After a long wait Diablo 4 finally arrived, but fun as it is, the genre hasn’t been idle all these years, and there are many more worthwhile alternatives than there were in the days of Diablo 2 or D3.
Which is an excellent position to be in, because if you liked Diablo 4, but would like something just like it… but a bit different, then there’s plenty of games to pick from.
Below you’ll find a list of ten games which capture some of the diabolical magic with massive arsenals, branching ability trees, and hordes of enemies blissfully and tragically unaware they are about to catch a fireball with their faces.
| Game | Release | %%% | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Torchlight II (PC) | 2012-10-02 | -88% |
 | Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction (PC) | 2001 | -11% |
 | Titan Quest Anniversary Edition | 2016-08-31 | -82% |
 | Grim Dawn | 2016-02-25 | -34% |
 | Sacred 2: GOLD | 2012-12-21 | -88% |
 | The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut | 2015-11-06 | -93% |
 | Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr | 2018-06-05 | -90% |
 | Darksiders Genesis | 2019-12-05 | -85% |
 | Victor Vran | 2015-07-24 | -82% |
 | Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition | 2015-11-05 | -83% |
 | Sacred 3 Gold | 2014-07-31 | -68% |
 | Torchlight III | 2020-06-13 | Action RPG |
 | Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem | 2016-03-24 | -79% |
 | Seven: The Days Long Gone | 2017-12-01 | -97% |
 | Book of Demons | 2016-07-28 | -97% |
 | Warhammer: Chaosbane | 2019-06-04 | -96% |
 | Vikings - Wolves of Midgard | 2017-03-24 | -94% |
Torchlight II
| Release date: | 2012-10-02 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Runic Games |
From its inception, Torchlight has had a lot of Diablo DNA in it, which should be no surprise: it was made in part by ex-Blizzard developers.
Torchlight 2 might well the finest expression of the franchise, with a larger scope and greater polish, but it still has what made the first one awesome. Randomly generated dungeons, safe hubs, and tons of gear to fill in the gaps of your builds, they are all in.
That also means the pets are back as well, ready to take your loot and sell them for you, or to get fed weird fish and evolve. There even is plot you could follow. It involves a new villain who used to be a previous hero, and as one might expect, your job is to deal with this new corruptive, destructive threat in the manner we all come to this genre for: excessive violence.
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Path of Exile
| Release date: | 2013-10-23 |
| Genre: | Action |
| Developer: | Grinding Gear Game |
In the realm of dark fantasy hack and slash there are few games which can stand up to Diablo, but this list has quite a few, and one of them is Path of Exile.
PoE has one of the most intricate, expansive progression systems in the genre, with a massive, tightly woven web of passives unlocked when you level up and a complex system of gear and runes which provide your buffs and active skills.
There are also several classes with different dispositions towards the game’s three core stats: Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligent. You are free to develop in any direction you desire, but going with the class preference is slightly easier. Path of Exile is also free-to-play, so you can try it out without monetary risk, and if a 2013 game isn’t to your liking, PoE2 is expected to come out in 2024.
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Titan Quest
| Release date: | 2016-08-31 |
| Genre: | RPG |
| Developer: | Iron Lore Entertainment |
Perhaps dark fantasy isn’t for you, after all, and you’d rather experience something more classically epic.
Titan Quest might be to your liking, because despite its age this Greek mythology-themed remains one of the coolest action RPGs on the market, especially with the Anniversary Edition making it more accessible and fully-featured for the modern audience.
Progression involved picking two out of eleven masteries, and each mix grants you a different class, like Warlock being a mix of Rogue and Spirit masteries, while Avenger combines Earth and Hunting. Three masteries are locked behind expansions, but you get one of them, Immortal Throne, built in when you get Titan Quest Anniversary Edition.
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Grim Dawn
| Release date: | 2016-02-25 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Crate Entertainment |
We’re going back to dark fantasy, this time with Grim Dawn, which is not just dark fantasy, but it’s also nearly post-apocalyptic, as far as humanity is concerned.
There are only a few human enclaves surviving, after their world became the battlefield for two extradimensional forces with conflicting plans for humanity. Good news for you, though: it makes for plenty of monsters to kill.
In addition to the typical gameplay of the genre, Grim Dawn also features a faction system, with provides unique quests and various benefits. The trick is, as it often is, that some factions don’t like you helping others, so you need to decide and commit, playing multiple sides at once won’t do you much good.
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Sacred 2: Fallen Angel
| Release date: | 2012-12-21 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Ascaron |
You might be familiar with the original Sacred, which was an isometric Diablo-like which released a pretty warm reception.
You might have, however, missed out on Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, it’s 3D successor which brought in a massive open world, six characters/classes (and the seventh one in DLC), and two possible campaign paths. Oh, and mounts much cooler than Sacred 1’s horses.
Each character’s kit is split into three aspects, such as High Elf’s fire, lightning, and raw magic—themed trees. You are free to mix and match the abilities at your leisure, however. As Sacred 2 is a full-action RPG, most characters can choose between Light and Shadow paths, which define their goals for the campaign and might affect how certain events resolve.
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Last Epoch
| Release date: | 2019-04-30 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Eleventh Hour Games |
Last Epoch’s been in Early Access for a while now, but it already presents a worthy offering that’s worth checking out.
There are five core classes (Mage, Primalist, Acolyte, Rogue, and Sentinel) which can then spec out into one of three subclasses, bringing the total number of playable options up to fifteen, plenty for many playthroughs and hours spent crafting builds.
That’s supported by lots of loot, of course, and a crafting system plugging in the gaps intrinsic and gear progressions can’t fill. And all of it looks really cool, with spectacular abilities turning you into a whirlwind of power whenever you can really let loose on your enemies. It also has multiplayer, so you can wreak havoc with your friends.
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The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing (series)
| Release date: | 2015-11-06 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | NeocoreGames |
You’d think that life as a professional monster hunter is a serious affair with little room for levity, but the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing series begs to differ.
In fact, it’s quite eager to mix the occult weirdness and mad science experiments with a healthy dose of cheeky references and easy wit to create a highly entertaining atmosphere you’ll want to spend long hours in.
In addition to the Van Helsing Jr. you also have a reluctantly helpful and eagerly snarky specter of Lady Katarina, who keeps you company and provides aid in battle. If you’d like the complete adventure, you should go for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut, which brings three games together for a smoothly merged experience.
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Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr
| Release date: | 2018-06-05 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | NeocoreGames |
Another proposition from Van Helsing’s Neocore Games, this time instead of a young Van Helsing’ we’re given control over a high-ranking imperial operative in Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr.
Set in Games Workshop’s famous universe it puts you against a sector of space infested with Chaos worshippers and other enemies of the Imperium. Thankfully you’re not just some little guy.
As an Inquisitor, you have considerable power at your disposal, which you’ll experience primarily through your abilities. There are three core classes: heavily armored Crusader, nimble Assassin, and Psyker drawing on the powers of the Warp. The usual h’n’s combat is made a bit more tactical by the introduction of a cover system, which benefits both you and your enemies.
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Victor Vran
| Release date: | 2015-07-24 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Haemimont Games |
Most games in the genre have a limited reactive mobility, expecting you to either kill your enemies before they strike or hope your armor is enough, but Victor Vran is built differently.
In VV you can actually dodge attacks, which makes moment-to-moment combat highly dynamic and engaging. Unlike all the class-based games on the list, ol’ Victor is a free spirit, with a classless progression.
You build the character through a mix of Outifts, Demon Powers, and Destiny Cards, mixing and matching them to customize your demon hunter to your liking. There are also eight types of weapons, from swords to fancy options like a lightning gun or a magical tome. Each weapon type comes with its own abilities, making them more than just a bunch of math.
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Darksiders 2
| Release date: | 2015-11-05 |
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Developer: | Gunfire Games |
Yes, Darksiders 2 is a third-person action-adventure game, but despite this presentation and control scheme there is a good bit of connective tissue between it and Diablo.
One becomes obvious immediately after you defeat your first batch of enemies: plenty of loot drops, mostly in the form of weapons and armor with randomized affixes providing a broad range of passive buffs.
Another element in common are the skill trees, in this case two: one improving Death’s martial abilities, and one channeling his necromantic potential to conjure murders of crows and exploding zombies. Combat is very dynamic, with quick dodges and flashy attacks, but the floating numbers and robust stats screen are a clear indication where a good part of DS2’s identity lies.
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Fresh meat
This concludes our look at possible alternatives to Diablo 4, or at least games you could try out after you’re done with Blizzard’s game. We’ve got a range of moods from cheery to gloomy, and even a few interesting gameplay changes to keep things fresh. Hopefully, you’ve found something that caught your interest and you’re already sharpening your Wallet 1 ( 10% critical hit) to get what you want.