When is a roguelike a puzzle game? When is a strategy game a roguelike? The answer is Ending (opens in new tab), one of the best roguey-puzzley-strategy games released in the last few years. Ending is excellent, and it's just got a surprise sequel in the form of Unending (opens in new tab), which is Ending but endless, as you might have guessed.
Rather than clearing a series of levels, in order to reach the end of the game, you're endlessly exploring an ASCII-ish open world for as long as possible before you're murdered, or you starve to death. The basic mechanics of Ending remain the same, in particular the wonderful enemy mechanics that allow you to defeat baddies from certain sides—but only those sides. If you approach them from the wrong angle, if you get surrounded by enemies, you'll likely find yourself in a checkmate situation, and have to restart the game, or undo your previous move.
As with the original game, Unending is pretty strategic, although you're generally given a bit more wriggle room thanks to the larger map. But it's also simple: everything dies in a single hit, and the only resource you have to worry about is food, which ticks down with every step you take in the world. Unending a perfect coffee break game, a great blend of puzzle and roguelike, and it's playable in your browser over here (opens in new tab).
For more great free experiences, check out our roundup of the best free PC games.
