Best games like Elden Ring to play on PC & console in 2024

Few games ignite the feeling of exploration, joy, and "blimey this is hard" quite like Elden Ring did. For that reason, we have made a list that hopefully captures some of that magic on PC and console.

The game was developed by FromSoftware, the developer that kicked off the Soulslike genre. On this list, some games are directly inspired by the works of FromSoftware, while others may have even provided inspiration for Elden Ring.

Best games like Elden Ring 

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2015
• Key features:
  • Amazing story set in the world of author Andrzej Sapkowski
  • Deep roleplaying elements
  • Unique monsters and enemies to confront

Though Geralt of Rivia needs no introduction to many, the third game in the series is worth mentioning here as a wonderful Action RPG in its own right. Before Elden Ring, it was arguably the front-runner for more recent entries into the genre and, even with the arrival of FromSoftware's behemoth, it still has a very solid claim to the title.

With a huge open-world, challenging combat that rewards clever use of the game's mechanics and a branching, choice-driven narrative, there is plenty here for players to sink their collective teeth into.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2023
• Key features:
  • Responsive control system for exploration and combat
  • Unique open world
  • Singular, stunning art direction

A few years ago, it would have been a scarcely believable notion that Nintendo would be able to outdo 2017's incredible Breath of the Wild and yet here arrives Tears of the Kingdom to make it a reality.

The formula remains pretty consistent with the first game in the series with huge improvements to the exploration systems and a vastly expanded world for players to traverse.

It might appear to be a very different proposition to Elden Ring initially but scratching beyond the surface uncovers shared DNA that makes both games great.  

Hades

• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2020
• Key features:
  • Interesting story rooted in real-world mythology
  • Fast-paced, intense combat
  • Isometric view of the world

Roguelikes have been one of the fastest-growing genres across video games for the last few years and, despite there being some incredible options out there, Hades is right at the top of the tree. Players control Zagreus, the son of the titular ruler of the Greek underworld, as he attempts to escape and reach Mount Olympus.

The game features many different ways to build characters via the gifts from the Gods system and a ton of spells and attacks to make each playthrough feel unique. The isometric viewpoint will be a significant change for some people but the demanding combat sequences will undoubtedly appeal to those who are into the more unforgiving side of Elden Ring. 

Dark Souls: Remastered

• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2018
• Key features:
  • The original game that spawned an entire genre
  • Challenging boss fights and combat
  • Fun multiplayer elements

The game that started it all finally got remastered in 2018 and it proved to be as brilliant as it was the first time around. It remains the most iconic game in the genre that was named for it and the updated visuals and more responsive gameplay refreshed the experience to the point of making it feel new. The bosses carry a little less impact now that they have been faced so many times by so many players but the old magic is still there and its influence on Elden Ring is obvious.  

Lords of the Fallen (2023) 

• Platforms: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S 
• Release date: 2023
• Key features:
  • Unique take on well trodden format
  • Gorgeous visuals 
  • Interesting NPCs & world 

Lords of the Fallen picks up its story a thousand years after the original, with the world once again being threatened by the return of the demon God.

For the most part, the game is very paint-by-numbers within the Dark Souls formula but it has one feature that helps it stand out - the Umbral Lamp. It allows players to bounce between the land of the living and the land of the dead, offering puzzles and new exploration options.

Ghost of Tsushima 

• Platforms: PS4, PS5
• Release date: 2020
• Key features:
  • Enjoyable stealth and combat
  • Large open-world
  • Inspired by Japanese culture and mythology

Elden Ring offers stealth as an avenue to furthering exploration and that is what Ghost of Tsushima is all about. You play the game as Jin who is seeing his homeland ravaged by invaders - it is your job to push them back and hopefully save Tsushima. 

Not only is there plenty of exploration in this truly stunning game, but the combat offers a fair amount of challenge too. If you want another game with a rich world to explore, a satisfying challenge and enjoyable gameplay, then Ghost of Tsushima is a must-play. 

Dead Cells

• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2018
• Key features:
  • 2D side-scrolling Roguevania
  • Deeply unforgiving progression system
  • Procedurally generated levels

Dead Cells is probably the most left-of-field choice on the entire list but this rogue-lite, Metroidvania, action-platformer is worth every penny. The player controls an entity that can inhabit the bodies of human corpses.

With the goal of exploring a mysterious island and killing its secretive King, it is as unforgiving as it is beautiful. Dying in the game leads to the loss of most items collected up to that point while the gameplay rewards players who patiently learn the behaviours of enemies and bosses. 

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

• Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2013
• Key features:
  • Spectacular hack-and-slash combat
  • Party system with AI-controlled allies 
  • Huge open-world environment

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is starting to show its age, but it remains comfortably the best game in the series for those who can look beyond its graphical shortcomings.

The open-world, third-person setup will feel immediately familiar to Elden Ring players and the game's classes, known as vocations, offer plenty of room for customization and a varied approach to progression. With an amazing orchestral score to underpin the action, Dark Arisen is an underrated gem.

Monster Hunter Rise

• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch
• Release date: 2021
• Key features:
  • Boss battles on an epic scale
  • Solid crafting and gathering system
  • Butter smooth gameplay

All the games on this list replicate significant areas of Elden Ring but none manage to render the colossal scale of some of its boss fights better than Monster Hunter Rise. The game has significant story and roleplaying features but it's in the action that it truly starts to show its significant chops. It features a solid array of weapons to use and enemies to hit them with, as well as hunting, gathering and crafting features to learn. 

As the 15th game in a very successful series, its credentials are already clear to many, but the game has been optimised brilliantly to create the smoothest and easiest to control entry to date. 

Lies of P 

• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC 
• Release date: 2023
• Key features:
  • Atmospheric locations
  • Bone-crunching, fast-paced combat 
  • Unique lie mechanic 

A Pinocchio game may seem out of place on a list of games like Elden Ring, but Lies of P wears its Soulslikes inspirations on its ruffled sleeve. 

Few games have successfully captured the magic of a Dark Souls game, and to say Lies of P has achieved it is an understatement. The best part is that you can play it on Xbox Game Pass now. 

So, that completes our list of best games like Elden Ring to play on PC & Switch in 2024. For more, check out our Elden Ring homepage and if you need some help with your games, we have plenty of guides too.