Probably the biggest gaming release of 2022 so far has been Elden Ring. This action role-playing game was issued back in late February on PC, as well as most of the main consoles. This fiendishly difficult fantasy game was developed by FromSoftware, and is seen as the evolution of their equally fiendishly difficult fantasy series, Souls. The games are the brainchild of creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki, who oversaw the making of most of the titles in the series. 

Elden Ring has been championed for its toughness, which is heralded because it’s a welcome hark back to when games didn’t hold your hand through their duration, where you really had to grind your way to earn progress. It’s also had massive appreciation shown for its magical open world setting, and the engaging mythical narrative. This might have something to do with legendary fantasy writer George R. R. Martin, who is famous for the Game of Thrones novels, being drafted in to help with fleshing out the story.

If you’ve managed to soldier on through the toughness and complete it and are on the lookout for games that are similar, then don’t worry as we’ve got you covered, as these are our top picks for you. However, if you’re stuck on the game, then why don’t you read up on how to use the Ring Ashes of War, and how to make duplicate Ashes

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 

Whilst this is more sci-fi than straight up fantasy, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, is an essential play-through for those who love the melee combat of Elden Ring. Instead of waving round medieval-style swords and deadly clubs though, the weapon you’ll be unleashing on the legions of stormtroopers that cross your path is a lightsaber. 

Developed by Respawn Entertainment, and released in 2019, it was a hit with players and critics, who praised it for successfully aping the Dark Souls combat system and applying it to the Star Wars universe. 

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Amazed by the mythical lore of Elden Ring, and want another game that is coated in brilliant mythology? Why not delve into the Grandfather of fantasy writing then, J.R.R Tolkien and his Lord of the Rings series. Middle-earth: Shadow of War was released in 2017, by developers Monolith Productions, and like Elden Ring, is an action role-playing delight filled to the brim with a sense of adventure. The game takes inspirations from both Tolkien’s stories, and from the epic Peter Jackson movies, and is actually set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies. 

You take control of a dark ranger known as Talion, who has the immense task of forging a new Ring of Power to help lead an army against the ultimate evil that is Sauron. If you enjoyed the ability to summon spirits to help your fights in Elden Ring, then you’ll feel right at home in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, as the game brilliantly allows you to gather companions as you travel across its open-world, and use them in battles against your many foes. 

Interestingly, The Lord of the Rings franchise has proved incredibly popular in gaming, with there being over thirty games on PC and console so far. There’s also been online virtual slot games, many of which you can find over at Vegas Slots Online, who have also written your ultimate guide to online gambling for 2022. They reveal why their listed sites are the best gambling sites in Canada, and detail exactly how they select them. Each site offers hundreds of online slots, which can be played for both real money or for free. Plus, they offer top tips to win, so you can maximize your chance to win big. 

Code Vein

Now known as the anime imitation of the Souls series, Code Vein was released in 2019. It was developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment, who are the actual publishers of all the Soul games, and of Elden Ring, so it definitely seems like the studio were so fond of the incredible series, that they made a homage to it themselves. It’s perfect for those who love the general action role-playing gameplay of Elden Ring, but are put off by its devastating difficulty, and want an easier option. 

Code Vein is also a crucial purchase for anime fans, as the games graphics will make you feel like you’ve jumped into one of your favourite shows. In fact, it’s definitely one of the top five video games that would make great anime adaptations