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The 10 Best Games Like Elden Ring

Published

10 months ago

June 9, 2023

What are the best games like Elden Ring?

Elden Ring is one of the greatest modern video games, winning numerous Game of the Year awards and selling over 20 million copies.

However, while Elden Ring has a lot of replayability, if you’re looking for something new, you’ve come to the right place!

Today, we’re rounding up the best Elden Ring alternatives, so you can find something to play once you’ve bested the Elden Lord!

The 10 Best Games Like Elden Ring

To create this list, we compared a variety of games based on their similarity to Elden Ring, as well as their popularity and sales.

You may be surprised at the games that have made the cut, but we highly recommend giving them all a try!

So, let’s not waste any more time and get right into our list of the 10 best games like Elden Ring:

10. Nioh

Kicking off our list, we have Nioh, an action RPG that was released as one of the best PS4 RPG games in 2017.

Set in the 1600s, this game follows William Adams, an Irish sailor who ends up becoming a samurai.

As Adams, players must pursue the magician Edward Kelley during the final battles of the Sengoku period in Japan.

Instead of taking place in an open world, all of the missions in Nioh are set in enclosed environments where players have to fight human and yokai enemies.

Each mission is completely self-contained, with many alternate routes that players can take through it.

The combat is very hack-and-slash and similar to Elden Ring in that it’s fast-paced and features unique abilities that require Ki.

If William’s Ki is depleted, he will be open to attack, and if he dies, all of the EXP earned during that mission is lost.

Nioh is the samurai game we needed, and its similarities to Elden Ring are only one of the many reasons you should check it out!

9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Originally released in 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered to be one of the best games ever made.

Set in a fictional world based on Slavic mythology, this game follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a Witcher.

The story revolves around Geralt trying to find his adopted daughter after she goes on the run from the Wild Hunt.

Throughout the course of the game, players have to fight their way past many supernatural horrors to complete quests for gold.

Witcher 3 also boasts three different endings depending on the choices players make during specific moments.

Making things even better is the advanced AI for NPCs and the dynamic environments that make the world feel alive.

If you missed out on this game in 2015, you’ll be happy to learn that it was re-released in 2022 for next-gen consoles.

This re-release comes with many visual enhancements, as well as outfits and a quest inspired by the Netflix series.

We highly recommend checking this game out if you’re a fan of Elden Ring, as it has many similar elements!

8. Code Vein

Published in 2019, Code Vein is an action RPG that takes place in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world.

Following a disaster known as the Great Collapse, this game gives players control of a Revenant.

Revenants are human corpses brought back to life to fight against the emerging monsters threatening humanity’s survival.

Unfortunately, things haven’t gone quite to plan, and it falls to the player to try and restore order in the fallen world.

This game has a structure similar to Souls games, and it features a lot of the same combat mechanics.

One feature that makes this game really fun is the ability to change your class whenever you want.

By doing this, you can try out a bunch of different playstyles to find the one that works the best for you.

Although the critical reviewers were mixed, Code Vein is easily one of the best games like Dark Souls in our book, and as such, it is perfect for fans of Elden Ring!

7. Hollow Knight

One of the best Metroidvania games of all time, Hollow Knight, is a 2D side-scroller that gives players control of a silent, insectoid protagonist called Knight.

As Knight, players have to explore the kingdom of Hallownest, a dilapidated place plagued by a supernatural infection.

In the subterranean areas of Hallownest, the player can interact with many NPCs, some friendly, others hostile, as well as a number of bosses.

Similar to Elden Ring, players will lose currency every time they die, and to get it back, they will have to defeat the shade that’s spawned where they died.

We also have to point out that the art style of this game is simply stunning, and it fuses the darkness of Dark Souls with the sleek cartoonish style of Bendy and the Ink Machine.

Best of all, if you end up loving this game, there is a sequel currently in the works, though no release date has been stated.

This sequel will also boast a permadeath difficulty setting, so if you’re a glutton for punishment in Elden Ring, you’ll be sure to enjoy that challenge!

6. The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Easily one of the best video games of all time, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an incredible game that everyone should play once.

In this game, players have the opportunity to experience the open-world kingdom of Hyrule, and exploration is highly encouraged.

The story can be completed in a nonlinear fashion, giving players a lot of freedom to play the game however they like.

Aside from the main story, there are also many collectibles to find and side quests to complete, so you’ll never run out of things to do!

Considered a masterclass in open-world design, Breath of the Wild is a gorgeous game that rewards players for exploring and experimenting with gameplay mechanics.

By 2022, it has sold over 29 million copies on the Nintendo Switch alone and an additional 1.7 million for the Wii U.

Even if you have never played a game in the Legend of Zelda series before, Breath of the Wild is a game you shouldn’t miss out on!

5. Shadow Of The Colossus

If you’ve finished Elden Ring and are looking for a more slow-paced experience that still offers a lot of challenges, Shadow of the Colossus is for you!

Originally released in 2005, this game follows a protagonist called Wander, who is trying to find the power to revive a young girl.

Unlike Elden Ring, Shadow of the Colossus has no minor enemies and instead is comprised entirely of sixteen massive colossi that serve as bosses.

Played from a third-person perspective, this game has elements of platforming, puzzle solving, and exploration.

In order to defeat each towering colossus, players have to discover their weaknesses and use aspects of the environment to their advantage.

Although the game first came out in 2005, it received a high-definition remake in 2018, and all of the assets were completely rebuilt from scratch.

The remake can run in 4k at 30 FPS or 1080p at 60 FPS, and while the gameplay remains the same, a new control system was introduced.

Needless to say, while the original was beautiful, this remake is absolutely stunning, and it brings every battle to life in an unforgettable way!

4. Bloodborne

Featuring some of the toughest video game bosses, Bloodborne is a must-play for anyone who enjoys Elden Ring.

Bloodborne was released in 2015 as an action RPG, and it gives players control of a Hunter in the Victorian-inspired Gothic city of Yharnam.

This city is ground zero for a blood-borne illness that is steadily transforming residents into terrifying creatures.

It is up to players to solve the mystery of this illness, a challenge that will bring them face to face with numerous monsters and cosmic beings.

Played in third-person, gameplay revolves around strategic combat and exploration, and players can use various items and weapons to take on different monsters.

The city of Yharnam is an extensive environment full of many interconnected areas players can explore.

There are also many diverging paths that players can choose, with the main paths usually being the ones that progress the story.

As for the combat system, it is very much focused on offense, with players having to fight hordes of enemies.

Like Elden Ring, players accumulate Blood Echos while defeating enemies, which will be lost upon death.

Furthermore, the multiplayer mode functions similarly to the one in Elden Ring, as it allows players to summon others to help with enemies and bosses.

Bloodborne is the perfect alternative to Elden Ring, which makes sense since it comes from the same developers!

3. God of War

Released in 2018, God of War is the eighth installment in the series and a sequel to God of War III.

This game gives players control of an older Kratos after he’s made his way to Scandinavia after destroying the Greek pantheon.

As Kratos, players have to venture through Midgard and numerous other Norse releases to try and reach the highest peak to spread the ashes of Faye, the Spartan’s late wife.

Accompanied by his son, Atreus, the story is one of the best features of this game, and some parts will really smack you in the feels.

However, because this is a God of War game, the combat is also grandiose, spectacular, and larger than life.

Between battling different gods to taking on legions of enemies, there is plenty of high-octane action to enjoy.

What’s more, is that this game is designed so that even those who haven’t played a God of War game can jump in without feeling lost.

Along with being one of the best God of War games, this is a game that Elden ring fans shouldn’t pass up!

2. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Released in 2019, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was created by FromSoftware, the developers of Elden Ring, so obviously, it’s made our list!

This game gives players control of a shinobi called Wolf, who’s seeking revenge on the samurai who kidnapped his lord and imprisoned him.

Set during the Sengoku period in Japan, the gameplay is very focused on exploration and stealth, with an emphasis on boss fights.

Unlike Elden Ring, Shadows Die Twice has fewer RPG elements, such as character creation, but it does allow gear upgrades and limited ability customization.

However, players have a ton of freedom when it comes to approaching combat, especially in terms of stealth mechanics.

There are a lot of different ways to approach various situations depending on your play style, which is definitely a huge benefit.

The level design is also incredible, and players are encouraged to explore everything to find all available angles and secrets.

While the lack of a multiplayer mode was criticized by some, honestly, this game is simply amazing, and it is the perfect alternative to Elden Ring!

1. Dark Souls Series

You probably saw this coming, but taking our number one spot is the Dark Souls series, which is an absolute must-play if you loved Elden Ring.

Made up of four games, the most recent of which was released in 2018, the Dark Souls franchise has sold over 33 million copies across the world.

This game is set in a dark medieval fantasy world where players have to fight a variety of horrific monsters to either reignite the First Flame or let it fade.

At the start of each game, players can customize their characters and pick a class, with experience gained from battlers serving as a way to level up.

Players will also gain souls while fighting certain enemies, but they will be lost if the player dies and can only be recovered by revisiting the place of death.

However, if players die again before recovering their souls, they will disappear forever, meaning players will have to re-earn them the hard way!

The Dark Souls series is known for its brutality, and players will become very accustomed to seeing “You Died” flash across their screens.

If you’re someone who enjoyed taking on the hardest bosses in Elden Ring, you will definitely love all of the intense boss fights in this series!