Best games like Elden Ring to play on PC & Switch in 2023

Elden Ring was a cultural phenomenon, so it's no surprise that gamers are looking for the next best hit - and there are plenty of games like Elden Ring to pick from.

It is difficult to overstate quite how instant and overwhelmingly positive Elden Ring's impact was on the gaming space when it was released in 2022. Fans of FromSoftware games were well aware of the style of combat they were getting but the expansive open-world and deep roleplaying elements combined to create a game that blew the lid off the genre. Bearing that in mind, there are some games out there that manage to replicate some of the game's best features and attributes. Here's a rundown of the very best.

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Best games like Elden Ring 

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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• 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 Adrzej 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.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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• 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 approaches that make both games great.  

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Hades

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• 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. 

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Dark Souls: Remastered

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• 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.  

• For more games that capture that unique Dark Souls feel, then look no further.

Dead Cells

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• 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-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 particularly 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. 

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Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

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• 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, for those who can look beyond its graphical shortcomings, it remains comfortably the best game in the series. 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.

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Monster Hunter Rise

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• 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. 

So, that completes our list of best games like Elden Ring to play on PC & Switch in 2023.

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