The best mobile games like Diablo (but not Immortal)
Diablo Immortal has now been out in the wild for some time now, and it’s basically more impressive as a game than I initially expected and more disappointing on the monetization front than anticipated. You can read a full review here, but the upshot is the game is a perfectly fine and highly polished way to do some Diablo-style grinding and the store—though shitty—can mostly be ignored.
If you don’t want to support or engage with free-to-play design and/or Activision Blizzard generally, first: I totally understand as there is no shortage of reasons for having these sentiments! And secondly: I have good news! There is a veritable bounty of games on the App Store that can deliver a very Diablo-like experience without a gross store or company attached to them. Check out our top picks below.
Book of Demons: Tablet Edition ($9.99)
If you take one look at Book of Demons: Tablet Edition you can tell it wears its Diablo inspiration on its sleeve. Of course it has its own unique look and gameplay twists, but it very clearly models itself after the first Diablo game where you pick one of a few classes and alternate between clearing dungeon floors and returning to town to upgrade and identify gear that helps you fight stronger enemies further down in said dungeon.
It’s fantastic, and probably the best and most faithful Diablo-like you can find on the App Store. The only drawback is that it is an iPad-only game.
Click here to read our Book of Demons: Tablet Edition review
Titan Quest: Legendary Edition ($17.99)
Titan Quest is the Diablo competitor that just seems to keep getting ported everywhere. This 15+ year old game feels like someone took all of the dark fantasy elements out of a Diablo game and replaced them with ancient mythology archetypes.
This game hasn’t exactly aged the best visually, but still delivers that core loot-driven rpg action that fuels the Diablo series.
Click here to read about how Titan Quest: Legendary Edition compares to Titan Quest HD
Crashlands ($6.99)
Crashlands is probably the oddest duck on this list, as it splits the difference between Diablo and crafting/survival games like Don’t Starve. In it, you play as a stranded space delivery person, and in order to survive on the hostile planet you find yourself on, you need to harvest raw material to craft into gear that lets you go on adventures and battle fearsome creatures in an effort to retrieve your lost cargo.
Your character view and combat is pretty similar to Diablo, but the gear aspect revolves around collecting items that you can then use to create armor and weapons. Rest assured, this gear still gets randomized traits just like the loot that pops out of demon mobs in Diablo. Also, this game is bright, colorful, and funny, making for a refreshing tone for this style of game.
Click here to read our Crashlands review
Cat Quest ($4.99)
Speaking of bright and humorous, Cat Quest is also a very lighthearted take on something akin to Diablo. If your hope for a loot-based rpg on a touch screen is something that is super streamlined and easy pick up and put down after long stretches of time between sessions, Cat Quest is probably the best pick for you.
Everything in the game moves at a swift pace, quest pathfinding is super simple, and the overworld-like navigation for the game always makes it easy to know where you are in relation to the next thing you need to do. It’s also just a really fun and great game that has a solid sequel on Apple Arcade if you want more of it to play.
Click here to read our Cat Quest review
Battleheart Legacy ($4.99)
In terms of phone-friendliness, particularly for anyone rocking a smaller screen, Battleheart Legacy does a great job of squeezing down the action rpg experience into something that is easy to see and manage at all times.
This somewhat aged mobile game still holds up pretty well and provides some solid Diablo-like action, and even though it looks like a dated mobile game, its mechanics hold up just fine.