Last Epoch

Last Epoch is a time-travel-themed action RPG by the Canadian indie studio Eleventh Hour Games. It pairs a unique narrative across the eras of the ancient empire of Eterra with a vast skill tree and deep crafting system, running regular Cycle updates since its 1.0 launch.

Last Epoch's regular content unit is called a "Cycle," equivalent to seasons or leagues in other ARPGs. Cycles are commonly described as three to four months, though the median of the four intervals we have measured is 178 days. You start fresh on a cycle-only character; at cycle end, characters transfer to the Legacy realm. Each cycle adds a unique theme, new item sets, and cycle-exclusive mechanics.

This has the longest cycle spacing of anything we track: a 178-day median, nearly double PoE 1's 98, with the longest cycle running 282 days. Waiting on the assumption that 'a new cycle must be due soon' will leave you waiting considerably longer than you expect. That said, the 178-day figure rests on just four completed cycles, so treat it as provisional. The studio does genuinely maintain its roadmap thread on the official forum, so checking there periodically beats extrapolating dates. Before a cycle turns over, tidy up whatever is bound for the Legacy realm.

Having introduced its 'Cycle' system alongside the 1.0 launch in 2024, Last Epoch has run 5 cycles so far. Its cadence is the most relaxed of any game on this list — the median cycle runs about 178 days, and the most recent completed one, Season 3 Beneath Ancient Skies, stretched to a full 217 days. Each cycle layers new mechanics onto the crafting and skill systems honed during Early Access.

If you are drawn to deep crafting where you attach the affixes you want, Last Epoch is hard to pass up. It is an especially good match for players who want to explore a time-travel narrative and a vast skill tree, or who are looking for a balance point between Diablo's accessibility and PoE's depth.