10 Best Games to Play if You Like Dark Souls

Dark Souls is supremely crafted, unique action RPG. Its difficulty, which is an amalgam of stamina and item management, patience during combat, and deciphering cryptic mechanics are things that are unique to this series of games. Playing through a Dark Souls game makes you feel like you accomplished something with your skill alone. Once you learn your move set with certain weapons or learn how to properly time your spells the game feels easy but not because you just mashed the correct attack button. It still feels satisfying because you learned how to beat those enemies. Boss fights in Dark Souls are an extension of that at a much larger scale though. Going up against a giant knight or Dragon and slaying them with just a sliver of health is exhilarating in a game that rewards skilled play and punishes impatience more than anything.

Besides the punishing and engaging gameplay in Dark Souls, the story and aesthetic are absolutely unique to this game. The dark, depressing fantasy atmosphere as well as the vague narrative do a great job at immersing you in the world of Dark Souls. That’s why the non-player characters (NPCs) are so memorable in Dark Souls. NPCs are scarce and each one has a different storyline and personality that is much more fleshed out than you would expect. These sparse encounters punctuate parts of the game and tie together an otherwise impenetrable narrative and world. All of these elements acting together make Dark Souls a fantastic experience, but it’s not the only game that offers such challenge and rewards. Whether inspired by Dark Souls or offering inspiration for Dark Souls themselves, these are the 10 Best Games to Play if You Like Dark Souls.