AllMar 09, 2026

Best Games Like Elden Ring: 10 RPGs That Scratch The Same Painful Itch

Looking for games like Elden Ring? Here are 10 great picks, from Dark Souls III and Sekiro to Lies of P, Nioh 2, and Remnant II.

Best Games Like Elden Ring Games Similar to Elden Ring Dark Souls III Sekiro Shadows Die Twice Bloodborne Lies of P

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Mar 09, 2026

Best Games Like Elden Ring: 10 RPGs That Scratch The Same Painful Itch

Best Games Like Elden Ring Hero — If Elden Ring rewired your brain, these games can continue the healthy cycle of challenge and triumph.

Finished Elden Ring and now your standards are ruined?
Same.

You want tight combat, dangerous exploration, huge boss energy, and that special feeling of "I got destroyed, but this was educational."

This list ranks the best games like Elden Ring based on combat depth, world design, build freedom, and how satisfying the suffering feels.

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What "Like Elden Ring" Actually Means

Games Like Elden Ring Criteria — The best alternatives combine challenge, progression freedom, and unforgettable fights.

For this ranking, we prioritized games that deliver at least three of these:

Demanding combat with real punishment for mistakes.
Strong exploration and level/world discovery.
Meaningful build or playstyle variety.
Memorable bosses and atmosphere.

So no, this is not just "games with swords."
This is curated pain with purpose.

#10 Dragon's Dogma 2

Dragons Dogma 2 Like Elden Ring — Dragon's Dogma 2 matches Elden Ring's open-ended adventure energy with party-based action combat.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is less Soulslike and more open-world action RPG sandbox, but it scratches the same discovery itch.

You get massive monsters, flexible vocations, and journey-driven exploration where the world itself becomes the challenge. If Elden Ring made you love unpredictable road chaos, this one fits.

#9 Mortal Shell

Mortal Shell Like Elden Ring — Mortal Shell is compact but nails weighty combat and grim Soulslike mood.

Mortal Shell is shorter and smaller-scale, but its harden mechanic gives combat a cool strategic twist.

It is a good pick if you want a focused, atmospheric Soulslike without committing to another 120-hour lifestyle adjustment.

#8 Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Wo Long Fallen Dynasty Like Elden Ring — Wo Long emphasizes aggressive rhythm combat and high-speed duel pressure.

Wo Long swaps slower stamina pacing for deflect-heavy momentum combat.

If your favorite Elden Ring moments were intense one-on-one fights and clutch timing, this will feel great. Very great, right before a boss teaches humility again.

#7 Lords of the Fallen (2023)

Lords of the Fallen Like Elden Ring — Lords of the Fallen offers interconnected dark fantasy exploration with dual-realm mechanics.

Lords of the Fallen brings classic dark fantasy Souls DNA with a clever two-world system (Axiom/Umbral) that changes traversal and risk.

It has rough edges, but the atmosphere, build options, and world design ambition make it a strong "post-Elden Ring" candidate.

#6 Remnant II

Remnant II Like Elden Ring — Remnant II blends Soulslike challenge with guns, co-op, and replay-focused world generation.

Remnant II answers one question nobody asked loudly enough: what if Soulslike structure had excellent ranged combat and co-op chaos?

Bosses hit hard, builds matter, and replay value is excellent thanks to randomized world elements. This is one of the best non-From twists on the formula.

#5 Nioh 2

Nioh 2 Like Elden Ring — Nioh 2 delivers elite combat depth, stance systems, and deep build customization.

Nioh 2 is for players who want combat systems with absurd depth and high execution ceilings.

It is mission-based instead of open world, but the build crafting, enemy design, and mechanical precision are top-tier. If Elden Ring made you love mastery, Nioh 2 is graduate school.

#4 Lies of P

Lies of P Like Elden Ring — Lies of P is one of the strongest modern Soulslikes with tight combat and premium art direction.

Lies of P surprised everyone by being not just good, but legit elite.

Combat feels sharp, parry timing is rewarding, and the Belle Epoque nightmare style is consistently excellent. It is one of the closest "modern Souls quality" experiences outside FromSoftware.

#3 Bloodborne

Bloodborne Like Elden Ring — Bloodborne pushes aggressive combat and gothic cosmic horror at full intensity.

Bloodborne is still one of the best action RPGs ever made.

It is faster and more aggressive than Elden Ring, with less defensive turtling and more "step forward and commit." If Elden Ring boss aggression was your favorite part, Bloodborne is a must.

#2 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro Like Elden Ring — Sekiro offers precision sword duels and one of the most satisfying combat systems in gaming.

Sekiro is less build-focused, but its combat is pure design excellence.

Deflection rhythm, posture breaks, and duel structure create some of the best fights in the genre. It is brutally strict, but when it clicks, it feels unfairly good.

#1 Dark Souls III

Dark Souls 3 Like Elden Ring — Dark Souls III is still the closest overall match to Elden Ring's combat-lore-boss trifecta.

If Elden Ring had you thinking "I need more of this exact spiritual flavor," Dark Souls III is still the best next step.

It has:

Top-tier boss lineup.
Strong build variety.
Peak dark fantasy mood.
Direct lineage to Elden Ring's combat feel and encounter philosophy.

It is the cleanest recommendation for almost everyone.

Quick Picks By Playstyle

Best Games Like Elden Ring By Playstyle — Pick based on what you loved most: bosses, builds, speed, or exploration freedom.

If you want:

Most similar overall: Dark Souls III
Best pure combat mastery: Sekiro
Best modern non-From Soulslike: Lies of P
Best co-op option: Remnant II
Best system depth: Nioh 2

Choose based on your favorite Elden Ring feeling, not just the marketing label.

Final Summary

No game copies Elden Ring perfectly, and that is a good thing.

But these ten capture the parts that matter most: challenge, discovery, build identity, and bosses that make you question your life choices before giving you one of gaming's best victory highs.

You are not chasing a clone.
You are chasing that "I finally did it" moment again.

By Aiden Nguyen

Senior Editor, Console Pulse

Images Credit

Official artwork, promotional assets, and in-game screenshots are credited to their respective publishers and rights holders, including Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware, Sony Interactive Entertainment, NEOWIZ, Team NINJA/KOEI TECMO, CI Games, Arc Games, and Game Science. Images are used for editorial coverage.