The best dark fantasy games on 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: Tap “I like it” on up to 5 games. 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
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A dark action RPG with precise, unforgiving combat and intricately connected levels.
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2 Dark Souls
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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 IV
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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4 Elden Ring
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A vast open world, demanding combat and countless secrets, from the creator of the Dark Souls series.
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5 The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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6 Dark Souls II
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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7 Elden Ring Nightreign
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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8 Dragon Age: Origins
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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9 Path of Exile 2
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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10 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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11 Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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12 Diablo III
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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13 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
An open fantasy world with outstanding side quests and choices that have lasting consequences.
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14 Blasphemous II
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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15 Lords of the Fallen
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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17 Path of Exile
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
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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18 Darkest Dungeon
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A merciless dungeon RPG where stress and madness are as dangerous as the monsters.
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19 Mortal Shell II
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A grim soulslike where you possess the bodies of fallen warriors and use them in fast, punishing fights against false gods. The sequel offers a more open, ruined world with horror undertones.
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20 The Last Faith
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A dark, gothic pixel-art Metroidvania that blends Soulslike combat with sprawling interconnected exploration and plenty of weapon and build options. You fight through a decaying world ravaged by plague and a corrupt religion as Eric.
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21 Blasphemous
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A brutal Metroidvania in gorgeous pixel art that twists Spanish Catholic iconography into a nightmarish world of guilt and penance. Tight parries, gory executions and plenty of hidden secrets define the Penitent One's journey.
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22 Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A grim first-person open-world RPG in the Skyrim mold that reimagines Arthurian legend as a decaying Avalon ravaged by plague and madness. Free exploration, flexible builds and quests with meaningful choices drive the experience.
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23 The Banner Saga
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A bleak Viking saga with gorgeous hand-drawn art, where you lead a caravan through a dying world. Turn-based tactical battles alternate with tough decisions that can cost supplies, morale and even the lives of your companions.
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24 Dante's Inferno
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Fantasy setting
A brutal hack-and-slash descent through the nine circles of Hell inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, wielding Death's scythe and a holy cross against grotesque demons. Punishing or absolving damned souls shapes your unholy or holy upgrade path.
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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