Once You've Mastered 'Elden Ring,' Try Out Any of These Other Games
Published March 23 2022, 6:32 p.m. ET
FromSoftware's newest title Elden Ring has captivated an entirely new audience of players. Since its release, it's sold more than 12 million copies, sparking a new franchise that the developer has stated it plans to expand beyond the single video game title.
But if you've already conquered all that Elden Ring has to offer (or don't have the patience to find all six of its endings), here are some other games like it you'll want to dive into next.
Any other games from developer FromSoftware
'Dark Souls,' 'Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice,' and 'Bloodborne'
We're putting this one at the top of the list because you're either coming into the game a fan of FromSoftware and its titles (meaning you've likely played through these games), or you went into Elden Ring completely blind — in which case, we're happy to reveal there's a whole genre of games like this one. FromSoftware is known for crafting games that are entirely open-world with as much freedom as Elden Ring grants players.
The first three Dark Souls games have been remastered for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, while Bloodborne and Demon Souls are only available on PlayStation consoles. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Stadia.
'Tunic'
Don't let the cutesy graphics of this game fool you — many of the early reviews of Tunic compare it to Dark Souls, and after only a couple of hours of gameplay, it's easy to see why. You wake up on a beach with absolutely nothing. Before you can take on the enemies that prowl the lands, you need to find a weapon, so you start with a stick.
The instruction manual is also written mostly in a runic language you'll need to decipher as you go, making this title a puzzle to get through with tricky enemies to face off against. Tunic is now available for Xbox consoles, PC, and Mac.
'Death's Door'
Death's Door is clearly influenced by the Dark Souls franchise with difficult and strategic combat and a gloomy ambiance. This Indie Game of the Year nominee will wow you with its simple yet dark art style and challenging puzzles as you try to recover the soul that was stolen from you.
Death's Door is available for PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
'Middle-Earth: Shadow of War'
For those who were drawn to Elden Ring for the high-fantasy vibe, what better segue than a video game set in the Lord of the Rings universe? While this game didn't get much hype at its release, it's got similarly stunning visuals set in a divided land just before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's series. Truly, if you're a fantasy lover, you shouldn't pass up this game.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and iOS.
'Cuphead'
Again, don't let the graphics of this game confuse you — if you loved Elden Ring's difficult combat style and are OK with facing off against a boss over and over and over again until you master it, then Cuphead is for you. With 1930s-style characters and bosses, this run-and-gun title will keep you on your toes as you keep your deal with the devil to collect souls from across the various lands.
Cuphead is available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and Nintendo Switch.
'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'
Hear us out on this one: Breath of the Wild is a far cry from any other Zelda game you may have played as a child and it will take you much longer to uncover all of the secrets in this title. Similar to Elden Ring, you can really tackle this game however you want to. There's even more than one ending to unlock.
BOTW is really what you make it — you can tackle hard enemies head-on or take your time completing all of the side quests and finding Korok seeds. This game is only available on the Switch.
