Different in approach, dead-on in aim

If there is one game that could compare to Nethack, it's Civilization. They're both turn-based games that thrive on thinking and planning, and are almost infinity replayable. They're both quite difficult, and almost never cease becoming challenges.

You won't actually find your self winning the game (in any traditional sense) for a long time. Maybe never (I haven't!). But once you set your own goals, such as beating your last high-score or going deeper into the dungeon, you then discover the genius of this game. There is always some new trick to learn. Always. There is so much interactivity to this game it's insane.