12 Best Games like Dark Souls In 2024 Ranking

You are finally at the right place if you are a fan of the best RPG games, have a knack for hardcore games, and are naturally attracted to Soulslikes.

We have compiled a list of games like Dark Souls to quench your thirst for souls-likes. 

This list includes Dark Souls-like games not in just the survival genre, but also in the art style, gameplay, and mechanics that made Dark Souls one of the best games ever for so many. 

Top 12 Games like Dark Souls 

The Dark Souls series remains era-defining, one of the most difficult third-person dungeon crawler RPGs ever made.

The gameplay mechanics and features like stamina and health bar still make it an epic experience, still taking gamers to their limits and pushing them over the edge! 

It even has a whole genre to its name. Souls-like games have the essence and features of Dark Souls.

Although the last Dark Souls game got released back in 2018, which is quite a while back, gamers are still eager to play proper serious souls-likes.  

Here is the list of the best games like Dark Souls! 

12. Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends Of The Titan 

Legends Of The Titan is a gem among action-adventure RPGs, almost like Dark Souls but with beautiful landscapes and scenery.

You get to explore a vast, open-world full of mountains, deserts, forests, and canyons while completing quests for new weapons, armor, and unraveling secrets along the way! 

Playing as Eren, embark on a quest to slay the mighty Titans who terrorize your hometown. Fight against the fearsome giants and win back peace for humanity.

Legends of the Titan will draw you into an immersive environment where even warfare is beautiful.

The cunning atmosphere alone is enough to hook players in utter fascination from start to finish, but it’s not just the aesthetics. This game has exceptional gameplay that feels like Dark Souls yet looks like Final Fantasy. 

The game is set in a dark, medieval-looking world filled with knights and mages.

You’ll also find plenty of dungeons to explore as you make your way through the story while leveling up your hero’s skills and obtaining souls used to level up and purchase new items. 

• Release Date: July 5, 2012 
• Developer: Atlus 
• Platforms: Nintendo 3DS

11. Ashen 

Ashen is a 3rd person action RPG game set in an open world where you venture into a freshly birthed universe to find a home.

Combat with others, build alliances and conquer the shadow creatures seeking to throw the world back into dark times. 

Explore forgotten dungeons, face epic enemies, and explore various areas full of beautiful views and legendary animals.

Meet folks on their journey, who will join you and convert your home into a vibrant city.

You must safeguard the Ashen in this new age of light and eliminate the lurking shadows forever. 

Even from your first step, you realize that there is something different about this place. You are alone in a land as vast and untamed as the one before it, but what can’t be seen will never hurt you.

Fear not the unknown, for all are welcome in Ashen. Another appealing aspect of this magnificent souls-like game is how obtuse it is in revealing its foes, objects, and plot as it progresses slowly.  

2018’s Ashen from Annapurna Interactive and A44 Studios created this game with direct inspiration from Dark Souls.

That is why the Ashen game is super tough to beat. Better play this game in co-op mode if you cannot handle difficult games.

Ashen is an unrelenting, merciless, and masterfully bared version of a Dark Souls game.

Even though most of its figures hardly have feet or even faces in comparison to its opulent Soulsborne siblings.

The artistic approach is purposely stripped down, and polygon-shaped. 

• Release Date: December 7, 2018 
• Developer: A44 
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

10. Remnant: From the Ashes 

Combining a dark, post-apocalyptic science fiction horror with punishing melee encounters, a convoluted setting, and hard-hitting enemies with tough boss battles – Remnant is your standard-issue souls-like game. 

You play as a survivor wandering the destroyed lands in hopes to rid of all that is evil. Early on, you join other survivors in Ward 13, which is an underground bunker.

In your venture, you move across worlds with the help of portals called Labyrinths.

Finally, with clues and some help, you manage to set foot on an island that seems to be the home of all evil. 

Balancing superb shooting mechanics with robust ground fighting – replete procedurally generated levels – all of this makes Remnant: From the Ashes sufficiently distinctive from its kindred titles while paying due homage to the games which inspired it.

But most of all, it’s a lot of fun, sometimes steely-spined, and has some distinctive characteristics in store for you.

And if the core game makes you want more, there are two DLC packs in store to keep you going and a complete prequel. 

• Release Date: August 20, 2019 
• Developer: Gunfire Games 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

9. Lords of the Fallen 

The rulers of your world were almost at the brink of finally removing all evil from your realm. But then a god rose who was once defeated and banished for his evil plans.

As the havoc starts to arise, you are released from prison. You play as Harkyn, a convicted criminal given a chance of redemption.

Along with your mentor Kaslo you set out to defeat the god to bring peace.

However, you will have to face strong enemies like the Rhogar Lords, who are the commanders of the evil god’s army. 

Lords of the Fallen is a game with many similarities to Dark Souls. It has similar combat and leveling-up system.

However, instead of coins, you get souls for leveling up and purchasing new items.

The graphics are also darkened, in a tone that makes it feel much closer to seeing lords in this genre already. 

With nine weapons distributed into three classes, the combat system in this game is diverse.

There’s a great combat system that is both brutal yet deep as you decimate foes while becoming ever stronger upon leveling up through souls collected by defeating enemies.  

• Release Date: October 28, 2014 
• Developer: Deck13 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS

8. Hellpoint 

Hellpoint is a Dark Souls game but in space (Irid Novo), ironically not hell. The game consists of the same features that Dark Souls fans love like respawn checkpoints (Breaches) in a maze-like world, losing all your money when you die unless retrieved, light and heavy attacks, and challenging bosses.

All of this screams Dark Souls but only in a different place. The visually stunning game has a lot to offer.

Apart from the beautiful starry view, you have to unravel a mysterious plot. 

Hellpoint is a sci-fi horror game with innovative gameplay that mimics Dark Souls by bringing you through a labyrinth of cleverly designed systems that will push your navigation skills to the max.

The only thing missing from this spacey version of the cult favorite is Miyazaki’s signature difficulty. 

In this sci-fi game, you play as a nameless humanoid stranded on a space station, with no memory of what happened, all you can do is fight the wretched monsters.

As you go farther in the depths of the station, you start linking the missing pieces of the story. Hellpoint is one of the best games that take full advantage of the mysterious aspect of its game. 

The feeling of unraveling the secrets in this game is jaw-dropping. Fight through Hellpoint’s hyper-detailed deep space environment, challenging monsters and bosses that will test your skill and power.

Explore the beautifully crafted maze of intergalactic star systems while unlocking countless new worlds in this challenging exploration RPG with stunning visuals. 

Even though there are similarities, Hellpoint has many unique features which set it apart from Dark Souls.

The combat is by far the most different. Not only by the mechanics but the head-on approach of enemies and the weapon upgrading system.

Moreover, the exclusion of a minimap makes the labyrinth more of a mysterious place. 

• Release Date: July 30, 2020 
• Developer: Cradle Games 
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Mac OS, PS4, PS5. Xbox One, Linux, Xbox Series X, and Series S, Xbox One, Google Stadia

7. Darksiders 3 

In this imaginative, lively world of Sorvia, four riders are set on an unstoppable collision course. Caught in the middle is an unassuming horseman yearning to break free from his oppressors.

Can Fury escape her inevitable destiny and successfully resist darkness with just a broken sword? Only you can answer if Fury will defeat the seven deadly sins and restore peace on Earth.

An epic journey awaits amidst a captivating, hard-fought battle against death itself in Darksiders 3! 

Unlike so many action role-playing games in recent years, Darksiders 3 takes from the Dark Souls game design and uses it marvelously.

The new adoption is also a change for the series here. For example, health does not regenerate anymore like it did in the earlier games.

On the contrary, Fury has an item, which can be activated to heal, called Respite Nephilim. 

The Respite Nephilim is not for unlimited use. Instead, it slowly depletes, and you can recharge it by killing enemies.

Fury also gains Souls by killing opponents, and you can use them to upgrade Fury or buy items. Upgrades include Fury’s health, physical damage, and magical damage. 

Dark Siders 3 has a more linear approach for moving towards objectives. Instead, there is a single path that eventually leads to your objective, not like Dark Souls, which instead has a maze-like level system where every path is interconnected.

Some bosses give you a unique item that you can use to increase your abilities.

Over time you will have enough experience, upgrades, and skills which will enable you to master breath-taking combos.   

• Release Date: November 27, 2018 
• Developer: Gunfire Games 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

6. The Surge 

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The Surge has many trademark attributes of a Dark Souls game, like the combat system, amazing maze-like level design, and hardcore difficulty.

But it also adds cool new features. The Surge is for all those who like to be challenged with rigorous gameplay, especially for those who revel in the unforgiving gameplay of Dark Souls.

The first game in the series features a complex battle system with intense melee combat. You fight against armored zombies, hulking mechanized power suits, and rogue medical professionals who went mad. 

The Surge 2 is a challenging, deadly game that focuses on quality and complexity. But don’t let the difficulty and cool gameplay fool you – there is no compromise on the story here.

The beautifully curated plot by the game makers is the icing on the cake.

With horrific tales told by dying scientists or through messages left for others in need of help, the way the game unravels is a masterpiece. 

The Surge offers an immersive experience like a few other games, horrifying creatures to battle, creative challenges at every turn, and some cool bosses.

You are most likely to be attracted by the story of The Surge. We adore the ‘scavenging’ mechanism, i.e., to power up, you target specific parts of the enemy to cut and fix them in your Exo-Suit. 

If you’re looking for a game set in the future with trademark features of Dark Souls, then The Surge is right up your alley.

It also has a combat system that involves timing and stamina management.

You’ll have to make decisions about how best to upgrade your exo-suit and weapons if you want to survive! 

• Release Date: May 16, 2017 / September 24, 2019 (1/2)  
• Developer: Deck13 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

5. Mortal Shell 

Mortal Shell is an action RPG with only a few traditional RPG components, a radical new take on role-playing that might just change things forever.

Unlike other of the best RPG games where you level up and have loads of stats to watch out for, Mortal Shell has one game mechanic: the ‘shell.’ 

This is what your character becomes when they find themselves in someone else’s body.

So instead of leveling up warriors or wizards by convention, they’re trying on different bodies until they find one that suits them. 

Each suite has distinct attributes, like a one having more health would be slow, than lower health but a swift body.

This new take adds a twist to your favorite souls-like game, which is one worth trying. 

But at the same time when getting powerful gear and abilities, their existence starts slipping away as their soul leaves through the back door.

These shells – the bodies inhabited and controlled by you – behave like classes. Each shell is a body of a person with full armor. Interacting with it transfers the armor to you.

There are no shields in the game, but each shell can become a rock-like structure that you can use to avoid damage. 

You can get ahold of new weapons by beating bosses, eagerly waiting for you in a spooky place. As you play through the mysterious world, you will see beautiful works of wonders radiating the idea that there is more to unravel.

The mystery, art style, and a few other games trademarks like a labyrinth make it an excellent choice for Dark Souls fans.  

• Release Date: August 18, 2020 
• Developer: Cold Symmetry 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5

4. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 

Sekiro’s timing-based striking and slash fights are familiar to any Soul veteran.

The same goes for the map design, in which you journey through the same vast labyrinth-like interconnected levels, revealing new shortcuts between little bastions. 

The Sculptor Idols are functionally analogous to the lanterns in Bloodborne or bonfire in Dark Souls.

Here you are going to rest, restore your health, reset the enemy spawn, improve your character, and it wouldn’t be a souls-like game if it wouldn’t let you fast travel would it! 

Sekiro is more action than roleplaying, but there’s an unmistakable Dark Souls flavor to it. 

It has a similar combat system and armor mechanics to the Souls series. You could even say that this game feels as if Hidetaka Miyazaki took over FromSoftware’s successful franchise.

Sekiro has many similarities with the Dark Souls game with some features from other games as well (i.e., stealth), which you will like very much because they were not too intrusive in gameplay or narrative. 

As with the FromSoftware concept, Sekiro develops into a stunning adventure for stealth action.

However, this game stresses accuracy and skill for combat. Unlike other souls-like games, you can stealthily kill enemies along with traditional fights head-on.

Either way, you need to have good skills. 

The game’s innovative and versatile features help create a more concentrated experience without sacrificing the aura of mystery.

Sekiro is an incredibly marvelous take on a familiar set of themes that can stand alongside its predecessors on its own. 

• Release Date: March 22, 2019 
• Developer: FromSoftware, Inc. 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows

3. Demon’s Souls 

Enter the world of Demon’s Souls and experience an intense, rewarding action RPG. Travel to the Kingdom of Boletaria – a cursed land under siege.

Demonic creatures are bent on enslaving all who live there, just for amusement or more sinister reasons yet unknown. 

You’ll fight those demons with an arsenal of weapons that you can customize to suit your needs.

Unfortunately, there is no regeneration after battles. Hence, be ready for frequent trips back to the eternal salvation campsite.

There, your camp respawns along with your lost souls (items), as well as healing spells and food items if needed. 

Demon’s Souls was originally developed by FromSoftware and released on PlayStation 3 in 2009.

Later in 2020, we got to see a remake of the game which improved a lot of things, and the developers outdid themselves.

Which makes one wonder how can a masterpiece be improved?

Demon’s Souls is an RPG action game that is proud of its challenging, complex, and systematic combat, along with its tremendously extensive personality build customization.

Instead of relying on reflexes, Demon’s Souls focuses more on clever judgments everywhere, including combat.

Hence it feels tremendously satisfying to make the proper choices to beat its many formidable challenges. 

Demon’s Souls is a PS5 exclusive, and you should not miss out on this deal. It is almost the best soul-like game of this era, so try this game once.

We guarantee that you will not be disappointed! The superb setting, art style, combat, mechanics, and everything screams high-quality!

No wonder this game is exclusive. 

• Release Date: November 12, 2020 
• Developers: FromSoftware, Inc., Japan Studio, Shirogumi 
• Platform: PlayStation 5

2. Bloodborne 

The next journey awaits you. Explore the ruins of an old countryside now tainted with blood.

The murky and mysterious air warns against exploration, but its secrets are just waiting to be found – if you’re up for it. 

From breakneck chases to epic battles against eldritch horrors beyond human comprehension, this game is a challenging and rewarding experience like a few others.

If you make it past the vast array of hazardous beasts that await without getting your arms hacked off by some bone-headed hunter first, there’s unimaginable power just waiting for the taking at the end of your lengthy adventure. 

Bloodborne is a fantastic, challenging, and exhaustive journey through a magnificent realm exerting an increasing sense of madness throughout, all the way to the end.

Although long load periods and frame rate drops affect the pace, overall, it is one of the best Dark Soul-like games around, challenging and rewarding.

The story of Bloodborne is not totally linear as you can choose one of the multiple choices, which will result in different endings. Ultimately you choose your destiny in this game! 

The semi-open world and challenging progression in Bloodborne borrow significantly from the titles Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls.

All of which made FromSoftware renowned in the first place. Bloodborne possesses an aggressive new combat speed as compared to other games.

The innovative approach to RPG gameplay leads us through a beautiful trip between the highest peaks of satisfaction and the deepest, darkest pits of tired desperation.  

• Release Date: March 24, 2015 
• Developer: FromSoftware, Inc. 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

1. Nioh / Nioh 2

This game is set in feudal Japan, and you’ll be fighting off the evil Yokai with a variety of samurai swords, bows, and more. It features a well-thought-out combat system that requires timing and mastery.

You will need to become stronger by acquiring new skills for your character as well as upgrading items, not to mention skills. 

Nioh is an intense game that will meet your needs for games like Dark Souls.

With distinctive enemies having unique personalities and fighting styles, each combat scenario is unique, somewhat unpredictable, and therefore fun, unlike other games that keep throwing the same enemies at you throughout.

With 20 bosses and more than 50 missions, this is one adventure where all the stakes are high! 

From demonic and dark bosses to interesting missions, Nioh has everything you’re looking for in games like Dark Souls.

With more than 20 different weapon types available, it gives plenty of opportunity for experimentation.

All of which makes this an exciting and fun experience unlike any other out there right now.  

Killing demonic creatures has never been more fun than this! With major gaming reviewers, the average rating of Nioh is 9+, and it even managed to win the Famitsu Awards.

With so many great reviews, nominations and achievements, nothing can go wrong when trying Nioh!

However, to get the whole experience, you should try Nio Remastered Complete version (PC and PS5). 

• Release Date: February 7, 2017 
• Developer: Team Ninja 
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Conclusion 

We might have missed out on a lot of stuff, but these are the best games like Dark Souls around without a doubt. 

Since the launch of Dark Souls, we knew it would be huge, and it is. Until FromSoftware finishes work on Elden Ring, it isn’t sure to hear any news about any addition to the Soul series. Until then, you have time to try these Dark Souls-like games instead! 

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