Best Games Like Dark Souls For Action-Packed Gaming
Psychology says, the reason we are more attracted to dark and gory things is that we like the idea of going through the entire experience (virtually, of course) and emerge victorious. The ego stroke is immense and it quenches our thirst of being the HERO. Dark Souls is one such franchise where we cannot deny our love for being the Hero or in many cases, the negative protagonist who, for the life of us, will never do a lick of a good thing, but still intrigue our curious minds and lure us in.
The Problem With Dark Souls
Dark Souls is addictive AF. It’s a game that grows on you. We know: enough hyperbole! But, that’s a fact. People love it, for the amount of daredevilry it allows you to throw in for gasp and sigh quotient. Despite all this, there are some serious problems that need a quick fix. Many gamers have complained that they’ve spent hours on Dark Souls, but failed at making significant progress into its deep dynamics. And, the reasons they’ve pinpointed are these.
First, Dark Souls, at a point, feels like meandering across a landscape while making no headway, whatsoever. There is no way (a map, a compass or something) to figure out if you’re actually moving right into the game. It obfuscates players. You’ll keep wondering what character to choose. What combats to choose. What stats to upgrade. And so on.
Second, you’ll keep on resurrecting till the time you give up and accept death. That means, the game can continue for infinity. So, keep dying and getting alive until you get so tired that you feel a grinding pressure sitting on that couch and playing just for the heck of it.
Third, there is no character-driven story. You’re just a regular ‘undead’ soul, seeking for a mission for as long as you choose to play. Since you’re not the HERO of the story, you feel a little discouraged and doesn’t get enough stimulus to get the winning done.
Dark Souls is frustrating at many levels, and this is why, we’ve compiled a list of best games like Dark Souls that will help you get high on the gaming saga.
Let’s explore!
1. Demon’s Souls
An action RPG game, Demon’s Souls takes you to the uncanningly haunting Boletaria Kingdom, saddled with the most fascinating and deadliest characters to encounter. From medieval environs, weapons and obstacles, the game is incredibly imaginative, so much so that you’ll find yourself walking through the best realms of fantasy ever. You might experience some frame drops in busy combat areas, but the impressive animations and eye for detail make up for all shortcomings. The gameplay is quite daunting, unwelcoming and unforgiving in a sense that it’s inexplicably mystical and you’ve to combat with the severest of enemies and death-dealing obstacles, which are just meant to bog you down. Being as gloomy and brutal as Dark Souls, it is surely one of the best alternatives to try out; though technically a bit on the off side, yet the finest combat game ever.
User Rating: 9/10
Play On: PlayStation 3, Android, iOS
2. Bloodborne
Bloodborne is overwhelmingly ruthless; perhaps the best kind of unconventional adventure gaming, giving you pulse-racing battles and blood-starved beasts to stand up right against. Yes, it definitely looks like a slice of the old-baked Dark Souls, but isn’t really a copy, for its unique mysteries and inescapable challenges. The death and resurrection mechanics are designed to take you to the peaks of satisfaction, or to the abyss of exhaustion also. As long as you’ve the perseverance and determination to chase the goal, you will continue to fight on. Unlike Dark Souls, where you can privy to the directions you’re heading to, and your ambitions, Bloodborne has all the interests disguised. It’s upon you to uncover the facts and choose whether the purpose favors you or someone else. Again, in Bloodborne, you’re the main player, the most determinant, to save the last flicker of life. Not any regular undead as in the Dark Souls. As you being the focus, you’re already positioned well above to end the battle for good. You are trained to dispatch the beasts and provided with an arsenal, especially crafted for the tasks of ruthless slash and hack.
Since Dark Souls can continue for infinity and doesn’t power you more than the other characters, you can try Bloodborne for ultimate gaming.
User Rating: 9/10
Play On: PlayStation 4, Android, iOS
3. Lords of the Fallen
Clearly, Lords of the Fallen has been created close on the heels of the Souls game. Still, it’s distinctive and elemental enough to get its very comfortable spot. You are Harkyn, the protagonist, who has a serious mission at hand – protecting the world against the vicious attacks and unrelenting horror of the Rhogar. Certainly, it’s the gloomiest atmospheric fantasy game, packed with everything a masochistic adventure gamer would look for. For the most of the time, you’ll be involved in hack, brute and loot without seeing the massive landscapes for even once. It’s that busy for an active melee and combat gaming. As for the gameplay, you move into the ecosystem from a third person’s perspective, strategizing moves, dodging attacks, building your arsenal and holding your defense. As Harkyn, you’re the hope for humankind!
The Lords of the Fallen is garnished with animation delights of the highest order. You see backgrounds, complete with gloomy castles and snowy peaks. The USP is the total weight on the character itself. You are already laced with super combative power to put up with challenging confrontations on the ground zero..
User Rating: 8/10
Play On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Easily, one of the most exceptional games by all standards of RPG mechanics, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a peg at the best animatic beauty, taking you to the prettiest landscapes and breezy locales. Gladly, the game is not all gloomy. Sunshine love involved! Even when the game enters the crazy levels of combat, stability and consistency don’t wither away. You experience no frame drops. For the gameplay, you’re at war with the harshest enemies, who have smelled blood and ready with their most lethal weapons to take on you. You’re a witcher, the Geralt of Rivia, who has to fight off the evil forces with arcane magic and sword fighting skills. Attention is life-saving, as everyone is very desperate to attack and survive. There is a huge mistrust riding under the belly. You got to act decisive and agile to make progress and demolish enemies. You can feel the pain and misery very deep, because it’s all too real. The expressions are so articulate that you wouldn’t be able to overlook those overwhelming emotions. Out of all, the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt proves one of the most ideal games similar to Dark Souls, in fact, it gets even better.
User Rating: 10/10
Play On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, PC, MAC
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5. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a combating game that truly shines. The second edition to the most-loved gaming franchise in the world, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has action infused in every bit of it. The challenges are ridiculously deep and heavy, and the high-octane combats simply keeps you on the steep edge. In totality, it’s actually very hard to not fall for the game. The crux is – you’re gliding through a death-dealing environment, where you encounter a volley of monsters. Fight against them, kill them, and use their parts to build new weapons to kill even more. The game isn’t that a cakewalk, and that’s why, it has tutorials to help you get familiar with the intricacies of the gaming. The learning curve is pretty too much. Don’t underestimate the monsters, as each one of them is ladled with a particular set of abilities, behaviors and quirks to make it nightmarish for you. You need precise strategies and well-timed defences to keep moving in the game.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate isn’t a near copy to Dark Souls, but offers a lot more to keep you well-engaged in the highly convoluted space.
User Rating: 9/10
Play On: Nintendo 3DS, Android, iOS
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6. Salt and Sanctuary
If leaving behind Dark Souls has broken you for good, you can lick your wounds and get right back up with Salt and Sanctuary that gives you (almost) the good ol’ feels, maybe a bit too much. Although with a 2D approach and an entirely new storyline, the story would have ceased to have existed if not for the big papa game. However, we can always give credit to the newbie for efficiently bringing in the invigorating features of the former leader and do what we may daresay call, justice. Like Steve Jobs said, “Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal”!
User Rating: 8/10
Play On: PlayStation 4, Android, VITA, PC, MAC, Linux
7. The Last of Us
Brilliantly crafted depicting the desolated United States, The Last of Us is more about a journey of Joe and Elly who are now living in the apocalyptic United States, which has been infected by the notorious fungi leaving behind an army of the undead, namely ‘the infected’ and ‘the runners’ and the human counterparts who are tougher to crack, thanks to their cognitive skills to plan an attack. The rule is simple, the duo, in a juxtaposed scenario of the wilderness and the rotting cities, has to SURVIVE. Avoid being killed by the humans and have your limbs attacked by the infected. Fail to do that and it’s GAME OVER.
User Rating: 9/10
8. Darksiders
Another apocalyptic genre in which humanity is on the brink of extinction. War, one of the four horsemen, has been blamed to create the disbalance between heaven and hell that catalyzes into a full-blown mission where he seeks to clear his name in some of the most colourful and intriguing animation ever. Though the apocalyptic scenario could have been more realistic, the present one doesn’t seem too bad either. With intricate fight scenes and cool features, Darksiders is one of the most sought-after games if you are looking for some blood, gore and of course, revenge.
User Rating: 8/10
Play on: Xbox 360; Xbox One; PlayStation 3; PlayStation 4; PC; Wii U; Linux
9. Nioh
We were not kidding when we professed our love for the dark and the mysterious. Nioh might be the perfect pitch as the dark and gloomy layout opens up your screen with the absolutely perfect slow paced and position based combat action. While you play the fictional version of the real-life sailor William Adams, a demon slayer, you get to strategize your moves carefully as your demon enemies are more crafty than you can imagine and you have to slay ‘em all in order to triumph. Moreover, the hint of light-hearted exuberance in this otherwise absolute straight-faced game, adds a dash of much needed vibrancy.
User Rating: 8.6/10
Play on: PlayStation 4, Android, iOS
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10. EITR
An isometric soul like 2D game, EITR is a dream come true for every indie game fan. In an interesting pixel art, EITR is all about the heroic maiden trying to save the world from the poison EITR. Don’t be fooled by the 2-D metrics as the player can easily observe the nitty-gritty of the maiden’s movements that are mainly attributed to their finesse in 3-D ventures. The core objective of the game lies in not only engaging in brute sword waving but a strategic thinking of positions, stamina consumption and attack optimization that helps the player in the longer run. After all, the power to those who think before they leap.
User Rating: 8/10
Play On: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Android
We hope that we’ve given you enough clarity on why Dark Souls seems like losing a track a bit, and why you need more souls like games in 2018. This exhausting (well, it is) list of games like Dark Souls will help you choose better and stay glued to the series of inspired action and gamification. After all, who doesn’t like a bit more of Dark souls anyway?
