FromSoftware's Sekiro, and multiple announced delays, Elden Ring's hype is through the roof.
The Souls-like genre has boomed in the past half-decade with the release of so many aspiring Dark Souls clones and spiritual successors. While a handful of these games are just blatant rip-offs with little added, a good number of them are well crafted attempts to capture the risk/reward nature of a FromSoftware game while creating a tonally and mechanically unique experience for players.
Players may need some great games to tide them over until some solid release details for Elden Ring get announced. Since there's no word on when that may happen, here are some amazing titles to check out during the wait for Elden Ring.
Play Nioh 1+2 Before Elden Ring
change themselves into a Yokai after gaining enough energy, and go toe-to-toe with powerful demons from Japanese Folklore. Players who were most drawn to the Souls series for its creative enemies and bosses will be blown away by Nioh.
Play Mortal Shell Before Elden Ring
Mortal Shell is a perfect encapsulation of the dark and oppressive tone of the Souls series. At a glance, players can easily be fooled into thinking this is a surprise entry into the series due to its general look and feel. Players who find themselves spending all of their time in Dark Souls Remastered will likely gravitate most to Mortal Shell due to its slower, more methodical pace. As the Souls series went on, gameplay gradually became more frenetic. This wasn't a problem for some, while others preferred the restraint that was required to survive the original Dark Souls.
Mortal Shell sets players in a world that is just as unforgiving as Dark Souls while removing the straightforward blocking mechanic that often became a crutch to players of the franchise. It is replaced with a recharging Harden ability that wards off any oncoming attack and a recharging Parry. Players also must inhabit one of four distinct character "Shells" during the course of the game, so players who are in it for the "Fashion Souls" may not find this game quite as appealing. Mortal Shell takes players back to the basics by not compromising on its overwhelming challenge.
Play Sinner: Sacrifice For Redemption Before Elden Ring
Sinner: Sacrifice For Redemption is a game for players who just want to get right to the bosses. There are a few minor enemies to take down here, but for the most part, players are tasked with taking out the incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins. Overall, the game captures the general feel of Souls-like world and combat, while expressing its individuality with a more stylized aesthetic.
What the game lacks in lengthy adventure, it makes up for in boss variety. This is a perfect crash course on Souls-like combat for the uninitiated and stands as a welcomed challenge for players who think they have what it takes to tank multiple Dark Souls bosses in one go. The game isn't as well-polished as other titles on this list, but it is a great time regardless.
Play The Surge 1+2 Before Elden Ring
Enemies in The Surge are mechanically enhanced humans and defective robots, out to destroy anything with a beating heart. The Surge 1 and 2 are great games for players who are looking for something totally new.
While players wait for more news of Elden Ring they should try out any and all of the titles above, because they offer great new takes on the Dark Souls formula while still being original in their own right.