3 games to play while waiting for Diablo 4

The last weeks Diablo 4 beta has come and gone, and unless Blizzard decides (at the last minute) to host another one before the June 6 release date, you’ll also have the chance to slash, bash, smash, loot, and look sick with the characters you created in the isometric RPG.

However, the Diablo series has garnered quite a following throughout its lifespan, and as such, a handful of studios have attempted to recreate its feisty combat, enticing loot grind, and deep character customization. Many have failed. Some have emerged as solid imitators. And others have stolen the qualities of the franchise and made them their own.

Since the action RPG genre can be such a waste of time, we’ve done the legwork to round up the top three options to dive into while you wait for Blizzard’s long-awaited sequel. Yes, you can get your copy of it Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls on any of the 49 platforms you own it on. And we wouldn’t blame you. That game still kicks ass. But sometimes it’s nice to expand. One of our recs is a top tier entry in the vast collection of Warhammer 40,000 video games; another is a thrilling romp through a cartoonish world; the latter is completely free, but no less complex or rewarding.

Whether you find yourself in one of these or play each of them until June 6, each of the following ARPGs has its own unique take on the genre of dungeon crawling and loot collecting.

Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor – Martyr

For starters, here’s a recommendation that kills two birds with one stone. Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor – Martyr is not only an excellent ARPG in its own right, mimicking Diablo’s simple combat, deep character progression, and extensive crafting system – it’s also one of the best entries in the vast collection of Warhammer 40K video games.

With different character classes, responsive ranged combat, a cover system and massive industrial style loot, Inquisitor – Martyr is similar enough to Diablo to scratch that itch, but Warhammer-esque enough to have a clear, stark tone. You won’t forget the story, but the art direction and world design are a great way to dive into the Warhammer 40K universe for the first time, or further immerse yourself in it until Blizzard’s gothic RPG releases in June.

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. It is currently available in the PlayStation Plus game catalog with a PlayStation Plus Extra subscription.

Flashlight 2

Image: Rune Games/Gearbox Publishing

Flashlight 2 was released in the shadow of Diablo 3, at a time when its loot system and auction house were widely criticized. As such, Flashlight 2 gained a reputation as a worthy alternative to Blizzard’s 2012 dungeon crawler.

But that’s only half the story, because Flashlight 2 is an excellent ARPG, comparisons notwithstanding. It has unique, cartoon-like character classes, a vast, colorful world, and a host of quality-of-life systems that make managing your massive collection of loot a breeze. You can also select and customize your own pet companion, who will travel back to town to sell you unwanted wares while you keep scouring caves, dungeons, and castles for your next favorite weapon or armor. Flashlight 3 is a contradictory ARPG on top of a previous free-to-play game, and as a result feels like a palimpsest of clashing ideas. But its predecessor is still one of the best ARPGs out there.

Flashlight 2 is available on Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

Path of Exile

Image: Grinding Gear Games

Despite his dedicated audience, Path of Exile remains one of the most overlooked games today. That could be due to its intimidating complexity or free-to-play nature, which could indicate a large number of underlying microtransactions and money-dependent content. But that same complexity gradually gives way to fascinating nuances; that same free-to-play character gradually becomes a blessing instead of a red flag.

Developer Grinding Gear Games’ ARPG lets you play as seven different character classes (with 19 more “preponderance classes” to move into), each of which has a passive skill tree that is too large for some ultra-wide monitors to display at one time. The gem-based weapon system also lets you experiment with a host of elemental effects, turning a bow that previously fired three arrows at once into one that fires three arrows at once, as well as electricity balls and poisonous grenades. The progression system is as flexible as it is fascinating and engrossed in it Path of Exile‘s sprawling gothic world remains rewarding after dozens of hours.

The sequel’s release date has yet to be announced, but Grinding Gear has said to expect a beta sometime this year. In the meantime, you’ve got quite a bit of content to explore in this phenomenal ARPG that has rightly been compared to Diablo 2.

Path of Exile is free to play on Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.