Warframe, Path of Exile, Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero: Free Action RPGs on PC Compared
Four very different free-to-play action RPGs on PC – from co-op space ninjas to isometric loot hunting and stylish character action. Here is which one fits your play style.
“Action RPG” covers a lot of ground. The four free-to-play games below share the label, but they play very differently. Here is a quick comparison to help you choose.
Warframe: co-op action with endless depth
Developer: Digital Extremes · Released: 2013
Warframe is a third-person co-op action game. You play as a Tenno who controls Warframes – biomechanical suits with unique abilities – and fight alongside up to three other players. Movement is fast, with slides, wall runs and bullet jumps, and the arsenal is enormous.
Best for: players who like co-op, fast movement and long-term collecting. Warframe has more than a decade of updates, so there is a lot to do.
Path of Exile: build-crafting heaven
Developer: Grinding Gear Games · Released: 2013
Path of Exile is an isometric action RPG in the tradition of classic loot games. What sets it apart is character building: skills come from gems socketed into gear, and a passive skill tree with more than a thousand nodes lets you create unusual builds. Seasonal leagues add new mechanics several times a year.
Note that Path of Exile 2 is a separate game. This comparison covers the original Path of Exile, which is free to play.
Best for: players who love theory-crafting, loot and long endgames.
Wuthering Waves: open-world character action
Developer: Kuro Games · Released: 2024
Wuthering Waves is an open-world action RPG with a strong focus on real-time combat. You switch between characters mid-fight, time dodges and counters, and use the Echo system to turn defeated enemies into abilities. Traversal is quick and fluid.
Characters are unlocked through a gacha system, so it is worth understanding how that works before you spend.
Best for: players who want precise action combat in a large open world.
Zenless Zone Zero: stylish urban action
Developer: miHoYo · Published by: HoYoverse · Released: 2024
Zenless Zone Zero takes place in New Eridu, a city surrounded by dangerous dimensions called Hollows. Combat uses squads of three agents with quick swaps, perfect dodges and chain attacks. The presentation is a highlight, with a comic-inspired style and a strong soundtrack.
Like Wuthering Waves, it uses a gacha system for new characters.
Best for: players who want short, stylish combat encounters and a polished story presentation.
Quick comparison
| Game | Perspective | Multiplayer | Main hook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warframe | Third-person | Co-op (up to 4) | Movement and collecting |
| Path of Exile | Isometric | Online co-op | Build-crafting and loot |
| Wuthering Waves | Third-person, open world | Optional co-op | Action combat and exploration |
| Zenless Zone Zero | Third-person | Single-player | Stylish combat and story |
The bottom line
All four are free to download on PC. If you want friends in your games, start with Warframe. If you want to spend hours planning builds, choose Path of Exile. If you want character action, Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero both deliver – the first in an open world, the second in tighter, story-driven missions.
