By marrying its Soulslike mechanics to an open-world RPG format, Elden Ring has made the franchise more approachable than ever. Whereas past Souls games were more linear or had more limited options, the unparalleled freedom of Elden Ring creates an unparalleled sense of exploration and reward. It’s one of few open-world RPGs to actually capture the beauty of an adventure.

Of course, the problem now is following up Elden Ring. Many have beaten the game a few times over before now and are probably waiting for Elden Ring DLC to be announced/release. The problem is that’s a wait, and it can be hard to find another game to play once shelving the game for a bit. Thus, for those looking for open-world games that can scratch a similar itch, here are some that come close to what Elden Ring has to offer.

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Like Elden Ring’s Unique Open-World Qualities? Play Dragon’s Dogma

Dragon's Dogma Sequel Needs Gamer Input - Griffin

Dragon’s Dogma is a unique open-world RPG. While games like Skyrim have a history and pedigree to back up their claim to ten years of fame, Dragon’s Dogma is a standalone title that did the same. Of course, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has now been announced, and that gives open-world RPG fans even more reason to check out the first. But the first is different from other games. It allows players to climb on their enemies, it requires tactical combat, and the design of the open world makes every path all the more interesting.

Combined with this is Dragon Dogma’s Pawn system, which allows players to make their own Pawn and travel the world with their party. It’s different from other games with companion systems, and what Dragon’s Dogma does is uniquely combine companions, in-depth combat, and more into a unique open-world RPG.

Like Elden Ring’s Freedom and In-Depth Mechanics? Play Red Dead 2 or Kingdom Come: Deliverance

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Very few games capture realism well, at least in a fun way. Red Dead Redemption 2 probably does this the best, offering tons of little mechanics and elements that help its game stand out. All the same, Kingdom Come: Deliverance offers very similar gameplay features in terms of player health, the need to eat, resource management, and tons more. Both games offer unparalleled levels of freedom to, with players able to explore the Wild West or Bohemia in truly detailed yet free ways.

Red Dead 2 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance have more realistic mechanics than Elden Ring, but where they match is the depth. Elden Ring is all about obtaining the right gear, getting good at the combat, understanding when to use what tactic, and finding new elements along the way. Elden Ring’s freedom to approach is incredibly rewarding, perhaps more so than these other games, but trading one element for another here is the name of the game. Neither are just like Elden Ring, but they are all in-depth, freeing open-world RPGs.

Want Elden Ring’s Build Depth? Check Out Pillars of Eternity

Pillars Of Eternity 2 deadfire pirate ship

When it comes to build depth, there’s not another Soulsborne game that rivals Elden Ring in full. Dark Souls 2 and others do beat it somewhat in terms of build variety, but those looking for a more open experience but similar build depth may want to check out Pillars of Eternity (the first and second ones) too. Pillars of Eternity is a top-down game, which may be a deal-breaker for some, but it has all the redeeming qualities of an open-world RPG too.

What it does better than most, though, is how deep and how varied its builds can genuinely be. Players will spend as much time on their Pillars of Eternity builds as they do Elden Ring’s, if not perhaps more so. In terms of depth like Elden Ring, this is a great safe option.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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