the best and worst hack and slash games article
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title: The Best and Worst Retro Hack & Slash Games
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date: 2020-12-22
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image: "/img/games/diablo2/cover.jpg"
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tags:
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- 'Diablo 2'
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- 'hack and slash'
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- 'feature'
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keywords:
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- hack & slash
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- best hack & slash games
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- best diablo 2 alternative
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- diablo 2
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- retro hack and slash
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- hack & slash games ranked
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- diablo 2 alternatives
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- diablo 3 alternatives
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- classic hack & slash games
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- torchlight alternatives
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description: A selection of retro Hack & Slah games, ranked. Which ones stack up to Diablo 2? A summary of the best and worst action RPG games from 2000 to 2012.
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This month, I've played the heck out of classic action RPGs akin to Diablo. Starting with Sacred, I worked my way through Dungeon Siege, the Torchlight games, Nox, and of course revisited Sanctuary in Diablo 2 and 3. Yet there are still more H&S games waiting for me (Dungeon Siege 2, Titan Quest, Throne of Darkness). For every game discussed below, there is also an in-depth comparison review published on the Codex. This article attempts to summarize these, to be able to compare all games at once.
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## The games
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First, let us take a look at each game in the list.
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### [Diablo 2](/articles/retrospectives/diablo-2)
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![](/img/games/diablo2/crystallinepassage.jpg "Diablo II.")
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Read [the retrospective](/articles/retrospectives/diablo-2). There, we concluded:
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> Twenty years later, breezing through the game together with a friend feels as invigorating as it felt back in 2000. I might have become a bit less immune to the repetitive nature of the game, but in multiplayer mode, it hardly mattered. Is there any game that matches the greatness of the grandfather of H&S dungeon crawling? I doubt it, unless you are looking for comfort (Diablo III), color (Torchlight), charm (Nox), or a more unique take on the class and skill system (Sacred).
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This is _the_ benchmark of H&S games, the undisputed king, the one everybody tries to imitate, the _Monkey Island_ of the adventure games, the _Mario_ of the platformers. And yes, it is still relevant and fun with a partner to breeze through the multiple difficulties!
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The question is, does any other game come close to matching its greatness?
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**Play Diablo 2 if...**
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- You know it and you love it. Nothing will replace the nostalgic and authentic feeling.
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- You're looking for the best balance of items/character builds
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- You found a few buddies willing to join the EuropeBattle.net servers.
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**Do not play Diablo 2 if...**
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- You're scared of 2D pixels or low resolutions.
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- You can't stand randomly-generated pitch black dungeons with a lot of dead ends.
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### [Diablo 3](/articles/reviews/diablo-3)
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![](/img/games/diablo3/mobs.jpg "Diablo III.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/diablo-3). There, we concluded:
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> Blizzard North is no more, Blizzard entertainment made this third Diablo installment instead. And that is exactly how I would summarize this game: entertaining enough to keep you in. Still, that term does not equal grand, nor does it equal engrossing. Entertainment is for when I’m tired but still want to kill a few mobs. Entertainment is for when I don’t care for skill points and just want to play. This perfectly summarizes what Diablo 3 is all about: loot - kill - entertainment.
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The skill choice instead of tree greatly reduces the complexity, and the added seasonal extras with a strong focus on loot emphasizes its arcade-like gameplay. This is a good game in its own right, but should not be called _Diablo_.
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**Play Diablo 3 if...**
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- You enjoy fiddling with lots of different character builds.
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- You're looking for end-game content.
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- You don't mind the comfy/easy/cheesy-ness.
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**Do not play Diablo 3 if...**
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- You're expecting a successor to Diablo 2.
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- You like complexity and strategic thinking.
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### [Nox](/articles/reviews/nox)
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![](/img/games/nox/castle.jpg "Galava Castle. Beautiful 2D pixel-art.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/nox). There, we concluded:
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> Let’s be clear on one thing: Nox deserves more attention. It’s a bit of a shame that it got overlooked thanks to Diablo 2. Both games could work complementary - why choose one when you can play both? To me, they both serve a different purpose. And to me, Nox has far more charm than Diablo. It is what one could call a hidden gem, and it’s perfectly re-playable because all character paths are partially unique.
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Westwood knows how to put the _charm_ and unique atmosphere in a game: it is visible in Red Alert 2 and also in Nox, although calling this a full-fledged loot-centered H&S game would be stretching it a bit too far.
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**Play Nox if...**
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- You value a charming world before an item-littered world.
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- You like replaying a game with different classes.
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**Do not play Nox if...**
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- You want to invest heavily in multiplayer.
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- You're a loot addict.
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### [Dungeon Siege](/articles/reviews/dungeon-siege)
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![](/img/games/dungeonsiege/enemies.jpg "Annoying critters that spew a constant stream of energy at your party.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/dungeon-siege). There, we concluded:
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> Dungeon Siege is not quite a typical hack and slash game: you control a party, there are few attributes/skills, and they’re all automatically accumulated. Furthermore, your party by default automatically attacks enemies on sight, so when things go well, there’s little for you to do but press a hotkey or two to grab the uesless gear. To put it bluntly, it feels like you’re watching a marathon of Lord of the Rings extended edition movies instead of playing a game where thought must be put into correctly building and equipping your character.
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Being still an impressive looking game with a seamless world that does not involve any load times, it will get very tedious faster than you think. If you have a soft spot for Gas Powered Games, I'd suggest to save it for Dungeon Siege II.
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**Play Dungeon Siege if...**
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- You value 3D above 2D.
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- You like donkeys.
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- You dislike clicking - or making decisions.
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- You absolutely want a party.
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**Do not play Dungeon Siege if...**
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- You prefer playing games over watching movies.
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- You expect to mess around with spells and items.
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### [Sacred](/articles/reviews/sacred)
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![](/img/games/sacred/houses.jpg "Lovely 2D art visible in bigger cities.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/sacred). There, we concluded:
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> Is Sacred better than Diablo 2? In the end, I’m glad I played it: it’s a rather unique world with a strange skill tree implementation that still puzzles me to date. It doesn’t quite come quite near the level of greatness Diablo II is, but it certainly tried well enough. I might actually prefer the huge open world, quests, visuals, and quirkiness of Sacred. Sadly, the core hack & slash mechanics, the loot and reward system, is a bit of a missed opportunity to me.
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The unique world of Ancaria comes with goofy voice acting, funny but mostly mundane side-quests, and a lot of goblin killing. Will this be to your liking? That will depend:
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**Play Sacred if...**
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- You're bored of the standard class options and want to try something unique.
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- You like 2D art, weather effects, and a day/night system.
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- You like to have a bit of a laugh from time to time.
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- You insist on riding a horse.
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**Do not play Sacred if...**
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- Quickly respawning monsters scare you.
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- Monster variation is something you think is necessary.
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- You value tradition and mana over strange skills and combos.
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### [Torchlight](/articles/reviews/torchlight)
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![](/img/games/torchlight/effects.jpg "Spell/Skill effects flying all over the place.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/torchlight). There, we concluded:
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> If you were to play this in 2009, you’d thank the Lords that finally someone managed to do a proper Diablo clone. These someone guys happen to be none other than most of the original crew. At the release date, the game priced at one third of a full game, so be aware that content-wise, that’s also what you’re going to get. A ten hour thrill through randomized dungeons to kill, loot, listen to nostalgic tracks that bring back memories, while distributing skill and stat points.
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The surprise hit Torchlight strikes just the right tone to the Diablo fan, especially with the sound effects and music hitting home run. That said, it is a very short game that is over all too quick. Take a look at Torchlight II if you're serious about the Torchlight series.
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**Play Torchlight if...**
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- You want Diablo 2.5.
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- You don't mind a very barebones story with lots of dungeon crawling.
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- Magic find is something you drool at.
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- You like pets.
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**Do not play Torchlight if...**
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- You're looking for multiplayer options (it has none).
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- Colors and cartoonish graphics hurts your eyes.
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- You're looking for a _lot_ of content.
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### [Torchlight 2](/articles/reviews/torchlight-2)
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![](/img/games/torchlight2/pirates.jpg "Torchlight II on Nintendo Switch.")
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Read [the full review](/articles/reviews/torchlight-2). There, we concluded:
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> Anno 2020, if you’re in for a Diablo fix (or should I say replica?), take a look at Torchlight 2. There is no doubt that Torchlight 2 is better than its predecessor - on all accounts. Since both Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 were released in 2012, it comes at no surprise that both games are compared very often. Since I played both games on Switch, and both games are more colorful and easier than Diablo 2, it was difficult not to compare both. To me, Diablo 3 is the best leisurely-paced hack & slash game, well-suited on consoles. If I could, I would play Torchlight II on PC.
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Torchlight II is like Diablo 2.6 and better than its predecessor in every aspect, even including a multiplayer mode. You owe it to yourself to try it out if you are a real Diablo fan.
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**Play Torchlight II if...**
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- Torchlight I was your thing but it was over too soon.
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- You like boss fights.
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- You don't mind a little bit of steampunk mixed in for good measure.
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**Do not play Torchlight II if...**
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- You're a melee player and want to play it on Nintendo Switch.
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- You're looking for original skills and cool classes.
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## Hack & Slash games, ranked.
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Keep in mind that ranking games is actually a silly practice that does not fully represent the gameplay of each individual game. It is but a subjective opinion of one person. Since I played the original Diablo a lot when it came out, of course I am also heavily biased. That said, here's my own list:
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1. Diablo 2
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2. Nox
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3. Diablo 3
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4. Sacred
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5. Torchlight 2
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6. Torchlight
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7. Dungeon Siege
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The undisputed king stays at number one - obviously. Second is Nox, a game I have a soft spot for. Next in line, Diablo 3, as I honestly think it is a good game in its own right - on the couch, with a controller in hand. I had more fun playing it on Switch than I did Torchlight II, and Torchlight I isn't as good as the second version. To me, Dungeon Siege was very boring. That leaves us with Sacred, a unique and maybe a bit of an odd game, I would put right in the middle. I'd rather replay Sacred with a cool class like the Seraphim than go through Torchlight II again.
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To be continued, with more H&S fun!
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