18 Multiplayer games like Dark Souls that you should try

It shares the essentials of what Dark Souls does: punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. It sets itself apart with action RPG combat and open world exploration.

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Dark Souls on genre, combat and game mode. The common ground extends to a third-person camera and multiplayer gameplay. Where the two diverge is progression: loot and gear systems.

What brings it close to Dark Souls is punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and a third-person camera. The distance is in combat — its own ground is action RPG combat and open world exploration.

If Dark Souls worked for you because of strong narrative focus, melee combat and fantasy world, the same is here. To that it adds single-player focus and a third-person camera. They part company on setting: this one brings horror setting.

It comes from the same genre as Dark Souls and shares punishing difficulty, melee combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on a third-person camera. The distance is in setting and progression — its own ground is tactical combat and a sci-fi setting.

The thread back to Dark Souls runs through deep RPG systems, magic-based combat and fantasy world. To that it adds co-op play and a third-person camera. They part company on setting: this one brings action RPG combat and offline play.

If Dark Souls worked for you because of punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world, the same is here. Both also lean on exploration and discovery, and co-op play. The distance is in progression and game mode — its own ground is online features and skill tree progression.

If Dark Souls worked for you because of punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world, the same is here. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and multiplayer gameplay. They part company on combat and setting: this one brings action RPG combat and open world exploration.

Same family as Dark Souls: punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. To that it adds single-player focus and a third-person camera. They part company on setting and combat: this one brings post-apocalyptic world.

It comes from the same genre as Dark Souls and shares punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and co-op play. Where the two diverge is visuals and progression: loot and gear systems, and horror setting.

On paper it is what Dark Souls is — dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and fantasy world — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. They part company on combat and setting: this one brings horror setting.

Genre puts it alongside Dark Souls, and so does punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. To that it adds exploration and discovery, and co-op play. They part company on setting and combat: this one brings historical setting and 3D presentation.

The genre is the same as Dark Souls’s, and with it punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. The common ground extends to a third-person camera and co-op play. Where the two diverge is progression and setting: post-apocalyptic world and skill tree progression.

Shelved next to Dark Souls for good reason: punishing difficulty, melee combat and fantasy world. Both also lean on single-player focus and a third-person camera. The distance is in combat and setting — its own ground is historical setting.

The thread back to Dark Souls runs through deep RPG systems, melee combat and fantasy world. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals: 2D presentation.