Drakensang Online started as a free to play browser based game that offers similar gameplay to the classic action role playing games of days long past. With the retirement of Flash and Java support within modern browsers though Drakensang Online is now entirely available through the small game client for Windows. Opting for 4 playable classes players can tackle the Drakensang Online game world as a Dragonknight, Spellweaver, Ranger or Steam Mechanicus with further customisation for gender, ethn...[Read Review]
Okami is a critically acclaimed action adventure title where players control the wolf goddess Okami Amaterasu through a story of Japanese mythology. Originally for PlayStation 2 and Wii in 2008 the game was reborn through a HD remake that expanded the list of available platforms. With beautiful presentation and an equally beautiful storyline Okami offers a unique Zelda inspired adventure. Drawing heavily from the tales of Japanese folklore players control Amaterasu who is the goddess of the sun ...[Read Review]
Okamiden is set less than a year after the events of Okami and despite the best efforts of Amaterasu, evil did not stay locked away from the world for long which means a new round of younger adventurers will step forward with their Celestial Brush to rid the land of evil. Instead of the powerful Amatersasu players will adventure with the child Chibiterasu who shares many visual appearances although lacks the in overall power which also serves as a central plot theme. Just like the first adventur...[Read Review]
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a beautifully designed Zelda like adventure originally for iOS devices and later ported to all major consoles and Windows. Featuring a large amount of exploration, various weapons, deep dungeons and plenty of secrets it takes inspiration from similar games released before it while adding its own unique elements. In this adventure players play as a fairly young boy who is left to fend for himself after his father leaves him in an attempt to defeat the sea m...[Read Review]
Hyper Light Drifter is a fast title available across popular platforms that will rekindle memories of the likes of the Zelda franchise although features combat more in tune with the difficult Dark Souls series due to the difficulty and pace you’ll have to adopt to dodge attacks that come your way. The result is an interesting action adventure and RPG blend that paired with the impressively simple design is a visual and mechanical treat to experience on all the released platforms. Presentat...[Read Review]
3D Dot Game Heroes offers Zelda like gameplay and mixes it with blocky pixelated graphics for your PlayStation 3 console. The game was released in 2009 by Silicon Studio with positive reception from fans of the genre for it’s familiar core gameplay and pixelated presentation. For the adventure ahead 3D Dot Game Heroes follows the story of a hero in the Dotnia Kingdom that has recently been plunged into darkness because of a dark plague. Legend has it that this same event happened centuries...[Read Review]
Ys I and II is a highly popular Japanese action role playing game that has similar gameplay elements to the Legend of Zelda series. The game first launched in 1989 and has since seen many re-releases and updates. The games in the Ys series follow Adol Christin who loves a good adventure and has a knack for being in the right place at just the right time that has him in the centre of a number of adventures. In Ys I and II Adol is on a quest for the 6 history books of the land which gives him vita...[Read Review]
Available for PS4 and Windows Effie explores the tale of Galand as he retells it to the next generation in front of warm fire. You’ll find inspiration from platform adventure games of eras long past throughout the gameplay design with platforming, combat, exploration and puzzles featured to various degrees. On one hand it is a return to a simpler time in gaming but comes with a few modern upgrades to make it an attractive 3D platformer for genre fans. Opening with Galand telling the story ...[Read Review]
Imagine an offline version of MapleStory, and you’ve got Dust: An Elysian Tail that employs 2D side scrolling mechanics and crisp action role playing to tell the story of Dust. As a warrior without memories who awakes to the darkness of a strange forest Dust begins an adventure to recover his past. Joining you on this journey to discover your origin is the sentient mythical Blade of Ahrah and its guardian, a Nimbat (similar to a fairy creature) named Fidget. Your journey starts at the town of Au...[Read Review]
Path of Exile is a free to play action role playing game that draws plenty of comparison to the Diablo series and in particular Diablo 2 for its similar dark and foreboding atmosphere that has players starting from scraps to fighting against uber monsters with legendary gear. Path of Exile has been widely praised as capturing the best of the Diablo franchise and expanding on it with its own unique and well-polished ideas particularly in the department of character customisation and depth. Develo...[Read Review]
Borrowing from the vast lore and mythology of Van Helsing and turning it into a game franchise is Neocore Games with their appropriately titled series, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Announced in 2012 through a number of gameplay and teaser trailers that depicted dark magic, terrifying vampires and a strong gothic influence the game officially launched in 2013 for the PC market later joining consoles in 2015 (Xbox One) and 2017 (PS4) respectively. Promising a mechanically refined real...[Read Review]
Torchlight is an action role playing adventure developed by Runic Games that was first released in 2009 and eventually console in 2011. Providing a single player adventure with a casual take on the genre players help the town of Torchlight with their troubles that require you to fight, acquire loot and develop your own unique character in the process. The setting for your adventure is the town known as Torchlight which is a mining town built on top of a rich vein of the mysterious Ember resource...[Read Review]
Torchlight 2 serves as a 2012 sequel to Torchlight (2009) that allows players to again adventure into fantasy world alone or this time with friends. Selecting from your choice of 4 different characters each brings their own playstyle specialty to the countless enemies and bosses you will face along the way to complete your quest. Inspired by the likes of Diablo and other games in the action RPG genre you’ll find a similar adventure although one stripped down to the basics while adding some...[Read Review]
Titan Quest is a popular action role-playing game originally released in 2006 for Windows with a 2007 expansion titled Immortal Throne. Since this original release the game has been reborn with additional content and expanded to modern day consoles through an Anniversary Edition. Featuring the same core experience this refreshed edition improves your multiplayer experience, squashes some bugs, balances items, improves enemy AI, new bosses to battle and a range of quality of life enhancements. In...[Read Review]
Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms is a dark isometric action RPG with unique boss battles, a nightmarish atmosphere and the ability to switch characters on the fly. This design allows Shadow: Heretic Kingdoms to offer a similar dark setting to the AAA titles in the genre while giving you more flexibility than the usually rigid class structures that they have historically employed. This combination makes it ideal for action RPG fanatics that desire more of the genre without the purchase cost of the leadi...[Read Review]
Fate is the first in a series of single player action role playing games released in 2005. With a simple but enjoyable formula that was market leading on release Fate acquired a number of video game awards alongside a loyal cult like following which continued with three sequels released in 2008 (Undiscovered Realms), 2009 (The Traitor Soul) and 2011 (The Cursed King). Adventuring from the town of Grove players find themselves on the edge of a dungeon gate that hides treasure and fame for those b...[Read Review]
Pick up your wide brimmed hat and step right back into the shoes of the Van Helsing legacy with The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II, a game that builds on the solid foundations of the original to offer a similarly impressive action RPG experience alongside a number of refinements. Just like the original adventure the game is available separately or as part of The Final Cut edition which combines all 3 core games and additional content into an altered single game experience. Your class fo...[Read Review]
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing returns again for a series ending third instalment in the dark atmospheric action RPG franchise. Building on the unique setting, story and humour established by the past titles the third release also mixes up a number of components, most notably the available classes and their associated skill tree options. The setting for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III remains the same though with Borgovia central to a plot that revolves around cults and fa...[Read Review]
Turning the action RPG genre of decades past into a card based paper themed title Book of Demons explores a fan favourite adventure from an entirely new game angle. With hours of solo fun Book of Demons creates a video game title that is both challenging and comedic as you push deeper and deeper into the dungeon depths. Set in the world known as the Paperverse players step into the shoes of a typical adventurer that has arrived at a town besieged by darkness from the local cathedral. Within the ...[Read Review]
Sending players on a journey to save their village with long lost powers of turret construction Dwerve is a title that has a familiar setting and design elements while offering a unique combat premise. Released in May 2022 for Windows, Linux and Mac players take control of Dwerve the dwarf as he adventures out from his home of Brekka Village to stop a troll invasion with allies he meets along the way. Set in a world where dwarves were once a powerful race that established themselves in the mount...[Read Review]
Goliath blends action adventure combat mechanics with sandbox crafting elements to create an interesting quest driven title. Goliath will have you stepping into your own robotic creations as you jump from fragment to fragment in the varied game worlds. With a variety of these robotic behemoths to craft and utilise some of which directly counter certain enemies Goliath ensures you’ll be trying them all out to some degree. The setup for Goliath sees players crash landing into an unknown and ...[Read Review]