Grim Dawn

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 818 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 654 out of 818
  2. Mixed: 107 out of 818
  3. Negative: 57 out of 818
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  1. TimW001
    Jul 7, 2017
    9
    This game succeeds in as a superior successor to Diablo II than D3 or Torchlight does. It's dark, it's demonic. It's what you want to play. Good pacing through gameplay and boss fights, good pace on character development. Highly recommended.
  2. nenaza
    Dec 5, 2018
    9
    In my opinion, the best ARPG I have played. Very fun and completely opposite to the streamline path that Diablo 3 takes.
  3. pongkrit03
    Sep 10, 2020
    10
    Definitely Diablo 2 successor, it even went beyond that with two classes combination and the star system. It allows you to craft (buff) skill like never before. The possibility of builds is huge to the point It put Diablo 3 to shame. The dark atmosphere is right on point. Music is awesome too. COOP/ PVP you name it. Endless dungeon ?, yes it has with cheap DLC. I don't see any flaw inDefinitely Diablo 2 successor, it even went beyond that with two classes combination and the star system. It allows you to craft (buff) skill like never before. The possibility of builds is huge to the point It put Diablo 3 to shame. The dark atmosphere is right on point. Music is awesome too. COOP/ PVP you name it. Endless dungeon ?, yes it has with cheap DLC. I don't see any flaw in this game at all. In my opinion this game is perfect in every way, like ARPG in dream.

    In sum, I played a lot of ARPG, POE too and I have to say Grim dawn is the best ARPG I've ever played. The game also has good controller support. I strongly recommend this game to every hardcore ARPG out there, and buy them all dlc so you can have 3 more classes.    … Expand
  4. Aeolian
    Apr 19, 2020
    10
    Pros:
    + Gorgeous graphics
    + Atmosphere
    + The freedom of choosing classes and different combinations, experimenting with builds.
    + Real fun playing with all kinds of abilities
    + A lot of ground to cover (a lot)
    + Really fun playing it with a friend or friends

    Cons:
    - none . Honestly i can't think of anything negative to say about this game.
  5. michaelrediger
    Dec 4, 2017
    10
    I've spent 300 hours playing this game and it has been insanely fun. There are tons of different items and weapons and the map is pretty big. The monsters look cool and there is a **** of replay value
  6. Arcane_Ape
    Apr 18, 2019
    9
    Grim Dawn has excellent class options and customization. Each class is fun to play with so many different ways to play. I like this game even more than Path of Exile and POE is a great game as well.
  7. Nebukarr
    Jan 3, 2017
    8
    If you like Diablo II more than Diablo III and Path of Exile, Grim Dawn is just the right thing for you.

    For me, the most important indicator is always whether I can not stop playing the game. And Grim Dawn makes me an addict! Damn it... Pros: + There are many similarities to Diablo2 (especially the music !!) as well as Titan Quest (which is made by the same team) + Very well    If you like Diablo II more than Diablo III and Path of Exile, Grim Dawn is just the right thing for you.

    For me, the most important indicator is always whether I can not stop playing the game. And Grim Dawn makes me an addict! Damn it...

    Pros:
    + There are many similarities to Diablo2 (especially the music !!) as well as Titan Quest (which is made by the same team)
    + Very well implemented spiral of leveling and grinding, you never get too many items (and especially no dull "daily legendaries" like D3)
    + A variety of items to craft, a nice selection of talents and specializations
    + Devotion (something like a "religion") is a very cool skill element, especially since you can bound it to abilities (which you can then also level, similar to gemstones in PoE)
    + The dual class system produces very interesting char builds
    + The story is even more than just "click-away textlines"!

    Cons:
    - It sometimes has its longueurs and partially empty areas (maybe only on "normal game mode")
    - Damage values ​​are not fully optimized: Often you run through monster hordes without taking any damage, only to get a one-hit from the boss (IMO those "final hits" are not clearly predictable)
    - Hits, magic and other abilities are not quite as impressive as in Diablo3 (Blizzard still is leading in this category)

    Conclusion: Grim Dawn is a very good Hack-n-Slay game - one of the old school. I even liked it more than Age of Conan and Torchlight. For me, it is on a par with Path of Exile and Titan Quest.    … Expand
  8. xesmi
    Nov 3, 2016
    9
    Grim Dawn is a very interesting H&S aRPG, dark and atmospheric.
    There is sufficient variety of skills and point development and the items are nice and worthy.
    Crafting is also a part that makes sense , gives more options and depth.
    Graphics could have been better. However you buy a complete game for a cheap price comparing to the initial 60euro price for D3 that was a payed beta crashed game.
  9. madmax911
    Apr 14, 2019
    10
    First of. I dont give a 0 or 10 compared to all games. I give, in this case 10 for being probably the best ARPG i have played in like forever. I do think i had the same feeling playing Diablo 2 but definitely Diablo 3 even with the expansion and patches.
    This game is everything an ARPG should be. Switching between a season in D3 and then some PoE i can only say im done with those ARPG's.    First of. I dont give a 0 or 10 compared to all games. I give, in this case 10 for being probably the best ARPG i have played in like forever. I do think i had the same feeling playing Diablo 2 but definitely Diablo 3 even with the expansion and patches.
    This game is everything an ARPG should be. Switching between a season in D3 and then some PoE i can only say im done with those ARPG's. This game is amazing. I dont know what it was like at launch but this is just fantastic. If you look at the date im writing this review you can see its a while since launch. No bugs. Smooth graphics and great sound effects.
    So first of. Technically this game is running superbly.
    Story. Well you gotta read alot, not much voice acting except the main quests. So maybe i would drag it just a smidge down here but 9.5 isnt an option on Metacritic.
    Game play wise. Well here is where the epic fun begins. They managed (for me atleast) to create the perfect ARPG. The amount of talent builds and the way they are being build is truly amazing. D3 and PoE is lacking in this sense. Well they were good but Crate showed us how it really should be done. Dual class system works perfect. Also bear in mind they constantly listen to the community and makes proper balance to the builds.
    Speaking of community. Its really great. If you got a question or have and idea of a build. This community is very non toxic and helpful. Also im constantly on the VERY active "official" Discord channel and if no one is typing anything within atleast 5 minuttes. Then check your internet connection because you must be offline :D
    Back to the game. Sometimes its hard for me to figure out what makes some things truly great. I just know this game does it for me.
    Lastly i just want you guys to consider how few people with few resources made this masterpiece, is by itself a accomplishment worthy of going down in history.
    Buy this game. Support the team in any ways possible and hope for a fantastic future in this game or the next from these guys.    … Expand
  10. matpamat
    May 4, 2017
    9
    This game is already better than Diablo 3. I have played less than hour, but I know and I'm sure that it's gonna be better and more enjoyable. I didn't see any gore on youtube, but now I see that it's there. This game is like Diablo 2 made better and upgraded. Diablo 3 is overestimated.
  11. greenprell
    May 31, 2021
    4
    Unbalanced talents, classes, and difficulty make this a frustrating and tedious playthrough. Unlocked abilities are redundant and boring. Environments would benefit from much more variation and less retread of the ‘blighted landscape’ trope.
  12. yosa1
    Jun 7, 2016
    4
    This game is dull, it has no life,its a sea of mobs through a web like corridor with some character building and loot; sounds like diablo 2 but it isn't. An rpg needs a sense of adventure, a good rpg sets a land filled with interactions and choice, this is just one long kill grindfest with only one sort of town area, little do but sell your crap and head back out. The grafix and sound areThis game is dull, it has no life,its a sea of mobs through a web like corridor with some character building and loot; sounds like diablo 2 but it isn't. An rpg needs a sense of adventure, a good rpg sets a land filled with interactions and choice, this is just one long kill grindfest with only one sort of town area, little do but sell your crap and head back out. The grafix and sound are great, but what I care about is gameplay, design, mechanics and fun.… Expand
  13. Cleglaw
    Feb 29, 2016
    7
    this game is certainly good and fun, but after playing Diablo 3, grim dawn has animations doesnt feel good and there are too much visual clutters for your eye.

    even though skills are very well constructed/thought, gameplay doesnt feel fun. but hold on, review isnt finished yet! everything besides those "bads", are "flawlessly good." you should definietly try this game. carefull    this game is certainly good and fun, but after playing Diablo 3, grim dawn has animations doesnt feel good and there are too much visual clutters for your eye.

    even though skills are very well constructed/thought, gameplay doesnt feel fun.

    but hold on, review isnt finished yet!

    everything besides those "bads", are "flawlessly good." you should definietly try this game. carefull with your playtime, if you dont like it, just refund it... but im still playing and enjoying this, so i think you will probably do the same and not refund it... most likely.

    one last thing: i agree on critics about innovation, i think aRPG genre may use some interesting ideas.    … Expand
  14. Mehlicious
    Apr 14, 2016
    9
    Advice: Don't be a druid the first time around. Some choices you make can be undone, but don't **** up your devotion tree. Don't make a build and then have to rely on pots because you over emphasized offensive powers. 35 hours in so far and my main is a dual-wielding master of the occult. So many choices. That alone is a reason to play this if you love ARPG games.
  15. SethEvandor
    Jan 23, 2017
    2
    Pretty junk, boring hack and slash. The notes with lore you find are actually interesting, but god I went through one difficulty and basically then had no good skills to take, I kinda reached a peak and just stopped enjoying the game, I did everything on the first difficulty. I even took skills to deal with several enemies better.

    The devotion skill system is a mess, not only is it    Pretty junk, boring hack and slash. The notes with lore you find are actually interesting, but god I went through one difficulty and basically then had no good skills to take, I kinda reached a peak and just stopped enjoying the game, I did everything on the first difficulty. I even took skills to deal with several enemies better.

    The devotion skill system is a mess, not only is it overly complicated, but only a few specific constellations were actually useful for me. I found myself taking resists and boosting my damage multipliers to the point where it's barely worth it, just because the only other decent option was health and health regen, and these constellations are all over the tree. There was no good way to reach the constellations with the heavy requirements without a bunch of completely useless **** and guess what, the fat constellations aren't even that good for my char. Perhaps this was some end-game stuff but I got so bored and the devotion points for my char were so worthless once I got the kraken and my slow/freeze resist. What is the point of making your own char? It just screamed at me to make a char which specialized in bleeding damage or wear a shield or wear an axe. And I really hate games which do this. Oh, and 18 offense or defense is pretty worthless, no matter where it is. Why do some constellations/starter points have entirely useless nodes while others don't?

    Honestly, the class system itself I really loved, if only the skills and constellations were more balanced for multiclass system then this could of been an enjoyable game.

    Btw, I would of liked if I could hide components and food, that **** is really annoying when you're fighting 5/6 elites.

    I guess I'll say Grim Dawn has what Diablo 3 doesn't, but what Diablo 3 does well Grim Dawn doesn't have. Diablo 3 is better.    … Expand
  16. Hack
    Mar 8, 2016
    7
    I bought Grim Dawn many years ago while it was still in early access and I have seen it grow into a very good aRPG, especially when you consider the small development team that created it, and the limited budget they had.

    Grim Dawn nails a lot of what's needed to make a good aRPG, but it does fail technically, with some performance issues still persisting after all these years in early    I bought Grim Dawn many years ago while it was still in early access and I have seen it grow into a very good aRPG, especially when you consider the small development team that created it, and the limited budget they had.

    Grim Dawn nails a lot of what's needed to make a good aRPG, but it does fail technically, with some performance issues still persisting after all these years in early access, all of which have been discussed to death on the official forums. It has become clear that these issues cannot be fixed due to the engine, which while heavily modified is still the same engine used by Titan Quest, a game released in 2006. Other than these hiccups the game still lacks some polish, for example the UI is very basic, as are the menus, and while not massively important it does cheapen the product as a whole. Controller support is also very bare right now, but what we do have works well enough considering it was designed by one dev in his spare time. You just can't compare it to say Victor Vran which feels amazing with a controller.

    Where the game shines is replay value and build diversity, there are countless builds and class combinations that make you want to level new character after new character. On top of the fairly deep talent system you also have the devotion system which aids you to further customise your character with strong spells and passives, you can tailor your character to play exactly how you like and it's definitely better than a lot of the competition in this regard.

    Gameplay is fine, it's not the best in the genre but it's far from the worst, it's definitely enjoyable to play but it does have room for improvement, especially when it comes to animations and audio, the bow/gun sound effect will start to grate on you after awhile, this sort of thing goes back to lack of polish which the game suffers from in almost every aspect. But don't get me wrong, it's far from bad.

    Throughout early access there was no voice work at all, but right before release the devs added voice overs for the main story which was desperately needed and it has made a huge difference to the enjoyment of the first playthrough as you get a much better understanding of the story without having to read every single bit of text. But in doing I now miss voice work where it hasn't been added, it almost feels unfinished, and while I understand they most likely had a limited budget and full voice work didn't fit inside it, as I player I do miss it and wish it were there.

    Overall it's a good game that was made on a low budget with a small team, and that's exactly how it looks and feels when playing it. Don't go in expecting too much and you will be pleasantly surprised, if you enjoyed Diablo II you will most likely enjoy Grim Dawn, but if you enjoyed Diablo III you may find some of the limitations in Grim Dawn off putting.    … Expand
  17. hardkotian
    Dec 13, 2016
    1
    Grim Yawn. Extremely boring, low-budget indie Titan Quest descendant without plot, cutscenes, or voiced dialogues. For pensioners of Diablo 2 only. Blah.
  18. princeofsoc
    Mar 25, 2016
    6
    Boring as hell. Should have released like 1000 years ago. Outdated gameplay.
    Graphics are nice though.
    But overall not very exciting unfortunately. Dixi.
  19. Derf3L
    Oct 1, 2016
    6
    This is a game for arpgs hardcore fans, not for a 2016 gamer customer base.
    The graphics and UI are ridicolous... gameplay is not fun, ending with spamming the same skill over and over.
    The game offers you a huge freedom of builds, with dual classes and devotion system, which is good for who loves to spend hours and hours trying to see how to get the best DPS. Diablo3 even with all    This is a game for arpgs hardcore fans, not for a 2016 gamer customer base.
    The graphics and UI are ridicolous... gameplay is not fun, ending with spamming the same skill over and over.

    The game offers you a huge freedom of builds, with dual classes and devotion system, which is good for who loves to spend hours and hours trying to see how to get the best DPS.

    Diablo3 even with all its flaws, is a game from 2012 with better graphics, immersion and a gameplay that totally destroys grim dawn.
    I don't care if this is an "Indie" game with 8 programmers, u gotta compare apples with apples: this is a game, so let's judge it for what it is.

    If u are an average gamer, there are tons of games better than this, especially in 2016. If u love arpgs and going crazy deep with all the calculations and builds, then I guess this is the game for you.
    Really regret having spent 30 USD for this game...    … Expand
  20. Wiebe
    Feb 27, 2020
    3
    B title with bad acting and story that put me off to much to really get into this game
  21. Geralt123
    Nov 2, 2020
    4
    Can't believe why this game is so overhyped.

    The only thing you will do is click yourself to death. So repetetive, I can't believe how anyone can find this exciting. Graphics mediocre at best. Cheap dialogues, no story. Menus look like from 1994. The general art style is good, music too. This game is just plain boring, so I returned it. I played Divinity 2 and Pathfinder    Can't believe why this game is so overhyped.

    The only thing you will do is click yourself to death. So repetetive, I can't believe how anyone can find this exciting.

    Graphics mediocre at best.

    Cheap dialogues, no story.

    Menus look like from 1994.

    The general art style is good, music too.

    This game is just plain boring, so I returned it. I played Divinity 2 and Pathfinder Kingmaker, these games have a complex and exiting story!

    Honestly, this game seems to be for RPG nerds who want to experiment with their build, but that is not enough for me.    … Expand
  22. Deaden
    Aug 5, 2020
    1
    Honestly, I'm still feeling in an empty phase for filling my ARPG thirst while playing this game. It feels nothing to find my embrace like I found in Diablo 2 or PoE. 'till waiting for Diablo 4, I could bare another ARPG game.

    Anyway, if you cannot find anything to play like me, this game is a cheap alternative to spend some time. Also, in this game, there is unnecessary many of    Honestly, I'm still feeling in an empty phase for filling my ARPG thirst while playing this game. It feels nothing to find my embrace like I found in Diablo 2 or PoE. 'till waiting for Diablo 4, I could bare another ARPG game.

    Anyway, if you cannot find anything to play like me, this game is a cheap alternative to spend some time.

    Also, in this game, there is unnecessary many of stats added on every items. As you see there is a simple item which gives you 15% + 300hp when drops below 20%. That's hilarious. Think that, the game' DEVs think they are doing a best hardcore aRPG ever that could be possible. Actually that's a doltishne** but nothing else. Making more complexity is not meaning of doing good game. It's just showing how they are trying to beat other aRPGs but swindle. Some players are thinking this game is providing new things and variety of choices. It's a delusion guys! it's a delusion which you want to make yourself believe! On the other hand, game is good for it's price I admit. Which is only reason I keep play but I know the truth and I'm not lying myself. This game is not better for an aRPG at all. In reality, it's a mess game.    … Expand
  23. TemplarGR
    Sep 9, 2016
    2
    Overrated Diablo Clone. Deserves probably around a 6-7, but i had to counter the fanbois and the game's developers inflating the score...

    Production values are pretty low, and has quite a lot of bugs. It also gets boring fast. The visuals are bad, and unless you have nothing else to play or are addicted to ARPG grinds, you will drop this very soon. Unless you are a die hard Diablo    Overrated Diablo Clone. Deserves probably around a 6-7, but i had to counter the fanbois and the game's developers inflating the score...

    Production values are pretty low, and has quite a lot of bugs. It also gets boring fast. The visuals are bad, and unless you have nothing else to play or are addicted to ARPG grinds, you will drop this very soon.

    Unless you are a die hard Diablo clone fan, avoid.    … Expand
  24. godunow
    Aug 10, 2016
    7
    Pretty cool game that keeps growing on you. One of those that you think about - builds and stuff - even away from computer.

    One of the best ARPGs out there, along with Torchlight 2.
  25. Arkess
    Mar 26, 2016
    10
    Если после выхода Титан Квеста трон, на котором восседал зверь, пошатнулся, то сейчас можно заявить без сомнений: прощай, Диабло.
  26. OneEyeRed
    Mar 13, 2016
    10
    I don't usually write reviews or give such high scores to any game. However, as an early adopter and supporter of this game, I felt compelled to share my opinion. This is by far one, if not, the current best arpg you will find. So much love has gone into creating this masterpiece.

    The crate team are the same folks who gave us Titans Quest. If you enjoy arpg's you cannot go wrong    I don't usually write reviews or give such high scores to any game. However, as an early adopter and supporter of this game, I felt compelled to share my opinion. This is by far one, if not, the current best arpg you will find. So much love has gone into creating this masterpiece.

    The crate team are the same folks who gave us Titans Quest. If you enjoy arpg's you cannot go wrong purchasing this game. It is worth far more than Crate sells it as.    … Expand
  27. Fra-k
    Feb 26, 2016
    8
    a good old-fashioned single player arpg. very similar to titan quest with graphic improvement + reputation/factions.
    but nothing really new.
    the genre needs innovation...
  28. platq
    Mar 2, 2016
    7
    same game as titan quest just another story i expected more changes in game mechanic
    it doesn't bring anything fresh to the genre
    its Titan Quest reskin
  29. CesarV
    Apr 22, 2021
    0
    An amazing game held back by a lack of updates and recurring bugs that never get fixed, together with a hostile community that lashes against any suggestions for improvement.
  30. ThePesmergia
    Mar 20, 2019
    0
    Horrid game. It literally has no endgame. When you hit level 100, you will have nothing stronger to kill, and will be running crucible for better gear, for absolutely no reason, because there's no other challenges.

    Crucible is the only endgame, it's the best spot to farm gear, so there's no reason to do rogue dungeons, or anything else. Trash game, and a pure cash grab.
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Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best PC Game of 2016
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
62
#62 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. 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]
  2. 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]
  3. RPG Fan
    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.
    Read full review
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