---
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-38
type: mechanic
id: roguelike--family-38
lang: en
title: Cooperative and competitive systems
summary: >-
  Participants share roles, resources and risks within a run or compare results
  under shared rules.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-38/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-38.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-38.md
aliases:
  - Cooperative and competitive runs
tags:
  - Roguelikes and roguelites
  - Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
  - source-b8016f37581cdd13
sources:
  - id: source-b8016f37581cdd13
    title: Risk of Rain 2
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: roguelike
    id: family-38
    title: Roguelikes and roguelites
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/roguelike/#family-38'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Cooperative and competitive runs
    description: >-
      Participants share roles, resources and risks within a run or compare
      results under shared rules.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/broad-risk-rain-2-05.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Risk of Rain 2
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/632360/ss_85548e86c50ff654c6a49235ea686a956f8ee9ec.1920x1080.jpg?t=1791475448
      credit: Hopoo Games / Gearbox Publishing / 2K
      rights: © Hopoo Games / Gearbox Publishing / 2K. All rights reserved.
      caption: Several survivors explore the same Risk of Rain 2 area
      alt: Several survivors explore the same Risk of Rain 2 area
      markers:
        - x: 49
          'y': 55
          label: Different heroes act together in the same space
    tips:
      - Show shared goals and the conditions that end the group’s run.
    examples:
      - title: Risk of Rain 2
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/'
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
---
# Cooperative and competitive systems

id: roguelike--family-38
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-38
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-38/

Participants share roles, resources and risks within a run or compare results under shared rules.

## At a glance

![Several survivors explore the same Risk of Rain 2 area](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/broad-risk-rain-2-05.webp)

[Risk of Rain 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/) · © Hopoo Games / Gearbox Publishing / 2K. All rights reserved.

1. Different heroes act together in the same space

- Show shared goals and the conditions that end the group’s run.

- [Risk of Rain 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/)

## How it works

Participants distribute roles, resources and risks or compare results according to general rules.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-38-variants"></a>

- Completing one run together <a id="variant-roguelike-38-01"></a>
- Shared or split lives <a id="variant-roguelike-38-02"></a>
- Raising a fallen ally <a id="variant-roguelike-38-03"></a>
- Transfer of items and resources <a id="variant-roguelike-38-04"></a>
- Distribution of limited production <a id="variant-roguelike-38-05"></a>
- Complementary roles <a id="variant-roguelike-38-06"></a>
- Joint abilities and combined actions <a id="variant-roguelike-38-07"></a>
- Consistent choice of route and reward <a id="variant-roguelike-38-08"></a>
- Scaling meetings by number of players <a id="variant-roguelike-38-09"></a>
- Possibility of harming an ally <a id="variant-roguelike-38-10"></a>
- Race at the same initial state <a id="variant-roguelike-38-11"></a>
- Asynchronous comparison of run results <a id="variant-roguelike-38-12"></a>
- Confrontation of assemblies created in separate attempts <a id="variant-roguelike-38-13"></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.

- [Risk of Rain 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/632360/) (id: source-b8016f37581cdd13)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors