Diablo, one of Blizzard Entertainment’s biggest and most successful franchises, is right now hanging up in the air. Fans expected the company to reveal Diablo 4 during last year’s Blizzcon, but we were instead hit with a mobile Diablo 3 announcement. As expected, the community is impatient, and hardcore fans are looking for their next obsession.
By definition, dungeon crawlers are those video games that have players roam through a dungeon (or a small area in general), battling enemies and earning rewards. Diablo was always about its kill n' loot character and, in fact, it's not difficult to find similarly-intriguing games to love.
In this list, we'll go over the 10 best dungeon crawler games fans looking to fill the void left by Diablo 3 can play right now. Note that the list isn't ranked in terms of personal liking or ratings.
10 Grim Dawn
For those who want a smooth transition from Diablo 3 to another title that is similar to it, then Grim Dawn is the safest way to go. With two expansions on its back and three years of hosting a steady stream of players, there's no reason why Diablo fans shouldn't try it.
There are two more factors that should be taken under consideration here; Grim Dawn includes no microtransactions, and it is easier to understand than other similar ones in this list. To top that, it's possible to play offline. Gamers who want something to occupy themselves until Diablo 4—yet don't have infinite time for grinding—may want to look into this one.
Available on: Xbox One, PC
9 Torchlight 2
Graphically, Torchlight is what World of Warcraft is to the MMO genre; a different view on a brutal genre. This game is simple, has all the grinding one might want from a title of this caliber, and has a definite amount of hours to put in. However, if a huge universe and an intriguing plot are what Diablo players seek, this won't be their cup of tea.
The developer of Torchlight, Runic Games, has shut its doors last year, leaving the future of the franchise hanging. However, Torchlight Frontiers, a successor to the series, has been announced, and its alpha will take place sometime this year. Players will still have time to get through the first titles before they jump into the new one, though.
Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
8 Path of Exile
If this list had been ranked, Path of Exile would be number one, and with good cause. Grinding Gear's hack n' slash dungeon crawler is the closest thing we'll find to Diablo 3. It actually might be a little better than Blizzard's game.
Path of Exile is free-to-play, with minimum microtransactions and an ever-growing plexus of leagues, expansions, and new features. Think of it as a safe haven for the Diablo community until the fourth installment gets announced. There will be more than enough content to give this game a chance, and players might find out that there are games out there that are even better than Diablo.
Available on: Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4
7 The Binding of Isaac
The Binding of Isaac might not be an isometric hack n slash title like Diablo, but it's one of the most successful dungeon crawlers out there. At first glance, Isaac might not look like much, but the game is so full of life, twisted scenarios, and available builds that it can compete with Diablo 3 head-on.
As a classic dungeon crawler, fans will navigate Isaac, a little kid, through stages beneath his houses as they try to escape his murderous mother and encounter unique items and bosses along the way. As with all entries in this list, replayability is an organic element for this one, so nobody should think of this as a one-and-done experience.
Available on: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
6 Darkest Dungeon
With the announcement of Darkest Dungeon 2 being in development, it's high time players had a run in the original title. Stepping proudly on the grounds of the Lovecraft mythos, this rogue-like dungeon crawler can tempt even the most hard-to-convince players.
Darkest Dungeon houses a variety of different classes, high amounts of challenge, and the addition of expansions that make it even more enticing. Those who liked Diablo in ways beyond its hack n slash combat, then this might be another obsession.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, iOS
5 Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2
Divinity: Original Sin is an ode to the RPG genre, filling all the gaps that other similar titles can't. It's not close to the way Diablo works and has more diplomacy and organizing technics than pure fighting, which is a good thing for those who got bored of fighting aimlessly.
The sequel is even better. Although Divinity: Original Sin isn't a clear dungeon crawler, it couldn't be missing from this list. The question is, though, do players have enough patience to squeeze every little piece of information that they can from it?
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC (Divinity: Original Sin 2 has been announced for Nintendo Switch)
4 Enter the Gungeon
Fast paced and deep, Enter the Gungeon is a title that fans of the rogue-like and dungeon-crawler genres have been waiting a long time for. Where other similar titles push players more towards grinding and completing the same tasks, this one is a hardcore experience that needs mastering.
Set in a dungeon in which all of the enemies are bullets, Enter the Gungeon has managed to keep people hooked for years. Recently, the game received a new expansion, and it hit the charts again on all platforms within a few days since its release. It's totally worth the revisit right now.
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
3 Titan Quest
Many fans of Diablo are looking forward to Diablo Immortal making its release on mobile devices, even though the official announcement didn't go that well. Playing on mobile has become a standard thing for gamers, and, for those looking for something Diablo-like to try, then Titan Quest may be a safe bet.
In addition to mobile support, Titan Quest is available on all other platforms, making it a solid choice for all kinds of gamers. It might not be as refined as Diablo or Path of Exile are, but it sure is worth the while.
Available on: Android, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, iOS
2 Dungeons 3
Dungeons 3 is a fun mix of dungeon crawling and RTS. Think of it like Dungeon Defenders or Orcs Must Die, but with a tiny bit of humor embedded in it. In reality, Dungeons 3 doesn't take itself very seriously, and that's the reason it is unique and super fun to play. Most of the time, players will set up defenses in their dungeon and manage resources, but they'll quickly find that there are many ways Diablo fans will like this one as well.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
1 Hades
Hades was an unexpected surprise for gamers during last year's Game Awards. Announced by Supergiant Games as the next game they'll focus on, Hades is an excellent addition to the dungeon crawler genre.
Its graphics and build variety makes it difficult to resist. It might not allow loot to be carried over through runs, but it's worth the time invested. Hades is still in early access through the Epic Store and is constantly getting new updates, so it's a perfect time for Diablo fans to play it and see how to progresses until its full release.
Available on: PC (Epic Store exclusive)