Best Isometric ARPGs You Probably Missed

Summary

Indie isometric ARPGs deliver engaging loot-driven gameplay and character progression, matching the appeal of genre giants like Diablo and Path of Exile.
In recent years, many indie dungeon-crawling ARPGs have often been overlooked, including Rum & Gun, Tower of Kalemonvo, Dwarven Realms, and Ghostlore.
Upcoming promising indie dungeon crawlers include Crystalfall, Hell Clock, and Dragonkin: The Banished.

In this genre of isometric action role-playing games (ARPG), prominent titles such as Diablo, Path of Exile, and Last Epoch take center stage. However, the scene is also teeming with lesser-known indie games that can offer equally immersive experiences for loot enthusiasts. While these games may not redefine the genre, they typically adhere to a familiar formula, offering rich character development with distinctive, potent abilities, as well as a plethora of items of varying rarities to seek out and enhance your combat strategy.

Isometric action role-playing games (ARPGs), characterized by their focus on loot collection, exhibit diverse settings and artistic styles, yet the essence of these games remains enduringly captivating. This article highlights some standout isometric ARPGs reminiscent of classics like Diablo or Path of Exile that may have slipped under the radar for various reasons. The emphasis here is on newer indie ARPGs, offering familiar gameplay mechanics and favorable user reviews on Steam, organized chronologically from the most recent to older releases, excluding early access titles.

In this revised version, I’ve aimed to maintain the original meaning while making the language more accessible and easier to read for a broader audience.

Tower Of Kalemonvo

Steam Rating: 85%

Platform: PC
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Developer: osur

Modeled after timeless isometric originals like the initial Diablo, Tower of Kalemonvo caters to dedicated gamers, as demonstrated by its ominous visual aesthetic. The game offers tough challenges with scarce healing items and merchants, coupled with merciless enemies and bosses. Furthermore, this Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) is designed for brief roguelike play sessions, incorporating procedural generation for dungeons, where players ascend the tower encountering progressively tougher adversaries and bosses. Typically, each session spans one to three hours.

In addition to its random generation and gameplay using “runs,” Tower of Kalemonvo offers fresh perspectives within the familiar genre. The game boasts deep, classless character advancement for tailored builds with more than 20 magical spells to explore. Its rich itemization emphasizes quality over quantity, featuring unique modifiers. Moreover, it incorporates distinct combat skills linked to various weapon types, much like in the soulslike genre.

FATE: Reawakened

Steam Rating: 71%

For some contemporary gamers, FATE: Reawakened could seem like an unrecognized action role-playing game, but for numerous others, it’s a refreshed throwback to days gone by since the initial game came out in 2005. This collection encompasses all four original dungeon crawlers (including Undiscovered Realms, The Traitor Soul, and The Cursed King) with upgraded graphics for contemporary devices. The gameplay is effortlessly appealing, employing procedurally generated dungeons filled with random adversaries, bosses, and loot drops.

Beyond conventional character and loot progression systems that are flexible, the game FATE: Reawakened offers unique mechanics not typically found in the genre. These include a personal and upgradable pet companion for each player character, as well as fishing for fish and valuable items (later adopted by the Torchlight series). For gamers who may have missed the series during its heyday, Reawakened is an excellent choice today as a refreshing break from more demanding Action Role-Playing Games (ARPGs).

Dwarven Realms

Steam Rating: 82%

Platform: PC
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Developer: Crater Studios

The game Dwarven Realms is centered around playing with grandeur, merging the finest aspects of Action Role-Playing Games (ARPGs) and rogue-lite survival titles. According to its developers, this game boasts the highest mob density in the genre, providing players with an opportunity to obliterate colossal swarms of enemies all at once. Battling against seemingly insurmountable odds forms a core aspect of the gameplay, as mastering positioning and maneuvering during combat can be just as significant as selecting the right combat setup.

The team’s goals extend even beyond what you might think, as the game titled Dwarven Realms boasts an enormous variety of distinct abilities numbering in the hundreds. This is coupled with a skill tree that takes inspiration from Path of Exile, opening up endless possibilities for customizing combat strategies. The loot and crafting systems are equally impressive, providing a versatile method for managing items and improvements. Additionally, the game is designed to accommodate regular seasonal content updates, ensuring that players will witness ongoing changes and developments over time.

Rum & Gun

Steam Rating: 93%

Platform: PC
Release Date: August 26, 2024
Developer: Borington

Isn’t it surprising that we haven’t seen an Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) with a pirate theme before? That changes with Rum & Gun, which blends the allure of classic ARPGs with unpredictable loot drops, customizable character development, and rapid-fire shooter gameplay. Set in an exciting pirate adventure world, players can immerse themselves in a richly detailed storyline and environments. Unique features include rum drinking, boosting morale through music, gambling, and naval combat.

Although guns play a significant role, given its style resembles a top-down shooter game, players have the freedom to explore different playstyles, including melee combat and spellcasting. Besides the narrative campaign, gamers can test their skills in Arena mode or delve into the Treasure Hunt’s endless, procedurally generated maps. What sets Rum & Gun apart is that it was developed single-handedly over a span of seven years by its creator.

Ghostlore

Steam Rating: 80%

In the realm of Action Role-Playing Games (ARPG), Ghostlore offers a unique Asian-inspired twist on a classic gaming experience, often overlooked by many enthusiasts to their detriment. Developers have coined it “Eastpunk,” setting it apart from its inspirations primarily in the supernatural enemies players face – creatures from Southeast Asian folklore. The game’s world, reminiscent of Singapore, provides a vibrant and distinct backdrop for this engaging adventure.

In simpler terms, the remaining aspects of this game are quite typical for its genre, offering intricate inventory management and character development (with six distinct classes, three of which can be blended within one character), along with randomly generated maps and customizable challenges for endless enjoyment. However, Ghostlore adds a unique twist to skills, featuring a distinctive skill grid layout, combination abilities, and an innovative glyph system for further personalized customization.

Chronicon

Steam Rating: 94%

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but sing the praises of Chronicon, a game that’s already making waves with its impressive user reviews and top-notch ratings on Steam. This game takes you on an adventure like no other, allowing you to delve into the memories of ancient heroes through a mystical device capable of opening portals. These heroes were not just any warriors, they were great fighters and expert loot hunters from yesteryears. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend giving Chronicon a spin – it’s an experience you won’t want to miss!

Chronicon doesn’t start from scratch, offering five major story acts with automated generation and four playable roles: Templar, Berserker, Warden, and Warlock. Yet, every element of the game is refined to excellence – ranging from numerous one-of-a-kind items crafted with unique powers and randomly assigned enhancements, to an equally extensive collection of unique skills, abilities, and bonuses. Combined with endless character advancement (through countless Mastery levels) and intricate crafting and Runic systems, enthusiasts of the genre are in for a delightful experience.

Din’s Legacy

Steam Rating: 76%

Platform: PC
Release Date: August 28, 2019
Developer: Soldak Entertainment

As a seasoned gamer, I can’t help but be captivated by the allure of “Din’s Legacy,” an old-school action role-playing game that offers a fresh take on the genre. Immersed in a custom world, I find myself at the heart of an intriguing narrative centering around the Orc race, where blood mutations, zombie parasites, and necromancer magic reign supreme.

Much like its obscure ARPG counterparts, “Din’s Legacy” is meticulously designed with separate roguelike runs, each offering a unique blend of random world generation that delves deeper than just the scenery. Each run introduces distinct storylines, levels, monsters, quests, and even win or lose conditions, ensuring no two experiences are ever the same.

Though the visual aspect may not be the standout feature, the gameplay of Din’s Legacy is certainly commendable, offering a solid foundation in terms of character development through comprehensive skill and ability progression and versatile item customization. However, this game distinguishes itself with an innovative mutation mechanic. As players progress, their characters undergo both positive and negative mutations, granting access to unique skills and even entire sub-classes.

Shadows: Awakening

Steam Rating: 75%

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4
Release Date: August 31, 2018
Developer: Games Farm

Lastly, noteworthy in the ARPG genre is “Shadows: Awakening,” which offers a host of distinctive twists on the conventional formula. It boasts an emphasis on storytelling, strategic combat, and intricate puzzles to solve. Interestingly, “Awakening” is an expanded and upgraded sequel to “Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms.” The standout feature in this game is its dual worlds mechanic, enabling players to effortlessly transition between the everyday world and the Shadow Realm.

Beyond this, the game titled “Shadows: Awakening” presents a distinctive party system, boasting 14 playable character forms for the Devourer demon. This not only provides varied combat mechanics but also fosters a more individualized narrative with fully-voiced dialogues and conflicts among characters. Although the story is a significant aspect of the gameplay, “Shadows: Awakening” excels as a traditional action role-playing game (ARPG), offering intricate ability combinations and extensive itemization for each character. Players may also be interested in exploring “Vikings – Wolves of Midgard“, developed by the same creators.

2025-08-10 09:36