The best dark fantasy games on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Grim worlds full of magic, monsters and moral grey areas: fantasy without the sugar coating.
How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 20 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
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1 Dark Souls III
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Challenging difficulty
A dark action RPG with precise, unforgiving combat and intricately connected levels.
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2 Dark Souls
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Lots to discover
A merciless action RPG whose interconnected world of Lordran rewards careful exploration with clever shortcuts, deliberate combat and cryptic, melancholic lore. Every death teaches something, and every victory feels truly earned.
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3 Diablo
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong character progression
- Challenging difficulty
The genre-defining hack-and-slash: you descend floor by floor through randomized catacombs beneath Tristram all the way into Hell, chasing ever-better loot. Its oppressive gothic atmosphere and iconic soundtrack remain legendary.
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4 Dark Souls: Remastered
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Lots to discover
The genre-defining Soulslike: a bleak, intricately interconnected world of punishing combat, hidden paths and bosses that demand patience and precise timing. The remaster adds sharper visuals and includes the Artorias of the Abyss expansion.
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5 Diablo IV
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong character progression
- Lavish presentation
A grim, gothic loot-driven action RPG where you carve through demon hordes across a shared open world, endlessly tuning your build with skills, aspects and legendary gear. A brooding story about Lilith's return sets the stage, while the endgame keeps you chasing better loot in dungeons and seasons.
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6 Elden Ring
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Open world
A vast open world, demanding combat and countless secrets, from the creator of the Dark Souls series.
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7 Diablo II
- Strong character progression
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Challenging difficulty
The genre-defining hack-and-slash classic: pick one of seven classes and carve through four grim acts, hoarding randomized loot and refining skill builds. Chasing runewords and uniques remains compelling to this day, solo or online with friends.
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8 The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
- Choices with consequences
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lavish presentation
Geralt of Rivia is drawn into a web of regicide and political intrigue, and one early decision splits the entire second act into completely different locations and storylines. Demanding real-time combat and a grim, morally grey world define the experience.
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9 Dark Souls II
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Strong character progression
The second Souls entry sends you as a cursed undead through the decaying kingdom of Drangleic, offering punishing bosses, huge weapon and build variety, and a sprawling, branching world packed with secrets.
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10 The Witcher
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Choices with consequences
- Action-packed real-time combat
Geralt's first outing stands out for its mature, morally grey world where decisions often pay off hours later. Its quirky rhythm-based combat with stances and potions takes getting used to, but the Slavic-flavored atmosphere is unforgettable.
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11 Elden Ring Nightreign
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Co-op or multiplayer
A co-op roguelike spin-off of Elden Ring where a trio races across a shrinking map over three days, powering up before facing a towering Nightlord boss. Fast, intense runs with distinct hero classes replace the sprawling solo journey.
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12 Dragon Age: Origins
- Tactical depth
- Strong character progression
- A party of several characters
A grim fantasy RPG where you lead a band of memorable companions as a Grey Warden against the Blight. Tactical pausable combat, distinct origin stories and weighty moral choices shape the fate of Ferelden.
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13 Path of Exile 2
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong character progression
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A grim hack-and-slash ARPG with a sprawling passive tree, flexible skill gems and far more deliberate, dodge-heavy boss fights than its predecessor. A haven for theorycrafters who love tinkering with builds and chasing endgame loot.
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14 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Open world
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
As the undead ranger Talion, you carve through Mordor with fluid counter-based combat and stealth. The Nemesis System generates orc captains who remember you, rise through the ranks and become personal rivals.
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15 Lords of the Fallen
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Lots to discover
A grim Soulslike where a magic lantern lets you shift between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Weighty combat, interconnected level design and the Umbral mechanic make exploration tense and demanding.
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16 Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Strong character progression
A 2.5D soulslike metroidvania set in a grim, hand-painted fantasy world being consumed by Entropy. It stands out with deep class and skill trees, crafting through recruited merchants, and punishing boss fights.
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17 Diablo III
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong character progression
- Lavish presentation
Fast-paced hack-and-slash where you carve through demon hordes with one of several classes while chasing ever-better loot. Its real draw is the endgame loop of Greater Rifts, seasons and co-op play.
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18 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Open world
- Lots to discover
An open fantasy world with outstanding side quests and choices that have lasting consequences.
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19 Blasphemous II
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A grim pixel-art Metroidvania where the Penitent One wields three distinct weapons through a world steeped in religious horror. Precise duels, tough bosses and plenty of secrets make exploring rewarding.
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20 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Strong character progression
- Open world
As Talion you roam Mordor, dominating orc captains to build your own army and storm fortresses. The Nemesis System makes enemies remember you, rise in rank, and grow into personal rivals with their own stories.
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21 Path of Exile
- Strong character progression
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Challenging difficulty
A grim free-to-play loot-driven ARPG with an enormous passive skill tree and socketed gem system that enable near-limitless build crafting. Its deep endgame mapping and seasonal leagues keep theorycrafters hooked for years.
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22 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Action-packed real-time combat
As the freshly resurrected vampire Kain, you slash through the gloomy top-down land of Nosgoth, collecting spells, weapons and shapeshifting forms. Famed for its gothic atmosphere, richly voiced dramatic storytelling and morally grey tale of vengeance.
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23 Darkest Dungeon
- Turn-based combat
- Tactical depth
- A party of several characters
A merciless dungeon RPG where stress and madness are as dangerous as the monsters.
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24 Planescape: Torment
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Choices with consequences
- A party of several characters
A text-heavy cult RPG where you play an immortal amnesiac wandering the bizarre city of Sigil, uncovering the sins of your past lives. Dialogue, philosophy and unforgettable companions matter far more than combat.
What matters with Dark fantasy games
Dark fantasy strips the comfort out of swords and sorcery. Kingdoms are already rotting, heroes are cursed or compromised, and the monsters are often less unsettling than the people. What keeps players coming back is that sense of earning every step forward, whether through hard-won boss victories, grim moral choices or slowly piecing together what went wrong with the world.
When choosing, decide first how much challenge you want. The Soulslikes here are demanding and built around learning from death, while the story-driven RPGs put more weight on dialogue and consequences. Pace matters too: some games reward patient, deliberate play, others push you to stay aggressive. Also check whether you want to play alone or with friends, since only some of these lean into co-op.
If you are new to FromSoftware's style, Elden Ring is a good entry point because its open world lets you leave a tough boss and explore elsewhere. Bloodborne suits players who prefer speed, since it rewards staying on the offensive instead of hiding behind a shield. Diablo II is the pick for loot hunters and anyone who wants to carve through four grim acts with friends online. For story and choices, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings splits its entire second act based on one early decision, and Dragon Age: Origins offers tactical pausable combat with memorable companions.
Frequently asked questions
Which dark fantasy game should I play if I don't like extreme difficulty?
Dragon Age: Origins and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings focus more on story, companions and choices than on punishing combat. Diablo II is also more approachable, centering on loot and skill builds rather than precise boss fights.
Should I play Dark Souls or Dark Souls: Remastered?
Dark Souls: Remastered is the easier recommendation, since it adds sharper visuals, smoother framerates and includes the Artorias DLC. The core world of Lordran and its combat are the same as in the original Dark Souls.
Are there dark fantasy games I can play in co-op?
Diablo II is the clearest co-op pick on this list, letting you play online with friends while hunting runewords and uniques. Among the others, Diablo is a great choice if you want the original atmospheric dungeon crawl, though it is best known as a solo descent into Hell.
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