15 similar and different games to play after Elden Ring

Elden Rings is large and dense. It transfers FromSoftware’s tried-and-true design pillars of difficulty and experimentation into the Great Land of the Middle. And after 100+ hours with FromSoftware’s magnum opus, you’re ready for something new or chasing the next. Elden Rings get over You until the inevitable sequel.

So where do you go next after finishing one of the best games ever made? We can help you with that.

We’ve divided 15 games into eight unique categories. Each group will come up with a proposal similar to Elden Rings and the other is not like that Elden Rings. But each pair will also have a theme that unites them, to guide you in choosing a better genre or vibe.

You’ll never get that perfect 1-on-1 Elden Rings feeling without jumping in Bloodborne, Dark soulsor Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. But with our list, you can try to maintain that high with a different but similar-themed game, or gently return to Earth with something completely different.

Group 1 – The cute wanderers

Image: Nintendo EPD / Nintendo

Alike: Dress

Dress take some Elden Ringsfree, complex and unclear. It’s a game about a little fox whose mission is to roam the world and solve puzzles. It’s frustratingly difficult at times, and it tells you almost nothing about how it works or what you need to do. But it’s also cute and colorful and bright. Dress will give you different vibes while creating natural transitions if you’re still looking to punish your reflexes and scratch the old noggin layer.

Dissimilarity: Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Tonally, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the distance Elden Rings as you can get. Sure, it takes place in the ruins of a once great land, but that’s the only thing the two games have in common. Kirby is simple, easy and linear. You can deviate from the path, but only for short periods of time, and it’s usually just for a brief trivia that will eventually get you back where you need to go next. If you need something “mindless, just cute” or a collaborative adventure with a kid or a friend, Kirby and the Forgotten Land was a great post-Elden Rings to pick up.

Group 2 – Romance, if you like

Image: Game Grumps

Similar: Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen

Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen like Elden Rings in that it’s hard, ancient, and takes place in a grim medieval setting. But don’t like Elden Ringsyou can date in Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen. If you’ve always wished you could pet the NPCs in the FromSoftware game and then also be able to crawl around on a giant monster for hours, start your post-Elden Rings good life with Dragon dogma.

Dissimilarity: Dream Daddy

Dream Daddy Not much Elden Rings. In fact, it might be the least Elden Rings-like the game on this list. In Dream Daddy, you play as a single dad who goes on dates with other single dads. You can chat, date and try to keep up with your teenage daughter in a new town. It’s fun and cute and romantic, and there are no Elden Lords or terrible plagues to be found.

Group 3 – Explore, with monsters and without

Image: Thekla, Inc.

Similar: The Elder Scroll’s V: Skyrim

When SkyrimThe mechanics of may not have much in common with Elden Rings, the exploration is part and a batch. Part of the fun Elden Rings are going in a random direction and come across a new crypt, town or big boss. In 2012, Skyrim Reality enlivens the thrill of a science, giving you mountains of random dungeons and encounters for you to encounter as you explore the vast frozen world of Bethesda.

Dissimilarity: Witness

If you’re eager to explore but want something completely different Elden Rings, Witness is a great place to start. It’s a puzzle game that uses subtle and inexplicable rules to help you draw a line on multiple maze-like tablets. It’s mysterious and huge, but completely devoid of combat. It’s all about grandeur and exploration in a colorful world, and will keep you away from Godrick’s unsettling dragon arms.

Group 4 – Deadly World and 2D

Image: Team Cherry

Alike: Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is an excellent metroidvania with some serious FromSoftware leanings. It is punished, its system is messed up, and failure comes at a cost. It also has some light horror elements seen in Elden Rings, albeit filtered through a much cuter art style. While it’s certainly a lot simpler than From’s latest installment, and not nearly as long, it’s a great little adventure that won’t feel like a hit after Lands Between is punished. .

Dissimilarity: Spiritfarer

Spiritfarer maybe about death, but it has very little in common with Elden Rings. In Spiritfarer, you take the souls of the dead through the afterlife and to their final resting place. But instead of being grim and creepy, it’s healthy. You create a bond with each soul and help them embrace eternity comfortably, when they are ready. It’s certainly sad, in a way that’s always lost, but there’s a glimmer of hope there. If you need something more loving and still deal with eventual death, Spiritfarer is a great jump after Elden Rings.

Group 5 – (Kinda) Chill vibes

Image: FuturLab / Square Enix

Alike: Door of death

Door of death is about a cute little crow acting as the god of death, and its fights are often reminiscent of FromSoftware. It is both punitive and very cold, with the world acting as its own puzzle, hard to solve. Sure, you’ll have to enter the area when you encounter a boss, but if not, you can use your little bird’s feet to explore far and wide in this relaxing adventure. It’s a great combination between the tight combat of Elden Rings and a chilling game around the world.

Difference: PowerWash Simulator

PowerWash Emulator is one of the most “thoughtless” games out there and it has nothing in common with Elden Rings. The entire goal of PowerWash Emulator is to use an electric washer to clean dirt and grime on different vehicles and locations. The more you clean, the more cash you get and the better soap and equipment you can buy. There are stains that will take you longer to defeat than any of the bosses in Elden Ringsbut it’s still just an incredibly fun game about making the world cleaner.

Group 6 – Games with friends

Image: Perfect World Shooting Game / Entertainment

Similar: Remnants: From the Ashes

Remnants: From the ashes is a FromSoftware game turned into a third-person shooter. There’s melee combat, yes, but it’s mostly about dodging enemies while firing awesome guns. And, most importantly, it’s co-op. Remnants: From the ashes very fun to play with a friend, and still quite a lot of punishment. If you are looking for that Elden Rings a sense of accomplishment but you also want to go on a quest with a friend, Remnants: From the ashes is a great place to start.

Difference: Play golf with your friends

Play golf with your friends Exactly as it sounds: You play digital mini golf online with your friends. You can also run special courses with skulls and pirate ships and try to find a hole while talking to Discord. If you need something to keep your mind off of Radhan or Godfrey, Play golf with your friends is the perfect distraction.

Group 7 – Limp Bizkit, obviously

Image: Koei Tecmo / Square Enix

Similar: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Source

OK, no, Limp Bizkit’s music is really not in Stranger of Paradise, but that’s the joke going on, and to be honest, I can’t tell the difference. (And if you can, keep it to yourself). If ever was a game scream Limp Bizkit vibes, that’s Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Source. Even better, it actually shares quite a bit of DNA with Elden Rings, so listen to me. Jack – the rejected Abercrombie as the main character who loves to listen to rock music – collects currency from enemies to level up himself. This allows him to win from tightly balanced fights that require intense concentration to survive. It may not have that gothic atmosphere, but it has the classic disappointment/accomplishment of FromSoftware. So if you’ve played Elden Rings and, like the rest of us, thought “this is missing something and something is Limp Bizkit,” Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins you will almost achieve that dream.

Dissimilarity: Rock Band 4

Fine, you get it. I originally put rock band 4 here to make the Limp Bizkit joke work (even though Limp Bizkit is actually in this game, as long as you’re willing to pay for the DLC). But the more I think about it, the more certain I am that rock band on this list. It’s a cathartic chaser after Elden Rings, so run with it. Rock Band allows you to immerse yourself in the music (Bizkit or otherwise), convey very different emotions and help you forget about all the terrible plague dogs and dragons that have given you so much trouble in The Lands Between. You don’t even need to use a real controller, which is especially useful if you break your controller while playing. Elden Rings. And when you get into the Limp Bizkit Pack 01 (unfortunately without the Limp Bizkit Pack 02), it’s the perfect way to re-center your mind.

(Note: I’ve never intentionally listened to a Limp Bizkit song.)

[Editor’s note: Let’s not lie to our readers, Ryan.]

Group 8 – Breath of the Wild and Breath of the Wild

Image: Nintendo EPD / Nintendo

Similar AND Dissimilar: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the most common point of comparison for Elden Rings, and for obvious reasons. It’s huge, built to be explored, and has tons of secrets to uncover. But The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild also peaceful, colorful and cute. It’s low stakes exploration, and it was a one-shot battle against the Guardian.

For all Elden RingsFor its versatility, it’s still a FromSoftware game that punishes all for having you bury your head in a struggle one way or another. Breath of the Wild There’s some of that too, but with the ability to play with a physics puzzle for a while, or climb a mountain and just look through the scenery. For every great boss, there’s a moment of serenity waiting on the other side of the hill, and that makes Breath of the Wild perfect catcher after playing Elden Rings.