Dark Souls vs Elden Ring
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Set in a dark, medieval fantasy world, players control the Chosen Undead, navigating hostile environments filled with dangerous enemies, formidable bosses, and deep lore. Renowned for its punishing difficulty and intricate level design, the game requires careful management of combat, stamina, and resources. Players can experience the world through single-player exploration or utilize unique multiplayer components to leave messages, summon allies, or invade other worlds.
Elden Ring is a challenging open-world action RPG that brings FromSoftware’s punishing combat into a vast, explorable land conceived with George R. R. Martin. It rewards curiosity and mastery with deep build variety and cryptic, atmospheric storytelling.
Around $59.99; Shadow of the Erdtree expansion sold separately.
- Deep and rewarding combat mechanics
- Masterclass in intricate, interconnected level design
- Rich, haunting atmospheric world and lore
- Innovative asynchronous multiplayer features
- Massive, rewarding open world
- Incredible boss design
- Huge build freedom
- High replay value
- Extremely punishing difficulty can frustrate some players
- Cryptic progression systems require careful attention or outside guides
- Steep learning curve for newcomers to the action RPG genre
- Very difficult, steep learning curve
- Little hand-holding
- Performance issues at launch on some platforms
What reviewers say
Dark Souls Reviews
No reviews yet.
Elden Ring Reviews
4.0 (2)Love it
Sunk way too many hours into Elden Ring. Massive, rewarding open world. No real complaints. Would recommend.
Fun with caveats
Picked up Elden Ring recently. Upside: high replay value. Downside: very difficult, steep learning curve.
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Dark Souls
View all →Alternatives to Elden Ring
View all →A vast open-world action RPG with a acclaimed story and monster hunting.
The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataElden Ring offers a larger, open‑world experience at a higher price, while Dark Souls provides classic FromSoftware challenge with multiplayer at a lower cost.
Key differences
- •Price: Elden Ring ~ $59.99 vs Dark Souls $39.99.
- •Multiplayer: Dark Souls includes cooperative/invasion features; Elden Ring has no listed multiplayer.
- •World design: Elden Ring features open‑world exploration; Dark Souls uses tightly‑interconnected level design.
- •Content volume: Elden Ring boasts massive open world and high replay value; Dark Souls offers strong but smaller scope.
- •Performance: Elden Ring had launch performance issues; Dark Souls has no reported issues.
Pricing & value
Dark Souls costs $39.99, clearly cheaper than Elden Ring’s approximate $59.99 price.
Platform availability
Both list PC, PlayStation, and Xbox; no contradictory data to differentiate.
Multiplayer / co‑op
Dark Souls explicitly supports cooperative and invasive multiplayer; Elden Ring has no multiplayer info.
Content & replayability
Elden Ring’s massive open world and hidden dungeons give higher replay value than Dark Souls.
Difficulty & accessibility
Both are described as very difficult with steep learning curves.
Graphics & performance
Elden Ring reported launch performance issues; Dark Souls has no performance concerns noted.
Gameplay & fun factor
Both provide deep combat and rewarding exploration; strengths differ but are comparable.
Choose Dark Souls if…
Buyers seeking classic FromSoftware challenge, multiplayer features, and a lower upfront cost.
Choose Elden Ring if…
Players who prioritize open‑world exploration, extensive build freedom, and higher replay value and can afford a higher price.
Common questions
Which game is cheaper?
Dark Souls costs $39.99; Elden Ring is around $59.99.
Do either games support multiplayer?
Dark Souls includes cooperative and invasive multiplayer; Elden Ring has no multiplayer information provided.
Which offers a larger world to explore?
Elden Ring features an open‑world with hidden dungeons, offering a larger exploration space than Dark Souls.





