When one talks about some of the greatest games of the past decade, it goes without saying that Dark Souls would be an inevitable part of the conversation. Released during a time when AAA publishers were becoming more and more averse to adding a substantial level of challenge in their games, Dark Souls made a resounding wave in the gaming industry with its highly effective combination of old-school gaming along with modern sensibilities to create something truly unique and revolutionary to boot.
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It was only a given that this game would spawn a franchise, and the trilogy is considered by many to be one of the best video game franchises of all time. So, it's only understandable that finishing Dark Souls would leave a void that most games simply won't be able to fill. However, the popularity of this franchise has spawned a number of Soulslikes, some of which are definitely worth noting. So, for the people who wish to experience the same feelings they got when playing Dark Souls for the first time, here are some action RPGs that are quite similar to this groundbreaking title.
Updated December 30th, 2020 by Reyadh Rahaman: What separates the gameplay and design of the Dark Souls games from other action RPGs is its focus on patience and strategy over hitting things hard and fast with blind fury. A contemplative approach to battle makes each fight more significant; a great plan can lead to great success. The variety and differences of all the equipment give it tremendous replay value for those enticed by the intricacies of melee, magic, and more long-ranged methods of attack. Following the success of this franchise, many have sought to emulate these aspects for similarly satisfying results, and some have even been victorious in this regard.
Updated August 5th, 2021 by Ritwik Mitra: Dark Souls is easily one of the greatest games of all time, releasing at a time when most studios were shying away from truly challenging experiences in their high-budget AAA titles. Dark Souls absolutely burst onto the scene and showed exactly why games that excessively hold a player's hand aren't really all that exciting. After finishing Dark Souls, it's a given that most players would want to play more games in the same vein. Keeping this in mind, here are some excellent Dark Souls-like games that will scratch this nagging itch.
20 ENDER LILIES: Quietus Of The Knights
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5
Ender Lilies is easily the most recent release on this list. Boasting a great Metroidvania aesthetic that has served as a base for some of the best Souls-like games around, Ender Lilies has wowed fans all over the world with its impressive visuals and gameplay.
The idea of using the attacks of different creatures to fight enemies is extremely unique. This leads to satisfying gameplay challenges as the player goes through the game and tackles the various challenges that lie within.
19 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
If there's one thing that Dark Souls is known for, it's the wondrous sense of exploration that's attached to the series. There's one other title that feels quite similar in this regard — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
At a glance, Skyrim might not seem like a Souls-like game. However, it's when players start exploring the land that they'll experience the same sense of elation that they were overjoyed by with Dark Souls.
18 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
- Where to Play: Wii U and Switch
Speaking of games that allow for a wondrous sense of exploration, one can't fail to mention Breath of the Wild as well. Nintendo's efforts to revamp the Zelda franchise were immensely successful, with Breath of the Wild becoming one of the best open-world titles of all time.
It helps that the combat and difficulty of the title feel like Dark Souls as well. All in all, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an excellent recommendation for players who want to try out games similar to Dark Souls in some way or another.
17 Dead Cells
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, and Android
Most people remember Dead Cells due to the infamous Filip Miucin plagiarism incident. However, that's doing a gross disservice to a title that deserves a ton of praise for being an excellent title in its own right.
Dead Cells is a great roguelite that is certainly one of the best Souls-like titles around. Each playthrough feels unique and varied, with the player attaining an excellent sense of satisfaction as they finally finish the game after endless failed attempts.
16 Code Vein
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
Calling Code Vein an anime Dark Souls might be a rather simplistic way to describe this title. However, one can't fail to make this comparison after playing through this title.
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However, the high-octane combat and a focus on co-op make this game quite unique in its own right. So, one can confidently recommend Code Vein to any person looking out for games like Dark Souls.
15 Hellpoint
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Google Stadia
Although set in a sci-fi universe as opposed to a dark fantasy one, Hellpoint still delivers on immersive mechanics and a cool world full of sinister threats. The variety of weapons and powers give one as much freedom as a player could want, however, the challenging bosses and enemies will test one's patience and prowess simultaneously.
Exploring a cryptic world is always intriguing, particularly when death has consequences. When dying in Hellpoint, the player will leave behind a ghost that they must exorcise via combat to get their currency back. With a ton of areas to adventure through and succulent secrets to uncover, Dark Souls fans will have plenty to do in this radical romp through space.
14 Dark Devotion
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One
As a 2D game, there are some inevitable differences from 3D ARPGs like Dark Souls due to physical constraints, though this does not detract from games in an older-school style. Dark Devotion puts players in the boots of a templar tasked with exploring an ancient temple and freeing their people's god from imprisonment at the hands of deep beings.
There is a lot of original, deep lore that is only explained through item descriptions and books found around the world, which gives the setting a sense of ominous mystique, much like how FromSoftware's games deliver their stories. The weapons in Dark Devotion are all very fun to use; especially the boss weapons. Lighting-launching greatswords, spells with beams of energy, and much more await those in this addictive game. The structure and map progression is also set up for lots of replay value in that it operates as a rogue-like. However, there are also consistent paths and many shortcuts that cut down on any overly tedious traveling.
13 Demon's Souls
- Where to Play: PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 5
There would be no Dark Souls without Demon's Souls. There were a lot of janky issues with the original 'Souls' game, though that did not stop it from being tremendously fun for many gamers the world over. In fact, many players prefer the imbalance as it allowed for absurdly fun and broken builds in both the original for the PS3 and the remake for the PS5.
For traveling a dark fantasy world full of dragons, demons, and much more, there is no better game to pick up if one seeks the kind of block-parry-dodge action they desire in their ARPGs. The structure of the game is a bit different from Dark Souls in that the world is not open and free to explore but instead arranged in a level-by-level format that makes things a bit easier to get into for many gamers who like compartmentalization.
12 Death's Gambit
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows
Death and rebirth are common traits in Dark Souls, themes that transcend gameplay and speak of the infinite power held by players: immortality. One's demise is only permanent if they give up, and Death's Gambit runs with this idea, starting the player off confronting the Grim Reaper themselves in a chilling conversation that sets the tone for this atmospheric and polished 2D souls-like.
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An intimidating world with cool bosses, highly variable area design, and a plethora of weapons and abilities make this game one to check out for all Dark Souls fans. There are even a ton of hidden quests and character dialogue to uncover that can tie a player's attention to this fascinating foray into death's embrace.
11 Dragon's Dogma
- Where to Play: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo Switch
There are similar elements to Dark Souls in Dragon's Dogma, but it is not a game that can be considered a souls-like as it does maybe things differently, albeit while giving off a similar vibe to FromSoftware's masterpiece. Players will find that Dragon's Dogma plays more like a traditional ARPG in that there is more focus on exchanging blows with foes as opposed to avoiding the damage.
However, the stakes are just as high due to the setting's dominating draconic antagonist who literally steals the player's heart, which forces them to get strong enough to find and challenge the winged fiend. A long and arduous journey awaits one in this game, but it is an adventure full of crazy mechanics like being able to lift, carry, and throw NPCs, unleashing ridiculous elemental spells, and cleaving through waves of skeletons and bandits with a trove of weapons.
10 Hollow Knight
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
Side-scrolling souls-likes have become quite popular in the indie market, but there's no other game that pulls off this concept better than Hollow Knight.
Labeling Hollow Knight as nothing more than a souls-like would be a gross insult to the sheer pedigree of this title, which is an absolute must-play for anyone even remotely interested in the Metroidvania genre.
9 Salt And Sanctuary
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One
Salt And Sanctuary is another side-scrolling souls-like that most people have unfairly overlooked since its launch in 2016.
People who decided to give this game a chance ended up with what is undoubtedly one of the more unique and challenging gameplay experiences around, coupled with an art style that is hauntingly beautiful, despite seeming somewhat minimal at first glance.
8 Blasphemous
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, and macOS
It would be impossible to talk about art styles without mentioning the bloody visuals of Blasphemous, which weaves religious themes and motifs into an entertaining romp through one of the more interesting Metroidvania worlds.
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Blasphemous is a great recommendation for anyone who wants a souls-like that's set in a unique, engrossing, and a rather gory world… although these people should be aware of the frustrations one can experience with the instant-death spike pits that the game is just a bit too fond of including all over the map.
7 God Of War
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4
While the only similarity that God Of War might share with Dark Souls is its combat — and even that's debatable — there's no denying that the 2018 reboot of this legendary franchise is worth playing regardless of one's affinity towards Dark Souls.
The story, characters, combat, and world design are just a few of the many facets of God Of War that led to it becoming arguably the best game to release in a year that was littered with some truly amazing titles.
6 The Witcher 3
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch
The Witcher 3 is easily one of the best video games of all time, and one need only look at the massively positive critical and commercial reception of this title to understand why this is the case. The combat of the game is definitely reminiscent of Dark Souls, albeit with more things to do in any given situation.
Players who enjoy great games like Dark Souls as the sum of its parts will definitely find themselves fawning over pretty much everything in this legendary title.
5 The Surge 2
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One
For the most part, Deck13 was considered to be nothing more than the poor man's FromSoftware… but that was before the release of The Surge 2.
The first Surge game wasn't anything to write home about — in fact, some might argue that the title was painfully mediocre in comparison to some of the other great souls-likes out at that time. However, The Surge 2 completely blew its predecessor out of the water, featuring better combat, visuals, and a story that was actually quite coherent.
4 Nioh 2
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and PlayStation 5
Nioh 2 decided to delve completely into the spirit of Soulsborne games, featuring a custom-made character, a lesser focus on an in-your-face story, and some of the most challenging combat that the gaming industry has seen.
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Any fan of Dark Souls will find themselves right at home with the combat system of Nioh 2, which is brutal yet fair in its execution.
3 Mortal Shell
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S
A recent souls-like to come on the market is also considered to be an absolute gem of a title that, while sporting a somewhat short runtime, still managed to capture fans' attention with its deep lore and intricate gameplay mechanics.
Mortal Shell might not be as challenging as any of FromSoftware's games — or any of the other souls-likes on this list for that matter — but there's no denying that the game is an absolute blast to play through.
2 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Where to Play: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia
It would be impossible to talk about games similar to Dark Souls without mentioning the other games released by this company. FromSoftware has been on a roll ever since this legendary 2011 release and has constantly diversified the IPs it has handled over time.
Related: Reasons Why Sekiro Is Better Than Nioh 2 (& Other Reasons Why It Isn't)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of the latest games under FromSoftware's belt, and it's as great as one might expect. While Dark Souls might be slower and more meticulous when it comes to everything from its pacing to its combat, Sekiro throws this philosophy out of the window with some of the most fast-paced and adrenaline-inducing combat ever featured in a video game.
1 Bloodborne
- Where to Play: PlayStation 4
Bloodborne is easily one of the greatest games that FromSoftware has ever developed. The Gothic architecture and Lovecraftian influences turn the game into a hauntingly beautiful nightmare of sorts, which engrossed players from the first few minutes itself.
FromSoftware's first experimentation with advanced dodging mechanics, as opposed to blocking, was done in this title, which has some of the most nerve-wracking combat one can enjoy in a video game. Every perfect dodge feels like a massive accomplishment, surpassed only by the joy of stunning an enemy with a perfectly timed countershot and following it up with a powerful visceral attack.
Next: Ways Bloodborne Is The Best Dark Souls Spinoff (& Other Ways It's Sekiro)
