All good things must come to an end and if you're finishing up your time in Elden Ring and want another huge challenging game to tackle afterwards, then this is the article for you. Here are 12 games to check out if you want to scratch that Elden Ring itch.
Demons’s Dark Souls, Bloodborne & Sekiro
Big surprise I know, but I'm just getting them out of the way. While games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne have long been heralded as some of the best gaming has to offer, not everyone has played them and that's okay. If you've bested the lands between, now's a perfect time to go back and see how from software evolved its approach to design over time to create arguably one of the best games ever made. You might even see some familiar faces if you really liked Elden Ring's gameplay systems and take on Dark Fantasy. You can't go wrong with Demon Souls and the Dark Souls Trilogy, especially Dark Souls 3 and its DLC's. If you really vibed with a magic build in Elden Ring, definitely try it out in Demon Souls. But Sword and Board is just as rewarding. The Souls games share a lot of the Elden Ring DNA. The levelling system will feel immediately familiar as will the more hands-off approach to storytelling and the game's interconnected level design. You might just have to get used to weapon degradation though, sorry. But if more aggressive gameplay is your style, then Bloodborne and Sakura Shadows Die Twice are for you.
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Bloodborne encourages more aggressive play by giving you a window to regain health once you've been hit but only if you hit your attacker instead of shying away. While all games rely on timing Sakura is the one that requires perhaps the most precise timing of them all. With critical strikes at key moments, crucial to break the poise, of even the toughest of enemies. No matter which you choose, the risk versus reward tension you feel when moving forward in Elden Ring, is in every single one of the games. Of course so is the difficulty which is especially true in offline as you are not able to summon help.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Bet you didn't see this one coming either, the legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild redefined open worlds and its influence on Elden Ring is readily apparent. Especially with the pin system, you can use to make your own landmarks on the map for exploration later. It's far easier than Elden Ring and isn't a Souls-like at all. But it's filled to the brim with secrets you find completely organically, giving you a sense of discovery that just isn't possible in more guided open world games. While there are huge Sheikah Towers to climb that unfog part of the map, what they don't do is mark every explorable location for you. You need to go find stuff yourself. Cheese is also on the menu just like in Elden Ring, So you can literally jump over certain sections of the map if you have the know-how. Breath of the Wild also has a pretty fantastic and active speed running community and it's really fun to see the Wild ways people can play this game.
The Surge 2
Deck 13 took a backstab at the Soul's formula with Lords of the Fallen in 2014 and it was not very successful lifting some of the series aesthetic elements without really understanding the structure. The Surge and especially its superior sequel did not make that mistake. Set in a City torn apart by chaos after a major technological disaster, it trades fantasy for science fiction. You battle with repurposed construction tools like hammers and saws alongside more advanced technology. All the while upgrading your gear, unlocking doors and elevators and battling powerful bosses. It isn't just a reskinned take on Souls however with a unique dismemberment system, letting you choose which body part to focus on and sever during a battle in order to acquire armour parts or weapons.
NIOH 2
Just like Terminator 2 and Paddington 2 before it, NIO 2 is one of those sequels that is just better than the original. NIOH 2 doesn't feature an open world like Elden Ring, instead using a series of discrete levels with interconnected segments. A Lost Grace equivalent is here as well, as is the currency you drop upon death and used to level up your character. NIOH 2 also offers more incentive for combat experimentation than Elden Ring, as you don't need to bolster weapons to make them effective. Instead you'll find new ones constantly and can try them out for a change of pace. Doing so can make even the hardest bosses seem more manageable.
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As does the new burst counter move, which lets you quickly turn the tables and aggressively attack your enemy. Playstation 5 owners can pick up the NIOH collection, which includes remastered versions of both NIOH games.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 makes our list of games like Elden Ring for its world rather than its combat or any Souls-like mechanics. Gerald's journey takes him across a staggeringly large area varied and full of deadly creatures as well as NPCs, who need some problems solved. Exploration plays a major role in fully enjoying the Witcher 3. A CD Project Red put an enormous amount of care into making sure that nothing feels like filler content. You're also able to get advantages against certain enemies by making use of the right Potions and for anyone struggling with a particular Boss in Elden Ring, that maybe this'll work approach will be very familiar.
Remnant: From the Ashes
Almost every Soul style game uses a Melee combat system, which makes sense given how much time you spend memorizing Boss's attack patterns, so that you can dodge them. But Gunfire Games made a bold decision with Remnant from the Ashes. It's a combined Souls-like and third-person shooter and it somehow succeeds at both. Post-apocalyptic settings aren't exactly in short supply these days but Remnant's nature-centric take on the concept help it to stand out; as does the extensive cooperative support. If you're looking for a huge world stuffed full of secrets to uncover, well look elsewhere. But Remnant from the Ashes combat should feel like a creative riff on existing ideas after playing Elden Ring.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
before Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order released, the thought of a Soul-style game set in a Galaxy far far away didn't seem to make much sense. But Respawn managed to make it work by lifting key elements from several other games too. The world and spectacle are classic uncharted, but anyone who uses a melee weapon and likes to counter-attack in Elden Ring, will pick up Fallen Orders combat very quickly. It's not as sharp and as punishing as Sakuro, since you're given a fair amount of freedom in how you tackle each encounter. Even down to splitting your lightsaber in two or rocking a double-sided Darth Maul blade. But if you've played Elden Ring and you have the twin blade on your mind it's worth a shot.
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Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
In a few ways Assassin's Creed Odyssey is the opposite of Elden Ring. Its UI is busier, pointing you more explicitly towards objectives and the open world isn't really designed to be explored at will. However the combat system delivers the Defend-Punish-Defend loop, Elden Ring does so well. Albeit with more customization via skill trees for special abilities. That loop already etched into your brain from hours of battling tough Bosses in Elden Ring, will be instantly familiar to you. Even the Stealth bears some resemblance to Elden Ring, as it's often used to take out one or two targets before going into an all-out brawl. That's a Far Cry from the stealth heavy Assassin's Creed games of old.
Ashen
A decidedly on triple a take on the from software formula that still understands its essence. Ashen is a strange game. It features some ludicrously difficult Bosses, a bonfire-like checkpoint system and tons of secrets across its desolate landscapes. But it also oozes a sense of calm. You don't have to worry about something attacking you absolutely everywhere, giving you an opportunity to explore the gorgeous open world that has a minimalist art style. A technical showcase this is not but it's impressive nonetheless.
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Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West is similar to other AAA open world games in terms of its UI and handholding. As you get quest journals and lots of other progress tracking features that are not in Elden Ring. However the experience can also be very emergent, as Aloy stumbles across enormous dungeons called Cauldrons that can take a big chunk of time to complete. Elden Ring players will be familiar with this sort of side tracking loop as the game routinely sends you toward an objective while distracting you with caves and tunnels to explore instead.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If Breath of the Wild was one source of inspiration for Elden Rings world design, the Elder Scrolls V Skyrim was certainly another. Its do anything approach rewards you for venturing into the unknown, to discover Dungeons, Treasure and quests and though it certainly lacks the difficulty of Elden Ring. It offers a similar level of flexibility and personalization in the combat. If you want to go in as a stealthy bow equipped Assassin, it's cliche but you can. Or you can attack with a frontal assault using a Sword and Shield. With no set classes, you can mix and match. Rocking a fire spell in one hand while bashing enemies skulls in with a club in the other. It released 10 years ago and still feels so great to play, plus it's on pretty much everything at this point, so there's really no excuse.
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Code Vein
Love Elden Ring but wish it was a Goth anime? Well you're in luck as that's exactly what Code Vein is. Set in a world overrun with Vampiric Creatures, Code Vein's action is absolutely bonkers. With swords, axes, hammers and more available alongside very special Vampire abilities called gifts. They truly make you feel like the ultimate Vampire warrior and every swing of your weapon just feels fantastic. As a bonus one of the late game areas bears a striking resemblance to Anor Londo from Dark Souls. So it's got that going for it.
While nothing will truly fill the hole that Elden Ring has left in our hearts; hopefully there'll be a few things on this list that you'll enjoy until Miyazaki and the team at From software magic up another game. For more on Elden Ring and similar posts make sure to subscribe to our news letter. Until then do check out our other posts as well.
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