Written in part by George R.R. Martin and produced by FromSoftware, the epic fantasy RPG Elden Ring had been destined to succeed from the get-go. Upon the initial game trailer back at E3 in 2019, many gamers’ had their interests piqued by the idea of seeing a collaboration between Dark Souls’ developers and the writer behind Game of Thrones.
It took years of development for Elden Ring to hit stores, but the moment it became available for mass audiences, fans found themselves blown away. Like Dark Souls before it, Elden Ring had been met with universal acclaim from critics and video game players across the globe, all of whom have praised the game’s unique environments, visual design, challenging gameplay, and immersive open world.
As with most massive RPG games, players face a towering challenge to complete Elden Ring. Once they do, however, they might have an interest in games that resemble Elden Ring in some form or another — whether in terms of its fantastical nature or from a gameplay perspective. That being said, here are some video games worth playing after finishing Elden Ring.
Demon’s Souls
One of FromSoftware earliest successes, Demon’s Souls, put the then-fledging video game development company on the map. Set in the medieval fantasy kingdom of Boletaria, players take control of a customizable hero sent to stop a mysterious, malevolent entity known as the Old One.
Like every entry in the Souls series, Demon’s Souls is characterized by challenging gameplay, becoming infamous for its difficult boss battles and the disadvantages it bestows on players. (For example, if players are killed in a boss battle, they respawn at the start of the level with reduced health.) The game’s success later resulted in a PlayStation 5 remake, in addition to FromSoftware developing a series of Souls games following the release of this one.
Dark Souls III
Jumping ahead from Demon’s Souls—the game that established FromSoftware in the gaming industry, as well as serving as the first entry in the Souls franchise—the gaming company’s later work on Dark Souls III should also have players interested.
In the fourth and final installment of FromSoftware’s Souls saga, Dark Souls III finds players in the role of the Ashen One—an undead warrior who must save his world from the looming Age of Dark by guiding a group of powerful, defiant lords to their thrones. Like every other game in the Souls saga, Dark Souls III met with critical success upon release, earning rave reviews for its intense gameplay, difficult combat system, and immersive settings. When looking for a game almost identical to Elden Ring, players won’t find a better (or more difficult) match than Dark Souls III.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Inspired by the series of fantasy novels of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher 3 follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter for hire trying to protect his adopted daughter, Ciri, from a group of horse-mounted specters known as the Wild Hunt.
Every game in The Witcher franchise has won praise, but the acclaim Wild Hunt won far exceeded the two original games in the series, setting a high standard for every open-world medieval fantasy game that followed. Its fantasy setting makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a game with as expansive a world as Elden Ring, complete with endless potential decisions for players to make that have a huge impact on the game’s storyline.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Before Elden Ring, everyone raved about the fantasy RPG Skyrim. Ten years after its release, it still ranks as one of the most frequently played games in the world, thanks to its open-ended storylines, countless side missions, and expansive NPC-populated world.
Two hundred years after the previous Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion, players control of the Dragonborn (an ancient race of humans able to absorb a dragon’s soul) in the province of Skyrim, a war-torn realm of Tamriel. Traversing this fantasy region, learning various magical spells, and completing both main missions and side quests, the Dragonborn prepares to face an all-powerful dragon known as Alduin.
One of the best-selling games of all time, Skyrim has a lasting influence on almost every open-world game that followed, from the later installments of The Witcher and Dragon Age to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Without games like Skyrim pushing the boundary for larger open-world video, RPGs as immersive and fleshed out as Elden Ring might not exist.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor
No one expected much from Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor—games based on The Lord of the Rings tend to receive mediocre reviews upon release.
Yet when Shadow of Mordor debuted in 2014, the game shattered everyone’s preconceptions, delivering a dark and enjoyable story presented within Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, players control Talion, a Gondorian Ranger left for dead by acolytes of Sauron after watching his family murdered in front of him. Bonding with the wraith of the Elven lord Celebrimbor, Talion seeks vengeance against those who wronged him, combating numerous Orcs and Uruk-hai before confronting Sauron’s lieutenants.
Shadow of Mordor boasts a fantastic combat system and modern interpretation of Middle-Earth, but the game’s best and most enjoyable feature is its unique Nemesis System. Through the Nemesis System, the game tracks stronger Uruk-hai the player encounters, recording the interactions Talion has with them and casting them into a larger hierarchy of antagonists, providing more personal interactions between players and stronger enemies.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Another game produced by FromSoftware, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, offered Dark Souls fans something different while also retaining many signature, fan-favorite elements found in the Souls franchise.
Set in a fictionalized version of Japan during the Sengoku period (a period from 1467 to 1615 characterized by prolonged civil war and political instability), Sekiro follows a shinobi warrior (ninja) named Wolf as he seeks revenge against a rival samurai clan.
As with almost every recent game by FromSoftware, Sekiro utilizes a similar set of game mechanics to the Souls series. However, Sekiro has limited elements of a traditional RPG, focusing more on an intricate combat system to advance its narrative.
Bloodborne
The last game developed by FromSoftware on this list (we promise) and one of the company’s most popular games, Bloodborne, serves as a Souls-style RPG that swaps a medieval world for a gothic, Victorian-era setting straight out of Dracula.
Inspired by the works of Bram Stoker and H.P. Lovecraft, Bloodborne finds players taking the role of a Hunter traveling to the game’s fictional city of Yharnam. After finding the city’s residents suffering from a strange, blood-borne illness that has turned many of them into horrific monsters, the player attempts to locate the cure, uncovering the truth behind the enigmatic sickness.
The Souls series can unsettle players at times, but Bloodborne is the far more intense game of the two, resembling a horror survival game with a relentless onslaught of nightmarish creatures. It may be more survival-based and horror-heavy than Elden Ring, but Bloodborne still makes for an entertaining game to play through.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- A game both similar to and yet completely different from Elden Ring, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild proved ultra-popular among the gaming community, commanding a high level of attention from fans across the globe.
As with most entries in the Zelda series, players control the franchise protagonist, Link, as he awakens from a century-long hibernation, setting out to combat Calamity Ganon and save the kingdom of Hyrule from sure destruction.
It may seem a bit of a stretch to say that Breath of the Wild contains any similarities to Elden Ring, but in terms of its open-ended narrative and sprawling world, the two games are very alike. Both games encourage players to diverge from any set path and explore the world at their own leisure, resulting in a more unique gaming experience dependent on each player’s choices and preferences.
God of War
The first three God of War games detail Spartan demigod Kratos’ personal vendetta against the gods of Greek mythology after being tricked into killing his own family. Over the course of the original three games, Kratos hunts down every one of the gods who wronged him, battling classic mythological creatures like minotaurs and centaurs to all-powerful ancient deities like Ares and Zeus.
In the more recent installments of God of War, the series abandoned its focus on Greek mythology in favor of Norse mythology. In an effort to revitalize the franchise with this new direction, the later God of War game also changed its gameplay presentation, featuring an over-the-shoulder camera angle and more realistic visual design.
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is nothing short of a modern masterpiece. One of the most influential video games of all time, both the original PS2 version of the game and its 2018 remake exist as hallmarks of the open-world action game.
Set in a barren region known as the Forbidden Land, a young man named Wander sets out to destroy 16 colossal beings to revive a young girl named Mono. Minimalist in storyline and setting, Shadow of the Colossus more than makes up for its sparse premise through its enjoyable and challenging enemies.
On paper, a game composed of boss battles may seem boring or repetitive at first. Such simplicity makes Shadow of the Colossus as fun, requiring players to climb across each of the 16 colossal creatures in order to defeat them.
Hollow Knight
How in the world is Hollow Knight at all similar to Elden Ring? Simple – they’re both addictive yet filled with endless challenges waiting around every corner.
In this quaint-looking 2D animated game, players navigate numerous chasms and caverns, going head to head with an assortment of enemies (many of which have contracted a horrific illness known as “the infection”). The straightforward story wields some weighty results, allowing players to test their melee skills against everything from challenging common enemies to worthwhile boss battles. For an additional challenge, players can also access the “Steel Soul” mode after beating the game, which makes death permanent, requiring them to start over each time they’re defeated by an A.I. antagonist.
Horizon Zero Dawn
While Horizon Zero Dawn might not feature the same overarching fantasy elements associated with most of the above-listed video games, it nevertheless makes for a fitting follow-up for anyone interested in a layered adventure game in the mold of Elden Ring.
Set in a distant post-apocalyptic future, players step into the role of Aloy, a young woman living in a world filled with sentient machines that have developed animal characteristics. In this new landscape, Aloy strives to learn more about her past, venturing across the land to uncover these mysteries once and for all.
With an interesting story guiding it, Horizon Zero Dawn rises above a mere adventure and becomes something else – an unforgettable RPG with a unique world, constant surprises, and creative enemies.
World of Warcraft elden ring
The granddaddy of MMORPGs everywhere, it’s impossible not to bring up World of Warcraft when discussing other suitable games after completing Elden Rings. Without WoW, it’s doubtful half the games on this list might even exist, with Blizzard creating the prototypical action role-playing game upon the release of this game.
The video game equivalent to Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft drops players into the medieval fantasy world of the Warcraft series. Choosing from a variety of magical races and subclasses (mage, warrior, and so on), gamers then embark on their own in-depth journey across an extensive map, free to have any adventure they so choose.
This simple premise allows players virtual free rein to do whatever they like, making World of Warcraft a classic to return to again and again.
Richard Chachowski is a freelance writer based in New Jersey. He loves reading, his dog Tootsie, and pretty much every movie to ever exist (especially Star Wars).
