While we had the chance to reconnect with the father of the hack & slash in isometric view, Diablo II, in all its remastered glory, it is a good idea to look back on the legacy of more than 20 years that the Rôdeur Noir has left in its wake. Particularly fond of this prolific genre at Clubic, we offer you our selection of the best of the offspring of the Lord of Terror.
This is of course neither an exhaustive list nor an objective list, since everyone's tastes and colors can be so different. Although several of these titles are now dated, the genre having finally evolved little over the past 20 years, this in no way detracts from the happiness they brought to hack & slash fans in their time, and are absolutely worth discovering for neophytes. Many of the titles presented are exclusive to the PC, but some are also accessible on consoles, the genre inviting itself more and more on these platforms.
Path of Exile: The Worthy Illegitimate Heir
View PricePath of Exile
- A lifetime of exile
- Deep and complex gameplay
- An extremely generous free-to-play formula
The closest experience to the original
Undoubtedly the game that best paid homage to the original work, Path of Exile stands for many as THE new benchmark for hack & slash since its release in October 2013, courtesy of Grinding Gear Games.Offered in a free-to-play format where the microtransactions are mostly cosmetic, it is, so to speak, an extremely generous title in many ways. Offering six character archetypes at the start, it's up to us to choose the path of our class, in a freedom that literally makes you dizzy.
Theory-crafting enthusiasts have a lot to do with a fresco of colossal passive talents and a system of gems to embed in their equipment to create ever crazier combinations of spells and bonuses. Combine that with a resource system for crafting as well as trading with NPCs and players (Diablo II trade fans will be delighted), and you have a bottomless pit from which few come out unscathed, and which may put off most of a neophyte.
In addition to offering a basic lifetime of exile, Path of Exile is constantly renewed with seasons adding new content, objects, quests and bosses, so you will never let go again.
After 8 years of good and loyal service, Path of Exile continues to brandish the torch of a heavy heritage, which it is preparing to pass on to its successor, Path of Exile 2, which we await with great impatience in view of this that he promises.
Diablo III : l'enfant terrible
Diablo III Price
- A hellish life
- Demonic Content
- Frantic gameplay
A harvest of souls towards redemption
Say that Diablo III when it was released in 2012 (12 years after its illustrious father) was controversial is an understatement. Between servers that literally blew up at launch against a horde of demon-bloodthirsty heroes, art direction that didn't make everyone agree, and an in-game, real-money auction house that caused a lot of ink to flow, the fans of the first hour were very disappointed.
Despite everything, the direction taken by this third opus in terms of gameplay casually refreshed the genre somewhat and above all greatly energized it. The constant flexibility offered to build his character made it possible to adapt to all situations, to the chagrin of those most keen on perfect theory-crafting. The craft was also rather successful and not very intrusive.
But it is mainly thanks to its expansion, Reaper of Souls, that Diablo III was able to experience real redemption. Exit the very controversial auction house, we discovered a new act there taking up the codes of atmosphere of his illustrious father, the arrival of the Crusader and later of the Necromancer (via DLC). Diablo III thus found the right path while keeping its own identity. The addition of the mystic, the revisited Kanai's Cube from Diablo II, that very dear Kadala, daughter of the well-known Gheed from Diablo II, and bounties breathed new life into the search for the perfect loot and permanent replayability .
The endgame has also been enhanced with a system of flaws allowing followers of the ranking to prove their worth by climbing ever higher in difficulty, in order to perfect their build with the most powerful equipment. A system of seasons adding new rules and new sets of equipment also made it possible to renew the gaming experience each time and to start from scratch for a new adventure.
Unfortunately, he will be quickly outclassed when his dear father, who worked for the beauticians of Vicarious Visions, will make his triumphal entry again, and in the long term by Diablo IV, which wants to be the best of all worlds between the first two opuses and this third episode which did not unanimity.
Grim Dawn: cross between Diablo and Cthulhu
Grim Dawn
- A delicious and scary Lovecraftian atmosphere
- Deeply complex and varied gameplay
- A very solid lifespan
A filthy atmosphere with more tentacles
In 2016, Crate Entertainment created a surprise with Grim Dawn, who made the choice to part with the atmosphere fantasy hitherto inherent in the genre hack & slash, to add a little Lovecraft to an already well-distilled formula. Crate Entertainment was also not at its first attempt, made up of veteran developers of another classic of the genre on which we will come back just after.
Grim Dawn therefore plunges us into a Victorian atmosphere mixed with the sinister and grime specific to the Cthulhu universe, to the delight of fans of the atmosphere of Diablo I and II. Beyond an art direction as sumptuous as it is disturbing, Grim Dawn also offered gameplay that had proven itself in the previous title from the veterans of Crate Entertainment.
It was indeed possible to combine two classes among the six proposed base, then with new ones added via extensions. As a worthy heir to Diablo II, the theory-crafting of his character was crucial from the start in order to make the best progress in a campaign that could prove to be particularly tricky. The slightest error in his build could indeed block us completely, one-shots against basic enemies could be frequent.
Grim Dawn also stood out from its brethren thanks to a system of faction and choices to take during the main quests, which could subsequently influence the world around us. A mechanism borrowed from more classic RPGs like The Witcher 3, certainly less extensive, but which had the merit of existing.
All in all, one of the best hack & slashes of recent years, provided you appreciate the difficulty, the sordid and the tentacles.
Titan Quest Anniversary Edition: a titanic reach
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See the priceTitan Quest Anniversary Edition
- Mythology, a timeless theme
- Divine gameplay for the time
- A titanic lifespan
A Homeric Journey
Here we are tackling another monument of the genre, developed by Iron Lore Entertainment, which later became Crate Entertainment. Originally released in 2006, Titan Quest offered us not to face demons with a shovel, but mythological creatures. From Ancient Greece to Scandinavian mythology via Egyptian mythology and Atlantis, this title offered us a truly titanic journey.
A title at the time sumptuous and with well-oiled mechanics, in particular with a double class system which will be taken up with mastery in Grim Dawn. With many acts dealing each time with a different mythology, Titan Quest offered an absolutely colossal lifespan and divine gameplay, both in single and multiplayer.
In 2016, Titan Quest was adorned with a high-end Anniversary Edition, allowing us to reconnect with this legendary title in the best possible conditions. For a small fee, this edition allows us to go through the entire game, extensions included, with better management of multiplayer, support for more recent resolutions, and already superb graphics revised upwards.
Beyond the simple facelift, Titan Quest Anniversary Edition also allowed itself a complete rebalancing of classes, talents and objects. Enough to multiply an already enormous replayability for veterans of the original game.
A timeless hack & slash, which is aimed as much at fans of the genre as at fans of mythology.
Sacred 2 Gold: an indelible birthmark
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See PriceSacred 2 Gold
- A magnificent artistic direction
- The ultimate Sacred 2 experience with all expansions
- Deep gameplay
An enchantment at all times
There are games that leave a deep impression on players at first sight. Sacred 2, developed by Ascaron and published by THQ Nordic in 2008, is one of them. This title borrowing as much fromheroic fantasy that at the dark fantasy usual Diablo-Like had an incredible charm, whether it's the sets or the interface, which hardly left anyone indifferent.
Offering seven classes with their own strengths, weaknesses and equipment, the gameplay of Sacred 2 was particularly well-oiled and offered great diversity and replayability. Like many other titles in the genre, a good build idea from the start was paramount to getting by in the myriad of quests on offer across numerous acts with ever-increasing art direction.
Sacred 2 also stood out with a really huge map, which it was possible to browse more easily by buying an expensive, but essential, mount, an element rarely seen in the hack & slash genre.
Hugely successful, Sacred 2 got a Gold Edition in 2012, compiling the gargantuan original adventure and the two expansions released afterwards, offering an absolutely gigantic lifespan.
A true hack & slash reference, despite its great age, that every fan of the genre must try, if only for its sumptuous artistic direction, even today.
Torchlight II: the cartoonish and inventive offspring
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PriceTorchlight II
- A cute and colorful Steampunk art direction
- Efficient gameplay and great new ideas
- Excellent replayability
Steampunk and Pets
Torchlight is in itself a small phenomenon in the sphere of hack & slash. Having known ups and downs, it is above all the second opus of Runic Games which has come out on top, thanks to its cartoonish artistic direction, its Steampunk and some great little furry and feathered ideas.
Beyond an atmosphere that made the genre accessible to those put off by the sinister and the gore, Torchlight II offered class archetypes that were relatively unique in their genre. Although few in number, it was possible to specialize them in different branches, radically changing the way of approaching them.
Where the series has particularly stood out from its peers is thanks in particular to the presence of pets. These served as mules to save us from going back and forth to town to empty our inventory, as helpful companions in combat thanks to a specially dedicated equipment system.
The Torchlight series also offered a rather classic replayability in the hack & slash genre, asking us once the story was over to start it again, with more devious and resistant enemies. Something to reshuffle the cards a bit and constantly review our strategy in order to progress.
If Torchlight III has experienced chaotic development for a result below its predecessor, the title still offers a mechanism rarely seen in the hack & slash genre: housing. It is indeed possible to create your own haven of peace in order to store your equipment there and obtain various advantages. An idea in the execution somewhat perfectible, but to be welcomed all the same.
Wolcen Lords of Mayhem: the little Spaniard with big ambitions
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Wolcen : Lords of Mayhem
- One of the most beautiful hack & slash of the moment
- Complex gameplay with some nice finds
- A substantial lifespan
Nice-style hack & slash
Speaking of chaotic development, the very first game from the eponymous Nice studio Wolcen is a good example. Originally launched via a Kickstarter campaign and in Early Access asUmbra, this ambitious title has seen many upheavals, and several promises during development have not made their way into the final version.
If its mention in this list can raise eyebrows as the game unfortunately still lacks finishing, it would be cruel to deny the work done by the independent Spanish studio. Wolcen indeed displays one of the most beautiful plastics that hack & slash can offer today thanks to the Cryengine, as well as a rather atypical gameplay.
It is indeed one of the rare titles of its kind to offer a classless system. It is thus quite possible to create a character borrowing as much from the arcana as from the art of war or trickery, all in a very fluid way. Without counting on the Aspects of Apocalypse transforming us into a monster of power for a few moments.
Wolcen also takes up the fresco of passive talents from Path of Exile, but attached to several wheels that can be rotated in order to truly create your own archetype, and not be confined to a predetermined starting path.
The endgame is also very well thought out, with a city management system allowing us, against given resources, to unlock a whole section then unknown during the campaign. To amass these resources, we will have to go through rifts similar to those of Diablo III, but asking us to choose random bonuses to enemies or additional bosses for better rewards.
There is still a long road ahead for Wolcen, however, which continues to receive new content and patches since its release in February 2020, but which is showing little sign of becoming a new canon of the genre.
Warhammer 40,000 Inquisitor Martyr: The Bloody, Belligerent Millennial
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Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr
- A very well transcribed Warhammer 40,000 universe
- Dynamic and deliciously violent gameplay
- A stellar lifespan
There is only the loot
Si Grim Dawn et Torchlight stood out by being interested in a more futuristic atmosphere than the classics of the genre, Inquisitor Martyr goes even further by taking us into the generous universe of Warhammer 40,000. Developed by NeocoreGames, this title also had a chaotic start before stabilizing its trajectory in the Warp and offering us an excellent adaptation. hack & slash.
Offering us to embody four styles of inquisitors using the canonical Warrior, Mage, Assassin and Summoner classes, each with three very different specializations, Inquisitor Martyr offers a well-finished and bloody gameplay. It's also one of the few games of its kind to feature a cover system, with gunfights naturally being commonplace in the 41st millennium. In absolute terms, this mechanism is quite perfectible, but the effort remains to be welcomed.
In terms of lifespan, Inquisitor Martyr is as gigantic as a cathedral ship, offering us many missions to go against various xenos and other creatures subservient to Chaos. The loot and craft systems are not to be outdone, promising us many hours to build the ideal instrument of death in the service of the Emperor.
Since its release in 2018, Inquisitor Martyr has improved significantly, in particular thanks to an overhaul of the gameplay making it much more dynamic and ergonomic. The fairly recent arrival of a standalone expansion adding the famous Tech-Priest class and other adversaries has only improved an already very solid formula.
A title that is therefore aimed as much at fans of the genre as at worshipers of the Emperor-God, ready to speak with arms to annihilate corruption in all its forms in His name.
Last Epoch: a very promising gestation
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Last epoch
- Sublime artistic direction
- Deep and dynamic gameplay
- An endgame already well calibrated
A well-oiled gameplay time loop
In Early Access since April 30, 2019 and relatively unnoticed by the general public, Last epoch yet shows enormous potential to position itself as a new reference of the genre when it is released. Developed by independent studio Eleventh Hour Games, this title exudes love for hack & slash and the desire for controlled work.
Allowing us to embody five unique classes with three distinct specializations, Last Epoch offers truly crazy theory-crafting possibilities. Each class and specialization spell has its own talent tree, and we will have to choose six of them to make up our build. On top of that, our starting class and chosen specialization also have their own talent tree, providing dizzying diversity and replayability.
And that's without counting on a universe with a sumptuous artistic direction, giving pride of place to time travel. Last Epoch is indeed divided into different timelines that our character will have to go through to prevent the inevitable end of his world. If the campaign and the multiplayer are not yet finalized, it is already possible to tackle an endgame similar to that of Diablo III. But at the end of several rifts we will be offered a unique quest leading to a particularly devious boss, allowing us to raise the difficulty of the following rifts by one notch, for of course even better loot.
Crafting also offers a rather unique approach: thanks to shards collected everywhere, it is possible for us to improve our equipment to better stick to our build. However, by dint of improving a part, it risks fracture, making it impossible to make further improvements, or even purely and simply to be destroyed.
Although it is not yet finished, Last Epoch is already excellent on all levels, and we can't wait to see the end result of a title that easily promises to be a new reference in hack & slash.
Lost Ark: the not-so-lost free-to-play MMO
8
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See the priceSee the testLost Ark
- Gameplay hack'n slash fun et spectaculaire
- Interesting story with epic flashes
- Many and varied activities
- Superb art direction...
Finally in the West!
Developed by Smilegate and finally fresh to our shores, Lost Ark certainly made a lot of waves in the sphere hack & slash. It is indeed one of the rare titles of the genre to fully embrace the influence of the MMORPG, with in particular raids and dungeons with many players unleashing powers, each more explosive than the other, all in a format free-to-play.
At the class level, Lost Ark offers five well-known archetypes of the genre, but each with many specializations corresponding to everyone's style of play, in an extremely nervous and dynamic gameplay. Lost Ark also presents an absolutely sumptuous plastic (and not only for the female characters) with superb decorations and visual effects on all the floors literally burning your retina.
Hack & slash mixed with free-to-play MMORPG requires, Lost Ark must offer absolutely gargantuan and evolving content, and it is clear that Smilegate has worked hard here. Crafting is also particularly complex, to the point of being almost a game within the game. Fans of PvP, a mode that has been missing on many hacks & slashes since Diablo II, will also be thrilled with Lost Ark .
“Stay awhile and listen to me”
Here is the end of our selection of Diablo-Like hacks & slashes that have particularly marked us, with their atmosphere, their own mechanics, and the many hours of play and pleasure they have given us.
Remember that this is of course only a subjective list among a myriad of heirs that Diablo II has generated in 21 years. Do not hesitate, in turn, to share with us your favorites and anecdotes about a particular title from an iconic genre in the video game landscape.
Because if hack & slash is legendary, it is above all thanks to its passionate players who have spent several hours of their gamer life cherishing and optimizing their character, in search of the ultimate loot…always the ultimate loot.
