Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
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  1. Mar 2, 2016
    92
    There is no question that Grim Dawn moves along familiar lines: Base classes, a tragic world inhabited by monsters in a wide variety of flavors, nearly constant loot drops, action-oriented combat, somewhat "lite" yet interesting story, etc. Somehow, though, Grim Dawn just does it better than any other ARPG in recent memory.
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 7, 2016
    90
    A little daunting at first, but with some theorycrafting Grim Dawn proves to be an extremely enjoyable bit of hack and slash. [Issue#249, p.56]
  3. Mar 28, 2016
    90
    A quality classic ARPG that recovers the essence and spirit of Titan Quest and send us back to a different time in the best possible way. Lots of content, tons of details and a excellent experience overall.
  4. Mar 2, 2016
    90
    Grim Dawn is one of the easiest ARPGs to recommend in recent years.
  5. Pelit (Finland)
    May 9, 2016
    87
    Grim Dawn scratches the right action RPG itch with a plenty of loot to hoard and a decent skill system that offers plenty of options to build the perfect demon-blasting hero. The only problem is the lack of a proper endgame, as the non-randomized maps and locations becoming too familiar too fast. [May 2016]
  6. Mar 7, 2016
    87
    Grim Dawn is one of the best action-RPGs out there, combining excellent hack and slash action with a world and progression curve that makes it worth fighting through. Alone or with friends, it’s hour after hour of top quality combat and looting, with the promise of many more excellent dark times to come.
  7. Mar 1, 2016
    86
    Grim Dawn takes the best of a lot of other action RPS and creates well thought out and yet original hack & slay fun.
  8. CD-Action
    May 30, 2016
    85
    Dozens of hours of hacking and slashing done so well and so addictive that you could swear it’s Blizzard’s game. [05/2016, p.56]
  9. Mar 21, 2016
    85
    Crate Entertainment delivers a great ARPG, with tons of contents and very deep. If you have some friends to play with, Grim Dawn is a game you shouldn't miss.
  10. Mar 18, 2016
    85
    Grim Dawn doesn't change the rules but builds upon them to deliver a solid, engaging and lasting experience.
  11. Mar 12, 2016
    85
    Though it may not look pretty, it has a charm reminiscent of Diablo II and Diablo. I felt a nostalgic dread turning each corner and felt jubilation in defeating each boss; that is something that can’t be recreated with fancy visuals and flashy skills alone.
  12. Mar 9, 2016
    85
    Grim Dawn is a worthy spiritual successor for the Titan Quest series. A great action-RPG.
  13. Mar 13, 2016
    83
    It's a little hobbled by old-school stylings and the story could be better, but few modern hack-and-slash RPGs are quite so fun.
  14. Apr 12, 2016
    80
    At its core Grim Dawn is an excellent fighting game. It's a game that shouldn´t be missed by any Diablo or Titan Quest fan.
  15. Apr 7, 2016
    80
    Grim Dawn can be like pulling the lever on a slot machine, the only difference being that the reward here isn’t cash but the gory explosion of beasts and the clink of loot-drops. I know from personal experience that this game has that certain something, and even if you think that you've grown tired of games of its ilk, Grim Dawn has enough tricks up its sleeve to charm even the most grizzled veteran.
  16. Apr 6, 2016
    80
    How do you make a great aRPG? Just take everything fans love about the genre, gather core developers from Iron Lore Entertainment, take a pinch of Diablo and a hefty amount of Lovecraft, Barker and King. This is how you'll get Grim Dawn, a must-have game for every true dungeon-crawl fan.
  17. Apr 6, 2016
    80
    Remember Titan Quest? Yeah, that one was pretty good. Well, this is the modern version of that. And then some.
  18. Apr 2, 2016
    80
    Grim Dawn is a familiar, yet satisfying romp through a role-playing genre that's seen its fair share of innovations and dynamic methods to shoot and loot. Its setting is a nice change from the usual fantasy titles and its features and content are more than enough to keep you entertained for quite some time.
  19. Mar 10, 2016
    80
    Grim Dawn is a very well rounded up action RPG with deep gameplay, varied classes, tons of progression options and a good technical and artistic department. All in all a very fine product that will offer players many hours of entertainment.
  20. Mar 9, 2016
    80
    The world design is imaginative and visually impressive, there is a strong narrative if you wish to learn about it and the gameplay feels fun and addictive.
  21. Mar 7, 2016
    80
    Despite the technical shortcomings, Crate Entertainment managed to develop a worthy spiritual successor for the Titan Quest series. Grim Dawn is extremely rich in content, providing hundreds of hours of hack'n'slash fun.
  22. Mar 7, 2016
    80
    Grim Dawn is a game that fulfills promises made by the developers and is one of the best entries in the hack'n'slash genre. The game is to be expanded and updated in the future: if dawn is so exciting, what will happen at dusk? And even if the multiplayer mode needs tweaking and beating the same storyline with different characters can become a bit boring, the game is simply very good and worth your money.
  23. Mar 4, 2016
    80
    This is as conservative as it can get. Pure hack & slay with a focus on the bigger, better loot. It helps though that it was made from fans for fans. And if you like your action RPG pure and focused on leveling and looting you will get loads of hours out of this.
  24. Mar 2, 2016
    80
    Tons of loot, neat character customization, a huge game world and plenty of monsters to kill - if that's your thing and you enjoy playing offline, you can't go wrong with Grim Dawn. Just don't expect a polished online experience or deep storyline - there's plenty of other games for that.
  25. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Feb 11, 2016
    80
    Crate Entertainment made an “anti-Diablo 3”. Blizzard’s ARPG was too cheerful for you? No problem, here you’ll find blood, guts and piles of bodies in abundance. [Issue#206, p.62]
  26. May 9, 2016
    79
    Truly, Grim Dawn represents the modern gamer's slot machine, where three cherries are a set item drop and three 7's are a jackpot of a story that never comes to fruition.
  27. Apr 4, 2016
    75
    Grim Dawn has classic gameplay that rewards strategy and penalizes superficiality in order to get a more hardcore dimension of the hack ‘n slash world. This definitely balances the technical, narrative and artistic shortcomings, unnoticeable to the farming devoted ones, but clear to those who want a more immersive ad modern experience.
  28. Apr 4, 2016
    75
    Grim Dawn is a well-done game, although it doesn’t have anything new to offer. This is Diablo 3 that we were looking for back in 2012.
  29. Mar 20, 2016
    75
    All in all, despite quite a lot of bugs and flaws, Grim Dawn is definitely a must-play if you are into Diablo or other similar action role-playing games like Divinity: Original Sin. The game is still pretty recent, and I have faith that the developers are working hard to fix the flaws and make this title even better.
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  1. It’ll keep you busy for a long damn time too, even if you only play it once – though, of course, for many there’ll be later playthroughs in co-op or at at unlockable higher difficulties. I think it’s the (admittedly presumed) desire to be the spiritual sequel to Diablo II which holds me back from heaping breathless praise on Grim Dawn, though.
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 818 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 57 out of 818
  1. Feb 25, 2016
    10
    The game is a remarkable example of what can be accomplished by a small, dedicated team of developers. I was (still am) a long-time TitanThe game is a remarkable example of what can be accomplished by a small, dedicated team of developers. I was (still am) a long-time Titan Quest: Immortal Throne fiend. So when I heard some of the developers from that game were developing a new aRPG I was immediately on-board.

    I was an early backer (2010), then Kickstarter backer, and have purchased the game for a few friends. It has more than lived up to the hype and exceeded all expectations. I played nearly 400 hours while it was in beta alone, and can't wait to actually, really start playing the game now that it is in full release.

    It has all the best elements of an old-school aRPG game, with some new mechanics to keep it fresh. The environment/climate is interesting, the classes are fairly archetypal but with a fresh spin, and the hunt for loot keeps you hungry for progression.

    The story is interesting and there is enough to keep those interested immersed. The graphics are very good - not amazing, but authentic for the type of game. Not cartoonish at all. The pace is great and there's enough play diversity to offer plenty of replayability. It's a great mix of challenge and depth.

    I recommend this game highly. I've only played as single player, but the game does offer co-op mulitplayer via local server connections (like Titan Quest - no online servers, yay)!

    PS - really looking forward to expansion AND the modding community once the game settles in.
    Full Review »
  2. Feb 26, 2016
    10
    Grim Dawn is a theorycrafter's paradise, and the first ARPG that has truly allowed me to live, and even surpass the feelings I had playingGrim Dawn is a theorycrafter's paradise, and the first ARPG that has truly allowed me to live, and even surpass the feelings I had playing Diablo 2 as a kid. It is, in my opinion, the best ARPG I have played.

    About me: I have played and beaten every ARPG known to man since Diablo. Diablo 2 was my favorite of the genre, and I spent the next decade+ searching for a game that would evoke even more fun and joy while playing. I played all the mainstream games, all the indie games, and even some foreign titles in languages I could not understand in the hopes of finding a game with satisfying combat, interesting loot, great atmosphere, and amazing build diversity. I even ended up playing a bunch of short Flash based ARPG's in my darkest hours of desperation. I've beta-tested plenty of games, and even impacted a few. I haven't reviewed a game since Torchlight 2 (I regret giving it a 10, it's more like an 8 in comparison to Grim Dawn, as it's itemization lacked flavor and it's diversity was shallower than I realized) So Grim dawn is the first game I'll be reviewing in 2.5 years, as it has earned it.

    When I stumbled upon Grim Dawn I was intrigued, especially when I saw it's lead designer, Arthur Bruno, was also a leader in the development of Titan Quest (which fell short in a lot of ways but was the closest I had gotten, I loved the variety of items in that game and the dual class system). As I read up on him, and his posts, it occurred to me that he was the most articulate and intelligent mind I've ever come across when it came to designing ARPG's, and what made them so fun, and so difficult to get right. I originally pirated a version of the beta (build 13), then caved and bought early access around build 17. Each build was so significantly better than the last that I was floored by how such a small team could make such efficient progress. Slowly and slowly the feeling got better until around B21 when I realized it happened: I felt the drug-like Diablo 2 cravings become satiated for the first time in over a decade. Needless to say, they've made a fan of me. As for the review:

    Let's go over the basics:
    Music: 9 - Atmospheric, moody, grim. Fits the theme of the game, and at no times is tiresome. I only wish they had more songs in their soundtrack.
    Sound: 8 - Usually satisfying and fitting, but there are some spells and attacks that get annoying to hear. Forgivable as we all have our opinions, and they're a small team.
    General Combat: 10 - Meaty, corpses flying, enemies flinching and wailing as they die. Tons of variety and ways to make your foes cease to exist.
    Gameplay: 10 - Will go into this below
    Fun: 10 - Ditto

    I cannot summarize why I love Grim Dawn, as I love so many parts of it, but before I try to consider that this is a game originally made by like 2 full time employees and a few part-timers (eventually expanded to a full-time team of 10 people). It was kick-started by people who saw the potential of what Titan Quest could have been, and who were tired of Diablo-Clones failing to live up to the originals. Medierra (lead designer) and his team have on all accounts succeeded.

    An hack and slash that actually has a combat system with depth. It is a game with someone to offer every ARPG player. Whether you want to be a summoner, a massive area of effect spell caster, a dual wielder, a tank, a supporter, a ranged dps, or any combo of the above, you can do so in Grim Dawn... with style!

    Every skill in the game feels distinct in it's flavor, and with a devotion tree reminiscent of Path of Exile, yet very different, and items that can enhance an insane variety of your combat abilities, let alone grant you new skills and procs that you could build around. The higher difficulties you unlock are challenging but fair, and instead of just having a damned stat-wall (a numerical value your character must reach in it's stats before being able to reasonably progress) as many ARPG's opt for, Grim Dawn actual has some mechanical difficulty in it's fights, especially bosses. You will do best once you learn their abilities and how to play around them.

    The game is addictive to say the least. If there was anything it had that might put players off, it would be that there is so much going on in the combat formulas and stats available, that it might overwhelm less experience players.

    Do NOT let this stop you from trying this title. The best thing you can do to learn what means what, is jump in and experiment, and the players on the forum are more than happy to explain features and stats to you. Get past level 30 (out of 85) and you will see the game open up unlike any other you've played previously, and truly start to understand the scope of build customization available.

    My name is also adoomgod on steam, please feel free to add me to ask questions about GD, ARPG's in general, or for help building your character(s). GD is a game you will want to beat more than once, see you soon. :)
    Full Review »
  3. Feb 25, 2016
    10
    Blizzard has a LOT to learn from the developers of Grim Dawn. Massively entertaining with depth that surpasses any ARPG in existence. I haveBlizzard has a LOT to learn from the developers of Grim Dawn. Massively entertaining with depth that surpasses any ARPG in existence. I have been waiting for this game to be released over the years and I'm so very happy to see that it's released and it's beautiful. A must buy. Full Review »