20 Best Games Like Dark Souls You Should Play (2020)

While Bandai Namco’s Dark Souls series represents the gold standard for challenging action RPGs, the gaming landscape offers numerous exceptional alternatives that deliver comparable depth and satisfaction. These titles capture the essence of what makes Souls-like games compelling while introducing innovative mechanics and distinct worlds that stand on their own merits.

The common thread connecting these recommendations is their commitment to rewarding gameplay mastery, intricate combat systems, and immersive worlds that demand exploration. Whether you’re seeking more intense combat encounters, deeper narrative experiences, or enhanced customization options, this curated selection provides diverse pathways to continue your action RPG journey.

Understanding what draws players to Dark Souls helps identify suitable alternatives. The series’ appeal lies in its precise combat, environmental storytelling, and the satisfaction of overcoming significant challenges. The games featured here replicate these core elements while offering fresh perspectives and unique gameplay innovations.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt delivers one of gaming’s most acclaimed narratives alongside challenging real-time combat that requires strategic preparation and timing. Unlike Dark Souls’ focus on mechanical precision, The Witcher 3 emphasizes monster knowledge, potion preparation, and sign usage. The game’s massive open world provides hundreds of hours of content, with side quests that often surpass main story quality. Pro Tip: Mastering dodging and parrying is crucial—time your dodges to avoid damage while positioning for counterattacks.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim offers unparalleled freedom and world-building, though its combat lacks Dark Souls’ precision. The game excels in environmental exploration and character progression diversity. Mod support extends gameplay exponentially, allowing combat overhauls that can approximate Souls-like difficulty. Common Mistake: Avoid spreading skill points too thinly—focus on 2-3 combat skills initially for effective progression.

Monster Hunter: World features some of gaming’s most methodical and technically demanding combat systems. Each weapon type functions as a distinct playstyle with deep mechanics to master. The game’s boss-focused structure provides constant high-stakes encounters reminiscent of Dark Souls’ most memorable battles. Optimization Tip: Study monster attack patterns during early encounters rather than attacking immediately—knowledge prevents costly mistakes.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War combines Arkham-style combat with a revolutionary Nemesis System that creates emergent storytelling through player interactions with orc commanders. The combat system rewards timing and awareness while offering more fluid movement than traditional Souls games. Time Estimate: Complete the main story in approximately 25-30 hours, with 50+ hours for comprehensive completion.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 shifts perspective to tactical turn-based combat while maintaining Dark Souls’ commitment to challenging, unapologetic gameplay. The game’s environmental interaction and character building offer incredible depth for strategic players. Mechanics Insight: Elemental surfaces and height advantages often determine battle outcomes—always position strategically before engaging.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice provides a shorter but intensely atmospheric experience with weighty, deliberate combat and psychological horror elements. The game’s portrayal of psychosis through binaural audio creates unparalleled immersion. Player Advice: Use headphones for the intended audio experience that significantly enhances gameplay tension and narrative impact.

Dragon Age: Inquisition blends real-time combat with tactical pause functionality, offering approachable yet deep RPG mechanics. The game’s party management and ability synergies provide strategic depth different from Dark Souls’ solo focus. Progression Strategy: Balance main story advancement with zone completion to avoid being under-leveled for critical encounters.

Selecting among these exceptional titles depends largely on your specific preferences and tolerance for different challenge types. For players prioritizing complex character builds and strategic depth, Divinity: Original Sin 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition offer the most customization options. Those seeking visceral combat should prioritize Monster Hunter: World or Middle-earth: Shadow of War.

Consider your available time commitment when choosing. The Witcher 3 and Skyrim represent massive investments (100+ hours for completion), while Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice provides a concentrated 8-10 hour experience. Monster Hunter: World falls somewhere in between, with its endgame content extending playtime significantly for dedicated players.

Difficulty adaptation varies across these titles. Games like The Witcher 3 allow difficulty adjustments mid-game, while others like Divinity: Original Sin 2 maintain consistent challenge levels. Understanding each game’s learning curve helps set appropriate expectations and prevents frustration. For comprehensive gameplay guidance on any of these titles, dedicated community resources provide invaluable assistance.

Ultimately, the best approach involves identifying which aspects of Dark Souls resonated most with you and selecting alternatives that emphasize those elements. Whether it’s precise combat, atmospheric exploration, or character progression depth, these seven games offer satisfying experiences that honor the Souls-like tradition while establishing their own identities.

For gamers seeking an expansive multiplayer role-playing experience with thousands of simultaneous players, World of Warcraft stands as the definitive choice. This legendary massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) delivers unparalleled adventure scale through persistent worlds where your actions contribute to an evolving narrative alongside fellow adventurers.

Since its 2004 debut, WoW has consistently dominated the MMORPG landscape, maintaining one of gaming’s most dedicated communities. Blizzard’s sophisticated player retention strategy involves regular content expansions, seasonal events, and class balancing that keeps veteran players engaged while welcoming newcomers. The development team’s commitment to addressing player feedback has been crucial to its two-decade longevity.

New players can experience WoW’s core mechanics through the generous free trial covering levels 1-20, providing approximately 15-20 hours of gameplay. Beyond this threshold, the subscription model unlocks the complete game library including classic expansions. Pro tip: Use your trial period to test different classes and races before committing financially.

• An extensive arsenal of weapons with unique proc effects and stat combinations
• Deep character customization including transmogrification and talent specializations
• Crafting systems that feel secondary to combat and exploration activities

Pricing Structure: ($49.99 Battle for Azeroth expansion; $14.99 monthly subscription includes all previous expansions)

As the acclaimed spiritual successor to Dark Souls, Bloodborne delivers a similarly punishing but rewarding experience within a Lovecraftian Gothic universe. The game distinguishes itself through a narrative rich with hidden lore and environmental storytelling, where players assume the role of a hunter seeking answers in a plague-ravaged city teeming with grotesque creatures.

Combat success hinges on mastering the transformational weapon system that allows single weapons to shift between multiple forms mid-battle. This mechanic, combined with the rally system that rewards aggressive play by allowing health recovery through counterattacks, creates a uniquely dynamic combat rhythm. Strategic positioning and timing prove more valuable than brute force, requiring players to study enemy patterns and attack telegraphing.

Bloodborne’s visual presentation sets new standards for atmospheric world-building, with meticulously crafted Gothic architecture and dynamic lighting that enhance both the horror elements and gameplay readability. The character customization, while less extensive than WoW’s, focuses on meaningful choices that impact gameplay through weapon scaling and build specialization. Common mistake: New players often underestimate the importance of blood gem upgrades and weapon fortification.

When deciding between these gaming titans, consider your preferred playstyle and time commitment. World of Warcraft excels as a social experience with persistent progression systems that reward regular engagement, while Bloodborne offers a curated solo journey focused on skill mastery and atmospheric storytelling.

WoW’s subscription model provides ongoing content updates but requires financial commitment, whereas Bloodborne’s one-time purchase delivers a complete experience without recurring costs. Time investment differs significantly – WoW can consume hundreds of hours across years of play, while Bloodborne typically requires 30-40 hours for a complete playthrough, with additional time for New Game+ cycles and Chalice Dungeons.

For players interested in similar tactical combat, our BF6 Class Selection Guide offers insights into strategic gameplay approaches. Meanwhile, weapon enthusiasts should consult our BF6 Weapons Unlock Guide for optimization strategies. Both WoW and Bloodborne represent pinnacle achievements in their respective genres, with your choice ultimately depending on whether you prefer collaborative world-building or refined solo challenge.

The combat system demands precision and quick thinking as you must rapidly respond to enemy attacks while managing your positioning and stamina. Delve into the mysterious narrative to uncover the secrets behind the world’s descent into chaos and discover what triggered the widespread feral behavior. For gamers who appreciate diverse combat approaches, experimenting with various tactical maneuvers and weapon combinations makes DarkMaus an exceptionally rewarding experience that tests your adaptability.

• Dynamic combat mechanics requiring strategic adaptation
• Expansive environments with multiple exploration paths
• Extensive character and equipment customization systems
• Accessible difficulty curve suitable for various skill levels

As the most recent installment in the legendary Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XV stands out as a remarkable action RPG that captures the essence of modern combat systems. Drawing inspiration from challenging titles like Dark Souls, this game presents an enormous open-world environment, real-time action combat mechanics, sophisticated elemental magic systems, and unique features including road trip transportation and wilderness camping that differentiate it from traditional Souls-like games.

Players embark on an epic adventure across the beautifully rendered world of Eos, assuming control of protagonist Noctis Lucis Caelum during his royal journey. The experience is enhanced by Noctis’ loyal companions – Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto – who provide crucial support during combat encounters and contribute meaningful interactions throughout the narrative progression.

For those experiencing the Final Fantasy universe for the first time, Final Fantasy XV serves as an excellent introduction to the franchise, though veterans might also appreciate exploring earlier titles to understand the series’ evolution and deeper lore connections.

• Real-time combat system with strategic depth
• Massive explorable world with diverse regions
• Companion-based combat tactics and synergy
• Elemental magic and weapon switching mechanics

Mastering these combat systems requires understanding several advanced techniques. In DarkMaus, focus on learning enemy attack patterns and perfecting your dodge timing – this is more crucial than raw damage output. For Final Fantasy XV, experiment with weapon combinations that complement your party members’ abilities, and don’t underestimate the tactical advantage of well-timed magic spells during crowded encounters.

Common mistakes include overly aggressive playstyles that leave you vulnerable to counterattacks, and neglecting to manage your resources effectively during extended exploration sequences. Advanced players should prioritize unlocking combat abilities that synergize with their preferred playstyle rather than spreading skill points too thinly across multiple disciplines.

When approaching challenging content, allocate approximately 2-3 hours for mastering complex boss mechanics in DarkMaus, while Final Fantasy XV’s major story battles typically require 1-2 hours of focused engagement to overcome through strategic planning and execution.

Despite being released several years ago, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice maintains its status as an essential experience for fans of challenging action games. This psychological thriller transports players on an epic journey into Viking heartland through the perspective of Senua, a Pict warrior grappling with severe trauma and psychosis. The game’s innovative approach to storytelling creates an unparalleled immersive experience.

What distinguishes Hellblade from conventional games is its radical departure from hand-holding design. The experience completely eliminates traditional tutorial systems, instead requiring players to interpret environmental audio cues and visual patterns to understand game mechanics. This design philosophy creates a learning curve comparable to Dark Souls titles, where mastery comes through observation and repeated experimentation rather than explicit instruction.

• An immersive descent into Norse mythology and psychological turmoil
• Deep narrative exploring mental health themes
• Strategic combat system with timing-based mechanics
• Demanding skill progression requiring pattern recognition

Combat Strategy Insights: Success in Hellblade requires mastering parry timing and understanding enemy attack patterns. Unlike many action games, button mashing leads to quick defeat. Each enemy type has distinct audio cues that signal their attack patterns – learning to distinguish these sounds becomes crucial for survival. The combat system rewards patience and observation over aggressive playstyles.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid: Many players struggle initially by approaching combat like traditional hack-and-slash games. The key is recognizing that dodging and positioning matter more than attack frequency. Another frequent mistake is ignoring the audio landscape – the voices Senua hears often provide subtle hints about environmental puzzles and enemy weaknesses.

Dragon Age: Inquisition stands as a monumental open-world action RPG that provides hundreds of hours of content for players seeking Dark Souls alternatives with more narrative depth. Your journey begins as a character unexpectedly gifted with the ability to close dimensional breaches threatening the world. These rifts serve as portals for demonic invasions, creating both immediate combat challenges and long-term political instability.

The game’s core mission involves managing the civil unrest caused by these supernatural incursions while permanently sealing the dimensional breaches. Dragon Age: Inquisition incorporates comprehensive RPG mechanics, featuring extensive character customization, multiple playable races, alongside diverse weapon types, specialized abilities, and unique magical powers. The tactical combat system allows for both real-time action and strategic pause-and-plan gameplay.

Beyond the substantial single-player campaign, the game introduces a cooperative multiplayer mode where teams can collaborate to complete dungeon-style missions. This mode features distinct character classes with complementary abilities, encouraging strategic team composition and coordinated tactics against powerful enemies.

• Massive fantasy world with political intrigue and moral choices
• Deep character relationship systems with consequence-based storytelling
• Tactical combat with party management mechanics
• Extensive endgame content and expansion packs

Party Composition Strategy: Successful gameplay requires understanding how to build balanced parties. A typical effective composition includes one tank character to absorb damage, one support character for healing and buffs, and two damage dealers with complementary elemental attacks. The game’s difficulty scales significantly if party roles aren’t properly filled.

Progression Optimization: New players often waste valuable resources on unnecessary gear upgrades early game. The optimal strategy involves focusing on tier-appropriate equipment until reaching higher levels where legendary items become available. Additionally, completing specific inner circle missions unlocks permanent party-wide bonuses that significantly impact late-game difficulty.

When choosing between these Dark Souls alternatives, understanding their distinct approaches to challenge and progression is crucial. Hellblade focuses on psychological horror and personal journey through Senua’s perspective, while Dragon Age: Inquisition emphasizes world-saving epic scale with complex political narratives.

Difficulty Comparison: Both games offer substantial challenges but in different forms. Hellblade’s difficulty comes from its unconventional mechanics and psychological tension, requiring players to adapt to non-traditional gameplay systems. Dragon Age’s challenge stems from tactical complexity and resource management across its massive game world. While neither uses Dark Souls’ precise dodge-roll combat, both demand similar levels of player engagement and pattern recognition.

Time Investment Requirements: Hellblade provides a concentrated 8-10 hour experience that maintains intense focus throughout. Dragon Age: Inquisition typically requires 60-100 hours for completionists, with additional content available through expansions. Players should consider their available time and preference for narrative density versus world exploration when selecting between these titles.

For those interested in deeper strategic gameplay similar to these RPG experiences, our Class Guide provides comprehensive analysis of character specialization in modern tactical games. Understanding class roles and abilities can significantly enhance your enjoyment of complex game systems.

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