I've been playing roguelikes since... 2012? So I found out about them when I saw Dwarf Fortress in the MOMA in 2009 when I was twenty, and I discovered them after that.
I tried most of the big ones and have stuck to 4 in particular, Dwarf Fortress, Caves of Qud, UnReal and Stone Soup.
I also play Infra Arcana sometimes, and follow roguebasin for new ones.
One I regret that it was never finished is Aliens RL, really good take on the Aliens universe. I also liked Prospector a lot, but I hate the interface and that stopped me from playing.
As someone who didn't grow up with ASCII, I have to say that my biggest complaint is not ASCII at all, which I like sometimes, but terrible pixel graphics which some games have in its stead. Finally , I also like Sword of the Stars the Pit, cause of the sci fi and good graphics.