Games Like Elden Ring: 10 Tough Action RPGs to Tackle Next

FromSoftware first, or try something new?

The most natural next step after Elden Ring is another game from the same studio. Dark Souls III, Bloodborne and Sekiro each take a different slice of the formula: Dark Souls III is the classic, Bloodborne pushes you to be aggressive, and Sekiro replaces builds with pure sword timing.

Other studios have built on the same ideas. Lies of P and Lords of the Fallen follow the Souls structure closely, while Nioh 2 and Black Myth: Wukong are faster and flashier. If you want more open world and less punishment, Dragon's Dogma 2 is a good bridge.

Open worlds versus tightly built levels

Elden Ring is unusual among soulslikes because it is fully open. Most of the genre, including Dark Souls III, Bloodborne and Lies of P, uses interconnected levels with shortcuts that loop back to checkpoints. Many players actually prefer this, because every corridor is placed deliberately.

If open-world freedom was the main appeal, Dragon's Dogma 2 is the closest match on this list. It is a large world with dangerous creatures, though its combat is less demanding.

Structure also affects how you get unstuck. In Elden Ring, a boss that blocks you can often be skipped for a while: you ride elsewhere, level up and return stronger. In a linear soulslike, the boss in front of you is usually the only way forward. That makes games such as Lies of P and Sekiro feel harder, even when individual fights are similar. If that sounds frustrating, pick games that still let you summon help or grind levels, such as Dark Souls III, Nioh 2 or Lords of the Fallen.

Co-op, summons and playing together

Elden Ring's online summons let a friend help you through a tough boss. If that is how you like to play, choose games designed around co-op.

• Elden Ring Nightreign is built for teams of three.
• Remnant II supports three-player co-op through a campaign.
• Nioh 2, Dark Souls III and Lords of the Fallen have online co-op and summoning.

Sekiro, Black Myth: Wukong and Dragon's Dogma 2 are single-player experiences.

Age ratings: a genre where many games are 18

Elden Ring is PEGI 16 for violence in the PEGI database. Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, Lies of P, Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring Nightreign are also PEGI 16.

Several others are PEGI 18: Sekiro, Lords of the Fallen (2023), Nioh 2, Dragon's Dogma 2 and Remnant II. Black Myth: Wukong's PEGI listing also includes Sex and Drugs descriptors as well as violence. If you are choosing for a teenager, compare the exact edition on pegi.info and read PEGI's consumer advice. Our choosing guide explains how to read the descriptors.

Picking your next challenge without burning out

These games are demanding, and the difficulty is part of the appeal. Still, it helps to pace yourself. Short, focused sessions on one boss often work better than long frustrated ones. Nightreign is designed around self-contained runs, which suits shorter evenings.

If you would rather keep the fantasy but drop the difficulty, look at games like Skyrim. For fast, replayable action with frequent restarts, our games like Hades page is a good fit.

Where to play these soulslikes, and a difficulty ladder

Platform matters more than usual in this genre. Bloodborne is a PlayStation 4 game, so PC and Xbox players cannot play it on their own hardware. Black Myth: Wukong is listed for PC and PS5 in the PEGI database. Most other picks are available across PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

If you are building up from Elden Ring, a rough difficulty ladder helps. Many players find Dragon's Dogma 2 the gentlest step, since its combat is more forgiving. Dark Souls III and Lies of P are close to Elden Ring's level but without the open world's freedom to go elsewhere when stuck. Sekiro asks for the most precision, because you cannot level your way past a hard boss. Treat this as an editorial guide rather than a rule, since difficulty is personal.

• PC: Dark Souls III, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, Black Myth: Wukong, Nioh 2, Elden Ring Nightreign, Dragon's Dogma 2, Remnant II.
• PlayStation: Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, Black Myth: Wukong, Nioh 2, Elden Ring Nightreign, Dragon's Dogma 2, Remnant II.
• Xbox: Dark Souls III, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Lies of P, Lords of the Fallen, Elden Ring Nightreign, Dragon's Dogma 2, Remnant II.