Path of Exile, the free dungeon crawler from independent New Zealand studio Grinding Gear Games, is entering open beta on January 23, following a few months of a closed, pre-order beta. Those who want to jump on the Path of Exile closed beta while it still lasts can buy in for $10 to $1,000 right here. The more you pay, the better goodies you get, but don't expect any gameplay advantages. Path of Exile will never be pay-to-win, Grinding Gear makes clear.

Path of Exile throws players into the fantastical world of Wraeclast as one of six character classes: Duelist, Ranger, Witch, Templar, Marauder and Shadow. Each character focuses on strength, dexterity or intelligence, and the world itself is "a dark, brutal continent," Grinding Gear writes. "Scarred by mysterious catastrophes of the past and inhabited by creatures of nightmare, the very environment challenges exiles who dare explore it.

"We're sick of the recent trend towards bright, cartoony RPGs. The art style we chose for Path of Exile is dark, gritty and realistic." See if you can handle Path of Exile's scary realism via these videos.