Diablo is one of my favourite gaming franchises of all time, it’s chaotic, gruesome, annoying at times but pure fun, especially when you start learning about Diablo Tier Lists, hit rates, damage bonuses etc.
I have purchased and played Diablo 3 on Steam, Switch and PS4… I still play it to this day.
But that game was first released all the way back in 2012! So when I saw that the new Diablo IV is releasing I was over the morn.
In some cases, more of the same is perfect.. there’s a reason we love the previous titles.. we just
Let’s take a look at the best games like Diablo in 2023.
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10. Deathspank
Game designers Ron Gilbert and Clayton Kauzlaric showed us what it would be like if you take the Diablo style gameplay and make it totally ridiculous and silly.
Coined a “comedy action role-playing game”, Deathspank was a 2010 release that went on to become a full trilogy.
Widely considered an entertaining experience, the game takes influence from Diablo and Monkey Island.. two fan favorites.
So if you’re craving Diablo, but the evil is a little too much for your mortal heart, check out the Deathspank trilogy.
9. Minecraft Dungeons
While I wouldn’t describe Minecraft Dungeons as the most compelling game play experience, it certainly scratches some of that Diablo itch for the time you spend with it.
I picked up a copy for the Nintendo Switch on release day, and managed to play through the initial story in a couple days.
It was an enjoyable experience that offered enough variety in enemies, loot, and attacks.
It’s also much more visually exciting than you might expect from a game in the Minecraft universe.
Not the best game you will ever play, but absolutely worth the price of admission for some mostly mindless dungeon crawling.
This is certainly a game to download if you’re looking for games like Diablo while we wait for the real thing.
8. Dungeon Siege III
The Dungeon Siege series traces its roots all the way back to 2002, so it is no new comer to the genre.
It is the 2011 iteration, Dungeon Siege III, that can be most closely compared to what we love and crave about the Diablo franchise.
It also marks the first in the franchise to be developed by Obsidian Entertainment after Square Enix purchased the IP from its creators Gas Powered Games.
The player no longer moves their character through point and click function, but directly controls them with the keyboard or controller.
Making many graphic, gameplay and quality-of-life improvements on an already beloved franchise, Dungeon Siege III is truly the pinnacle of the series.
And much like Diablo fans, followers of the Dungeon Siege series are eager for the next game… but they will have to wait like the rest of us.
For now, maybe we can all switch places and play eachothers franchises.
7. Drakensang Online
Drakensang Online is a free online role-playing video game with very clear and obvious similarities to the Diablo franchise.
Originally released in 2012, this free to play game was played directly in your computers web browser!
Due to changes in how web browsers work, and the Flash plugin becoming obsolete, the game is now only playable on a Windows computer through a special plugin or if you buy the physical copy. Sorry MacOS users (me).
But this game is still played by many to this day, and is widely considered one of the best Diablo-likes out there.
6. Sands of Aura
Sands of Aura is a really awesome open-world diablo-like that has some elements that set it apart from other games on this list.
Yes, it has that familiar isometric view and looks a lot like the other games on this list…
But with combat much more similar to a souls-like game, or even Nier:Automata, this one will play much different than the usual.
And its character building system is quite advanced and diverse.
Oh, and did I mention you can drive a sand-ship?
This one is pretty cool for fans of Diablo, and even if you’re not… it’s got a lot of cool stuff going on that make it really its own thing.
Not to be missed.
5. Torchlight II
Torchlight II is an action role-playing dungeon crawler that could be described as a less evil Diablo.
It’s visual style is a bit more fantasy and playful than the gloomy Diablo and Diablo-likes on this list.
The game features randomly generated dungeons, a ton of monsters, loot, and all the experience grinding we have come to love in the genre.
Torchlight 2 was released for Windows in 2012, OS X and Linux in 2015, and finally the ports for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One were released in 2019.
It is widely considered one of the best in the isometric dungeon crawler genre, and some even give it the edge over Diablo. Which are bold claims, sir.
4. Darksiders Genesis
Darksiders Genesis is another game I think deserves a lot of praise and attention for doing its own thing in the isometric dungeon genre.
Taking a step back (literally) from the familiar third person perspective of the Darksiders franchise, “Genesis” is the first in the series to move to the isometric viewpoint.
Featuring Diablo-like dungeon exploration, EXP point and loot collecting, hack and slash combat, light hearted dialogue, and even some platforming puzzle elements.
This game is really doing a lot. In a good way.
It’s Diablo-like, it’s Darksiders-like… and it’s a ton of fun.
We could not imagine not including this on any list of games like Diablo. So here it is, y’all.
3. Borderlands 2
I know, I know.. a first person shooter is Diablo-like? AB-SO-LUTELY! Hear me out on this one…
What do we love about Diablo, at the core of it all? A ton of loot. Hordes of enemies. Experience building for hours. The grind. The eternal search for bigger and better weapons.
Well at its core, that is exactly what Borderlands is about. The only difference is that you will be doing it with guns.. in first person perspective.
Borderlands is another one of my favorite gaming franchises of all time (I once called Borderlands 2 my favorite game of all time).
It even took a spot on our list of the Best Xbox 360 Games Of All Time.
The countless hours of grinding and looting is exactly what I love about both game franchises.
And with a ton of DLC, and three mainline games in the franchise, Borderlands would surely keep you busy for a very long time while you wait for the next Diablo release.
2. Path of Exile
Path of Exile is another free-to-play action role-playing video game that is not afraid to show its influences.
Released for Windows in 2013, Xbox One in 2017, and PlayStation 4 in 2019… players have many options to access this awesome Diablo-like.
The game has also been described as a spiritual successor to Diablo 2, and the game was literally developed by fans of Diablo who were frustrated with the lack of releases.
There have been a ton of expansions for the game, the latest coming as recent as February of 2022.
And Path of Exile 2 is planned for 2023-2024, which will offer new storylines that play alongside the current story, both converging on the same finale.
Winning the 2013 PC Game of the Year by GameSpot and best PC role-playing game of 2013 by IGN, Path of Exile is clearly doing something right.
We highly recommend this game to all isometric game fans.
A tough list to rank, and we almost gave the number one spot to Path of Exile.
But when you see the game comes next, you will surely agree with our number one slot of this games like Diablo list…
1. Hades
Hades has won over a LOT of people since its release in 2018, and it has also won a ton of awards, including four Game of the Year recognitions.
It is a rogue-like dungeon crawler at its core, but offers a unique gameplay concept where the player must fight their way through a series of rooms that must be cleared to progress to the next area.
Hades combines engaging storytelling with gorgeous game art and exciting game play… and is truly an incredible gaming experience not to be missed.
With arguably more compelling storytelling and dialogue than any other diablo-like on this list, Hades manages to present some of the familiar elements we all love while giving us so much more.
Hades has been released for Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. So what is your excuse for not picking it up RIGHT NOW?
Hades made an appearance on our list of the best indie games on Switch. (Though, I personally would have given both Hades and Eastward much higher rankings!)
Thanks for reading our games like Diablo article!
