Games Like Path of Exile 2: ARPGs With Depth That Demands Spreadsheets
The best games like Path of Exile 2 — deep ARPGs with complex build systems, loot-driven progression, and endgame that lasts hundreds of hours.
Path of Exile 2 is the ARPG for people who think Diablo is too simple. Grinding Gear Games built a sequel with a passive skill tree that has over 1,500 nodes, a gem system that creates millions of possible build combinations, and an endgame designed to sustain thousands of hours of play. It's not for everyone — but for the people it clicks with, nothing else compares.
Finding games like PoE2 means hunting for ARPGs with genuine depth — complex character building, meaningful loot, and endgame systems that reward mastery.
The ARPG family
Path of Exile (the original) — still running alongside PoE2 with its own league content. If you want the classic PoE experience.
Diablo 4 is the AAA ARPG competitor. More accessible than PoE2, less deep. The seasonal content and itemization have improved significantly post-launch. The diablo 4 builds post has more.
Last Epoch hits the sweet spot between PoE's complexity and Diablo's accessibility. Excellent loot filter, time-travel campaign, deep crafting. The best middle-ground ARPG.
Grim Dawn is the dual-class ARPG with darker tone. Deep build variety through class combinations. Excellent expansions.
Torchlight Infinite is free-to-play mobile/PC ARPG with seasonal content.
The soulslike ARPG alternatives
PoE2's combat is more deliberate than PoE1, with dodge rolling and slower pacing. Games with similar combat weight:
Elden Ring is action RPG with deep build variety and challenging combat. The games like Elden Ring post has more.
Nioh 2 combines soulslike combat with deep loot systems. Closest to PoE2's "loot + difficulty" combination.
Remnant II is soulslike shooter with randomized dungeons and loot.
The classic ARPG picks
Diablo II: Resurrected is the genre's foundation, remastered.
Titan Quest Anniversary is Greek mythology ARPG with dual-class system.
Sacred 2 is massive open-world ARPG.
The roguelike ARPG hybrids
Hades and Hades II are roguelike action with build variety. The games like Hades 2 post has more.
Curse of the Dead Gods is isometric roguelike with corruption mechanics.
Dead Cells is 2D roguelike with ARPG build diversity.
What we make at Choost
Granny's Rampage is bullet heaven — much simpler systems than PoE2 but shares the "each run lets you experiment with different builds" philosophy. For more ARPG content, the path of exile 2 builds, diablo 4 builds, and best roguelike games posts have more.
The shortest version
For closest PoE2 depth: Last Epoch. For AAA polish: Diablo 4. For darker tone: Grim Dawn. For soulslike + loot: Nioh 2. For classic ARPG: Diablo II Resurrected. For free: Path of Exile 1 or Torchlight Infinite. PoE2 is genuinely unique in its depth — no other ARPG has a passive tree this large or build variety this extreme. But Last Epoch comes closest to balancing depth with accessibility.