---
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-32
type: mechanic
id: roguelike--family-32
lang: en
title: Narrative and persistent world
summary: >-
  Repeated attempts unlock conversations and change relationships, preserving a
  connected story across defeats.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-32/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-32.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-32.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Roguelikes and roguelites
  - Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
  - source-c25456cabddd6fdd
sources:
  - id: source-c25456cabddd6fdd
    title: Hades
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: roguelike
    id: family-32
    title: Roguelikes and roguelites
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/roguelike/#family-32'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Narrative and persistent world
    description: >-
      Repeated attempts unlock conversations and change relationships,
      preserving a connected story across defeats.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/systems-hades-extra-01.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Hades
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1145360/ss_8a9f0953e8a014bd3df2789c2835cb787cd3764d.1920x1080.jpg?t=1758127023
      credit: Supergiant Games / Supergiant Games
      rights: © Supergiant Games / Supergiant Games. All rights reserved.
      caption: A conversation with Zagreus’s father after returning
      alt: A conversation with Zagreus’s father after returning
      markers:
        - x: 65
          'y': 62
          label: The dialogue links the return to the continuing story
    tips:
      - Let the story reflect run outcomes without repeating the same dialogue.
    examples:
      - title: Hades
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/roguelike
---
# Narrative and persistent world

id: roguelike--family-32
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-32
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-32/

Repeated attempts unlock conversations and change relationships, preserving a connected story across defeats.

## At a glance

![A conversation with Zagreus’s father after returning](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/systems-hades-extra-01.webp)

[Hades](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/) · © Supergiant Games / Supergiant Games. All rights reserved.

1. The dialogue links the return to the continuing story

- Let the story reflect run outcomes without repeating the same dialogue.

- [Hades](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/)

## How it works

Events in the run change history and the ongoing state of the world, or reveal new parts of the narrative.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-32-variants"></a>

- Plot development after each attempt <a id="variant-roguelike-32-01"></a>
- New dialogues depending on the events of the run <a id="variant-roguelike-32-02"></a>
- Relationships with characters between attempts <a id="variant-roguelike-32-03"></a>
- Gifts and personal errands <a id="variant-roguelike-32-04"></a>
- Quests that continue across multiple runs <a id="variant-roguelike-32-05"></a>
- Carrying the Consequences of a Choice into Future Attempts <a id="variant-roguelike-32-06"></a>
- Gradual change in central location <a id="variant-roguelike-32-07"></a>
- Rebuilding the world piece by piece <a id="variant-roguelike-32-08"></a>
- Gaining new opportunities through story decisions <a id="variant-roguelike-32-09"></a>
- Multiple endings based on a combination of actions <a id="variant-roguelike-32-10"></a>
- Mandatory re-wins to continue the story <a id="variant-roguelike-32-11"></a>
- Keeping individual changes while updating the rest of the world <a id="variant-roguelike-32-12"></a>

## Context and limits

A wide author's map of classic turn-based roguelikes, modern roguelites and hybrids. Families describe options for organizing a run, and not mandatory features of the genre. Constant metaprogression is not found in all roguelikes. Related systems can be combined; the list is not a closed standard.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.

- [Hades](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145360/) (id: source-c25456cabddd6fdd)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors