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No celebration lasts forever; every game, no matter how thrilling or lengthy, eventually reaches its conclusion. Here are alternative choices worth considering if you adore the experiences Elden Ring brings.
Elden Ring stands out as one of the gaming industry's highlights in the first half of this year. With the challenging essence inherited from predecessors like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, coupled with a vast, deep open world, Elden Ring quickly captured the hearts of many fans upon its release. As of now, FromSoftware Studio's latest project has sold nearly 13.5 million copies and is undoubtedly a strong contender for the title of the best game of 2022.
However, every celebration must come to an end. Whether you've completed Elden Ring or simply want a change, explore the games below. They may be dark-fantasy RPGs tailored for mature audiences or open-world adventures with thousands of things to discover. Some are incredibly challenging, offering dozens or hundreds of hours of gameplay. All share the elements that contributed to Elden Ring's resounding success.
Other Soulsborne Games by FromSoftware
If Elden Ring is your first venture into FromSoftware's realm, there's no reason not to test your skills with other outstanding 'Soulsborne' titles from the same producer. This series includes Demon’s Souls, the three Dark Souls installments, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice—a 'souls' game with a focus on stealthy action and reduced RPG elements. While not boasting a vast open world like Elden Ring, these games can still deliver perfect similar experiences in terms of gameplay, atmosphere, or storyline.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
If you crave the freedom of exploration found in Elden Ring's The Lands Between, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is undoubtedly a choice you shouldn't overlook. Released in 2017, this game brought a breath of fresh air to the gaming market with its innovative gameplay, minimalist interface, and the requirement for players to interact with the environment without adhering to any specific rules or sequence. Currently, Breath of the Wild is the only title that can evoke a constant sense of exploration similar to Elden Ring, although its difficulty is much more 'player-friendly' compared to From Software's masterpiece.
Ashen
Years before Elden Ring's debut, Ashen successfully blended 'Soulslike' gameplay with open-world elements, standing as one of the rare titles that could match the scale of FromSoftware's creations. If you adore Elden Ring, you'll surely be captivated by the golden palaces, bone-chilling mountains, lush green forests stretching endlessly, or ruins immersed in ethereal mist. However, Ashen's storyline carries a brighter, more positive tone compared to FromSoftware's games.
Mortal Shell
In contrast to Ashen, Mortal Shell exudes a dark fantasy ambiance similar to Elden Ring, featuring a murky, sinister world with dungeons and formidable ruins. Moreover, this game will satisfy 'Soulsborne' fans with challenging creatures and colossal, formidable bosses. Instead of following the typical character building approach in traditional RPGs, Mortal Shell provides players with 'shells' (bodies of fallen warriors) for your character to inhabit. Each 'shell' possesses unique weapons, stats, and skills, allowing players to flexibly explore the vast land of Fallgrim.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Objectively speaking, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen shares more similarities with Capcom's games like Monster Hunter or Devil May Cry. Nonetheless, it earns its spot on this list for its open-world design inspired by classic RPGs like Wizardry and Sorcerian, akin to Elden Ring. Additionally, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen offers a diverse and flexible character-building system with multiple classes, skill sets, and items to choose from or unlock.
Tunic
Tunic can be considered a perfect blend of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring in terms of exploring an open world filled with mysteries, challenging puzzles, and, of course, vicious monsters. Similar to these two blockbusters, Tunic doesn't hold your hand, requiring you to explore based on elements in the surrounding environment. This may sometimes lead you unintentionally into extremely challenging areas due to a lack of suitable equipment. However, compared to Elden Ring, Tunic's scale is much smaller, preventing newcomers to this genre from feeling overwhelmed.
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is an open-world action game set in a desolate kingdom. You play as 'Wander' on a quest to revive your loved one with the help of a mysterious entity named Dormin. Your main task is to defeat 16 colossal 'bosses' by approaching and attacking their weak points, instead of battling through layers of 'leafy armor' like in Elden Ring. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the president of FromSoftware, is also a dedicated fan of Shadow of the Colossus and once considered it a major inspiration for the masterpiece Elden Ring.
Embark on an epic journey with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Immerse yourself in the captivating narrative of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Set five years after Revenge of the Sith, you'll step into the shoes of Cal Kestis, a young Jedi inadvertently targeted by the ruthless Inquisitors - assassins trained by Darth Vader to eliminate any surviving Jedi in the galaxy. The game also delights Star Wars fans with cameo appearances from familiar characters from the film and television series. Most importantly, unlike Elden Ring, Fallen Order allows you to choose the difficulty level, ensuring a tailored experience without the fear of overwhelming challenges.
Embark on a gripping adventure with Salt & Sanctuary
Salt & Sanctuary transforms the Soulslike genre into a mesmerizing 2D experience, sharing similarities with Elden Ring in precise combat mechanics and strategic stamina management. Additionally, players can leave messages in the environment, just like in Elden Ring, offering assistance or engaging in a bit of playful 'trolling.' Fundamentally, Salt & Sanctuary provides an experience akin to Dark Souls or Elden Ring, but its distinctive 2D graphics set it apart, bringing a fresh perspective to the genre.
Embark on a mesmerizing quest with Hollow Knight
Discover the acclaimed 2D masterpiece, Hollow Knight, hailed by gamers and critics as the best in the action-adventure genre, surpassing giants like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Set in the underground kingdom of Hallownest, Hollow Knight's narrative unfolds through interactions with insect-like characters, engaging conversations, and assisting them in challenging tasks. If you relish the challenge in Elden Ring's gameplay, Hollow Knight is a fitting and worthwhile choice to consider.
King’s Field, Shadow Tower & Eternal Ring
Explore the vintage gems of FromSoftware's heritage with titles like King’s Field, Shadow Tower, and Eternal Ring, considered the ancestors of Souls games like Elden Ring. In some aspects, these games can be even more challenging than Elden Ring. Outdated graphics, ultra-slow gameplay, and less flexible controls might test your patience, yet they offer a fascinating experience if you're determined to stick with them.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
As one of the finest RPGs of the past decade, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt transports you to a vast, detailed world with captivating stories comparable to Elden Ring. However, the freedom to explore in The Witcher 3 is significantly restricted, mainly due to RPG elements such as levels, equipment, skill points, and narrative constraints. Nonetheless, by lowering the game's difficulty and bravely facing challenging boss battles, you can roam the map freely and tackle quests in any order you desire. Furthermore, compared to its predecessors, The Witcher 3's storyline is more closely tied to Andrzej Sapkowski's original work, providing a more satisfying conclusion to the novel-inspired narrative.
According to Lifehacker
