Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes players on an adventure through 1500s Sengoku Japan. On a quest for revenge, the ‘one-armed wolf’ will stop at nothing to reclaim his honor.

This game is incredibly unique, so we’ve compiled a list of games like Sekiro that are sure to test your skills and dedication.

Sekiro is a ‘Souls’ game. Souls games are incredibly difficult and it isn’t surprising to lose your life at the hands of basic enemies, let alone bosses, when playing one.

Players will need to perfect the combat and movement options in these kinds of games, while also managing health resources. So, if you love intense and immersive games, here are 10 brutal games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to check out today.

10. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

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Some folk refer to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to as a watered-down or diet version of what Sekiro has to offer. This is in no way meant to be a derogatory term, but the depth of the combat system in Fallen Order offers a lighter experience that’s reminiscent of Sekiro.

Still, there is a lot of fun to be had with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order combat system. Wielding lightsabers and using the force makes way for a lot of cool combos.

Additionally, Fallen Order has a difficulty setting unlike other From Software games. Grand Master is the highest setting and makes things a lot more tricky (although, it still pales in comparison to games like Sekiro).

Overall, Fallen Order’s sword-wielding combat has a lot in common with Sekiro. If you like the gameplay of Sekiro, but found it too hard, Fallen Order might just be the game for you. Additionally, if you prefer a futuristic setting, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the best space games on Steam.

9. Monster Hunter Rise

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Monster Hunter, like other Japanese titles such as Fire Emblem, was a lot more popular in Japan than it ever was in the West. However, the outcry from dedicated fans to release more of these titles globally has thankfully resulted in some of the best Japanese games making their way overseas for good.

Monster Hunter Rise offers a mountain of monsters to hunt, cool gear sets to equip, and mechanics to master. This franchise has had several quality-of-life improvements over the years, with all of them culminating in a thoroughly entertaining experience.

Parkouring across the terrain and over a monster’s head to land a critical blow is extremely satisfying. Furthermore, riding your animal companion throughout various beautiful zones is a great way to make travel feel more enjoyable than ever before.

Monster Hunter has always been great at making you feel as though you’re taking on a hulking behemoth. Having no visible health bars makes the fights much more intense, as you have no way of knowing whether you’re five or fifty hits away from taking out a boss.

Like Sekiro and other Souls games, Monster Hunter requires pinpoint precision when dodging attacks and clever resource management, too. If you enjoy the challenge and atmosphere of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you’re sure to love this game too.

8. Devil May Cry 5

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Devil May Cry 5 is a game that is much better than it has any right to be. Coming right after DmC: Devil May Cry, which split the Devil May Cry community in half, Devil May Cry 5 is a return to form for the series.

This game is full of iconic, legendary characters. Players will make their way through a brand-new story while controlling Dante, Nero, and V, who each have their own unique and intricate play styles.

Devil May Cry 5 has always been about beating up enemies in as stylish a manner as possible. Mastering the game’s combat system and unleashing stylish combos is difficult but is a key incentive for veteran players.

While Devil May Cry 5’s core combat experience is arguably not as difficult as Sekiro or other Souls games, mastering it most certainly is. Ensuring to keep your combo string active takes a lot of work so get out there and start practicing.

7. God of War

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This God of War title moves away from the hack-and-slash combat style that the series is known for and opts for a narrative-driven, third person RPG format instead.

When it comes to combat and boss battles, Sekiro has no competition.

However, the story, world building, and exploration elements are a little clunky in places. God of War is the perfect game for you if you’re looking for games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice that are less combat driven and more focused on world building and exploration.

There are great visuals, stellar voice acting, and creative writing in this game, too. It’s a must-play for Sekiro fans. Sekiro is a game that tests the limits of player capability. God of War is more of an overall experience that is entertaining from start to finish.

6. Demon’s Souls

Games like Sekiro

The originator of the modern, crazy high-difficulty video game, Demon’s Souls, which originally came out in 2009, is still just as well polished and challenging nowadays.

Demon’s Souls for the PS5 is less of a remaster and more of a remake. After all, the entire game was rebuilt from the ground up. Because of this, several cutscenes, animations, and the user interface has been improved as well.

Souls combat has been steadily evolving with each subsequent game. The meticulously methodical combat of Demon’s Souls is on par with the level of difficulty found in Sekiro.

If you enjoy pushing your dodge-rolling mechanics to the limits, try out the definitive edition of Demon’s Souls. For fans of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, this game is a must-play.

5. Nioh

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Nioh is a game set in late 1500s Japan in which you play as a Western samurai battling against fearsome Yokai. Yokai are traditional Japanese monsters, each with their own lore and backstories that are both explained in-game and expanded upon in the real world.

Nioh is often considered an honorary Souls game. The game’s combat is fairly similar to the games that we’ve covered previously. However, Nioh also allows players to summon animal companions to fight alongside them during difficult content.

The main similarities between Nioh and Sekiro are the setting. Both these games take place in a bygone era of Japan, and simply exploring the landscapes in these titles can be entertaining in and of itself.

Despite Nioh not being an official Souls game, some of the bosses can get pretty difficult and require a lot of skill and resource management to take down efficiently.

If what you loved most about Sekiro was the setting and influence from traditional Japanese settings, Nioh provides more of what you love in spades.

4. Bloodborne

Games like Sekiro

Bloodborne single handedly forced a shift in the naming of Souls games. While these are still colloquially referred to as such, they are now more commonly called ‘Soulsborne’ games.

When comparing Bloodborne to other Souls games, it’s wonderfully familiar but still manages to be fresh and unique in places. Dodge-rolling, health pots, parrying, and brutally difficult boss fights are all par for the course in Bloodborne.

However, the overall aesthetic of Bloodborne leans more into the grizzly setting of 18th Century Gothic horror, as opposed to the more fantasy setting of other Souls games.

Other Souls games require stamina management when fighting difficult bosses. Other games in this niche place much more emphasis on defensive play, as opposed to Bloodborne which is a much more offensive game.

Sekiro and Bloodborne both require players to take notice of the timing of an enemy’s attack and react accordingly which allows for much more offensive capabilities. If you loved the fast-paced and reactive combat of Sekiro, Bloodborne is the game for you.

3. Dark Souls

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What is there to say about the Dark Souls series? This trilogy of games revolutionized the brutally difficult game genre during a time when hints, skippable levels, and invincibility power ups were starting to become more commonplace in video games.

There are no get-out-of-jail-free cards with these games and only dedicating yourself to mastering the combat will result in victory.

Dark Souls has great levels, great bosses, and a great combat system with significantly improved parrying. Dark Souls 2 is the black sheep of the trilogy that splits fans down the middle. The game isn’t terrible, but the new director and similarities to the original Dark Souls rubbed some fans the wrong way.

Dark Souls 3 was a return to form, improving on everything that came before it. Dark Souls 3 had much more interesting and layered boss battles and a few quality-of-life improvements that, overall, made combat more enjoyable.

When it comes to difficult games that push you to the limit, none are more worthy of your time than the Dark Souls series. Fans of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will feel right at home in the world of Dark Souls.

2. Ghost of Tsushima

Games like Sekiro

Ghost of Tsushima takes the brutal difficulty of a Dark Souls game, combines it with the aesthetic and worldbuilding of Nioh, and creates a game almost identical to Sekiro.

First things first, Ghost of Tsushima is a lot less difficult than other Souls games or even Sekiro. While it is certainly challenging, the game was not meant to make players tear their hair out like other Soulsborne games. If you found Sekiro a little too inaccessible, Ghost of Tsushima makes for a nice alternative.

Ghost of Tsushima also focuses more on its story and open-world exploration. Similar to games like Assassin’s Creed, there is more to this game than just combat. Exploration is a huge part of this game and it really encourages players to dive deep into the storyline.

Both of these games make players feel like traditional Japanese samurai. While Sekiro’s combat is fast-paced and reactive, Ghost of Tsushima’s combat differs slightly. Here, combat is a lot simpler, but requires switching your stance to maximize damage in certain situations.

The simpler combat works well for a simpler game like Ghost of Tsushima. This by no means implies that Ghost of Tsushima is a watered-down version of Sekiro by any means. The two games operate in entirely different gaming spheres and each excels in its own right.

1. Elden Ring

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Very rarely do long-anticipated games live up to the hype surrounding them when they are eventually released. Duke Nukem Forever, No Man’s Sky, and Cyberpunk 2077 are a few examples of this.

However, Elden Ring not only lived up to the expectations people had of the game but arguably surpassed them. It’s an absolute masterpiece.

While a game like Ghost of Tsushima perhaps embodies more of what fans love about Sekiro (the samurai combat, brutal difficulty, and Japanese setting), Elden Ring is such an amazing experience, we felt it deserved more of a higher placing for sheer quality.

Elden Ring’s characters, creative world, impactful decisions, and memorable moments all make it one of the best games of the decade, and a must-play for fans of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

This is all without discussing the amazing boss battles littered throughout the game, which make up the core gameplay experience. Every boss has a unique mechanic that you must study and learn about in order to beat it.

Each death will likely net you microseconds of learning opportunities for you to study the attack patterns and different phases of each boss. It sounds tough, but that’s what you expect when playing a game like Elden Ring.

The internet is currently awash with Elden Ring guides which should tell you just how difficult this game truly is and how much effort it requires.

Overall, Elden Ring is the premier Soulsborne game. There is no denying that Elden Ring has left a mark on the gaming community, and will still be played for years to come.