Tired of Helltides? If you’re already done with Diablo 4 for the season, here are some other ARPGs to try!
![Player characters attack a werewolf-looking mob.](https://cdn.blizzardwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/LastEpoch.png)
Do the endless hordes of Hell bore you? Do you tire of the crimson blood rain of Helltides, and wish to be free of it? Do you still yearn for the mobs, but Diablo 4 just isn’t doing it for you anymore?
Today, I bring to you a list of a few other games that you could try to scratch that itch!
Path of Exile
Path of Exile is technically a free to play Action RPG created by Grinding Gear Games. Known for its absolutely ridiculous skill tree that feels like you need a degree in molecular biology to understand, it’s one of the bigger named players in the ARPG genre. Path of Exile also uses the seasonal system, and tends to shake things up every season while the developers work on Path of Exile 2. There are seven main classes — Duelist, Shadow, Marauder, Witch, Ranger, Templar and Scion — and all but Scion have three subclasses for you to specialize into. Path of Exile also has an extensive loot filter that can be created via a third party website.
I should note that while you can technically play for free, your in game stash tabs are locked behind microtransactions, so if you decide this game is for you, you’ll want to head over to the store and pick up one of the stash tab bundles. Thankfully this remains unlocked permanently on your account, so it’s a one time purchase.
Path of Exile is currently available on PC, Xbox and PlayStation.
Torchlight 2
Torchlight 2 was created by Runic Games and released way back in the year 2012. It’s the last of the Torchlight games (much like Fight Club, we don’t talk about Torchlight 3; it doesn’t exist, and it’s a shame we never got a third game) and even though the game is twelve years old now, it’s still an extremely good time. Having used a bright, colorful cartoon-style art means the game still looks amazing even in 2024. There are four playable classes (Berserker, Embermage, Engineer and Outlander) and no subclasses to specialize into.
Torchlight 2 allows for 4 player co-op on console and 6 player co-op on PC, supports mods (on PC via Steam Workshop), lets you own pets and go fishing, and has four playable classes. Torchlight 2 on PC goes on sale a lot, and for the low price being the biggest barrier to entry, it’s worth it.
Torchlight 2 is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation.
Minecraft Dungeons
Released by Mojang Studios in 2020, Minecraft Dungeons scratches the ARPG itch using the world we know and love from the sandbox sensation, well, Minecraft. Minecraft Dungeons supports up to four player co-op and has you start the game by creating your character and jumping right in on the action. There is no class system in Dungeons; your character’s “class” is determined by your gear. While there’s no building this time around, I had an extremely good time with this game.
I should note that the field of view on Minecraft Dungeons is very zoomed in — frustratingly so — and there’s no in-game option to fix this, so beware of that going in (there is a third party mod that mostly resolves this issue, however). Recently released was the Ultimate Edition, which collects all of the released DLC post-launch. Active development ended on Dungeons, so know once you buy it and hit the end, that’s it!
Minecraft Dungeons is available on PC (Windows Store and Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, plus it’s on Xbox Game Pass, but the game doesn’t have cross-play between PC and Xbox (something I learned the hard way).
Last Epoch
Last Epoch came out of Early Access a few months ago, and is the newest of the ARPGs on today’s list. Created by Eleventh Hour Games, Last Epoch is an ARPG about time travel. There’s five main classes (Mage, Sentinel, Acolyte, Primalist, and Rogue) which each have three subclasses to choose from. The skill tree in Last Epoch has a learning curve, as you level individual skills in your tree and need to have them at certain levels to unlock other skills; you can respec a skill, but you lose some points in the process and have to regain the experience to get back to where it was (with an advantage). It might be best to look up a guide on how to level if you decide to get into Last Epoch. Last Epoch also has a built in creator to design your own loot filter, much like Path of Exile, but it’s honestly better to just copy one from the Last Epoch builds website and modify it for your own use.
When Last Epoch left early access, it was still missing the finale of the main story. Recently, the game released patch 1.1 known as Harbingers of Ruin. If you play these ARPG games for the lore, you’ll unfortunately have to wait a bit for Eleventh Hour Games to get the last few chapters of the main story out, as the devs are currently still working on it. However, the endgame does exist where you explore alternate timelines — this is the Monolith of Fate. Sadly, there’s no campaign skip for new characters, so get ready to run through the plot again and again (and again and again and…)
Last Epoch is currently only available for PC.
Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn was created by Crate Entertainment (which was formed by former members of Iron Lore Entertainment, the creators of the old popular ARPG Titan Quest) and released in 2015. Grim Dawn takes place in a dark fantasy world that’s somewhat Victorian in nature. The game currently has two expansions (Ashes of Malmouth and Forgotten Gods) which is bundled into a Definitive Edition for ease of purchase. What makes Grim Dawn stand apart is the class system: there are nine classes (Soldier, Demolitionist, Occultist, Nightblade, Arcanist, Shaman, Inquisitor, Necromancer and Oathkeeper) that you can either choose to level entirely solo, or you can multiclass into a second class, which gives you a special combo. Soldier + Necromancer makes a Death Knight, Shaman and Occultist is a Conjurer, the list goes on. Grim Dawn has not only a campaign, but also an Infinite Dungeon mode, for those who just yearn for the mobs.
Grim Dawn plays a lot like Diablo, which is fitting as so did its predecessor Titan Quest (and Grim Dawn uses the same engine Titan Quest did). There’s a good build site in case you’re looking for ideas on what to play, or just looking for information on drops or monsters.
On PC the game tends to go on sale during large Steam sales, though as of this writing the current best sale is at GOG which nets you a DRM free version. Oddly enough, the Xbox version at this time is actually cheaper that the Definitive Edition on both Steam or GOG — so if you don’t mind console ARPGs and this looks like it suits your fancy, that may be the way to go.
Grim Dawn is only available on PC and Xbox.
But that’s where our list ends (at least for now). There’s absolutely a ton more ARPGs out there, some of which I haven’t mentioned, and some that I’m sure I don’t know anything about. If you have a favorite, go ahead and drop it in the comments below so we can all check it out. Also, if I made an error above (which is possible with how quick Last Epoch has made changes in the last few months) please let me know so I can make adjustments!
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