimentation and improvisation.

”It’s refreshing and a hell of a lot of fun!” — Double Jump (on Aura of Worlds)

Players and creators who enjoy Rogue Worlds can participate in the Aura of Worlds Speedrun Challenge, kicking off May 5.

Show off your mastery in a timed race through danger, with prizes and bragging rights up for grabs. With major content additions expanding Aura of Worlds, those diving deeper into the Speedrun Challenge will find even more hazards, secrets, and tactical possibilities waiting to be mastered.

Interested in participating?

Press and creators who enjoy Rogue Worlds can request a full Aura of Worlds key to take on the full challenge and explore even more biomes, systems, and survival chaos.

Rogue Worlds launches free-to-play on Steam May 14, 2025. Players can wishlist the game now to be among the first to swing, freeze, and outsmart their way through a world where survival rewards creativity. Get ready to improvise, adapt, and explore — and experience the thrilling, fast-paced chaos that defines Aura of Worlds. Follow and Wishlist Rogue Worlds on Steam to stay up-to-date on developments and news.