Action RPGs (ARPG) sorted by year, newest first

ARPG games (the acronym stands for Action Role-Playing Game) borrow gameplay elements from the action genre and mix them with real-time gameplay still retaining core RPG concepts that makes a CRPG (Computer Role-Playing Game) what it is. Combat is often dependent on the players' own reflexes while combat tactics usually play a minor role.

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The Adventures of Robin Hood

DOS19923.7/5 Millennium Interactive

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

DOS1992protected4.2/5 Blue Sky Productions

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss is one of the first free-roaming first-person 3D ARPG (action RPG) ever created. The Stygian Abyss is the dungeon of the same name, part of the land of Britannia, and it's set in the Ultima universe created by Richard Garriott. Ultima Underworld was designed by Paul Neurath, developed by Blue Sky Productions and...

Conan: the Cimmerian

DOS19914.2/5 Synergistic Software

Vengeance of Excalibur

DOS19913.9/5 Synergistic Software

X-Men 2: The Fall of the Mutants

DOS19914.2/5 Paragon Software

DarkSpyre

DOS19903.8/5 Event Horizon

Sorcerian

DOS19904/5 Nihon Falcom

Spirit of Excalibur

DOS19903.8/5 Synergistic Software

Zeliard

DOS19904/5 Game Arts

Zeliard is a fantasy platformer - JRPG hybrid with metroidvania gameplay elements developed by Game Arts and released for DOS in 1990. Zeliard is a single-player game.

Dragons of Flame

DOS1989protected3.9/5 U.S. Gold

Hillsfar

DOS1989protected3.8/5 Westwood Studios

Prophecy: the Fall of Trinadon

DOS19893.4/5 Activision

Times of Lore

DOS19894.1/5 Origin Systems

Times of Lore is an abandoned action RPG designed by Chris Roberts, developed and released by Origin Systems in 1989 for DOS and many more 8 bit and 16 bit platforms. Compared to Ultima (the much more popular franchise also by Origin) Times of Lore is a washed down RPG, more similar to a NES game. In fact, Roberts was inspired by The Legend of Zelda.

Windwalker (Moebius 2)

DOS19892.8/5 Origin Systems

Ys: The Vanished Omens

DOS19894.1/5 Nihon Falcom

Ys: The Vanished Omens (also known as The Ancient Land of Ys) is an abandoned top-down open-world action RPG designed by Masaya Hashimoto, developed by Nihon Falcom and released by Kyodai Software Marketing for DOS in 1989. Ys: The Vanished Omens was published (earlier) for quite a few other home computers and console.

Alien Fires 2199 AD

DOS19883.6/5

Moebius

DOS19873.4/5 Origin Systems

The Faery Tale Adventure: Book I

DOS19873.8/5 MicroIllusions

Autoduel

DOS19853.8/5 Origin Systems

Autoduel is an abandoned top-down open world post apocalyptic RPG/driving game hybrid designed by Chuck Bueche and Richard Garriott of Ultima fame. Autoduel was developed by Origin Systems and was released in 1985 for DOS, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, C64, Apple II, Macintosh, Amiga. Autoduel is based on a board game designed by Steve Jackson himself.