Dark Souls Series Alternatives and Similar Games

This PlayStation-exclusive was meant to be a spiritual sequel to the Dark Souls series, and anyone who has ever spent more than 10 minutes playing Dark Souls will immediately see how similar this game is to Dark Souls. From the combat system to the equipment and inventory layouts, all the way to how the story progresses, it is pretty much a carbon copy, just put into a different setting.

If you prefer sci-fi to fantasy, The Surge is definitely the game for you. You are responsible for piloting an exoskeleton to overcome the challenges ahead and improving it through ‘modular upgrades’. This takes place in a terrible dystopian future where all of the world’s resources have been depleted. This game paints a bleak image of how mankind responds to stress and how we interact with each other.

Another fantastic Playstation-exclusive, Demon’s Souls is widely regarded to have popularized this particular style of games, so much so that the entire genre these games fall into are commonly referred to as ‘Souls’ games, and Demon’s Souls was used as the foundation for not only the popular Dark Souls series but was also drawn heavily on by Bloodborne. While some of the mechanics are dated, if you are looking for a game similar to Dark Souls, this would be going all the way back to where it all began.

Play as an exiled criminal, sent to win back your honor in a cruel, unforgiving landscape, where you must do whatever you can to survive. Everything about this game, from the User Interface to the class and combat systems, draw heavily from the Dark Souls series.

Take a trip through time, all the way back to Japan in the 1600’s. If you are looking for a Dark Souls-style game set in a very traditional Japanese-style fantasy world, this is definitely a game you should check out, as its gameplay draws heavily from other Souls-style games, and experienced Souls players will be able to grow accustomed to this quite quickly.

If you are familiar with the Dark Souls series, chances are you are familiar with the Monster Hunter series as well. No matter if you first played Monster Hunter Tri or any of the games before it, you know that Monster Hunter is not only a genuinely good game that deserves its critical acclaim, but it is also a very interesting mix-up to what you would normally expect from a Souls-Style game, with a much more arcade feeling to it.

The game-of-the-year-winner that people still play to this day, the Witcher 3 is a fun and challenging action RPG, where you take the role of Geralt, a genetically-altered being made for the sole purpose of being a monster-killing machine. A high-fantasy setting combined with everything from intense combat, to rich and exciting quests, to playing a card game, the Witcher 3 has it all. The challenge-level for this game will probably prove to be just a little more difficult than in games like GTA V.

This is certainly not what you would expect from a Souls-style game since it is a 2D experience. This game has received all-around positive reviews from both critics and players about its amazing gameplay and lore. Even though it’s 2D, as soon as you start playing this game, you will realize how incredibly similar everything is, especially the inventory system, and the massive array of items you can use.

Play as a hero in this grim, yet somehow high-fantasy world filled with evil, talking dragons, souls of the dead, and more, as you recruit allies to help you incinerate, slash, and pierce your way through foes using a wide variety of classes and weapons. This game matches the intensity of Dark Soul’s combat perfectly and is known for being a difficult game to master. If you want a Dark Souls that focuses a bit more on traditional quests and heroism, this is for you!

The fourth installment in the ‘Momodora’ series, this game is another amazing 2D side-scrolling RPG. You play as a brave priestess on a quest to stop a curse from completely corrupting the land you love, collecting items, fighting monsters, and avoiding the numerous obstacles that stand in your way. This game will challenge your combat abilities and leave you wanting more every time.

An isometric survival horror game, Shrouded in Sanity takes the player through a terrifying journey through an estate where they must survive. It draws inspiration heavily from Souls games but focuses much more on open-world exploration and immersion rather than combat, equipment, or deep and complex lore.

The world of Hazath has become terribly corrupted beyond recognition, and you play as a lone mouse who sets out to find the truth behind your world’s corruption. In this 2D game, you will rely heavily on the skills you develop to see you through combat and devise strategies for dealing with opponents who progressively get more and more powerful until you only have the slimmest hope of beating them on your first attempt. With multiple playstyles and items to choose from, each offering different and unique ways to play, this is truly a great experience if you’re looking for games like Dark Souls.

In this intense, grim game, you play as the Drifter, a wanderer who has access to technology that has been long forgotten by your world. You will notice parallels to games like ‘A Link to the Past’ and even the ‘Diablo’ series, and the creator intended it that way! So, if you were a fan of those games, and want a more challenging adventure, this game will suit you quite well.