ARPG

ARPG stands for action role-playing game. It describes a genre that blends real-time combat with role-playing elements such as character development, loot-driven progression, and quests. Players typically control a single protagonist in a cinematic or isometric environment, exploring varied environments and facing enemies in continuous action rather than turn-based battles.

Gameplay emphasizes responsive action, skill-based customization, and builds that can be reconfigured through equipment, skill trees, and attributes. Combat is fast-paced and often requires dodging or timing, with loot drops that affect stats, abilities, and gear sets. Games may include randomized dungeons or end-game activities to extend playtime.

ARPGs are distinct from traditional RPGs mainly by real-time combat and emphasis on reflexes and gear-driven power progression, and from pure action games by preserving RPG elements such as storytelling and character growth. They can be single-player or multiplayer; many titles also feature online co-op or persistent online ecosystems in the case of live-service games.

Subgenres include looter ARPGs or loot shooters, which pair shooting mechanics with ARPG-style itemization, as seen in Borderlands. Other titles blend action RPG mechanics with online persistence or MMORPG elements but remain categorized as ARPGs.

Notable examples include the Diablo series, Path of Exile, Torchlight and Torchlight II, Grim Dawn, Victor Vran, and Lost Ark. The genre traces its roots to Diablo (1996), which popularized action-oriented dungeon crawling, followed by Diablo II and later online-focused ARPGs such as Path of Exile released in 2013 and ongoing live-service games.