New Dark Souls Replacement Is A Genuine 10/10 Masterpiece And GOTY Contender

Published Nov 9, 2026, 2:30 AM EST Nicholas Becher is a gaming journalist with an MFA in Creative Writing from FAU. With extensive experience playing video games, he covers all forms of gaming content at Screen Rant, from breaking news to the latest fan theories. Most-played games range from Clair Obscur to Civ to Elden Ring to Halo 2 and beyond. If you've been on the hunt for a proper Dark Souls replacement that actually scratches the soulsborne itch, there's a new soulslike that is dominating the conversation right now, and for good reason. It's been a decade since Dark Souls 3 arrived, bringing FromSoftware's legendary trilogy to a close and leaving fans wondering if they'll ever get another proper installment. While the studio has hardly slowed down since, with Elden Ring taking From's signature combat and cryptic storytelling to an entirely new level, a Dark Souls 4 seems increasingly unlikely. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has previously characterized the series as finished, and FromSoftware appears more interested in exploring new worlds than revisiting its old ones. Fortunately, other developers have taken up the challenge, and one newly released fantasy RPG has already blown soulslike fans away after just a week. That game is Queen's Domain, a retro-inspired, first-person action RPG that's quickly becoming one of Steam's most exciting new releases. Released on October 30, 2026, Queen's Domain is a new first-person fantasy action RPG developed by Freshly Baked Games LLC and published by Future Friends Games. The game draws heavily from FromSoftware's earlier King's Field series, delivering an old-school dungeon-crawling experience with brutal combat, interconnected environments, and a heavy emphasis on exploration. Players find themselves stranded on the mysterious Isle of Neasied, where they have to search for their missing father while uncovering the island's sinister secrets. Along the way, they'll encounter more than 100 enemies, minibosses, and bosses, with over 50 melee weapons and 20 different types of secondary throwing weapons to discover and use. Combat incorporates familiar Dark Souls mechanics, including stamina management, powerful charged attacks, and weapon-specific abilities. Players can also level up, improve their stats, and use the legendary Holy Sword Endu to fly across gaps and reach previously inaccessible areas. So far, the reception has been incredible. Queen's Domain currently boasts an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, with 96% positive English-language reviews. The enthusiasm extends to Reddit, where a recently popular post from 1buffalowang calls it the "Best game I've played in years." The player compares it to a combination of King's Field and Metroid Prime, praising its constant surprises and sense of discovery, even dozens of hours into the adventure. Several comments echo that enthusiasm, particularly regarding the game's length. crashlanding87 writes, "I can't believe how BIG it is," explaining that they're nearly 40 hours into the game and still have plenty left to explore. Meanwhile, ArchDraft reports spending approximately 90 hours playing without achieving 100% completion. The game's level design is also hitting all the right notes. DagonParty describes it as "a master class in level and interconnected design," while laker-prime praises its exploration, enemy variety, and refreshing lack of hand-holding. Not everyone is completely sold, however. Accomplished_Smile23 criticizes the combat, which isn't all that surprising for a FromSoft-inspired soulslike, although even they acknowledge that the exploration is impressive enough to outweigh those frustrations. Queen's Domain is available now on Steam for $19.99, with a free demo available for anyone interested in trying it before purchasing, as well as PS5, Switch 2, and XBOX Series S/X. Brand Valve Original Release Date September 12, 2003