Highlights

• Dark fantasy action RPGs offer huge medieval worlds with mythical creatures, brave heroes and legendary treasures to discover.
• The criteria for ranking the best games include a dark fantasy setting, gripping battles and deep level systems for unique experiences.
• Games like Path of Exile, Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy 16 offer immersive worlds with challenging gameplay and epic boss battles.

Dark fantasy is one of the most popular settings in gaming, especially in the field of action RPGs. Few gamers can resist the allure of exploring vast medieval worlds where greatness is defined only by magic or steel. These games are full of mythical creatures and monsters, brave heroes and knights, dark secrets to uncover, and legendary treasures to find. Games set in dark fantasy worlds have always been some of the most attractive and popular of all genres.

Given the broad scope of the term “action RPG,” it’s helpful to establish some criteria for ranking the best games in this genre. This ranking will emphasize key components like the dark fantasy setting and immersive atmosphere. In terms of gameplay, games should feature dynamic and exciting real-time combat, as well as deep leveling and progression systems that allow players to create different battle setups and experience combat differently than others. With that in mind, it’s time to explore some of the best dark fantasy action RPGs currently available.

8 Path of Exile

A mastodon of its genre that only Diablo can keep up with

Path of Exile was released in 2013, but today it is a very different and much larger ARPG with tons of content. As the epitome of the live service model Path of Exile has received dozens of important content updates since its launch (including the latest Settlers of Kalguur expansion) that presents an ever-growing world full of new challenges and goals. As one of the most played games on Steam for years, Path of Exile is known as “hardcore Devil.“Players have to be willing to learn when they jump into the deep end.

The game world known as the continent of Wraeclast has everything dark fantasy fans could want and more. Brutally beautiful and bloodthirsty charming, it’s an exciting place to explore as players master their combat setups with unmatched flexibility and hundreds of unique abilities.

7 Dragon’s Dogma 2

Hunt giant monsters in a huge world

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an ambitious sequel to the original game, described by its creators as “the game they always wanted to make”. It presents a familiar yet fresh take on a vast, dark fantasy open world with unique elements such as limited fast travel and a storage system. The wilderness of Dragon’s Dogma 2 can seem lifeless and repetitive at times. However, various biomes (such as the Vermund and Battahl regions), several huge cities, and legendary monsters such as dragons, griffins, cyclops, sphinxes, and medusas provide plenty of adventure for players.

The game’s dynamic combat system allows players to perform long and spectacular combos, grab and throw smaller enemies and objects, and even climb on top of giant monsters to hit their weak spots. This system is at the core of the entire experience and can take a while to master. Dragon’s Dogma 2 also features a unique “pawn system” that allows the player to assemble a party from different combat classes for a varied experience.

6 Final Fantasy 16

Overwhelming boss battles

Final Fantasy 16 is probably the most mature game in the series, set in the dark fantasy world of Valisthea, inspired by game of Thrones. The game mixes political intrigue, colossal god-like beings known as Eikons, and a story that spans many years. All in all, this results in this main chapter of the iconic franchise feeling and playing very differently from its predecessors. The main attraction of the game is the breathtaking Kaiju battles, which can be considered the pinnacle of boss battles in gaming.

Despite its undeniable strengths, Final Fantasy 16 is probably the least varied action RPG on this list when it comes to designing your own combat setup. The combat is dynamic and spectacular and closely resembles The devil can cry 5but players are only allowed to use multiple active skills at once, so it really comes down to your preferences, which you can change at any time.

5 Diablo4

A new benchmark for a dark fantasy world

Diablo4 marked the triumphant return of the king of the isometric ARPG genre. Blizzard has perfected the dark aesthetic and feel that fans of the series have long been waiting for. Beautiful graphics, great music, and an overall dark and unforgiving rendition of Sanctuary are more than enough for many players. But Diablo4 is stronger than ever with its combat system and the various classes to master.

The game is easy to understand, but offers significant depth and room for improvement with each session, especially after the major Season 4 update. Diablo4 is a great pastime that’s getting even better. With the Vessel of Hatred expansion coming this October, fans can expect a whole new region, a new class, challenges, bosses, and loot.

4 Dark Souls 3

An epic conclusion to the Dark Souls saga

The Dark Souls Series is a must-have for any fantasy action RPG fan who isn’t afraid of losing. As the latest game in the series Dark Souls 3 is packed with the best bosses and a wide variety of weapons to use against them, making it a perfect title to start with. Long-time fans will enjoy additional fan service elements throughout their journey, but even for newcomers, the journey through the kingdom of Lothric offers captivating fantasy at its finest. The experience is full of unforgettable locations, enemies, stories and characters.

Punishment and reward in equal parts, exploring the world of Dark Souls 3 is an exciting experience. The game has plenty of secrets to discover, including entire large areas with their own bosses. It is recommended to play the game’s two DLCs, Ashes of Ariandel And The ringed citywhich feature some of the best boss fights in the entire trilogy.

3 Blood transfused

For those who like their fantasy dark and scary

Blood transfused is not just a typical dark fantasy. It is an unmatched blend of Lovecraftian horror themes, gothic Victorian-era settings, and stories so deep that few players can understand what happened on that fateful night in Yharnam. The mood and aesthetic of Blood transfused are unique and stimulate the imagination of every player who is strong enough to face its horrors and challenges head-on.

Blood transfused was also the first game for FromSoftware that deviated significantly from the traditional Soulslike formula that was used in the Dark Souls series, and it was a huge success. The game brought fast, parry-centric, fluid and aggressive combat and featured some of the most unique and memorable weapon designs in the genre. Blood transfused remains in a class of its own even after almost a decade.

2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

From cozy mood to dark mood in minutes

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an influential pillar of action RPGs that set the standard for dark fantasy games. Almost every new dark fantasy game is compared to this acclaimed masterpiece and often falls short of expectations. The secret of The Witcher 3 The success of The 4000 lies in the sheer number of exciting stories and unforgettable characters to discover, as well as a varied atmosphere that can change from cozy to terrifyingly dark in the blink of an eye. Combined with stunning visuals and a wonderful score, it’s a pleasure to stay in this world.

The combat system is probably the weakest aspect of The Witcher 3that can run out of steam long before the end of its more than one hundred hours of gameplay. Nevertheless, it still offers potential for the development of unique characters through its three progression paths and a variety of weapons with different advantages. Without a doubt, The Witcher 3 is a timeless classic that can be recommended to almost every gamer today.

1 Elden Ring

One of the most epic dark fantasy adventures

Elden Ring is the pinnacle of both open-world action RPGs and Soulslikes, bringing the once-niche genre to a massive audience. The game combines a vast world of dark fantasy beauty with menacing bosses and a combat system so diverse that it’s nearly impossible to try out everything it has to offer in hundreds of hours.

Elden Ring is one of the most epic, grandiose and mysterious fantasy action games of the last decade. Hidetaka Miyazaki’s creation is so deep that fans are still discovering new secrets hidden in the Between Lands and the Shadow Realm. With the latest Shadow of the Earth Tree Expansion receives rave reviews, Elden Ring proves once again to be a milestone in the gaming world and a benchmark for successful implementation of large-scale fantasy.