DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin similar games & best alternatives

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin - Trailer
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DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin

PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, Xbox One • 2015

Should you play it?

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin brings the franchise’s renowned obscurity & gripping gameplay to a new level. Join the dark journey and experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical hazards, and unrelenting challenge.

What works

  • Extensive build and weapon variety
  • Challenging and rewarding combat
  • Large and immersive world
  • Active multiplayer with co-op and pvp
  • High replayability with ng+ and dlc

Things to keep in mind

  • Split community due to version differences
  • Some clunky controls and hitbox issues
  • Map cohesion and level design inconsistencies
  • Some bosses considered uninspired
  • Network lag and occasional toxic pvp

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Hellpoint

  • DARK SOULS™ II

  • Nioh: Complete Edition

  • PERISH

  • DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED

  • DARK SOULS™ III

Less competitive

Games that feels like DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin but with less competition against others

  • ELEX

  • Risen 3 - Titan Lords

  • REMNANT II®

  • Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

  • Remnant: From the Ashes

  • Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition

Less intimate

Games that feels like DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin but with less focus on close relationships

  • ELDEN RING

  • Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition

  • STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN

  • Dying Light

  • Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr

  • Hellsweeper VR

More leadership-focused

Games that feels like DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin but with more leadership over others

  • Neverwinter

  • The Elder Scrolls® Online

  • Guild Wars® Reforged

  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

  • Hunt: Showdown 1896

  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom

Choose your own criteria ->

From the same developer

From the same developer, ranked by motivational fit.

  • DARK SOULS™ II

  • DARK SOULS™ III

  • ELDEN RING

  • DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED

  • ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN

Similarity map

How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Competition, Status. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation.

Last update: 06/08/2026