That is more or less a rogue-lite in my opinion. Games like The Binding of Isaac, FTL, Rogue Legacy, Crypt of the NecroDancer etc. It's a fuzzy definition, though.
Many of the core examples of rogue-likes have the concept of bones files, where you can encounter the level a previous character died on. So in those cases some runs affect some future runs.
I assume that what's being talked about in DCSS and Hades is a stronger effect, though?
I have not played Hades, but I think referring to these types of games on a spectrum is more apt.
In The Binding of Isaac, each run starts the same. The difference is playthroughs allow new items to be found, but the main character is not enhanced. FTL unlocks different starting ships, but there are no "upgrades" as far as I'm aware, just different ships with pros and cons.
In Rogue Legacy and Crypt of the NecroDancer, successful playthroughs enhance aspects of the main character. This to me is a hallmark of roguelites. The Binding of Isaac technically has iterations but since only the random item pool is modified, I would keep it in the roguelike camp.
> I assume that what's being talked about in DCSS and Hades is a stronger effect, though?
Very much so. In some games, past runs only unlock additional content (more possible items, monsters, etc.). In Hades, for example, you actually get stronger with each run.
Hades is pretty far on the 'progression' spectrum, yes. Both the story and the character's capabilities evolve with each run. There's also resource gathering. The game has additional mechanics so you can speed up progression if you want.
> Many of the core examples of rogue-likes have the concept of bones files, where you can encounter the level a previous character died on. So in those cases some runs affect some future runs.
They affect one another, but there's no meta-resource and meta-progression as in an Enter the Gungeon, Hades or Dead Cells.
Unlocking ship types in FTL is technically progression but is of a purely horizontal nature. When you unlock a new ship it has zero affect on runs with any of the other ships. This is markedly different from something like Binding of Isaac where you unlock new things to find that affect all future runs.
FTL has unlocking of the ship types but that doesn’t affect future runs of a given ship at all. That’s like having unlocks for different character classes. In no way does that make FTL “lite”.
That is more or less a rogue-lite in my opinion. Games like The Binding of Isaac, FTL, Rogue Legacy, Crypt of the NecroDancer etc. It's a fuzzy definition, though.