Torment Any good "recent" 2D ARPG?

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

River City Ransom: Underground

This one is a beat-em-up with some light rpg-elements and little bit infuriating platforming parts.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Exactly but randomized content doen't add anything for replayability, if anything, it only makes every playthrough tedious.

I think Wigmund is pretty great. It's isometric 3D though.

Wigmund> says my graphic card drivers have issues. It's funny everything else works but it's not their janky game the problem, it's the drivers.
Last time I "updated" the drivers because of a shitty game I shouldn't have bothered to play, it fucked up everything else so no thanks.

Don't know how I failed to mention this after the thread started, but there you go. 2D, real time, and do everything how you want to do it - so long as it works.

I tried it for half an hour or so years ago and it's definitely not for me.

...

River City Ransom: Underground looks a lot like old Beam-them all like Double Dragon, Dragon Ninja and Target Renegade.
Strange, the first installment was released in 1989 and I never heard of it.

So I played it a bit.
Apparently, you level up and levelling up increase maximum attributes (but not current attributes) and you can get to the maximum using consumables.
If it's just this, it's not even "light RPG elements"

I like the game though, except for the controls, too many button.
The worse thing is the help using not customized keys but default keys which is extremely confusing.
Same with "tutorial" notes while playing using the default keys.
Also, for some reason, I can't find the key to grab a weapon and defeating the weapon master requires a weapon of you deal 0 damage...
If not for this, i'd be quite good.
The game is probably better played with a gamepad.

...

I didn't try Dex yet.
There's also Rogue Legacy 2 which I wanted to try for quite some time.

 

[deama]

There's Tale of Immortal


Wuxia themed, isometric, 2D.
Basically you go around an overworld map doing missions/quests and when you enter a mission zone, you go into this smaller zone where you control your character and do typical ARPG stuff against enemies or bosses or whatever.

I thought it was pretty decent for that type of game.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Also, for some reason, I can't find the key to grab a weapon

It is same key as grapple.

 

[Snufkin]

Revenant

https://af.gog.com/en/game/revenant?as=1649904300

 

[Modron]

River City Ransom: Underground

This one is a beat-em-up with some light rpg-elements and little bit infuriating platforming parts.

Was good for what it is but I'd recommend The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa which is more of a Life Sim with stats that improve with use/training. Or emulating some of the better River City Ransom games.


Fairly light on the platforming more of a sidescrolling action rpg:


You could always wait for Drova a 2d Gothic like.


You should definitely play Dex.


Hard to think of a recent 2D action RPG that isn't a Vania or a Vampire Survivors inspired affair.

Not really an RPG but Charlie Murder for a Castle Crashers like experience with level ups and lots more equipment slots.


Not 2D but you could check out Tunguska: the Visitation.

 

[flabbyjack]

All these are a little different than the standard aRPG experience, but definitely fall into the aRPG bucket IMO.

Edit: I reallly liked Exiled Kingdoms, too. Let's hope Archaelund is great too. Also try Almost Alive. Outward was amazing! The Ascend was OK, but a little light on the RPG part. Examina is pretty good, not quite an RPG though. Moon Hunters. Realms of Magic. There's a few more I'll edit if I can dig them up.

Sands of Salzaar


Alaloth


I also had a nice jaunt playing Gedonia, recently, it's a cRPG of course but didn't strike me as too grindy and had that open world Gothic feel. You can't tell how solid a little title is by looking since it uses a stock engine and models.


You could always try a nice space sim aRPG, Starcom: Nexus might scratch your itch, it's got some serious aRPG vibes while also incorporating a lot of 2d space adventure game content. If that is up your alley you could try Star Valor too, but it's less aRPG-ish and more like a 2d space sim cRPG with action... moderately similar to Space Rangers but real-time.


Ahh, then there's MEAT.

Edit: Oh wait, I think MEAT is turn based.

Happy gaming!

 

[flabbyjack]

No Rest For the Wicked went early access

 

[Darth Canoli]

Was good for what it is but I'd recommend The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa which is more of a Life Sim with stats that improve with use/training. Or emulating some of the better River City Ransom games.

I absolutely hate this one.
A sandbox game but with a time limit and time running in the background.
And no fast travel option.
Due to the maps agency and the absence of fast travel, it's basically a 2D walking simulator.
Some mechanism are terrible, like having to push the button to take notes and of course do that every day.
The ping pong mini game going to 21 points and multiple sets...
That shit is endless.

TLDR
Combat is decent but it's not worth enduring everything else.

Not really an RPG but Charlie Murder for a Castle Crashers like experience with level ups and lots more equipment slots.

Wow, this one is really good.
Gameplay and content-wise, it's not a revolution but it takes everything that makes the best Beat'em All great and do it better.
Huge Bosses well designed (not HP sponges)
Basic enemies which aren't pushovers, if you make a mistake, they will grapple you to death (if you let them).
A lot of weapons which are useful. Including a fire axe, a chainsaw, rifles, SMG, arms, grenades, katana ...
Many destructible objects, cars exploding.
You can even ride a motorcycle and run your enemies over.

On the down side, there isn't many special moves (as far as I can tell), there's a couple like an uppercut, a special attack you have to recharge while fighting and probably a couple more but I stuck to the basics so far.
Maybe it's slightly on the easy side? (edit: only early on)
There's some retarded design choices like the phone "character menu" and the special attack requiring to pick the power after hitting the button (try and do that while running away from a boss or a horde of monsters)
Reviews seems to point out the multiplayer mode is buggy.
Like this one:

super fun game solo, broken game in online co op. If you plan to play this co op use steam share play as its way more functional.

So, I'm surprised there is only 1.8K reviews, It has the potential to be way more popular, particularly with 4 players.

TLDR
It's really good, all the ingredients are there and everything is well made.
The real fun is probably in local multiplayer.

Edit : Do yourself a favor and play this one with a joypad

 

[flabbyjack]

Oh and of course the 2018 classic that is still releasing expansions and content --

Inquisitor: Martyr


A neat little thing was you would keep all drops if you quit the mission before it was over. That meant there were some boss battles that you could grind for those legendary drops.

 

[Darth Canoli]

I finally picked Grindea, which came out of EA recently.

It's good, 2H crit/attack speed build is really good, full offense with the drop rate potion (HP second, crit third but I never use it)
Cards drop quite fast.

The game is pleasant, many interesting boss fights, some secrets, easy back-tracking with the teleport from anywhere feature.

My previous EA build was a thunder mage with chain lightning + the cloud summon which is quite good as well but makes the game harder against strong enemies.

Apparently, 1H build has some great skills as well like shadow clone.
Not completed yet, I probably reached the final zone (the pirate ship) or close enough as there is only 1 enemy to discover.
And 80% completion.

The arcade mode is pure garbage though, starting over and over and over isn't my thing.

Next, I might play It lurks below.