AlthoughDark Soulsgets the plaudits, it’sDemon’s Soulsthat created the soulsborne formula, which has influenced games from the industry’s most iconic series like the rebootedTomb Raidergames,the latest mainlineLegend of ZeldatitleBreath of the Wild, and EA’srecentStar WarsgameJedi Fallen Order.
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LikeBloodborne, Demon’s Soulshas been a source of frustration for many gamers, as it’s a PlayStation exclusive. When rumors began surfacing that a remake was in the works, hopes raised that a PC iteration would release. These hopes were soon crushed though, as the game released as a PS5 launch title. To make matters worse, the game has surpassed expectations andis currently the highest-rated soulsborne game on Metacritic with a whopping 92. Thankfully, the huge catalog of games on offer for PC gamers offers plenty of alternatives.
10The Dark Souls Trilogy
FromSoftware’sDark Soulstrilogytook the gameplay formula that the originalDemon’s Soulscreated and shot it into the forefront of the gaming industry.
Realistically, if you’re excited by the prospect ofDemon’s Souls, there’s a good chance that you’ve already played the now iconicDark Soulstrilogy. But those who haven’t are in for a treat as the three fantastic games, along with theirexcellent collection of DLCsare all available on PC.
9Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
After announcing thatDark Souls IIIwould be FromSoftware’s finalDark Soulsgame, many fans were understandably disappointed but also excited to seewhat direction the company would go in next.
The answer wasSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, a game that keeps many of the core elements of the Soulsborne series but makes a few key changes, particularly with the combat that focuses on posture and ditching the use of a stamina bar. The game received universal critical acclaim,most notably winning Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2019.
8Nioh
Team Ninja, who are best known forNinja Gaiden, Dead or Alive,andHyrule Warriors,added to their collection of excellent close-quarters-combat games in 2017 withNioh.
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Asanyone who has playedNinja GaidenorHyrule Warriormay expect,Niohprovides a hack and slash alternative to the more methodicalDemon’s Souls.
7Lords of the Fallen
Of all the games on this list that aren’t made by FromSoftware,Lords of the Fallenis the most similar toDemon’s Souls. The game doesn’t shy away from its influences, with clear similarities like the patience and timing-centric combat, punishing difficulty, and emphasis on boss fights.
Lord of the Fallenis one of the weaker games of the lists,scoring just 73 on Metacritic. But it offers an experience so similar toDemon’s Soulsfrom a gameplay perspective that it’s definitely worth including.
6Remnant: From the Ashes
The so-called “Dark Soulswith guns,” Gunfire Games’Remnant: From the Ashesthrows players in a post-apocalyptic world and puts them up againstsome of the toughest enemies and bosses from any game on this list.
Along with its differing weaponry,Remnant: From the Ashesdifferentiates itself from the Souls series with its heavier focus on co-op gameplay. Up to four players can team up to tackle the entire game together, with enemies' difficulty scaling accordingly.
5Hollow Knight
The 2D cartoony aesthetics ofHollow Knightmay make it seem like a far cry fromDemon’s Souls, but ifRemnant: From the Ashesis the third-person shooter of Souls-likes, thenHollow Knightis the unofficial genre’s Metroidvania.
Along with memorable boss fights, one of the game’s similarities toDemon’s Soulsis its Geo currency, which works very similarly to Souls.
4Ashen
A44’sAshenwas clearly heavily inspired by the soulsborne series, but commendably added numerous ambitious mechanics as an attempt to differentiate it. A great example is the village building; like in Souls games, there is a hub-world that NPCs will join after questlines are completed. Unique toAshenthough, is that those characters will build houses in the player’s village, expanding it significantly and rewarding players for their progression.
The indie game was impressivelynominated for Golden Joystick’s Xbox Game of the Year awardbut ultimately lost out to The Coalition’sGears 5.
3The Surge
A spiritual successor to another Deck13 game on this list,Lords of the Fallen,The Surgeoffers a sci-fi alternative toDemon’s Souls, putting players in a dystopian future.
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The action RPG was a commercial success for Focus Home Interactive, likely thanks to its generously long campaign of around 40 hours, and consequently received a sequel in 2019.
2Titan Souls
Much like the aforementionedHollow Knight,Titan Soulsmay initially appear like a vastly different game toDemon’s Souls, but when playing it there are clear similarities to be found.
The top-down adventure game’s key connection toDemon’s Soulsis its boss fights that are both memorable and punishingly difficult. The boss’s difficulty inTitan Soulsis largely due to players only being able to take one hit.
1Salt and Sanctuary
James Silva’s Ska Studios was predominantly known for itsThe Dishwasherseries before the release ofSalt and Sanctuary, as well as its affinity for odd titles likeI Made a Game with Zombies in It!andTIME VIKING!!!!!ANDSPACERAPTOR.
The once little-known studio has put itself on the indie map with theSalt and Sanctuary.The game features excellent combat mechanics and surprisingly intricate RPG elements, that fully earnt the two-person development team’s creationits 84 Metascore.
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