Summary
- Fans seeking Souls-like experiences have options beyond Dark Souls.
- Bloodborne offers faster-paced combat, focusing on aggression.
- Salt & Sanctuary merges metroidvania elements with Souls-like gameplay.
Dark Souls is one of the most important video game trilogies ever made, building upon the foundation of Demon’s Souls and becoming a massive hit courtesy of the first game’s unexpected success. Exploring multiple decaying worlds and battling against imposing bosses is a huge part of what makes this series so special.
It’s easy to see why fans would want to check out more games in the same vein, and the existence of the Soulslike genre is proof enough of this. If players want to enjoy some excellent combat, explore a dark fantasy world, or face off against larger-than-life bosses, then these titles will be right up their alley.
3:46
Related
The Best FromSoftware Games on Steam, Ranked
If you’re looking for a list of the best FromSoftware games available on Steam, then look no further.
8
Bloodborne
The Faster-Paced Combat Is A Natural Evolution
- Released
-
March 24, 2015
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
The gothic and Lovecraftian horror of Bloodborne helped differentiate this game from Dark Souls, even if the core gameplay loop was similar in many ways. Players explore an interconnected world and fight against nightmarish threats as they aim to end the Nightmare they’re stuck in.
Unlike Dark Souls, the combat of Bloodborne is meant to be faster-paced, and prioritizes aggression over everything else. While knowledge of prior FromSoftware games is valuable, players must discard the passive approach to combat if they’re too used to staying behind a shield in Dark Souls.
7
Salt & Sanctuary
The First Metroidvania Soulslike Inspired By Dark Souls
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
Before Salt & Sanctuary came out, metroidvania Soulslikes were a novelty that indie gaming hadn’t experimented with. In many ways, Salt & Sanctuary opened the floodgates for this genre combination to dominate the indie market.
Similar to Dark Souls, players can pursue varied builds by investing in certain stats with the Salt they’ve collected. Combat is challenging and death causes players to rage as they drop all their Salt, giving them just one opportunity to recover this hard-earned resource before it’s lost forever.
6
Hollow Knight
Explore A Wasting World And Fight Challenging Bosses
- Released
-
February 24, 2017
- ESRB
-
E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
If Salt & Sanctuary experimented with the combination of metroidvania and Soulslike elements, then Hollow Knight perfected it. After all, there’s a reason why fans can’t stop pining for Silksong despite the lengthy wait.
3:20
Related
Dark Souls: Every Class Ranked From Worst To Best
A complete breakdown of every class in the original Dark Souls.
Hallownest is another decaying world with tragic figures that the player is forced to take down during their travels. Combat and rewarding exploration in Hollow Knight are easy things to point out when highlighting this indie game’s similarities with Dark Souls, but what stands out here is the environmental storytelling that both games nail.
5
Blasphemous 2
Amazing Environmental Design And Crunchy Combat
Soulslike
Metroidvania
Platformer
- Released
-
August 24, 2023
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
If players love the environmental design of Dark Souls, then Blasphemous 2 will leave them stunned with its amazing visual direction. The pixel art does a great job of conveying the twisted nature of the biblical world players explore.
It helps that this game is a major improvement over its sequel and addresses most of the complaints fans had with the first Blasphemous game. If Dark Souls fans want to immerse themselves in another visually distinct world with tough bosses, then Blasphemous 2 will be right up their alley.
4
King’s Field 4
Interconnected Level Design And Improved Combat
King’s Field: The Ancient City
- Released
-
March 25, 2002
- ESRB
-
t
Before the breakout success of Dark Souls, FromSoftware experimented with another hardcore action RPG series. The King’s Field games may be dated, but Dark Souls fans who can appreciate these titles as a product of their time will love what FromSoftware has done with this underrated franchise.
Most fans agree that King’s Field 4 (also known as King’s Field: The Ancient City) is the best game in the series. The verticality and interconnectedness of the world is something that fans of the first Dark Souls game will appreciate, with combat design also being prioritized by the developer despite their limited resources.
3
Lords Of The Fallen
A Reboot Inspired By Dark Souls With The Setting To Match
- Released
-
October 13, 2023
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence
It can be confusing to recommend Lords of the Fallen, especially since two games exist with the same moniker. However, as long as fans don’t mind some uninspired level design, they’ll love the innovative ideas of Lords of the Fallen.
7:02
Related
Ranked: 33 Most Powerful Weapons In Dark Souls
Dark Souls is one of the most difficult games around. Players need the best weapons in order to succeed.
It may be clunkier than Dark Souls, but fans who don’t mind a bit of jank will have a great time with Lords of the Fallen. It has some memorable moments and challenging fights that make up for its lack of polish, even if that may be a critical part of what makes FromSoftware games so engaging to play through.
2
Mortal Shell
Players Possess Various Shells And Use Their Unique Abilities
- Released
-
August 18, 2020
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
Players who want to enjoy a unique take on Soulsborne combat that is slightly more forgiving will have a great time with Mortal Shell. Players must inhabit one of many Shells in the world that embody different builds and add variety to the gameplay.
If the rigidity of builds in the Dark Souls games didn’t sit right with experimental players, then Mortal Shell will be very welcome. Players can try out every Shell in combat and see what suits their playstyl. It helps that this Soulslike is notably easier than Dark Souls, courtesy of a forgiving Harden mechanic.
1
Elden Ring
The Dark Souls Formula Was Perfect For An Open World Game
- Released
-
February 25, 2022
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
It was only a given that Elden Ring was going to be a massive success, given FromSoftware’s mastery over designing rich and visually distinct worlds. The Tarnished will struggle numerous times as they explore The Lands Between, but there are always new avenues to explore for the player to get stronger.
This helps ease the repetitive grinding fans had to deal with in other games if they were too weak to handle a boss. If anything, Elden Ring‘s freedom may cause players to get incredibly strong and take out any enemy standing in their way, which might be cathartic for Dark Souls fans who hated getting flattened by bosses over and over again.
-
- Franchise
-
Dark Souls
- Released
-
September 22, 2011
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
-
- Franchise
-
Dark Souls
- Released
-
March 11, 2014
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
-
- Franchise
-
Dark Souls
- Released
-
March 24, 2016
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood Violence
