Summary
Dungeon-crawlers, otherwise known as hack-and-slash ARPGs, are a genre that sees few new releases today. Some ARPG fans have stuck with Blizzard’sDiablo 2this entire time, while some have migrated toPath of Exile, a free-to-play spiritual successor to the acclaimed title. While this game has a lot of content and frequent updates, burnout and boredom can still happen when completing the Atlas or delving for the umpteenth time.
Fortunately, there is a solid selection of ARPG alternatives thatPath of Exilefans should try out while they wait for a new league or want a change of pace. Most of these games feature rich gameplay loops, a wealth of loot, engaging combat, or a combination of all three. Regardless of the reasons why fans may likePath of Exile, there are numerous games of the highest quality that will be right up their alley.
Updated on August 11, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:Although not every ARPG is presented to players via an isometric perspective, it’s hard to argue against the statement that this is probably the best way to develop a game in this genre. By opting to stay away from an all-out top-down view of players' characters, the immersion is greater, as it allows players to feel closer to the action and appreciate their attacks much better. ARPG games inspired by titles in the Diablo franchise or Path of Exile seem to keep gaining popularity, so it’s probably safe to say that they’re not going anywhere any time soon.
34Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
A Fantasy Adventure Full Of Exciting Challenges
Sacred 2: Fallen Angelis set in the magical world of Ancaria, where a mysterious substance known as T-Energy is the source of all magic and life in the land. This game presents players with an immersive experience revolving around a fantasy theme that, while not really innovative in any way, still manages to deliver that Dungeons & Dragons feel that every fan of the genre loves.
Players can choose between a Light or a Shadow campaign, as well as many other aspects that will determine their playthrough and many elements within the game.
One of the greatest aspects of ARPGs with isometric views that take inspiration from theDiablofranchise, is that they allow for cooperative gameplay that makes the entire experience much more enjoyable. InGauntlet, there are four different player characters: Thor the Warrior, Merlin the Wizard, Thyra the Valkyrie, and Questor the Elf. Each character has different abilities that can come in handy throughout the story, and if players want to take on the various challenges before them with a few friends, they can.
WhileGauntletis not as popular asPath of Exileor some other titles that have received more recognition, it still deserves some love and should be played by fans of the genre who are looking for a new experience.
There are a lot of people with the opinion thatPillars of Eternity 2is not as well-written as its predecessor. While there are some valid arguments that support this point, there’s no denying that one area of this game is a huge improvement over the originalPillars of Eternity— combat.
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfirefeels like a polished game where combat clicks in more ways than one. Assigning the combat AI for party members while micromanaging their stats and using their abilities in a way that suits the situation is something thatPath of Exilefans will be quite familiar with.
31UnderRail
A Hardcore CRPG Where Players Must Game The System To Come Out On Top
CRPG purists who want to check out a game that harkens back to the hardcore days of the genre will findUnderRailto be right up their alley. To be more specific, fans of theFalloutseries will love how this title harkens back to the good ol' days when players could die at a moment’s notice if they took a single wrong turn.
Analyzing combat situations and figuring out the best way to exploit enemy AI by using a suit of abilities at one’s disposal is the way to go. Death can arrive at a moment’s notice inUnderRail, making it important to game the combat system and not get caught off-guard by a strong enemy that can end the player’s run in no time.
30Lionheart: Legacy Of The Crusader
A Fun Real-Time With Pause Combat System With One Of The Strongest Starts To Any Video Game
It’s a shame that a lot of people haven’t playedLionheart: Legacy of the Crusader. Budgetary constraints meant that the latter half of the game was a linear mess with an abundance of poor combat scenarios, but that should take nothing away from the magical moment when players step into the city of Barcelona for the first time.
Only controlling one character in top-down point-and-click combat is something a lot of people like, if Path of Exile and other such games are anything to go by. Bonding with other Spiritkind changes the kind of magic players have access to in the game, further adding to the game’s replayability if players can’t get enough of exploring Barcelona time and time again.
Tyrannyis an excellent CRPG with a rather unique look at how evil is portrayed in a video game. Trying to accomplish something good takes quite a bit of effort, and even that comes with some caveats of its own. This, coupled with the innovative magic system, lets players enjoy a fun time as they mow through enemies and engage in an epic narrative that truly lets them go down the path of their choice.
The only drawback of this CRPG is that it’s pretty short, which is saying something for a game that’s already 40 hours in length if players try to accomplish most of the sidequests that they find. With many people callingTyrannyone of the most dense Obsidian Entertainment RPGs around, it’s easy to see why players may be intrigued at the prospect of checking out this ambitious game.
Therelease ofBaldur’s Gate 3has been nothing short of a major phenomenon, showing players just how brilliant an RPG can be when developers add a ton of love and effort into making the best game possible. The fact that this game has sold millions of copies despite being a CRPG shows just how much stock players put into a deep role-playing experience that has a ton of effort put behind it.
Larian Studios is heading for bigger and better things after this title ended up selling bucketloads, with the Early Access period allowing them to incorporate a bunch of fan feedback and make a near-perfect RPG that players can invest a thousand hours into. The sheer amount of player freedom coupled with a mind-blowing narrative makes it easy to see whyBaldur’s Gate 3is a one-of-a-kind that fans will have a great time with.
There’s no denying that Blizzard hasn’t been enjoying the greatest reputation right now, with their recent scandals and the disastrous launch ofOverwatch 2hurting their goodwill considerably. However, this studio still has many talented developers at the helm, and this can be seen inthe successful launch ofDiablo 4.
The inclusion of an open world could’ve gone wrong for the game, butDiablo 4manages to make the most of this inclusion by letting players explore some great locales and discover everything on offer here. The traditional gameplay loop of exploring hostile locations and attaining a ton of loot is as strong as ever. It allows players to engage in some truly fun and addictive combat as their damage numbers reach immensely high levels over time.
26Nox
A Classic Hack-And-Slash Title With Multiple Narratives And A Story-Heavy Focus
It’s a shame that Westwood Studios isn’t active anymore since this company developed some great games that fans had a great time experiencing for themselves. One such title that a lot of people don’t know about isNox, a top-down ARPG that was favorably compared toDiablo 2when it was launched. The game was a unique title that allowed players to experience a completely different story with three classes, making for a pretty engaging experience indeed.
Noxhad some unique ideas that make it worth checking out forPath of Exilefans, especially since finding high-level loot in this game is about as engaging as most people would expect. The game is pretty welcoming, with all three classes being a blast to mess around with in their way.
Wolcen: Lords of Mayhemlaunched to a fairly tepid reception, with many players being disappointed with what was on offer. However, the developers didn’t stop working on this game, fixing bugs and adding a steady stream of content that has salvaged the title’s reputation quite a bit.
Gamers who skippedWolcen: Lords of Mayhembecause of mediocre reviewsshould consider giving this game a whirl now. It’s far from a revolution in the genre, but fans of fun hack-and-slash RPGs can find a ton of things to enjoy in this game.
