A quick look at the best RPGs: our review features the top 10 RPGs for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One. Whether it’s the typical Diablo hack and slash, souls, or an RPG with a strong action element: anyone who enjoys chopping, shooting, looting, and character development will get their money’s worth here. Here are our top 10 best RPGs at the moment.
As a sub-genre of RPGs, action role-playing games have been very popular over the years. The mix of chopping, shooting, looting and character development creates, at best, a rapidly growing motivation curve that ties you into dozens, if not hundreds, of hours in front of the screen. In our big review, we bring you a selection of the best ARPGs so far for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. Whether it’s a typical Indibet – like game or one with a strong element of what games you should be playing right now.
What is an action-RPG?
An action RPG, or ARPG for short, is a sub-genre of role-playing games and action games. This variant of RPG places great emphasis on combat mechanics, which require the player to have quick reactions and good reflexes. You’ll find particularly popular forms in “hack and kill” games like Diablo or the so-called Soulslike RPGs, which are heavily inspired by Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls from developer From Software. Then there are all the other RPGs in which learning and mastering combat mechanics plays a far more important role than solving puzzles, running dialogues or organising a group of heroes. An ARPG differs from an action-adventure game in the development of the hero, such as leveling up and/or loot.
Dark Souls 3 is the latest Dark Souls for PC, Xbox One and PS4
Grim fantasy setting, secret paths, powerful weapons, giant bosses – From Software not only created two epic adventures with Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, the developers also quickly revolutionised the action RPG genre. As the most modern representative in our review, Dark Souls 3 should be the inspiration for the entire Souls series. All of its predecessors are worthy of a recommendation!
Bloodborne – the best exclusive RPG for PlayStation 4
“Bloodborne is beautiful, challenging, deep and has a great combat system.” – is what Katarina reads in the Bloodborne test , and although we already have a From Software title in this review with Dark Souls 3, we definitely want to highlight the best ARPG exclusive for Playstation 4, and let you rage No one should miss such an atmospheric and detailed world!
Diablo 3 is the best hack for PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Switch
In addition to the Souls titles from From Software, there’s a second series of games that has significantly influenced the action-RPG genre in recent years and has been copied quite often: the Diablo series from Blizzard . Diablo 3 may not quite achieve the pull effect that Diablo 2 has had on many players over the years, and other Hack n Slay representatives also have more options when it comes to difficulty (more on that in the next section). but think so. There is currently no better Diablo-style RPG that is at home on the PC and all modern consoles.
Path of Exile is the best Free2Play RPG for PC and Xbox One
For many action-RPG fans, it’s not Diablo 3, but Path of Exile is a worthy successor to Diablo 2, making it one of the best RPGs of all time. This is as surprising as it is remarkable for two reasons: 1) Grinding Gear Games has an independent developer in charge of Path of Exile. 2) We’re dealing with a Free2Play RPG that you can play for free on PC and Xbox One. Best of all: the in-game shop is one of the most honest Free2Play games on the market, and even today the developers are regularly releasing new content for their five-year-old brainchild, making Blizzard’s seasons for Diablo 3 look really old.
Monster Hunter: World – Modern Monster Hunter for PC, Xbox One and PS4
Monster Hunter: World offers engaging battles against the series’ typical animalistic forces, motivating character development through improved equipment, a complex game system with numerous facets and a great deal of scope. With the debut of Monster Hunter on current-gen consoles, Capcom takes it one step further and combines the formula for success of recent years with a surprisingly high level of accessibility and a chicly staged storyline. Also, finding the materials for the next item improvement rarely feels like work. Monster hunting is just plain fun, and rounds on the farm can always be combined with side quests. Anyone who loves primitive monsters and belongs to the hunter-gatherer genre should definitely check out this action RPG.
Salt & Sanctuary: insider tips on ARPGs for PS4, PC and Switch
A little over two years ago, Ska Studios released Salt & Sanctuary , a classic 2D Dark Souls-style RPG that also has elements from Nintendo’s Metroid or Konami’s Castlevania . We liked this mix so much in the test at the time that we wanted to recommend this insider’s tip on ARPGs in this review. Especially if Souls games are too crisp for you, but you really want to explore an atmospheric game world with secrets, mysterious NPCs and mimics hidden in boxes. Boss battles are relatively easy.
Nioh: a dynamic Dark Souls-style RPG for PS4 and PC
Even if Nioh reminds us of the Dark Souls series in a positive way from the very first minute, there’s a lot more to Team Ninja’s RPG than a simple Souls clone. The combat system, with its various weapon types and stances, is surprisingly complex, especially as you can also use ranged weapons such as bows and hand cannons, burst grenades and magic masks in combat. Defeated enemies not only leave behind a sense of triumph and amrita (quasi Nioh’s soul), but also plenty of loot. Despite minor flaws, such as a moderately gripping plot or repetitive levels, Nioh offers an atmospheric adventure with dynamic battles and multifaceted and motivating character development – all enriched by samurai, ninja and plenty of Japanese folklore.
The Surge – the best German RPG for PC, PS4 and Xbox One
After Frankfurt-based studio Deck 13 had already developed two solid action RPGs in 2009 with Venetica and five years later with Lords of the Fallen , 2017 saw the best RPG from Germany so far: The Surge . Our tester Felix praised the strong combat system, including bloody finishers, as well as crafting, intelligently linked to battles and actually simple character development. The Surge hasn’t fully achieved the quality of a great From Software role model, but if the team of Jan Klose and Matthias Reichert continue on the path they’ve chosen, we can expect a potential ARPG hit with The Surge 2 in the coming year.
Grim Dawn is a dystopian RPG from the creators of Titan Quest for PC and Xbox
One Our tenth and final place in our review of the best RPGs in the action genre we give to the “chop and kill” game, which managed to position itself quite perfectly between quality competition from Diablo 3 and Path of Exile. In terms of difficulty and freedom, Grim Dawn easily eclipses Blizzard’s ARPG without becoming as unwieldy as Grinding Gear Games’ Free2Play. We also love the dystopian atmosphere of the beautiful game world and the motivating character development. It’s just fun to combine different ways to play in new endeavours, hone your own gear and at the same time upgrade your skills from the loyalty system.
