If Elden Ring worked for you, you probably are not just chasing “difficulty.” You are chasing the mix of discovery, build experimentation, and the feeling that every victory was actually earned.
Quick Picks
- Best overall next step: Monster Hunter: World
- Best if you want deeper build obsession: Path of Exile 2
- Best if you want another giant world to disappear into: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Who This List Is For
This page is for players who want another game where challenge, discovery, or long-form mastery is part of the appeal.
It is less useful if what you loved most about Elden Ring was specifically Souls combat rhythm and nothing else.
The Best Games
Monster Hunter: World
- Why it stands out: It is the best follow-up if boss learning, pattern reads, and visible mastery gains were your favorite part of Elden Ring.
- Best for: Players who want another combat-first game where preparation and repetition pay off.
- Watch out for: It is hunt-structured, not an open-world journey.
Path of Exile 2
- Why it stands out: It keeps the demanding combat and experimentation, but pushes much harder into buildcraft and loot identity.
- Best for: Players who want to obsess over power growth as much as execution.
- Watch out for: It swaps exploration wonder for system depth and seasonal grind.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
- Why it stands out: It is a strong answer if what you want is more freedom, more wandering, and another world that can become your long-term home.
- Best for: Players who loved Elden Ring’s openness more than its punishment.
- Watch out for: Combat is far less sharp and far less demanding.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Why it stands out: It still scratches the “leave the road, find something memorable” itch, but with stronger writing and much less friction.
- Best for: Players who want exploration and world immersion without constant punishment.
- Watch out for: It is more story-led and much easier mechanically.
Baldur’s Gate 3
- Why it stands out: It captures the same feeling of high-agency problem solving, just through turn-based tactics and role-play instead of dodge timing.
- Best for: Players who want their next game to still respect experimentation and discovery.
- Watch out for: It is slower, denser, and much more dialogue-heavy.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- Why it stands out: It is a good pivot if what you want next is high-quality boss fights and tactical action without another brutal open world.
- Best for: Players who liked learning encounters and building toward cleaner wins.
- Watch out for: It is far more linear and much less self-directed.
How We Picked These Games
We looked for games that overlap with at least one major Elden Ring strength:
- hard-earned combat mastery
- exploration that feels self-directed
- builds that meaningfully change how you play
- a strong sense of challenge, danger, or discovery
Where to Go Next
- Open Best Games with Great Exploration if discovery matters as much as difficulty.
- Open Best Games with Strong Character Builds if build freedom is the thing you most want to keep.
- Open Games Like Hades if what you really want next is combat mastery and repeated improvement in a tighter loop.
Final Recommendation
- Pick Monster Hunter: World if you want the strongest combat-first follow-up.
- Pick Path of Exile 2 if build obsession and hard fights matter equally.
- Pick Skyrim Special Edition if what you really want is another world that lets you vanish into it for dozens of hours.