Grim Dawn is the only Action RPG I've enjoyed since Diablo 2

Sometimes I waste time on other games that I don't intend to cover, but I've just been sinking so much time into Grim Dawn on and off for the past year or so that I just couldn't help but just... talk about it!
Edited by Korsei: bit.ly/korsei-yt
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Enter an apocalyptic fantasy world where humanity is on the brink of extinction, iron is valued above gold and trust is hard earned. This ARPG features complex character development, hundreds of unique items, crafting and quests with choice & consequence.
Key Features
- Dual Class - Combine any of six distinct classes with over 25 skills and modifiers per class. Base classes include Soldier, Demolitionist, Occultist, Nightblade, Arcanist and Shaman.
- Hundreds of Item Skills - Augment your class build with a diverse array of over 250 unique skills granted by items and equipment add-ons.
- Collect hundreds of Items - Common, magical, rare, epic and legendary classes of loot. Plus over 20,000 possible magical affix combinations and over 200 rare affixes.
- Quests with Choice and Consequence - You will face tough decisions that leave significant impacts upon the world. Strangers on the road, desperate families and even entire villages may live or perish based on your actions. Currently over 35 quests with 75+ lore notes to be collected.
- Friendly and Enemy Factions - Earn favor with human factions to unlock additional quest lines, vendor discounts and special faction-based items and augments. Some neutral factions can be turned into allies but aiding one will make the enemy of another. Hostile factions will remember your deeds and deepen their hatred of you, sending out large packs and elite heroes to hunt you down.
- Devotion, an additional layer of skill customization allows you to acquire bonuses and powerful secondary effects for your class skills. These are unlocked from a giant constellation map with points acquired by finding and restoring destroyed or corrupted shrines hidden throughout the world.
- Rebuild the World - Help human enclaves survive and flourish by securing vital necessities, rebuilding structures and rescuing survivors who can then lend their services to your cause.
- 4 Person Multiplayer - Connect with Friends or make new allies in glorious multiplayer. Multiplayer encounters will put your teamwork to the ultimate challenge.
- Fast-paced Visceral Combat - Enemy blood spatters, ragdoll physics and satisfying enemy death effects. Smash in doors and fight house to house, leaving a path of demolished furniture in your wake.
- Rotatable Camera - If you choose to survey the full beauty of the world and always fight from the most optimal angle. Levels are still designed so that players are not forced to rotate the camera; it is purely optional.
- Secrets and Perils Abound - 200+ Enemy heroes and bosses, hand-configured with their own unique arrays of deadly skills. 20+ secret areas hidden behind crumbling walls, hidden gaps and mysterious locked doors. Explode obstacles or repair structures to open new paths.
- Rogue-Like Dungeons - Descend into special locked challenge dungeons that require a rare crafted key, where enemy levels increase as you progress and player teleport is disabled. There is no way out except to complete the dungeon or die trying.
- Dynamic Weather - The world is brought to life with region-specific climates and a variety of weather effects. A sunny day can cloud over with mild rain showers that builds into a booming thunderstorm. Variable wind gusts blow grass and affect objects like windmills.
- Recipe Based Crafting - Collect over 250 crafting recipes that allow you to combine salvaged components into unique crafted items and then, later, use those basic crafted items with higher-tiered recipes to complete items of amazing power.
- Reclaim Skill Points - The ability to pay to reclaim points alleviates the fear and frustration of having to make early, uninformed skill choices that could permanently gimp a character.
Grim Dawn on Steam: store.steampow...
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[@GitraSilvermane]

As someone who has played many many ARPG games, Grim Dawn is among the top. As you said, the class system allows so many different builds. Plus grinding rep gives some awesome items making the grind really worth it. Even the lore is really good and could rival Diablo.

[@juhanipolvi4729]

Some of the lore is also quite creepy, such as trip south...

[@ExeErdna]

@@juhanipolvi4729 Yeah, that story was like "whoa", then looking at the world and the time reflective to our own like late 1800s to early 1900s makes perfect sense.

[@WCIIINoob]

Totally agree with that! AAAND I got Dungeon Siege 1 + 2 - vibes incoming, when I play this. I have 1.8k hours on PoE and ~1k hours on d3, but grim dawn (I "discovered" it around a week ago) kicks some ass. Every epic Item I find, I think: "wow, this is used in another great build, for sure. I have to keep this and try a build around it". The offline-economic give me some peace, not to play "optimised for farming".

[@Handle35667]

Diablo doesn’t rival Grim Dawn. GD is way better

[@happytime2781]

@@juhanipolvi4729 trip south is my absoultely favourite note lore

[@laszloneumann500]

Grim Dawn is the perfect middle between Diablo and PoE. Not too simple to make you think the devs take you for an ape but not too complex and intimidating so that you think "im too dumb for this"

[@steamh4mmer264]

Poe devs still take you for an ape

[@brojakmate9872]

@@steamh4mmer264 not everyone who play PoE are black

[@Draliseth]

​@@steamh4mmer264 An ape with a wallet.

[@iteststuff3854]

Hi there. I'm one of the playtesters of the game. 8k+ hours sank into grim dawn. It is truly my favorite. I can tell you that I, the player base, the other testers, and the devs put a lot of effort into making sure all class combos can work well in end game. There are no bad constellations, there are no bad skills, there are no bad classes in grim dawn. Obviously some combos are better than others, but I can safely say that there is itemization to support every single class combo in the end game. Perhaps only saboteurs are still a bit wonky due to the extreme lack of skill synergy. Seriously, I've seen every single constellation in a strong end game build. I've built around every single legendary tier item. They're all good if you know how best to take advantage of them. One of the nice things in diablo 2 is by the end of the game you feel extremely over powered. You earned it after grinding and farming the right stuff. Same in GD but the end game systems ensure everyone can hit a challenge wall eventually. Crucible has a different meta than shattered realm. So this is the only arpg I know with 3 end game metas. Crucible vs farming SR vs pushing SR. And the secrets in Grim Dawn are so many. Secret areas, secret quests, silly secrets, lore tied secrets. There is so much hidden within GD. There is one secret that is so difficult only 3 players have been verified to get it, including myself. I love this game and I love you for giving it a chance. (Can provide proof of being a playtester upon request)

[@merttutuncu9271]

I'm playing as Druid right now(level 45ish) and feel like game is forcing me to go lightning+cold. The skill buffs (+1 to x skill) on the items seem to favor lightning and cold builds, rather than vitality which is what I'm playing right now.

[@iteststuff3854]

@@merttutuncu9271 there are certainly optimal paths for leveling. Gear diversifies more at higher levels. You can't expect everything to play close to equally from start to finish. Also you're being too vague. With RNG you can't guarantee +skills to your desired dmg type early on. Some builds are certainly more powerful levelers. My above comment was in regard to the fact that you can, with some know-how, make any damage type or focus feel good enough from start to finish. But it's at the end game where you see lots of creative itemization support.

[@MD-yd8lh]

@@merttutuncu9271 heh. 45 lvl? Its only begining)

[@datanon3059]

"...there are no bad skills, there are no bad classes..." Dreeg's Evil Eye and Defiler say hi. However you're mostly right, and the game is moddable enough that I'm sure the last of the issues will be smoothed out by community patches later.

[@MD-yd8lh]

@@datanon3059 what wrong with this skills?

[@howardgreenwich490]

I stumbled on GD last Fall. It's been my go to pandemic game, and I've logged 1000 hours. As a dad and full time worker, I would not have guessed I was about to put that much time into a game. It's a gem that keeps offering me different challenges and goals - end game stuff is incredibly difficult. But not impossible. And the GD community has veteran players who also have stuck with it for years and are super helpful to other players on the forum. It's not for everyone, but for some it is near perfect.

[@StarkeRealm]

I really dig Grim Dawn's setting. I get it's not to everyone's taste, or really most people, but you *never* see full on fantasy settings based around other historical periods. Everything tends to wander back to that same medieval (with elements of early modern weapons and armor) setting. Grim Dawn runs with a 19th century pastiche, and I love it for that. Also, yeah, the game is really fun as well.

[@geoffreymatheson9206]

I'm coming back to GD after getting kind of tired of PoE and I do agree with you - I like that GD has gone for a sort of Van Helsing sort of feel. At first I honestly just hated it. I didn't like how there were guns and magic but still mundane melee weapons and armor, how there were all these rough, rustic items but also these industrially produced things like metal bedframes and the medical equipment you see in Krieg's lab in A1 did not feel cohesive and believable to me at all at first. On this fresh playthrough I'm looking at it as like if Warhammer 40K went back to the start of the Industrial Revolution and met the Fallout series, and that I can start to mesh with. Still not the biggest fan of the setting but I'll give Crate credit for making a bold move as any ARPG needs its own identity to stand out, and look at Last Epoch. That's still in development so hopefully they put more work into the worldbuilding. Right now, it just seems like it's a copy/paste of a high fantasy template and I cannot force myself to care about what happens in that world. Wolcen was a total flop in that regard, too. If I come across another NPC group called "The Keepers" I'm going to scream.

[@jchinckley]

@@geoffreymatheson9206 I have both the other games you mentioned and I don't think they're bad, but they don't (haven't?) hold (held?) my attention like Grim Dawn does (has?). I bounced off PoE for years before finally playing it through to the end (before the Atlas) and I like it now but am wary of Tencent's involvement. I have only 3.9 hours in Last Epoch, and my time in Wolcen is only "marginally" better at 51 hours. The next closest to that is the first 2 Torchlight entries (everything since is crap). Unlike many of the commenters, I liked the setting of Grim Dawn right from the get-go. Whoever was tasked with the worldbuilding of this game really went for it hard. There are 3 different types of magic (Aether, Eldritch, and Void), and the setting seems/feels like a pulp fiction story from the 30s mixed with high fantasy, but set in the 1800s when steam was the driving technological force. So a sort of steampunk high fantasy setting with a splash of "wild west" (the guns). Even the guns are fantasy items. To me they don't shoot bullets, they shoot concentrated magic so you never run out of ammo as long as you have them. Your own abilities only increase the damage output. And sometimes the speed you can shoot.

[@HydraDominus]

Me and my buddies just got into this game about a week ago and we can't stop playing it. It's been a while since we all got online at the same time and played a game together in years. The exploration in this game is my absolute favorite in every arpg I've ever played

[@beerasaurus]

Grim dawn is a real jem. I've got 400 hours logged. I love my characters. My cabalist minion master, my auto attack demo, my spin to win shammy.

[@XDarkStrikerX]

Grim Dawn is amazing, really the best nowadays IMO. It has something that other modern RPGs lack and fail to understand for the most part: A balance in complexity, grind/rewards, exploration/kill speed and difficulty with an unparalled quality of life and builds that actually feel different in gameplay. Auto-Sort, auto-pickups, loot filters, respec, mod support... You can also eventually complete all content casually if you keep at it even if you didn't play for a few months as you'll keep your progress at all time and your build will stay viable. It actually respect your time. Great review, you nailed it. Exploration is super fun. While it's challenging especially later on, there are no other ARPG that make me feel that relaxed clearing maps.

[@avidjp]

I've played every single relevant ARPG thats come out in the past 10 years and Grim Dawn is easily top 3 for me. Thousand of hours in PoE and Diablo 2. It has loads of depth but not way too much (PoE lol). Appreciate the video man!

[@dvdgamingthings289]

Yeah definitely top 3 my list is Diablo 2, grim dawn, and torchlight 2.

[@thebromiester]

Same here there's so many builds to try that after 2k hours I'm still thinking of more

[@ace_kicka]

@Fancy Your profile pic is so nostalgic

[@5whisker]

GD is like a "Home-Game" to me I could binge play for 2 months, take a break for 6 months and when i go back, there might be some slight changes but my build is still relevant. They really respect the players, both casual and hardcore. Although my ass is still getting kicked on HC, RIP my level 89 char. You will be missed Le Destroyz.

[@WebnewsCelebrities]

Just like diablo 2

[@jchinckley]

I have 9k hours in Grim Dawn and have yet to get a character to lvl 100. I just recently moved on to elite and have yet to enter ultimate difficulty. I haven't got a hardcore character to even level 40 yet.

[@rbd5281]

If you want to play Grimdawn AND Diablo 2 at the same time, try looking at Reign of Terror - Grimdawn mod

[@fodedordegatas1081]

Dudr wtf you talkin abal? Diablo 2 is so much better

[@TheFeralFerret]

@@fodedordegatas1081 Nah, it's bad.

[@fodedordegatas1081]

@@TheFeralFerret comon dud... You mast be a kid to say somthin like dat....

[@omegadroidzero]

@@fodedordegatas1081 Your spelling tells me enough about your intelligence.

[@fodedordegatas1081]

@@omegadroidzero speaking two languages Tell u i m a smart Guy?

[@viperclaw7629]

I'm moving towards 3500 hours in Grim Dawn and i'm still having a blast. -The sheer amount of build-possibilities (You can make even the craziest of ideas work, if you grasp the mechanics) -The possible "holy trinity" and synergies you can have in co-op (Tank pulling aggro, Supporter buffing, debuffing and healing and Damage Dealer glasscannons bringing the pain, or even hybrids inbetween) -The hunt for skins for the Fashion Dawn/Transmog (implemented since the Ashes of Malmouth expac) -All the secrets to find -The grim dark, lovecraftian lore to explore -The loot hunt (All items can have even more passive proc, or active skills on them. There are items converting damage types of specific skills into another damage type, to make two masteries work together, which are otherwise lacking a common damage type, to make even the craziest of builds work all of a sudden. Tons of blueprints to find etc.) -The crafting (You find blueprints, you can even completely craft end game sets since the Forgotten Gods expansion) -The quality of life options like a very detailed lootfilter, transmutation of set items (into another item of the same set, or into a random set item of the same value), or the easy and cheap respec (you can reset everything but your choosen masteries/classes.. Bosses can drop potions to reset attribute points or all devotion points at once) -The tools/mods (Infinite stash via the "Grim Dawn Item Assistant", so you dont need hundrets of mules f.e.) Definately a game i come back to time and time again. And i agree with the title of this video. I would even go so far, to call Grim Dawn the true, spiritual successor to Diablo 2 and an enhanced Titan Quest ontop of that. Really wholesome and good video. I really felt your passion to the game coming through. I'm always happy to see people to enjoy this gem of a game as much as i do. :)

[@ingeniousclown]

I wouldn't say "as much as you do" because at the end of the day I still only have 78 hours, but my 78 hours is another person's 300+ as far as commitment goes I think. I've really been wanting to get back to leveling my shaman that I showed in this video but too many other things demand my attention :( And oh my God I think the loot filter on its own is one of the things that really makes the game stand out for me. One of the fastest ways for me to get turned off of a game is having to do way too much annoying micromanagement of useless items, and it's really nice that as I level up I can continue filtering out more and more lower-tier rarities and just make my life way easier.

[@domenicomarzovilla3402]

ive clocked 1500 hours in this game and it is truly wonderful, one of my all time favorites. you really don't get video games like this any more, the base game and expansions really take me back to the early aughts when you had things like LoD and Frozen Throne enhancing games. glad it is finally getting some recognition after years of improvements and iteration by the devs

[@MrTirien]

Hell yeah. Me and a friend recently started, i have over 200h so far, this game is so freaking awesome. Everything works really well, and the secret and hidden locations, the classes, items, mobs, bosses, heroes, so forth. Give it a go

[@miroslavgruev8223]

This game is so so good, i feel sad for all the people who have never played it. I also feel jealous as they can experience it now and fall in love with it! Thanks for your video, im sure someone will be telling the same story about your video and how it all started here for him!

[@petrinafilip96]

One of my favourites part of GD is Monster Infrequents (Items that always drop from specific monsters), which allows targeted farming. And even better, item modifiers. You can take a fire based skill and put on an item that gives it an extra effect and makes it do acid damage. Boom, couple of new possibilities. And there are items that do this for almost every left/right click skill in the game. And these are also farmable by killing specific mobs. Also, there is a bit of "procedural generation" in a way. Since game randomly puts rocks on narrow paths, and every character gets a different "loadout", you often have to find different paths toward your objectives.

[@RivnatZille]

Grim Dawn is my favorite ARPG, and one of my favorite games of all times. I've started playing it back when it was on Early Access, and I loved every second of it! I just love this game! No other ARPG gives me the same amount of customization and fun!

[@Apudurangdinya]

this is how good the game, he didn't even bother to research when the game is came out because everything is still hold up to today's game quality, and yes, i still play it to this day, not everyday but time to time when i want to try new build, maxed it to 100

[@Dyrnwynn]

I agree with nearly everything here. I've spent more time with Grum Dawn than any other loot grinder ever. I've been passed my Diablo 2 play time.

[@effindave6909]

I'm sitting on about 1250 hours played in grim dawn. Started in beta 23. As far as I'm concerned this is currently the best ARPG on the market. It hits that sweet spot between the braindeadness of d3 and the total insanity of PoE.

[@SaltandDragons]

The braindeadness of d3 and the total insanity of PoE 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@cv507]

couldnt stand uber cheapöh flee-r poe. player names anöid chars too big graphics faulty etc etc. that free from skill class irminsül jungle geometrick thingey still buy was purdy to b-höLD. sadlie knöt för me. i reckon this game gd will take at least 3kilo hours maybe more than 4 fröm you... multiple övergrindce v v

[@TheFos88]

Hey man stop sitting on numbers what they do to you?

[@cactuss33ds]

@@cv507 im from the future to tell you that whatever the fuck you said here is still completely incomprehensible.

[@YadonTheCat]

Ah yes, the game that keeps popping up in sales that I've never heard anyone talk about Oh, this is like Titan Quest in its multiclassing? Sold!

[@Repetoire]

Made my some of the same devs. Great game.

[@laszloneumann500]

Runs on literally the same engine as Titan quest, which is wild

[@MimiMimi-yj4kl]

I like the camera that can rotate and view the fights in every angle

[@cam9144]

Not knowing what I was doing with sub classes I just went full demolitionist and had a literal blast the entire time

[@roqsteady5290]

Secondary masteries are often used for support skills. Inquisitor is a good match with demolitionist and demo+inq is a called a Purifier. Particularly fun to play with a ranged two hander or dual pistols.

[@aleefmohammed244]

Thank you for covering this game. I hope more channels cover this game. I have almost 2K hours and will not stop playing! The loot design is something the developer got right. You can actually have a top tier build even with green / blue items instead of legendary sets.

[@vasiliyvasiliev2177]

It is not mentioned that you can entirely build your active skill set on the ones granted by items and components.

[@thisGuy481]

I love that I can have a pyromancer that throws fireballs and then procs a meteor storm.

[@chavee70]

If you love Grim Dawn, do yourself a favor and mod it with Grimarillion. 32 sets of masteries including from Diablo 3 and Titan Quest. The combinations are crazy fun to experiment with.

[@kinh0t]

no

[@zacharyrichter4759]

@@kinh0t ok

[@stevenbitecofer6831]

I agree. I played Grim Dawn for 18 months a few years ago. I also recently went back a lost another few days of my life playing it again. I cannot wait for D2R but yes GD is a wonderful game and Blizzard is even taking some features of GD to include in D2R like shared stash, zoom and selected character screens to view your outfitted characters. It is good fun.

[@orbitals5281]

Those aren't grim dawn created features, but they are definitely good ones.

[@erikkovacik878]

Former member of the team that made Titan Quest founded his own company that made Grim Dawn. They are made in same engine.

[@sp0x970]

LOL, It is 2023! I have only been playing a few weeks. I am SoOooooOoo ADDICTED! Love this game! Grim Dawn is what D2,3.and 4 should have been!

[@skyguy713]

Personally I love that every class combination has a unique name, fitting its mix of abilities

[@kcadelaide]

GD is much better than any other diablo-like games.

[@vond5829]

It's a solid ARPG with that classic loot-based gameplay, a cast of unique interesting classes with flashy skills and a revolutionary devotion system, combine with second classing makes for a near infinite possibility of playstyles and builds. It's like the devs made the game for you and not for money, which sounds ridiculous but sadly doesn't happen very often these days.

[@winsenken]

When I first played this game I was quite overwhelmed especially by the devotion tree. I started a month ago and now I can't stop

[@silversideshow]

Same 😀

[@jarlgreen1630]

I bought this game in 2017, played it on and off since then and just fell in love with it this year and have been dropping hours in like mad. Get the Crucible DLC, get the Ashes of Malmouth and Forgotten Gods DLC. This is a game made by people who love their community of players. This is now my Happy Place game.

[@godofdeath8785]

Yeah its so cute. I really like to play in this game its great game and they saying its best arpg now better than poe and especially diablo. I as well bought Inquisitor martyr but got dissapointed after 8,8 hours good i bought it not for much money at least

[@Efgand0894]

This cant be coincidence, I am playing GD right now

[@roqsteady5290]

Me too :).

[@barryg.5224]

So weird, cause I JUST went back to playing GD (yet again!) 2 days ago! :o

[@themandals7273]

It isn't? KZbin recommended this video to you because you liked GD.

[@mata218]

What I've played of Grim Dawn has been amazing, although I'm not a big action rpg guy so I didn't get too far.

[@ingeniousclown]

Fair!

[@PandemoniumGameDev]

I think it becomes even more fun later, there are hidden areas, quests, bosses and a great story. Hope you got a build though, some deadly areas are very hard.

[@roqsteady5290]

@Didactic there is no doubt it can be confusing starting out, but fortunately normal mode is very easy and you can get away with almost anything whilst you learn the mechanics. There are some very good guides on KZbin: I can strongly recommend rektby-Protoss “how to level a X” series which he does for each mastery. A bit long perhaps but very enlightening.

[@TheRatedOniChannel]

As someone that has played High Fantasy tabletop RPGs (be it Dungeons and Dragons and many others like it) and also Dungeon Crawler board games I am quite tired of the setting, yes, it is fun, but really, the market of both is oversaturated, so when I saw the grimdark look of the game it was what made me interested originally. Then I played it and I understood that not only the setting and the lore was great (for me that is), but the mechanics and gameplay were top notch.

[@introgaming6638]

Played Diablo1 - 4, Wolcen, PoE, Last Epoch, Titan Quest but still I keep itching to continue to play this gem!

[@auroriasolaris]

I've basically played every single diablo-like rpg in existance, and for me Grim Dawn is among the best. Basically almost perfect expansion of Titan Quest formula. Double class and devotion system on top of it really can create some awesome and powerful builds. Itemisation is deep and polished aswell, I especially like how smooth and intuitive all damage conversion works.

[@espasmemuscular]

I had nightmares trying to figure out builds when factoring in damage conversion

[@davidmiller9485]

Titan Quest and Grim Dawn share devs. I love both. when i get in a mythology mood i hit titan quest (and some of it's mods are just nuts, in a good way) and when i want something more modern but still fantasy i hit Grim Dawn.

[@NicoBlackXIV]

Yo dawg I heard you like procs so we put procs in your procs so you can proc while you proc. Yes, Grim Dawn is the best Diablolike to date imho. You did fail to mention that the secret area you found is actually a lotr easter egg with a Gollum-like monster that drops a unique ring

[@charlesballard5251]

Grim Dawn got past me somehow when it was released. I discovered it about a week before Thanksgiving of 2022. And you've just said that you found it the same way I did, by someone else talking about it. I've been going back and forth between this and TITAN QUEST for a while, but now I've been primarily on GRIM DAWN for over a month. It is a great game. Great vid, thanks.

[@plammery]

Grim dawn is an aboslute favorite arpg of mine Its beyond addicting collecting gear and the little materials

[@dhaub7174]

Grim Dawn is one of those games that I needed to come back and try a few times before I really got. Its so damn good. Such an underrated game

[@ruminasan6188]

Played it a lot. And i hope for a Grim Dawn 2.

[@Lesminster]

Arcanist with Albrecht's Ether Ray full build. I got like +8 to Ray from items only and +3 to Arcanist. This f*cking wrecks. Kinda squishy but runs very fast on proper devotions. Most non-boss enemies die in one or two ticks of Ether Ray dmg. Only lately started adding some Necro to increase def and offensive aura. Have a blast so far, 64lvl :D

[@WhatWillYouFind]

Grim Dawn is nearly a perfect game. It provides exactly the expected experience for an ARPG and more. Every ARPG seems to have a problem with end-game, GD doesn't . . . Casual farm totems to find items? Multiple roguelike dungeons with their own unique enemy and challenge types. Nemesis and SUPER-Boss will make any build that isn't at its peak cry. Secret bosses? Do you just like making characters? Monster infrequents and all the dozens upon dozens of sets are specifically tailored to a specific type of build using those key skills. The emergent gameplay is pretty huge for new players because you see skill combo potential there. Finish ultimate and roll new characters with all the unlocked merchant dlc items to skip some of the grind by allowing teleportation around the map and open up all the difficulties. Rerolling is cheap, if you hate your build but like the classes just get rid of what you think isn't working or tweak what you have to perfection. Devotions alone unlock so many combinations it would be impossible to seem them all. The sheer number of CONVERSION items and synergy across the devotion tree can allow a DRAMATIC change even across the same class types, just by swapping skill and devotion paths. The crafting system itself is so common sense and agreeable that it is a shame every single game hasn't copied it. GD screams " freedom" and "player choice" by allowing you to mix up or do almost whatever you want within each equipment piece. Former useless components have value, you never feel like you get "trash" because even the endless pool of hundreds of items can be dismantled or sold so you can convert it into something useful. " Late game you even can reroll the same item to a different item within the same set, reducing the monotony." It is woefully under appreciated. The game is made with passion, love, and a careful attention to detail. You can play the game 300 . . . 500 hours and still NOT see everything within the game, even if you use the wiki either because you don't have a maxed out character to attempt the locked away end game ultimate encounters or because like me . . . you keep f'ing rerolling and trying new things. It is nearly perfect. Back when it came out I placed it 1:1 with Diablo 2. Now after playing it on and off for a few years I think it is BETTER than D2, because spiritually it does what made D2 so great. It also dumpsters D3 and D4 without much of a contest, with graphics being the ONLY benefit to playing those games . . . for a much more hallow experience. Grim Dawn is a love letter to gamers who love ARPG games, much like BG3 currently is doing with CRPG's. I can only hope they will make a GD2

[@TheEmpryon]

You made me smile and giggle like a was a kid again! I restarted playing Grim Dawn yesterday and oh boy did I ever enjoy the game even more than when I played 2 years ago! Actually I only play because of Dawn of Masteries mod. Which gives like 40+ extra character classes... lol! So a lifetime of build customization! And I thought PoE was deep into customization.. well lol

[@jtBrander]

After binging on G.D for the last few months I went back to Titan's Quest, definitely worth revisiting. Good Video.

[@teknomax7883]

In my opinion, Diablo 2 I had times when I was bored, stuck, or frustrated; and thevendor system is Hideous... On Torchlight, sometimes you had to farm like a maniac, and some other things were picky, like with Diablo. Diablo 3 is crap... But no Grim Dawn. Loved the setting. Loved the lore. Loved its easy system. Loved the difficulty steep, it's just perfect. Loved being the right amount all the time. Loved having lots of items, but not being forced to farm. Loved the class variety. Loved how skills can complement each other. Loved how mastering a class also rewards you with health, energy and so on. Loved the Skyrim-esque constellations (need moar electricity!)... Loved Grim Dawn.

[@punishedbung4902]

PoE is my favorite, but Grim Dawn is a close second. PoE can be really inconsistent, with balance changes, performance and stability issues, server antics, and item crafting is an RNG nightmare. To see an Endboss like Sirus, the Shaper, or the Elder, it requires you to build at the bare minimum two characters, and the first one is a starter build that’s spent accruing capital to pump into your actual god build. While PoE has the allure of experimentation, the very foundation of PoE is steeped in risk vs reward, and it becomes increasingly dangerous and expensive to get experimental the more into endgame you get. That’s why I like Grim Dawn. It’s just a nice game you can play. It is lax with refunding skill trees and gear crafting and farming isn’t a hell-gauntlet.

[@squirrel_disaster]

I have amazing memories with this game when I first played it in the summer of 2021. I became instantly addicted, I had spent so many nights playing it that summer. I have tried to look for games like this, similar in atmosphere or look or whatever, and I haven't managed it yet. This game is truly unique and unforgettable.

[@BanksOwnUs]

I enjoyed the story, for an arpg its really good. I mean its no ffVII, but its not supposed to be. I find myself coming back to the game every so often just to get the feel of the atmosphere of the game. The notes they throw at you give you a feel of the crazy world youre in. 9/10, would def recommend.

[@ZabreDarklight]

I got just about 1000 hours in this way back in 2016! It is to me still one of the best ARPGs I've ever played. Its even the only one I have played to endgame on in Hardcore!

[@BrawlerGamma]

I still haven't taken the time to get *deep* into it, so I could be kinda off here, but I like how each class skill tree, doesn't actually force you to commit to much of anything, except to get skill nodes that buff or augment one of the ones that comes before it, and it seems like you're kind of encouraged to pick some level of cohesive build, and cherrypick skills from both your class trees that work toward that, rather than something like the Torchlight games where it's, not exclusively, but mostly, "Here's three different playstyles for each class; we'll pretend you can do whatever you want but you might as well just fill out one of these tabs." It feels a lot more like, both a creative process and a problem-solving process to look at two classes, have a vague idea what you want to do, and be like, "Okay, so what stuff in here lets me do that? What stuff meshes, and what stuff conflicts? How do I make it work?" I'm sure you can make a lot of stuff work better than you might expect, but it requires you think about it, while it otherwise lets you loose to do what you want. /ramble

[@JJEMTT]

Grim Dawn is phenomenal. Totally agree with the title, best ARPG game I've played since D2.

[@isaacgorski6054]

Step 1: play for 60 hours Step 2: finally realize what skills can be assigned under default attack beyond the ones that are specifically labeled for that Step 3: play necro occultist and kill everything with one cast of bloody pox and ill omen Step 4: realize devotions can be assigned to pets Oh these aren't steps, these are useful tips I wish I knew

[@joelhatterini6392]

Might have to actually look into this considering Titan Quest was basically the only isometric ARPG I really like and it sounds similar.

[@ingeniousclown]

Grim Dawn actually uses Titan Quest's engine, and a lot of people who worked on Titan Quest worked on Grim Dawn. It's very much a spiritual successor.

[@PandemoniumGameDev]

A lot of systems that weren't perfect in Titan Quest were improved in Grim Dawn. Loot drops are a lot less random feels more fair, the world has a lot of hidden areas with difficult bosses and the game in general feels a lot deeper because of the faction and devotion system.

[@IraStephens]

Not the same type of game, but I loved how FFXI had subjobs (2nd class). I think that got lost in recent games and thats sad because its so much fun. Ninja/Warrior tank, Red Mage/White Mage for buffing and healing, etc.

[@SkillGame]

Grim Dawn is an excellent game. There are so many great skills and I love all the creative things you can do with multi-classing and the constellation system. As someone who also hasn't enjoyed many other ARPGs since Diablo 2, another one that I'd recommend is Last Epoch. For an early access title, it's really smooth and there's a ton of content.

[@brainfodder3233]

Time travelling from 2023, and Grim Dawn is still my #1 overall ARPG of all time.

[@Scratchyjackscratch]

Great game, I haven't gotten too far but the game play and loot/crafting system is cool, I've played through Titan Quest a bunch, figured I'd give Grim dawn a try, glad I did.

[@onepiece666]

I actually loved the Incredible adventures of Van Helsing, the fun humour and the sidegal Katarina who added lots of fun and personality, to what would usually be a soulless empty main character who is nothing but a vessel for click, destroy, loot and repeat. Thats what I am looking for in new Diablo like games

[@Ironclad6661]

Grim Dawn is amazing especially today. The developers love to game and they make it better every year with constant updates.

[@CorruptorPeste]

Grim Dawn is for extreme arpg players. The game had plenty to offer, is for that reason i can´t play it. It take 10 mins to examine a piece of equipment to evaluate if a change it for the one i´m using. Skills and constelation i feel the same, too much reading and learning for an arpg. That´s why i don´t play Crpg or Grimdawn who is in the middle of arpg and crpg.

[@Gogoxanish]

Although ive played GD for some years, this video was inspiring, just how many ways are there to play the game, the variety is immense. I've found a way of playing GD that i personally enjoy. I put a selfcast rule/"restriction" that i can never pick up or use gear other than white or yellow (normal and magical) gear. In that way, im encouraged to think more into stats and skills to perform well, from the very start of the game. I cannot lean onto the imbalanced drops that "always" drops every run...

[@susaac9755]

Speaking of the game, i dunno if anyone else had this problem before, but every once in a while i reboot this game, and i end up maiking a bunch of characters, getting them to killing krieg, and then just resetting and retrying a new new build. I'm kinda stuck in this weird loop where i just can't find a build i can get attached to. And it's frustrating because i know i would like the game, but i can't get past that point. In a way, this game's freedom is exactly the thing that bogs me down.

[@funybirbman3813]

My current build is a Mage Hunter (inquisitor/arcanist) who uses a flamethrower-like ability and jacked on-attack procs and holy shit melting an entire crowd of zombies is so much fun

[@roguewriting]

I bought Grim Dawn in March of 2016, on a whim browsing ARPG titles on steam. I fell in love with it almost instantly. I created my first Character (Warden or Soldier/Shaman) and just started bashing my way through it. I loved the depth of skills, the polish, the feel. I made mistakes leveling, I built poorly, there are things I wish I knew at the time but there wasn't much out there about GD at the time. I still have that Warder, lvl 100, and play it. I've respecced it to be more min/maxxed but realistically, I completed the game on all difficulties with a character that was suboptimal, but played the way I liked. I think that's what keeps me going back into Grim Dawns world even with so many Max Level Characters. If I find a particularly interesting Legendary item, it will set me on a journey to build a character around it. I am leveling 5 right now that are very bizarre specs but have a goal in mind that will tie it all together. None of them feel useless, or bad. Some are squishy and you have to play a bit safer, but not every build should be able to facetank Nemesis Bosses. The only downside to this is that it comes very late into gameplay. You will find a TON of cool unique items as you level, but there will still be a lot that you won't know exist until the end game. To me it adds to the replayability. That being said, for anyone thinking about getting into Grim Dawn, there is a very very important tool you can take advantage of, that I wish had been around when I started. Grim Tools. Fantastic Database, that allows you to search for items, build characters with skills, constellations and everything to see how it fits together. Want to build around a certain damage type and abilities? You can search for any items that modify those. (Ex. Fire Strike - basic attack ability. You can search through weapons and armor to find all items that modify Fire Strike.) The cool thing about this is you might find some that fundamentally change the ability. Maybe changes the dmg type, or how it interacts. So, big shout out to the creators of Grim Tools, I've easily spent more time on GT than I have in game. Almost all my bookmarks are characters I've built in GT. This game is so refreshing and rewarding. It's criminally underrepresented. Even KZbin threw this video into the Diablo 2 category. Get Grim Dawn, have fun, you won't be disappointed. This is one of the few games that I play consistently, and have for the last 7 years. Pro Tip - Build for survivability first, and almost can't go wrong with all points into Physique (this is due from stat allocations you will get elsewhere skill trees, constellations, gearing, etc)

[@AEGISDEFENSE]

Grim Dawn is hands down my favorite. Tempted to try Last Epoc as I like the look of their systems, but until then Grim Dawn is the GOAT.

[@Noobirus]

Yeah, GD has this weird that problem, that many people I know refused to play it after trying it for 1-2 hours, because they didn't get how the classes, devotion points (ESPECIALLY skills that are unlocked with devotion points), and everything else worked. The game also doesn't really explain or promote the reputation system and item enhancing. But ho boy... after you learn the game, you'll have mad fun creating the most absurd characters. The lore and plot are also really good for an aRPG.

[@jamesbowditch3241]

Grim Dawn is fricking awesome. I'm now playing Warframe, but GD is wonderful when you realise you can minimax. And it works. Seriously. An all fire build? Perfect. How do I make it better? Just add more fire. So much fun.

[@merdufer]

Diablo 3: Grade School ARPG Grim Dawn: College ARPG Path of Exile: Ph.D. ARPG

[@TheSunMoon]

I've had this game for ages, and like you, played some couple hours, couldn't get into it. Yet somehow, I enjoyed Adventures of Van Helsing trilogy. I will give Grim Dawn another try!!

[@randomaccessfemale]

13:40 You did not mention, but you can also find a certain wretched creature in that cave.

[@bricetatham4080]

Have you played Dawn Of Masteries? It's a mod for Grim Dawn it includes all classes from Diablo Diablo 3 TitanQuest As well as a few other mod classes, its crazy fun making new builds with over 40 to choose from + the dual class.

[@nyekomimi]

3 months ago: rest in peace Hellgate London Now: rest in peace Path of Exile

[@TililioChaosLord]

I haven't watched the video yet (will soon), but I can really recommend Last Epoch too. It's not fully out yet (early access) but is already full of promises. Especially the skill and crafting systems.

[@ingeniousclown]

I saw The Lazy Peon's video on it, it does look really, really nice!

[@matrix255]

I'm not a fan of D3 however in my opinion it has the best feeling of all the ARPGs when it comes to combat. It feels smooth and snappy, animations are fluid and cool looking, not even PoE combat feel this good. I've like 1k hours in Grim Dawn, completed Ultimate with 5 different builds but the combat always felt kinda stiff and lacking, I always wanted to make a dual wielding pistol build but the firing animation is right down awful. I know Crate used Titan Quest engine so they had to work around the limitations of an old engine but I would love to see Grim Dawn 2 or another ARPG made by Crate in a new engine like Unreal 5 or something like that I bet it would be amazing.

[@user-wr9hc6gf2n]

Welcome to the club, now play OG Titan Quest next.

[@ingeniousclown]

I played it back in its hayday. Installed it again just to get some footage for this video. It shocked me just how bad it felt to play after being so used to Grim Dawn for so long.

[@PandemoniumGameDev]

Titan Quest was my favorite game for more than 10 years and I was hesitant to pick up Grim Dawn because of the setting and how dark it was compared to TQ. Boy I was wrong, the game is easy to pick up but offers a ton of complexity, the loot drop feels fair and fun, the factions and nemesis systems are amazing ideas implemented very well, exploring the world feels amazing and you're being rewarded for trying to find hidden areas. Safe to say that this is my favorite ARPG now, hope they make a worthy sequel.

[@roqsteady5290]

Their next game is a town builder called “farthest frontier” there isn’t much info on it, but some screenshots on the site. Looks a bit like Banished. Fingers crossed they do a follow up to Grim Dawn after that.

[@PandemoniumGameDev]

@UC2L5K6aaQ2IuBhrUL%F0%9F%98%80%F0%9F%98%81MOx1Xw Yeah I saw that, not really interested to be honest but I wish them luck. I'm gonna be waiting for the GD sequel😀

[@ndgaming1978]

From the moment its released up to time I am writing this....there is no better ARPG than Grim Dawn. I can not wait for Grim Dawn 2 to be released. I don`t even know if there is a plan to be released I am just hoping that people from Crate know what they have created. Masterpiece which deserves a sequel. Also, I hope that gameplay shall remain intact. That is the key of Grim Dawn success. Until Grim Dawn 2 is released I am going to play this game over and over again...and I know that many people do the same thing... because telling the truth...game is so powerful that new coming games are way too far from this quality.

[@longtermgaming418]

Arigatou gozaymas! This was the insightful review of grim dawn that I needed to really give it a chance. I had the same first impression as you.

[@TheHeartThatRunsCold]

Grim Dawn is one of those Arpgs, I've tried many times, and always dropped before getting a character rolling, never clicked with me.

[@xzxxx-km4vy]

Great game but it doesn't scratch the D2 itch for me. Maybe that's why i haven't stopped playing D2R since its release. What you said about the setting is the same thing for me, Diablo 2 does the whole Gothic dark mood so well, the disturbing sceneries, the tortured bodies all over it's just a whole different mood

[@marlouabalona5079]

I had the same experience as you wherein I refunded GD but bought it again because of most people's positive reviews, I installed it but added Dawn of Masteries as a mod, and voila me and wife are addicted to this game.

[@MrQmicic]

Best ARPG ever. I almost continuously play it for couple of years now.

[@markusk3015]

No randomly generated Maps or Dungeons,Shit Game.

[@Adam-pc8dl]

Haha dude your sense of humor is great. Nice vid!

[@cookie-dq6zj]

My top 3 arpgs:Diablo2,titan quest and Grim dawn.I bought the game if I remember correctly back in 2014 when it was in early access and basicaly they wanted the money so they can continue making the game.Never regreted it!Still remember waiting for months for the next chapter.If Im not wrong the game in the beginning was being made by only 3 devs.I also saw that titan quest2 is going to come out in the future.Its sad that these devs that made titan quest and Grim Dawn wont be making Titan Quest2 too...That would be something else!But I would be thrilled also if I saw Grim Dawn2 sometime in the future!🙏

[@eleongo]

Grim Dawn is one of the only games makes me keep coming back after breaks,. Its replayability is mind blown, not to mention this game already feels completed without the need of enhancement mods especially with release of monster totems.

[@mysticjuice3363]

I literally just bought the game and this is the first video i see when i open youtube can't wait to play lol.

[@aurawolf664]

All Grim Dawn is missing is full voice acting for EVERY npc. that is essential to immersion imo. other than that its a solid ARPG and belongs right up there with Diablo 2 and Path of Exile. I recently found an epic pair of pants thats quite literally grant me the "skill" to throw acidic and poisonous globs of POO POO at my enemies. Equiped as much poison/acid damage as possible on my Nightblade. This Shit Throwing Ninja build actually made it to end game. 9.99/10

[@matthuck378]

Grim Dawn is definitely one of the best, if not the best, top-down ARPGs. And I'll blaspheme here and say I liked Titan Quest more than Diablo 2.

[@phantasyhero4435]

After diablo 4 flopped i knew exactly what to come back to

[@donlasagnotelamangia]

You hit the nail on the head - the best part of arpgs is *experimentation*. Grim Dawn's easy respecs are a godsend, and it's gobsmacking that other arpgs like Torchlight 2 and PoE don't capitalise on this point. Plus all the other awesome stuff the game has. Sometimes I just wish the combat was more engaging though. Something akin to Hades combat. But who knows, perhaps someone can make a mod or game like that someday... For the time being, Grim Dawn is all I need to scratch that arpg itch for me, whenever it pops up :)

[@milansvancara]

Exactly... I had it in my library for some time, tried literally every single game in the genre after enjoying Divinity 2 and then I've tried Grim Dawn and... Oh boi, what was I doing with my life, that game is so awesome despite how weird and unfamiliar it feels the first 15 minutes in the game...

[@slukdogcz4125]

I had same experience. I tryed it reach level 13 with soldier and refund it. Then i find out this game has even czech subs so i was like ok lets give it another try. I made Shaman and then forge it with soldier to Warden and just spam Primal strike and smash everyone with my thunder, completed the base game and then i bought DLCs and play them too. Really best diablo like game i ever played, the diversity in builds is awesome and it let you to do whatever you want to, sometimes it does not work but thats ok because u can just reset your points or stars and try it again but u cant reset your class or your main atributes which is fine for me. As u sad if i want to smack bunch of monsters and watching huge numbers and loot poping of them this is the game to go.

[@Nick_Whiskey]

I wish the constellation stuff wasn't so incomprehensible. It really holds the game back for me.

[@lifeschil]

Grim Dawn is the first arpg that truly captivated me and got me feinding for the genre.

[@jassnorbert7885]

Thanks for this vid. I'm sold.

[@gbasso666]

Grim Dawn is freaking amazing. That said it IS quite overwhelming at first. Very complex skills system and itemization.