The best games like Monster Hunter on PS5
Have the Monster Hunter games given you a taste for taking down improbably large enemies? Do you want another action RPG that offers more in that same vein, maybe with a little crafting on the side? We’ve rounded up the best games like Monster Hunter on PS5, ready for you to dispatch boss after boss.
Okay, so most of these games’ bosses are anything but a breeze, but the challenge is half the fun. Sure, you’ll get repeatedly murdered by a dragon in the Demon’s Souls, but it’s such a rush to finally be able to take them down. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. So, read on for our picks of the best games like Monster Hunter on PS5 — give one or more of these a go and you’ll find dozens of hours of entertainment waiting for you.
This list was originally published in January 2024. It has been periodically updated since.
1. Wild Hearts
As we remarked in our review, Wild Hearts “couldn’t be more like Monster Hunter if it tried”. But that’s no bad thing. This Eastern twist on Capcom’s series is still an absolute delight, packed with weird and wonderfully-warped enemies. Ever wanted to take on a giant mutant porcupine? In Wild Hearts, you can.
On top of that, you can build some wonderfully absurd anti-monster towers and vehicles, including one that’s a dead ringer for General Grievous’ wheelbike. And if you’re finding it too tough, co-op is there for you to team up with a similarly-minded hunter. After all, a monster shared is a monster halved. That’s how the saying goes… right?
Read our review of Wild Hearts
2. Ark: Survival Ascended
Ark: Survival Ascended is the next-gen remaster of Ark: Survival Evolved, and it pits you against dinosaurs, humans and all manner of other foes. It’s online only, so solo offline play is out, unfortunately. But you’ll get such a kick out of its beasts that it’s hard to mind too much.
Killing a T-Rex is one thing, but Ark: Survival Ascended takes things to the next level by letting you roam around on the back of one. Throw in some base building and survival mechanics, and you’ve got a game that you can sink hour after hour into. As long as you’re up to the task, of course.
3. Demon’s Souls
Remember that murderdragon I mentioned earlier? You’ll find it in this magnificent remaster of Demon’s Souls. Like most of the games in From Software’s ‘Souls’ series, this is no breeze. But persistence pays off, and while the boss fights here are amazing, even the regular NPCs will give you a run for your money. We’ve never forgiven those squid-faced jailers.
And while there’s no dino-riding, you do get to show your monster mastery by turning defeated foes’ souls into special weapons. It might not be the most obvious choice when you’re looking for one of the best games like Monster Hunter on PS5, but when it comes to facing off against huge foes, we don’t think there’s anything else quite like it.
4. Horizon: Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West’s Aloy is one of our favourite video game heroines. She’s a real badass, taking down robotic monster after robotic monster. And with you in the driving seat, the world is her mecha-oyster.
Like many other games in this list of games like Monster Hunter on PS5, Horizon Forbidden West is open-world, meaning you can traverse this picturesque, post-apocalyptic land at your leisure. It’s also entirely possible to get horribly, horribly out of your depth, which will knock you down a peg or two. But take things slowly, only taking on the mechanical beasts you’re capable of handling, and you’re going to have an absolute whale of a time.
Read our review of Horizon Forbidden West
5. Elden Ring
Speaking of being out of your depth, Elden Ring is the king of flinging NPC-annihilating monsters at you. Yes, we smugly thought we could beat the Tree Sentinel with barely any levelling up. We were very, very wrong.
Elden Ring isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you’re a fan of Soulslikes, the latest franchise to come from From Software is going to keep you entertained for way more than 100 hours (our own in-game clock can confirm). Like Demon’s Souls, it might not be the most obvious choice for a game like Monster Hunter, but its combat challenges you in a similar way. Not to mention that its diverse landscapes are utterly beautiful, suitable for testing your monster-hunting mettle across a variety of terrains.
