DARK SOULS™ III similar games & best alternatives

DARK SOULS™ III

PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One • 2016

Should you play it?

Dark Souls continues to push the boundaries with the latest, ambitious chapter in the critically-acclaimed and genre-defining series. Prepare yourself and Embrace The Darkness!

What works
  • Challenging and rewarding combat
  • Deep and immersive lore
  • Extensive exploration and secrets
  • Strong community and co-op features
  • High replayability and progression
Things to keep in mind
  • Steep learning curve for newcomers
  • Some technical bugs and online issues
  • Punishing difficulty may frustrate casual players
  • Complex npc questlines can be confusing
  • Camera and control quirks

What to play next

Similar games, hidden gems, and fresh directions from this game.

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • DARK SOULS™ II

  • DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin

  • DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED

  • Middle-earth™: Shadow of War™

  • Monster Hunter: World

  • ELDEN RING

  • Dune: Awakening

  • Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition

  • V Rising
Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • SKIBIDI GYATROOMS

  • Kingpin — Life of Crime

  • Meridian 59
If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers (hidden on purpose).

DARK SOULS™ III: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Fellowship, Status, Cooperation. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation.

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

    Game with the same Autonomy vibe

    4

    "Players have freedom to explore, build, choose playstyle, and progress at their own pace without forced linearity."

    Capsule for Windrose Windrose

    "Players have freedom to choose their build, weapons, and playstyle, and exploration is encouraged without strict linearity."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    5

    "The game demands mastery of complex combat mechanics, timing, and strategy with clear feedback and skill progression."

    Capsule for Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition

    "Game demands high skill, learning enemy patterns, and mastering combat mechanics with clear feedback on player performance."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    3

    "Includes PvP modes, ranked matches, and community tournaments encouraging player comparison."

    Capsule for Beastieball Beastieball

    "Includes PvP with invasions and duels, ranked and unranked modes, encouraging player comparison and rivalry."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    5

    "Highly replayable with long sessions, deep mechanics, and strong player attachment over many hours."

    Capsule for Jagged Alliance 2 - Wildfire Jagged Alliance 2 - Wildfire

    "Highly replayable with multiple playthroughs, long sessions, and strong player attachment."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    4

    "Co-op multiplayer is integral, allowing summoning of other players to assist in boss fights."

    Capsule for DARK SOULS™ II DARK SOULS™ II

    "Co-op play is integral, with summoning allies for boss fights and exploration, fostering teamwork."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    4

    "Extensive build variety, relic and weapon combinations, and multiple classes allow creative customization."

    Capsule for 暖雪 Warm Snow 暖雪 Warm Snow

    "Extensive weapon and armor customization, build variety, and tactical options allow creative approaches."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    2

    "PvP includes duels and invasions with potential for dominance, but also balanced by skill-based competition."

    Capsule for Continent of the Ninth Seal Continent of the Ninth Seal

    "PvP includes dominance elements like invasions and power plays, but also respects fair play and mutual challenge."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    4

    "Players use the game for immersive fantasy experience and stress relief, escaping into a dark fantasy world."

    Capsule for Darksiders III Darksiders III

    "Players use the game to immerse themselves in a dark fantasy world, escaping real-life stress through challenge and exploration."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of personal desire and intrinsic interest, not obligation or external pressure."

    Capsule for Dead by Daylight Dead by Daylight

    "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and personal desire, not obligation or external pressure."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    4

    "Game rewards experimentation with weapons, secrets, and playstyles; encourages trying new approaches to progress."

    Capsule for ZeroRanger ZeroRanger

    "Encourages trying new weapons, strategies, and exploring hidden secrets, rewarding experimentation."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    5

    "Strong emphasis on uncovering secrets, lore, and new areas beyond surface puzzles; curiosity-driven."

    Capsule for Void Stranger Void Stranger

    "Strong emphasis on discovering new areas, secrets, and lore through curiosity-driven exploration."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    4

    "Customization of characters’ jobs, abilities, and equipment allows personal expression."

    Capsule for FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles

    "Character and equipment customization allow for personal expression and unique visual styles."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    5

    "Set in a dark fantasy world with magic, mythical creatures, and a rich lore."

    Capsule for Gothic 1 Gothic 1

    "Set in a dark fantasy world with mythical creatures, lore, and supernatural elements."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    3

    "Community and social play through co-op and shared experiences foster a sense of belonging."

    Capsule for Deadzone: Rogue Deadzone: Rogue

    "Community interaction through messages, co-op, and shared experiences fosters a sense of belonging."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    5

    "Players develop skills, learn enemy patterns, and improve through repeated play and progression."

    Capsule for Dead Cells Dead Cells

    "Players learn enemy patterns, improve skills, and develop strategies, reflecting personal growth."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related mechanics."

    Capsule for Prey Prey

    "Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related mechanics."

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -4

    "Requires constant attention and focus; not suitable for casual or background play."

    Capsule for [REDACTED] [REDACTED]

    "Requires constant attention and focus; not suitable for casual or background play."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    2

    "Social interactions with NPCs and cooperative play foster some emotional connection."

    Capsule for Moon Hunters Moon Hunters

    "Some emotional connection through NPC stories and cooperative play, but limited close relationships."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    1

    "Some players may lead teams in co-op or PvP, but no strong emphasis on leadership roles or management."

    Capsule for ONRAID ONRAID

    "Players can lead in PvP or co-op scenarios, but leadership is not a core focus."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    5

    "Strong progression through unlocking weapon attachments, leveling up, and acquiring items and upgrades."

    Capsule for SURV1V3 SURV1V3

    "Strong progression through leveling, weapon upgrades, and item collection."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    -3

    "Game is tense and challenging, requiring focus and inducing stress rather than relaxation."

    Capsule for Max Payne Max Payne

    "Game is tense and challenging, inducing stress and requiring focus rather than relaxation."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    4

    "Strong sensory stimulation from audio design, visual effects, and immersive combat."

    Capsule for House of the Dying Sun House of the Dying Sun

    "Immersive audio-visual design and intense combat provide strong sensory stimulation."

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    3

    "Players gain recognition through PvP rankings, cosmetic titles, and community reputation."

    Capsule for Temtem Temtem

    "Recognition through PvP rankings, achievements, and community reputation."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    4

    "Strong narrative and lore elements engage players in a mysterious and immersive story."

    Capsule for Happy's Humble Burger Barn Happy's Humble Burger Barn

    "Deep, immersive lore and fragmented narrative encourage player engagement with story elements."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    5

    "Requires planning, resource management, tactical combat, and strategic decision-making."

    Capsule for Kenshi Kenshi

    "Requires planning, resource management, and tactical combat decisions."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    5

    "High suspense and adrenaline from risk of death and intense firefights create thrilling experiences."

    Capsule for Hunt: Showdown 1896 Hunt: Showdown 1896

    "High tension and suspense from challenging enemies and risk of death create thrilling experiences."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    4

    "Offers extensive content, replayability, and developer support, providing good value for time and money."

    Capsule for Imperiums: Greek Wars Imperiums: Greek Wars

    "Offers extensive content, replayability, and community engagement, providing good value for time and money."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    5

    "Combat and destruction are central, with frequent violent encounters and boss battles."

    Capsule for ELDEN RING ELDEN RING

    "Combat and defeating enemies is central, with frequent violent encounters and boss battles."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    4

    "Players must manage health, stamina, and resources to survive hostile environments."

    Capsule for DARK SOULS™ II DARK SOULS™ II

    "Players must manage health, stamina, and resources to survive hostile environments and enemies."

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Last update: 01/06/2026