Best Games Like Elden Ring

From tightly designed Souls-style challenges to open-world adventures inspired by FromSoftware’s philosophy, here are 10 games like Elden Ring that capture different facets of its magic. 

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Developer : FromSoftware
  • Publisher : Bandai Namco Entertainment
  • Release Date : February 25, 2022
  • Genre : Action / Adventure RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

FromSoftware’s most ambitious project to date, Elden Ring took the DNA of its Souls predecessors and unleashed it across a vast open world.

Elden Ring redefined the action RPG genre by merging the studio’s signature precision combat with a vast, haunting open world. Beneath its desolate beauty lies a game built on discovery, mastery, and storytelling through atmosphere rather than exposition. Every ruin, boss, and fragment of lore feels deliberate, forming a living world that invites both quiet exploration and brutal challenge.

If you’re looking for games like Elden Ring, whether you’ve already claimed your place as Elden Lord or you’re seeking new worlds to conquer with that same sense of awe and danger, there are several remarkable alternatives. 

Dark Souls III

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, Xbox One
  • Developer : FromSoftware
  • Publisher : Bandai Namco Entertainment
  • Release Date : March 24, 2016
  • Genre : Action RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

Dark Souls III is the closest relative to Elden Ring, representing FromSoftware’s final refinement of its traditional linear Souls formula. It trades open-world freedom for tightly designed levels that interlock in brilliant ways. The combat feels faster and more responsive than earlier Souls games, serving as a perfect bridge between the old and new eras of FromSoftware design.

✅ Precise, high-speed combat: Fast-paced duels and boss fights that reward timing and aggression, similar to Elden Ring’s flow once you master your weapon.

✅ Rich lore and melancholy tone: A world collapsing under its own weight, where every item and ruin tells a story (if you’re willing to take your time), much like the Lands Between.

✅ Build flexibility: While more limited than Elden Ring, you can experiment with many weapon types, spells, and hybrid setups.

✅ Memorable bosses: Epic, cinematic encounters that laid the foundation for Elden Ring’s spectacle.

📉 Linear structure: Less exploration freedom and fewer secrets compared to Elden Ring.

📉 Technical aging: Some visual elements and animations feel dated next to modern open-world games.

Similarity score : 9/10

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, Xbox One
  • Developer : FromSoftware
  • Publisher : Activision
  • Release Date : 22 March 2019
  • Genre : Action adventure
  • Where to play : Steam

Sekiro takes FromSoftware’s combat philosophy to its purest form. Instead of builds or character stats, mastery lies entirely in precision and timing. It replaces Elden Ring’s open freedom with tightly focused design and one of the most rewarding combat systems ever created.

✅ Skill-based combat mastery: Parrying, deflecting, and posture-breaking are everything. Like Elden Ring, victory depends purely on player skill.

✅ Boss intensity: Every boss is a duel of reflexes and discipline, creating the same high tension as Elden Ring’s toughest fights.

✅ World design: Atmospheric, interconnected regions evoke the best of Souls-era level design.

✅ Storytelling restraint: Sparse dialogue and cryptic lore recall Elden Ring’s narrative style.

📉 Limited build variety: You play a fixed character, so there’s none of the deep RPG flexibility that Elden Ring offers.

📉 Linear progression: The lack of exploration makes it a very different experience for players drawn to open worlds.

Similarity score : 8.5/10

Bloodborne

  • Platform(s) : PS4
  • Developer : FromSoftware
  • Publisher : Sony Computer Entertainment
  • Release Date : March 24, 2015
  • Genre : Action RPG
  • Where to play : PlayStation

✅ Aggressive combat flow : While Elden Ring allows for patience and tactical spacing, Bloodborne pushes players toward relentless offense. Its “regain” system rewards taking risks : a sharper, faster interpretation of the same core combat DNA.

✅ Worldbuilding and tone : Bloodborne distills Elden Ring’s decayed majesty into gothic horror. Its intricate environments and lore-driven storytelling evoke that same haunting mystery, though focused on urban claustrophobia rather than open landscapes.

✅ Boss and enemy design : Both titles feature nightmarish creature design and multi-phase bosses that test adaptability. Each encounter tells a story through movement and setting rather than dialogue.

📉 Exploration freedom : Bloodborne is far more contained, its tight map design contrasting Elden Ring’s sweeping openness. What it loses in scope, it gains in atmosphere and tension.

Similarity score : 8.5/10

Lies of P

  • Platform(s) : PC, macOS, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
  • Developer : Neowiz, Round8 Studio
  • Publisher : Neowiz
  • Release Date : September 18, 2023
  • Genre : Action RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Precision-based combat : Like Elden Ring, Lies of P emphasizes deliberate, punishing encounters where timing, spacing, and parries decide victory. It trades the flexibility of open-world builds for finely tuned weapon assembly and a robust upgrade system.

✅ Atmosphere and tone : Both games share a darkly poetic aesthetic. Lies of P’s Belle Époque dystopia echoes Elden Ring’s decaying grandeur, blending elegance with horror in a beautifully oppressive world.

✅ Mysterious storytelling : Fans of cryptic dialogue, fragmented lore, and morally ambiguous NPCs will find Lies of P’s approach familiar. The narrative unfolds through implication and exploration rather than exposition, mirroring Elden Ring’s world-driven storytelling.

📉 Scope and exploration : Unlike Elden Ring’s sprawling open world, Lies of P is a linear adventure with limited backtracking. The density of its level design compensates, but players shouldn’t expect the same sense of vast discovery.

Similarity score : 8/10

Nioh 2

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, PS5
  • Developer : Team Ninja
  • Publisher : Koei Tecmo & Sony Interactive Entertainment
  • Release Date : March 12, 2020
  • Genre : Action RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Deep mechanical mastery : Nioh 2’s combat is one of the few in the genre that rivals Elden Ring in depth. Its stance system, Ki management, and weapon variety create a highly technical combat loop, perfect if you crave challenge and refinement.

✅ Build flexibility and progression : Both games reward experimentation, though Nioh 2 leans even harder into stat optimization and gear farming. Players who enjoy crafting min-maxed builds in Elden Ring will feel right at home.

✅ Boss design and intensity : Like Elden Ring, Nioh 2 features complex, multi-phase bosses that demand precision and adaptability. Each encounter feels like a duel of skill and timing.

📉 Level structure : Nioh 2 trades open exploration for mission-based progression. It’s less about discovery and more about mastery, appealing to players who prefer focused, repeatable challenges.

Similarity score : 8/10

Ghost of Tsushima

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, PS5
  • Developer : Sucker Punch Productions
  • Publisher : Sony Interactive Entertainment
  • Release Date : July 17, 2020
  • Genre : Action adventure
  • Where to play : Steam

While Ghost of Tsushima doesn’t share FromSoftware’s difficulty or cryptic storytelling, it captures much of the same spirit of exploration and discovery. Its open world is breathtaking and full of environmental storytelling, while its impactful combat system offers a satisfying blend of precision and flow.

✅ Open-world immersion: Tsushima Island is vast, detailed, and atmospheric, echoing Elden Ring’s focus on discovery and visual storytelling.

✅ Refined melee combat: Although less punishing, its stance system rewards precision, timing, and tactical play.

✅ Cinematic presentation: Like Elden Ring, it balances stillness and intensity, delivering emotional moments without over-exposition.

✅ Thematic resonance: Both games explore duty, decay, and the beauty of perseverance in a dying world.

📉 Accessibility vs challenge: Ghost of Tsushima is far easier and more guided, which may disappoint players seeking Elden Ring’s trial-by-fire progression.

📉 Predictable structure: Traditional open-world objectives and map markers contrast with the mystery and non-linearity of Elden Ring.

Similarity score : 7/10

Lords of the Fallen (2023)

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
  • Developer : Hexworks
  • Publisher : CI Games
  • Release Date : 13 October 2023
  • Genre : Action RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Shared Souls-like structure : Lords of the Fallen builds on the familiar framework, with deliberate stamina-based combat, checkpoint-driven progression, and punishing bosses. Fans of Elden Ring will instantly recognize the core rhythm.

✅ Dual-realm exploration : The Umbral system, which allows you to shift between realms of the living and the dead, offers an innovative twist on Elden Ring’s layered world design. It captures that same sense of curiosity and danger in exploration.

✅ Dark fantasy aesthetic : Visually, Lords of the Fallen shares Elden Ring’s grim atmosphere and obsession with ruined kingdoms and divine decay. Its art direction often feels like a direct homage to FromSoftware’s worldbuilding style.

📉 Combat polish and pacing : While ambitious, Lords of the Fallen’s combat and performance lack the tight responsiveness of Elden Ring. The result is familiar but not as refined.

Similarity score : 7/10

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
  • Developer : CD Projekt Red
  • Publisher : CD Projekt
  • Release Date : 19 May 2015
  • Genre : RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Expansive worldbuilding : Like Elden Ring, The Witcher 3 thrives on exploration and immersion. Its world feels alive and ancient, filled with stories waiting to be unearthed. Both games encourage players to wander off the main path and discover hidden lore, meaningful side quests, and moral grayness.

✅ Narrative depth : Where Elden Ring tells its story through implication and environmental design, The Witcher 3 delivers narrative richness through character-driven quests and emotional writing. Each side story feels significant, creating a similar sense of discovery from a different storytelling angle.

✅ Atmosphere and tone : Both games share a melancholy undercurrent, with worlds scarred by decay, war, and forgotten gods. Their tone is mature and reflective rather than purely heroic.

📉 Combat style : The Witcher 3’s combat lacks the precision and weight of Elden Ring’s action. It’s serviceable but far less skill-based, focusing more on preparation and resource management than on reflex and timing.

Similarity score : 6/10

Hollow Knight

  • Platform(s) : PC, Linux, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
  • Developer : Team Cherry
  • Publisher : Team Cherry
  • Release Date : February 24, 2017
  • Genre : Metroidvania
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Atmospheric storytelling : Like Elden Ring, Hollow Knight builds its lore through silence, ruins, and fragmented encounters. You uncover its mysteries organically, piecing together a world that feels ancient and mournful.

✅ Challenging, deliberate combat : Though 2D, Hollow Knight shares the same spirit of mastery and precision. Every enemy pattern must be learned, every mistake punished,  much like a Souls encounter viewed through a minimalist lens.

✅ Exploration and freedom : Hallownest mirrors Elden Ring’s world in miniature: open-ended, interconnected, and rich with secrets. Progression rewards curiosity rather than linear progression, making exploration as satisfying as combat.

📉 Scale and scope : Hollow Knight trades Elden Ring’s sweeping landscapes and 3D immersion for intimacy and restraint. It’s the same design philosophy, reinterpreted through indie simplicity.

Similarity score : 6/10

Remnant 2

  • Platform(s) : PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
  • Developer : Gunfire Games
  • Publisher : Gearbox Publishing
  • Release Date : July 25, 2023
  • Genre : Third-person shooter, Action RPG
  • Where to play : Steam

✅ Combat challenge and adaptability : Remnant 2 brings Elden Ring’s deliberate combat philosophy into a third-person shooter framework. Its intense, pattern-based boss fights demand the same awareness and precision as a Souls encounter, but with firearms and ranged tactics.

✅ Build diversity : Like Elden Ring, Remnant 2 emphasizes creative freedom through archetypes, traits, and weapon mod systems. The satisfaction of tuning your build to overcome brutal odds mirrors the same reward loop that defines FromSoftware’s titles.

✅ World variety and mystery : Procedurally generated biomes and cryptic NPCs evoke Elden Ring’s fragmented storytelling. Each new run feels like exploring a twisted shard of the Lands Between.

📉 Tone and progression : While Remnant 2 captures the difficulty and sense of wonder, it lacks the poetic melancholy and lore cohesion of Elden Ring. Its sci-fantasy tone feels more experimental than mythic.

Similarity score : 6/10

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