What are the best games like Diablo? Diablo-like action RPGs have flourished for more than 20 years now, influencing other genres and even giving birth to new mixes like looter shooters. While Diablo 4 is now claiming back the crown of isometric adventures, plenty of alternatives remain well worth playing. If you’re not into Blizzard’s latest or are waiting for a big discount, these are the best games like Diablo in August 2023 that you can pick up and play.
There are modern titles (and even older classics) which borrowed some systems and mechanics from the original Diablo games and went off to do their own thing. However, we’re focusing on the best Diablo-like games available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles at the moment, so that means the list was limited to more traditional fantasy games with an isometric perspective. So, if the Diablo 4 grind is getting a bit much, we’ve got some excellent alternatives. For a different kind of grind altogether, you might want to explore the best competitive FPS games you can play right now instead.
The best games like Diablo are:
- Path of Exile
- Grim Dawn
- Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition
- Torchlight 2
- Warhammer: Chaosbane
Path of Exile
Path of Exile, soon to be massively expanded with a sequel, might be the best and most complete alternative to the last two mainline Diablo installments, and the best news for anyone looking to jump into it is that the entire game is free-to-play and sticks close to the devs’ promise of not releasing pay-to-win elements. In fact, the only stuff you can buy with real money are cosmetics and extra stash tabs.
In the dark fantasy world of PoE, the island nation of Oriath exiles criminals and other “problematic” individuals to the shores of Wraeclast, a continent once at the center of a mighty empire which is now a cursed land. While this game borrows a lot from Diablo 2, it’s more of a modern spiritual successor that gradually charted its own path forward, especially once Diablo 4 was announced.
All players on a single server can interact in certain areas, but the gameplay is otherwise highly instanced. Still there’s a big focus on bringing the community together, with leagues and events introducing alternative ways to enjoy an already gargantuan action RPG.
This is one of the best free Xbox games and best free PlayStation games, and it won’t cost you a dime to give this Diablo alternative a spin. Grab it from the Xbox Store here or the PlayStation store here.
Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn is set in a dark fantasy world with small Victorian-era touches. While it may look on the surface like a budget take on Diablo, its own voice and personality emerges only a few minutes in. Its main attractions are a hybrid class system that feels unique within the genre, and a surprising focus on the player’s relationship with many factions.
Its setting is dark even by this gloomy genre’s standards, too. As the result of a trans-dimensional war, humanity faces near extinction at the hand of Aetherial entities and Chthonians. Some of the scattered human survivors are able to gain powers from the phenomena that brought the invaders into their world, and thus a quest to maybe save humanity and find cool loot begins.
Grim Dawn feels old-school but not outdated, and it’s easily one of the meatiest alternatives to the third and fourth Diablo entries.
You can grab Grim Dawn on Xbox here. Sadly, the game is not on the PlayStation Store for those on PS4 or PS5.
Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition
Among the many revivals that have come from THQ Nordic, one of the finest has been Titan Quest: Anniversary Edition. It’s an overhauled version of the 2006 classic which includes the Immortal Throne expansion pack. On top of the QoL changes and visual improvements you’d expect from the average remaster, the online functionalities are brand-new, and even more exclusive content is included.
After this iteration of Titan Quest arrived on PC and consoles, three more expansions (Ragnarök, Atlantis, and Eternal Embers) surprised players with more mythological odysseys and endgame activities, though they weren’t as well received.
Even if you ignore those extra adventures, there’s plenty to bite into with the base release, and in spite of a slow start, Titan Quest still remains one of the best Diablo clones of all time whether you want to solo it or play with a group.
You can pick up physical copies below, or grab digital versions of Titan quest from the Microsoft Store and PlayStation Store.
Torchlight 2
The Torchlight IP was born from the minds of Blizzard veterans and aimed to offer a more colorful and traditional alternative to Diablo 3. While the franchise is still going, Runic Games (the original studio behind it) is no more. Starting with Torchlight 1 isn’t the worst thing you could do, but there’s you may as well skip the meager, single-player-only first entry and jump straight into Torchlight 2. As for the third one, feel free to ignore it.
After the not-very-important events of the first game, the town of Torchlight has been destroyed by the Alchemist, and the player character follows the trail of destruction left in his wake as he searches for a cure to the illness that has twisted his mind.
Don’t let the cartoony and cheerful aesthetic deceive you; Torchlight 2 can (and will) get bloody and packs a punch whether you play alone or alongside other heroes. Moreover, there are several excellent mods for the PC version of the game that are officially supported and easy to install.
If you fancy it, you can pick up Torchlight 2 on Xbox here, and on PlayStation here. Console players can also access a free demo on either platform as well, if you want to try before you buy.
Warhammer: Chaosbane
There’s an entire sea of Warhammer and Warhammer 40K videogames out there, but only a handful range from good to excellent. Chaosbane might not be at the top of many best Warhammer games lists, but it certainly hit the right notes well enough to make an impression, and is a great Diablo alterative. After an unremarkable launch, it gradually grew into a solid riff on the Diablo formula that makes good use of the famous IP it’s based on.
The general mission is simple: push back the forces of Chaos in bloody and relentless fashion. The character classes are varied and as faithful to the Warhammer setting as the setting and storyline, and it’s hard not to recommend this one to Warhammer fanatics and isometric action RPG enjoyers who have exhausted bigger series like Diablo.
Chaosbane won’t change your perception of the genre or pack in loads of new tricks, but it respects your time and knows there’s plenty of value in offering direct, old-fashioned thrills.
Chaosbane also has optimised versions for the Xbox Series XS and PS5. Xbox players can get it here, while PlayStation 5 players can grab it here or play it as part of their PS Plus Extra subscription.
So those are the best games like Diablo you can play on Xbox and PlayStation right now. Diablo 4 will go down as one of the best games we’ve ever seen in the genre, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. These games offer excellent (or far cheaper) alternatives.