What ARPG is right for you?

Do you like games where you start with a blank-slate character, molding their abilities and gear to suit your playstyle, all while conquering hordes of enemies and mammoth boss fights? If so, then the “Action Roleplaying Game” genre is for you. The trouble is that there’s so many good ones out there, it’s hard to know where players should dedicate their time and money. So, today we’re gonna take a look at some of the most popular top-down ARPGs available and give a rundown on their pros and cons, plus how they rank based on their roleplaying complexity and combat styles. 

What is an ARPG?

The definition is broad, but it includes games with some form of active combat and ongoing character progression. That means you could expand the definition to also encapsulate games like Borderlands, Elder Scrolls, and Dark Souls. However, the term “ARPG” is usually reserved for a more niche type of game that involves a top-down (bird’s-eye view) perspective of your character and is more stat-driven and loot based. This describes games like the Diablo Series, Path of Exile (PoE), Last Epoch, Grim Dawn, and Torchlight. These games usually offer unparalleled levels of character customization with packs of enemies and boss fights that scale and challenge the player to always be improving their character, rather than their individual skill.

The Complexity/Gameplay Quadrant Chart:

Hear me out! Let me explain! Above is a chart used to indicate approximately how a game/series ranks based on whether it is simple to understand and smooth to play. The left side is reserved for games that are so simple they require little to no thought and almost play themselves. The opposite side is reserved for games that are so in-depth, you could major in them at a university. On the far south side of the chart, you have games that are slow-paced and require methodical movements and actions. Button spamming will often leave you in a worse spot. Think Dark Souls. The north side is the total opposite. Closer to Borderlands or Serious Sam. The goal becomes to clear as many enemies off the screen as quickly as possible. Hence the term, “screen wipe”. Games of this style often provide enjoyment through their flashes of color and satisfying feedback systems. 

Like I said earlier, ARPGs are about smoothly dispatching hordes of enemies and navigating customization menus. So, for me, the sweet spot for these games is usually leaning towards the north-east corner. However, even in this sweet spot, each game has little quirks and differences that can excite or disappoint different players. They can vary quite a bit, so let’s get more into it.

Path of Exile 1: by Grinding Gear Games (GGG) (Would Recommend)

Path of Exile 1 (PoE) is widely regarded as the flagship in the ARPG genre. Not only is it free-to-play, but it absolutely has the most system and customization depth of any title in the genre. It also has a functioning trade economy and currency system that adds an extra layer to finding rare loot. Yet, these things are also why you could study Path of Exile for 4 years in college and still not know anything. Of course, I’m exaggerating, but I mean to say the learning curve is by far the steepest of the games on the list. However, once you get an understanding of a character build, you can begin flying through enemies and areas, which is the real start of the game. Path of Exile is the game most known for screen wiping and achieving it is extremely satisfying.

Pros: 

• Most In-depth customization
• Functioning trade economy
• Ultimate screen wipe potential
• Best value for Free-to-play game
• Consistent content schedule
• Will probably receive support forever

Cons:

• Steepest learning curve
• Can be trade/item dependent
• Luck dependent for acquiring gear
• No Dodge roll
• Always online

Path of Exile 2: by Grinding Gear Games (Would maybe recommend)

Path of Exile 2 had a strong launch by carrying over many elements from the first game while also taking more from its inspiration by the early Diablo games. It features in-depth customization and a satisfying combat experience, but has some caveats. The most common complaint is that the game is more punishing than it is satisfying. Loot drops are sparse and boss fights have spiked in difficulty. Currently, Path of Exile 2 holds a “mixed” review status on Steam and has dwindled down to a fraction of its player base. I also enjoyed this game quite a bit until I ran into the same frustrations as other community members. While I am gonna keep my eye on the game, it might be best to put it down for now and let the developers develop for a bit.

Pros:

• In-depth customization
• Satisfying gameplay
• Dodge roll
• Challenging boss fights

Cons:

• Early access (bugs, glitches, balancing issues, gameplay changes)
• Sparse Loot
• Low player count/community backlash
• Always online

Torchlight 1 & 2: by Runic Games (Would recommend)

The Torchlight games stand out with their colorful setting and lighter tone. All the other ARPGs on this list are very grimdark, “universe hangs in the balance”, often macabre settings. Torchlight 2, especially, can be a deep breath of fresh air while still playing a fun ARPG. Most notably, the game lacks much of the in-depth customization that makes a character feel uniquely yours. However, If you want to spend less time theorycrafting and more time shooting fireballs, then this series is for you. It’s also great to play with friends, and players can even raise the max amount of players with mods. Torchlight 2 is also available on Switch, PS4, and Xbox one. You can play TL2 via backwards compatibility on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S as well!

Pros:

• Low learning curve (pickup and play)
• Offers offline and multiplayer in TL2
• Modding community (Steam Workshop!)
• Much brighter setting and artstyle
• Runs well on Low-end PCs
• Available on consoles

Cons:

• Not much endgame content
• Much Less in-depth character customization
• Can feel a bit outdated (2012 release)

Torchlight 3 & Infinite: by Echtra Games/XD Inc. (Would not recommend)

Both these games don’t really compare to Torchlight 2. The third installment in the series suffers from a blatant identity crisis. Having been released in 2020 and no doubt feeling pressure from titles like Diablo and PoE, Torchlight 3 tries to be many things and ends up being nothing. As a result, most players flock back to Torchlight 2 as the best entry in the series. The other title I mentioned, Torchlight: Infinite, seems to suffer moderately from gacha-gaming disease. Most players complain that the pay2win aspect in the game is very heavy handed and it relies on psychological tricks to encourage in-game purchases. Yet, it has all the same bones of a good ARPG and has a chance to provide players with some value. Plus, it’s free to download. Very dangerous for anyone who is loose with their credit card.

Pros:

• Free to play (Infinite)
• Competent gameplay

Cons:

• Not like previous installments
• heavily encourages in-game purchases
• No Mods
• No Single-player option

Grim Dawn: by Crate Entertainment (Would Recommend)

Grim Dawn is an excellent middle-ground for players who don’t know where to start. Honestly, It’s hard to find fault with the game other than it not being new and improved. It offers a memorable and easy to follow campaign and has that level of difficulty where players will feel a challenge, but not stuck behind a wall. A bit more complex than Diablo 3/4, but not as intricate as Path of Exile either. Like I said, a very nice middle-ground. This game also has a very cool dual-class system where you pick a main class, and then augment it with another one a bit later. That creates 36 unique combinations for players to try out. The art style is a tad outdated, but still looks pretty iconic to me. It manages to be both soft and gritty at the same time, which is complimented by the soundtrack. Plus, an item called “soiled trousers” has a large chance of dropping and it fires projectiles of exactly what you think.

Pros:

• Decent amount of character customization
• Offline/Single player
• Some Modding
• Lots of loot
• Dual-class system
• Classic Art Style and OST
• Byscilla/Malmouth Lady (IYKYK)

Cons:

• Clunky UI
• Outdated
• No end-game seasons/new content

Last Epoch: by Eleventh Hour Games (Would maybe Recommend orange)

Last Epoch is a game made by developers who have played other ARPGs and know the common pain points. The goal of the game design seems to be to provide a comfortable middle-ground between Diablo 3 and PoE for players who don’t mind complexity, but still want to play the game without studying a wiki first. The developers are constantly tweaking and overhauling the game to provide an experience that everyone can enjoy. That being said, the game is still in early access and can feel a bit buggy or unpolished to some. I’ve definitely encountered a bug or two, but the game has almost always felt pretty smooth and playable for me. So if you found PoE too daunting and Diablo 3 too simple, but still want online aspects like trading and chatting, give Last Epoch a try for sure.

Pros:

• Most intuitive crafting system (Seriously)
• Good balance between accessibility and complexity
• Offline and online modes
• Regular updates (for now)

Cons:

• Still in development
• Endgame not as deep as Path of Exile
• Needs optimization for better performance
• No mods
• low player count/community backlash**

**DRAMA ALERT:

Last Epoch’s development could potentially take a turn for the worse! Just recently, this past July 25, 2025, Eleventh Hour Games sold the rights to Last Epoch to Krafton Inc for $96 million. Not only is this indicative of “selling out” when it seemed like they had a solid vision for the future, but the drama resides in who they sold it to. Krafton is a South Korean company that has recently been blamed for botching Subnautica 2’s development by firing the original company leads at Unknown Worlds, the studio behind the original Subnautica. So, players might rightfully be wary of trusting a company currently mixed in controversy around an extremely anticipated sequel. 

Diablo 3: by Blizzard Entertainment (Would maybe recommend orange)

Diablo 3 is what happened when Blizzard looked at the acclaim of Diablo 2 and said, “we would sell more copies if the game was more casual and console oriented.” Therefore, it’s got modern Blizzard all over it. If you don’t know what I mean, I’m talking about the undeniable amount of polish that makes the game feel more like a “product” to be bought and sold than an experience to enjoy. It’s hard to articulate the feeling I get when playing Blizzard games and it could very well be ridiculous. But It’s been 8 years since the last DLC release and the complete edition of Diablo 3 still costs $50 CAD on Battle.net. The game itself feels and looks good, but it lacks a lot of the depth some of these other titles have and it’s hard to justify the price point.

Pros: 

• Blizzard level polish
• Accessible
• Multiplayer friendly
• Available on consoles 

Cons:

• Blizzard
• Not as in-depth
• Still expensive

Diablo 4: by Blizzard Entertainment (would maybe recommend)

Diablo 4 drew heavily from Path of Exile 2 and the older Diablo titles and created a more methodical experience that actually ended up being very boring. On release, the enemy spawns were sparse, the skill trees were simple, UI was clunky, and the loot wasn’t interesting. They wanted timed attacks and dodges to matter, but that’s not what players had come to expect after 11 years of Diablo 3. However, that was on release. What about in 2025? Well, Blizzard has had time to fix a lot of these issues and pain points for players. Now the game is hailed as a very ideal experience for casual players. And it’s always had that level of Blizzard polish in the gameplay, locations, and cutscenes. It is also now available on Playstation Plus, so it’s fairly accessible and easy to pick up and put down. 

Pros:

• Classic Grimdark setting
• Great graphics and polish
• Receiving constant support and balancing
• Accessible (pick up and play)

Cons:

• Can feel like a “Live service” game
• Paying full price while the game is still being developed
• Blizzard
• Not as in-depth as other titles

In conclusion/TLDR:

• Path of Exile 1 = Recommend
• Path of Exile 2 = Maybe
• Grim dawn = Recommend
• Last Epoch = Maybe
• Torchlight = Maybe
• Torchlight 2 = Recommend
• Torchlight 3 = Nope
• TL Infinite = Nope
• Diablo 3 = Maybe
• Diablo 4 = Maybe

With so many titles out there with different characteristics and developer decisions, it’s hard to know which ones are worth your time and money. Hopefully, this list was able to help you narrow down which game will best satisfy your fireball creating or axe-swinging needs. If I’ve missed anything or if you have any questions, let me know with a comment below!