With the recent announcement of Diablo II's upcoming re-release/remaster, many dungeon-crawler fans are flocking to whatever games they can to try and recapture the demon-slaying glory of the original classic. The thing is, how does one separate the cheap imitations from the deliciously deep dungeons of Diablo?
Granted, there's only one blood-soaked ARPG that's continuously attracted fans of hacking, slashing, and other ways of decimating demons, but what if one is just looking for something to wet their whistle while waiting for the new title to drop? Fortunately, Diablo laid the groundwork for a plethora of dungeon-crawlers that are sure to satisfy.
10 Diablo III
Although it might have gotten some flak for its bright color palette clashing with an otherwise dark and demented universe, no one can deny that Diablo III was fun. From the core campaign to The Reaper of Souls expansion pack, the third entry in the series had a lot to love.
And thanks to its inclusion on consoles, it pulled a lot of new players into the realm of Sanctuary for some monster-mashing action. It might be a cheat to mention it, but it's honestly one of the best ways to fill the void.
9 Dragon’s Crown
Those players out there looking for something more light-hearted in the dungeon department might want to consider the ever-gorgeous Dragon's Crown as an option. While it might take more from games like Golden Axe and King of Dragons, there's a loot-heavy element that's distinctly Diablo.
With a healthy handful of classes, beastly bosses, and an absolutely jaw-dropping art style that practically pops off the screen, there's plenty for fantasy fans to gobble up right out of the gate.
8 Minecraft Dungeons
It's not the most ingenious title on this list, but it does have the isometric, hack-and-slash stylings of a Diablo game. Though it may lack a little depth or attention to design in comparison.
Minecraft Dungeons essentially delivers on its title. It's a dungeon-crawler set in the world of Minecraft complete with creepers and blocky graphics. It doesn't offer much new ground, but it's still an adequate substitute.
7 Gauntlet (Remake)
The original Diablos both pulled from the grandfather of isometric dungeon-crawlers, Gauntlet. So, it only makes sense that things would eventually be brought full-circle and the old would take inspiration from the new in this modern remake.
The original warrior, wizard, valkyrie, and elf are all present and accounted for, but their world isn't as traditional as it used to be. The dungeons and environments now have a distinctly darker edge, especially as the dungeon dives deeper into the underworld.
6 Dungeon Hunter/Dungeon Hunter Alliance
This iPhone/PS3 title might check a lot of boxes for fantasy ARPGs, but to say it doesn't feel right at home with the Diablo series would be an outright lie. Yes, it's easy to call this game a my-first-dungeon-crawl, but it still has its own distinct, if not cliche, charms.
The standard-issue warrior, rogue, and mage classes are all there, and the commonplace enemies of rats, zombies, thieves, and goblins all make an appearance, but sometimes it's nice to get back to basics. If it works, it works.
5 Titan Quest
If Diablo met God of War and Clash of the Titans, the result would be Titan Quest. There are few dungeon-crawlers out there that are so incredibly deep and offer a plethora of playstyles to slash their way through the ancient world.
There's a trove of things going on in this isometric RPG that will absolutely do more than satisfy any Diablo fan, offering a bounty of different builds, quests, and weapons to play with. Simply put, go off and have an Odyssey.
4 Sacred Series
If one removed the dark and demonic elements from Diablo and replaced them with something more traditional in the high-fantasy category, the result would be the Sacred series. It's an overlooked entry in the genre, but one that fans of dungeons and loot will definitely enjoy.
Similar to Diablo, the first two are solid while the third entry divides some fans, but it's still an impressive series at the end of the day.
3 Children of Morta
For those dungeon-crawlers looking for something a bit deeper and different, Children of Morta is a recent entry into the genre, but one that takes a different approach to the hack-and-slash formula. Instead of classes and a realm beset by demons, there's a family of adventurers and a curse to battle.
It's also a roguelike, which puts a new spin on a familiar layout, but still keeps the legions of monsters and bosses to test players' mettle. Nothing wrong with a new flavor once in a while, right?
2 Torchlight Series
Torchlight is a series that's ideal for younger players wanting to get in on a dungeon-crawling adventure, making it more user-friendly to a wider audience. Demons and hellspawn aren't for everyone, but bright and colorful fantasy characters might be.
It has all the essentials one might need for an isometric RPG, including flexible classes, companion characters, weapons, and tons of treasure. Even those hardcore Diablo II junkies will feel right at home here.
1 Hades
Take one part Diablo, one part God of War, one part Dante's Inferno, and one part Bastion, then roast them all together on the fires of Tartarus and the result is Hades. Where does one even start with this masterpiece of a roguelike?
There are loads of monsters, loot, buffs, upgrades, bosses, and more. Even on God Mode, the levels of Hades will take time to slay through, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. All the more time to sharpen one's skills in the underworld.