Summary
In the olden days, the RPG was the domain of slow-paced table-top action where seconds of combat could take hours to resolve. However, with video games, things changed, and the action RPG is all about taking the deep customization of the RPG genre and mixing it with the punchy high-octane gameplay of the best action games.
Whether it be top-down looter RPGs with massive amounts of enemies or RPGs that require a sharp mind and even sharper reaction times, there are plenty of brilliant action RPGs with deep customization options.
TheDiablofranchise is storied for a lot of great reasons, particularly because it pioneered the CRPG-inspired action RPG and infused it with incredibly high levels of action gameplay to make some of the most addictive looter-RPG gameplay in recent memory.
Diablo 4is a fantastic return to form for the franchise that sometimes has inconsistent qualities between its entries, balancing a compelling story alongside a power-growth and endgame gameplay cycle that is endlessly engaging with aseries best when it comes to the classes. With more expansions on the way, few games do it quite likeDiablo 4.
Instead of a traditional character creation system, players inWarframechoose from dozens of Warframes — each with distinct abilities, strengths, and playstyles — before further fine-tuning their build with an intricate modding system. With a near-limitless combination of weapons, abilities, and augments,Warframeallows players to craft a method of cutting through baddies however they like.
Beyond combat, customization extends to cosmetics, allowing players to personalize their Warframes with an array of skins, color palettes, and accessories. The game has a lively community who take delight in showing off their personalized Warframe, going some way to explain the game’s ongoing popularity over 10 years after it first released.
The devs at Team Ninja had the unenviable task of competing with FromSoftware when they released SoulslikeNioh, but to many people’s surprise,Niohwas a bit of a smash hit, with many praising its in-depth combat system and absolutely brutal difficulty.
Team Ninja only improved their credentials withNioh 2, a sequel that just improves the original game in every way with a better-paced story, tighter RPG combat, and a depth of character ability customization that puts FromSoftware games to shame.
ThoughSkyrimdefinitely has its problems, it’s hard to deny that possibly the most popular action RPG of all time has not just introduced millions to the RPG genre but also to the particular joys of customizing a character to play just the way they like.
InSkyrim, Bethesda did away with the class system to instead have a free-flowing skill tree where skills improved the more the player used them. That means, ideally, the build of the character begins to excel depending on the player’s choices, offering deep and personal customization alongside a raft of bespoke offensive weapons and defensive armor sets.
WhileDiablo 4is undoubtedly the more popular top-down ARPG,Paths of Exilehas carved itself a perfect niche for enthusiasts of the genre who have graduated from the relatively simplistic world ofDiabloto the realm of the hardcore, where inching out marginal buffs and percentage chances is the name of the game.
Path of Exile 2refines the original’s mammoth customization, still delivering onclass-based skill treesthat would make the uninitiated weep, while offering unprecedented tactile feedback and player agency in crafting builds that no one else has done before. It’s hardcore, but so satisfying for its fans.
Customization comes in many forms, andThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunttries to deliver on as many as possible. As a Witcher, Geralt tends to be nimble and agile, and the player is able to choose any set of armor they like to enhance sign gameplay, potions, elixers, oils, grenades, crossbow, or any other combination ofuseful skills and abilities.
But that’s only half the fun, because part of the sincere joy of the game is to dress Geralt up in a variety of weird and wondrous clothes, as well as trimming his beard, hair, and changing his eye wear until he looks as ridiculous, or as badass, as the player likes. No two Geralts are quite alike, and the game is self-evidently brilliant, earning its spot on the list.
It’s fair to say that the majority of people who playedNieR: Automatahad probably never played a Nier game before, and for good reason. They were extremely obscure, a little weird, and completely unforgiving to newcomers. However,NieR: Automatacreated legions of new fans with one of the most touching and existentially affirming stories ever put to pixels.
As 2B, players are able to customize her internal chipset to cater her combat style to whatever the player desires. Some gamers like fast 2Bs, where others prefer slow and tanky, focused on precise dodges. To say anything more about the depths of customization would spoil some of the game’sbest surprises and endings, but needless to say, it’s one of the best action RPGs ever made.
Though it only released a couple of years ago, it’s hard to considerElden Ringnot just the magnum opus of FromSoftware, but also one of the greatest RPGs ever made. Refining the Souls formula within an inch of its life,Elden Ringdelivers an RPG of epic proportions that has a staggering amount of depth and arogue’s gallery of bossesthat’ll fill any RPG fan’s time up.
Considering the depth of the game, there are hundreds of weapons, armor, talismans, abilities, consumables, and more to customize the player’s tarnish to any specific niche. The number of combos is genuinely staggering, and it’s a wonder how the game is remotely balanced considering how everything about the Tarnished can be changed. It’s one of the best action RPGs with some of the best character customization, hands down.
