426 titles

Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin

PS4steamXbox

Genre: Soulslike Action RPG

Game Overview

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin packages all three DLC chapters and rearranges enemy placements and NPC questlines from the original release. The HP degradation mechanic on death distinguishes it from the other FromSoftware entries. PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC. GPA scores it high on Difficulty and Dark World — the Dark Souls entry that most rewards NPC questline investment.

Game Characteristics

High Difficulty

85%

Dystopian Setting

85%

Action

78%

Dark

78%

Existential Themes

65%

Character Building

65%

Strategy

60%

Graphics

58%

Target Audience

Recommended for: Intermediates to Advanceds (scores ≥ 50 indicate a good fit)

Beginner

Intermediate

52 ✓

Advanced

88 ✓

Keywords

soulslike die-and-retry lore-focusedダーク世界観FromSoftware

Gameplay Profile Chart

Adjust tag ratios to instantly update similar titles in real time.

High Difficulty

85%

Dystopian Setting

85%

Action

78%

Dark

78%

Existential Themes

65%

Character Building

65%

Strategy

60%

Graphics

58%

Top 8 Tags — Radar Chart

CurrentOriginal

Games Similar to Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin (425)

1. Dark Souls Remastered
1. Dark Souls Remastered
Match 98%
Nintendo SwitchPS4steamXbox
FromSoftware / QLOC
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
Dark Souls Remastered brings the 2011 original to PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC with improved frame rate and netcode, including the Artorias of the Abyss DLC. QLOC handled the remaster. FromSoftware's world-building through item descriptions and environmental layout remains the genre benchmark. GPA scores it at the top for Difficulty and Dark World — the Soulslike origin point that established the vocabulary all successors use.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
90%
Dystopian Setting
88%
Action
82%
Dark
82%
Existential Themes
70%
Character Building
65%
Strategy
65%
Graphics
65%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
2. Mortal Shell
2. Mortal Shell
Match 81%
Nintendo SwitchPS5PS4steamXbox
Cold Symmetry / Playstack
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
Mortal Shell builds its Soulslike around Shell possession — inhabiting the bodies of fallen warriors with distinct combat styles — and a Harden mechanic that turns the player into a statue to absorb one attack. Cold Symmetry's debut. Switch, PS4/5, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World — the indie Soulslike that delivered a distinct mechanical identity without the FromSoftware budget.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
70%
Dystopian Setting
82%
Action
75%
Dark
75%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
60%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
68%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
3. The Surge 2
3. The Surge 2
Match 81%
PS4steamXbox
Deck13 Interactive / Focus Entertainment
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
The Surge 2 expands Deck13's limb-targeting system into Jericho City, letting players sever specific enemy body parts to loot their gear. The combat rewards precision over stat investment. Focus Entertainment. PS4, Xbox One, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Strategy — the Soulslike where the dismemberment mechanic is inseparable from the loot economy.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
72%
Dystopian Setting
75%
Action
78%
Dark
68%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
62%
Strategy
62%
Graphics
65%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
4. Dark Souls III
4. Dark Souls III
Match 80%
PS4steamXbox
FromSoftware
Genre: Action RPG
Dark Souls III accelerates the series' pacing and sharpens its boss design into its most refined form. The lore runs through item descriptions and environmental detail rather than cutscenes. GPA scores it at 90% for both Difficulty and Lore Focus — two axes that define the experience more precisely than genre alone.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
95%
Dystopian Setting
90%
Action
85%
Dark
90%
Existential Themes
80%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
65%
Graphics
70%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
5. Salt and Sanctuary
5. Salt and Sanctuary
Match 79%
Nintendo SwitchPS4steamXbox
Ska Studios
Genre: 2D Soulslike Metroidvania
Salt and Sanctuary built Dark Souls' bonfire-and-estus structure into a 2D Metroidvania, developed by a two-person studio. The attribute-heavy character building and precise shield/dodge combat carry the genre comparison. Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Difficulty — the Metroidvania most often recommended to players who want Souls-style punishment in a 2D format.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
85%
Dystopian Setting
82%
Action
80%
Dark
78%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
70%
Strategy
60%
Graphics
55%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
6. Elden Ring
6. Elden Ring
Match 77%
PS5PS4steamXbox
FromSoftware
Genre: Action RPG
Elden Ring takes FromSoftware's Soulslike combat into an open world designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. The Legacy Dungeons preserve the dense, interconnected level design of earlier entries while the Lands Between rewards patient exploration. GPA scores it at 95% for both Difficulty and Action — the highest Action score in the database.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
80%
Dystopian Setting
85%
Action
90%
Dark
70%
Existential Themes
70%
Character Building
40%
Strategy
50%
Graphics
85%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
7. Nioh 2
7. Nioh 2
Match 76%
PS5PS4steam
Team Ninja
Genre: Action RPG
Nioh 2 builds its samurai action around the Soul Core system and a Yokai Shift transformation that temporarily unlocks a second move set. The Burst Counter mechanic rewards reading specific enemy attacks. GPA scores it high on Action and Difficulty — the combination that places it in the Soulslike cluster while the transformation system provides a mechanical layer Dark Souls entries lack.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
90%
Dystopian Setting
70%
Action
90%
Dark
75%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
70%
Strategy
70%
Graphics
80%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
8. Demon's Souls
8. Demon's Souls
Match 76%
PS5
Bluepoint Games
Genre: Action RPG
Demon's Souls was FromSoftware's proof of concept for the Soulslike format, and the PS5 remake preserves the original's structure in high fidelity. The World Tendency system changes enemy behavior based on in-game actions. GPA scores it high on Difficulty and Dark World — the combination that defines the series' origin point.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
95%
Dystopian Setting
90%
Action
85%
Dark
85%
Existential Themes
75%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
55%
Graphics
80%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
9. Wuchang Fallen Feathers
9. Wuchang Fallen Feathers
Match 74%
PS5steamXbox
Leenzee Games
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers sets its Soulslike in Ming Dynasty China during a feather plague. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
80%
Dystopian Setting
75%
Action
80%
Dark
65%
Existential Themes
55%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
75%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
10. Lords of the Fallen 2023
10. Lords of the Fallen 2023
Match 74%
PS5steamXbox
Hexworks / CI Games
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
Lords of the Fallen overlays a living world and a dead world that players navigate simultaneously using the Umbral Lamp, revealing pathways and enemies invisible in Axiom. Hexworks built the parallel dimension mechanic in Unreal Engine 5. PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World — the Soulslike that added a structural design innovation rather than just iterating on the formula.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
72%
Dystopian Setting
82%
Action
80%
Dark
75%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
60%
Graphics
82%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
11. Hyper Light Drifter
11. Hyper Light Drifter
Match 73%
Nintendo SwitchPS5PS4steamXbox
Heart Machine
Genre: Action RPG
Hyper Light Drifter pushes a terminally ill Drifter through a ruined world, conveying the narrative entirely through visuals without dialogue. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
75%
Dystopian Setting
80%
Action
80%
Dark
60%
Existential Themes
70%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
75%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
12. Blasphemous
12. Blasphemous
Match 72%
Nintendo SwitchPS5PS4steamXbox
The Game Kitchen / Team17
Genre: Metroidvania
Blasphemous builds its Metroidvania around Catholic iconography from Andalusia — self-flagellation, penitence, and martyrdom rendered as both enemy design and narrative structure. The Penitent One's pixel art and the brutal parry-timing combat made it a standout. Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Dark World and Action — the Metroidvania with the most distinctive thematic identity in the genre.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
80%
Dystopian Setting
90%
Action
78%
Dark
85%
Existential Themes
65%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
72%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
13. Unsighted
13. Unsighted
Match 72%
Nintendo SwitchPS4steamXbox
Studio Pixel Punk
Genre: アクションメトロイドヴァニア
Unsighted adds a real-time countdown to every NPC in the game — neglect automation chips and characters die permanently, changing what quests are available. The hack-and-slash movement and parry system layer on top. Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Strategy — the Metroidvania where time pressure turns every exploration decision into a resource management choice.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
72%
Dystopian Setting
65%
Action
80%
Dark
58%
Existential Themes
60%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
68%
Graphics
60%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
14. Path of Exile 2
14. Path of Exile 2
Match 72%
PS5steamXbox
Grinding Gear Games
Genre: Action RPG
Path of Exile 2 expands the original's already vast build system into a new continent and act structure. The passive skill tree and gem system generate more build combinations than any comparable ARPG. GPA scores it at the top for Strategy among action games and high on Difficulty — a positioning that identifies it as the deepest mechanical entry in the genre.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
75%
Dystopian Setting
70%
Action
85%
Dark
70%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
95%
Strategy
90%
Graphics
70%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
15. Phantom Blade Zero
15. Phantom Blade Zero
Match 72%
PS5steamXbox
S-GAME
Genre: Action RPG
Phantom Blade Zero builds its wuxia action around high-speed sword combat with a response window that rewards perfect timing. The martial arts world-building draws from Chinese historical fantasy. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World — the combination that describes an action game where atmosphere and mechanical precision sit at equal priority.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
80%
Dystopian Setting
60%
Action
95%
Dark
50%
Existential Themes
45%
Character Building
40%
Strategy
40%
Graphics
90%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
16. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
16. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Match 71%
PS5PS4steamXbox
Team Ninja
Genre: Action RPG
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty reframes Three Kingdoms history as dark fantasy and builds its combat around a Spirit Gauge system where aggressive play generates meter for powerful deflections. GPA scores it high on Action and Difficulty, sharing the Soulslike tag with Elden Ring while running lower on Open World.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
80%
Dystopian Setting
50%
Action
85%
Dark
60%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
50%
Strategy
55%
Graphics
75%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
17. Hollow Knight
17. Hollow Knight
Match 71%
Nintendo SwitchPS5PS4steamXbox
Team Cherry
Genre: Metroidvania
Hollow Knight puts a silent knight in a vast underground insect kingdom built with hand-drawn art and a score that shifts by region. The map system withholds information until it's earned. GPA scores it at the top for Difficulty and Action among platformers, with Dark World running high — a combination that points at players who want atmosphere alongside the mechanical challenge.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
85%
Dystopian Setting
80%
Action
85%
Dark
75%
Existential Themes
65%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
80%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
18. Bloodstained Ritual of the Night
18. Bloodstained Ritual of the Night
Match 71%
Nintendo SwitchPS4steamXbox
ArtPlay / 505 Games（五十嵐孝司）
Genre: Metroidvania
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was crowdfunded as the spiritual successor to Castlevania by series producer Koji Igarashi. Miriam's Shard system generates hundreds of ability combinations from crystallized demon powers. Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Strategy — the Metroidvania built for the audience that grew up on Symphony of the Night.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
65%
Dystopian Setting
75%
Action
75%
Dark
65%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
75%
Strategy
60%
Graphics
65%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
19. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
19. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Match 71%
PS5PS4steamXbox
フロム・ソフトウェア
Genre: Action
Armored Core VI returns after a decade with a mech assembly system that lets players reconfigure loadouts between missions. Each boss is designed to pressure specific AC builds. GPA scores it high on Action and Strategy — the combination that describes a game where mechanical optimization and combat execution sit at equal priority.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
85%
Dystopian Setting
80%
Action
90%
Dark
70%
Existential Themes
65%
Character Building
75%
Strategy
85%
Graphics
80%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics
20. Hellpoint
20. Hellpoint
Match 70%
Nintendo SwitchPS5PS4steamXbox
Cradle Games / tinyBuild
Genre: Soulslike Action RPG
Hellpoint places its Soulslike combat on a Irid Novo station orbiting a black hole, with a clock system that cycles difficulty based on orbital position. Local split-screen co-op distinguishes it from most genre entries. Cradle Games, tinyBuild. Switch, PS4/5, Xbox, PC. GPA scores it high on Action and Dark World — the SF-setting Soulslike that pairs the genre's hostility with space horror atmosphere.
Tag Similarity
High Difficulty
68%
Dystopian Setting
78%
Action
72%
Dark
72%
Existential Themes
0%
Character Building
0%
Strategy
0%
Graphics
60%
Chart tags: High Difficulty / Dystopian Setting / Action / Dark / Existential Themes / Character Building / Strategy / Graphics

About "Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin"

Game Composition (GPA Analysis)

ダークソウル2：スカラー・オブ・ザ・ファースト・シン（Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin） leads with its Soulslike Action RPG identity, anchored by the core feel of "Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin packages all three DLC chapters and rearranges enemy placements and NPC questl…." The headline profile reads High Difficulty 85% / Dystopian Setting 85% / Action 78%, making it a strong pick for fans of High Difficulty and Dystopian Setting. Oriented toward experienced players looking to push their limits.

Characteristics & Analysis

Our editorial team scored "ダークソウル2：スカラー・オブ・ザ・ファースト・シン（Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin）" by using its feel of soulslike, die-and-retry, and lore-focused as the primary lens, weighting High Difficulty and Dystopian Setting most heavily. Top similar titles include "ダークソウルリマスター（Dark Souls: Remastered）", "モータルシェル（Mortal Shell）", "ザ・サージ2（The Surge 2）".