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Path of Exile 2 is an upcoming loot-based ARPG by Grinding Gear Games, which is planned for a beta release next year. The excitement surrounding this title is extremely high after numerous developer showcases highlighted new bosses, enemies, classes, and gameplay features over the past few months. Although the previous entry in the series is here to stay, according to the developers, this sequel will completely change up the gameplay for the next-gen experience.
While you await the sequel to the beloved Path of Exile, you can try a few games in this genre that have either served as inspiration for this series or introduced distinctive gameplay elements, shaping and evolving this category.
This article will list the five best loot-based ARPGs you can try while waiting for Path of Exile 2.
Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.
5 best loot-based multiplayer ARPGs to try in 2024
5) Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem
Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem was released on February 13, 2020, after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Since its launch, it has received several updates with numerous quality-of-life improvements and gameplay features.
Its strong focus on storytelling with voiced cutscenes and a fully customizable transmog system — an engaging feature often missing from other titles in the genre — makes it stand out among other games.
While a branching skill tree with countless customization options is a staple in ARPG games nowadays, Wolcen introduces a unique classless system where you can use any of the available weapons to build a character of your chosen archetype. It doesn't restrict your mage from wielding a greatsword, although its effectiveness in battle will depend on your build.
4) Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn is often regarded as the spiritual successor of Diablo II, the Godfather of ARPGs. This indie game was released by Crate Entertainment on February 25, 2016, and has since received three major updates in the form of expansions: The Crucible, Ashes of Malmouth, and The Forgotten Gods. The upcoming expansion, Fangs of Asterkarn, is expected to be released sometime in 2024.
A standout aspect of this title is the Dual Class system that allows you to combine any of the six unique classes with various modifiers and skills. This feature dovetails with other facets of gameplay, such as the items and equipment system, significantly increasing build variety and skill diversity.
3) Lost Ark
A unique aspect of Lost Ark is that while it utilizes action-based top-down combat similar to other games in the ARPG genre, its character progression loop and endgame primally follows an MMORPG-type gameplay system, with raiding and power scaling based on item levels at its forefront.
A new Breaker class, Legion Raids, story quests, gameplay system, and Guardian Raid are expected to be released in the upcoming months for Lost Ark, according to the developer roadmap. So, now is the best time for new players to prepare for the upcoming content by acquiring gear with the required item level.
2) Last Epoch
Last Epoch is currently in its early access phase, with its full release scheduled for February 8, 2024. Even in early access, it's often praised for the depth of its gameplay and its unique features that are comparable to the most well-regarded titles in the ARPG genre, such as Diablo and Path of Exile. It's a great feat to receive so much praise while still being in early access.
This game features five classes, each branching into three additional mastery classes. A unique aspect of this title is that it combines high fantasy with time travel elements, allowing you to travel to various ages throughout the story. This feature leaves room for distinctive enemies and boss designs, with unpredictable environments that are thematically unrestricted by time and place.
1) Diablo II: Resurrected
Diablo II: Resurrected is a remastered version of the original game. As mentioned previously, this game is the Godfather of all ARPGs. While its predecessor, Diablo, was the most iconic game of its time that created the ARPG genre, Diablo II is the title that took the gaming world by storm with its high quality, depth of gameplay, and graphical fidelity.
This remastered version does justice to the original game and improves its graphics by adding many intricate details to the world. The incredible cutscenes from its main storyline, having elements of gothic fantasy, have also been also remade for this new version. Diablo II was the main inspiration for Path of Exile, so while you wait for its sequel, there's no better game to try.
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