THE CODEX OF DARK WORLDS · OCTOBER 2026
Twelve dark worlds.
Ranked without mercy.
Soulslikes, grim RPGs and gothic strategy on Steam, each scored out of 100, sorted into tiers and rated for how hard it will make you work. Read the Index, then choose your road.
“The party that argues back.”
Testing
Read the entry
The Index
Every game in the codex, ranked by a single score out of 100. Five weighted criteria, one editor's adjustment, re-read every quarter.
- Entries
- 12
- Sovereign tier
- 4
- Deck Verified
- 9
- Free to play
- 1
-
1
Baldur's Gate 3
RPG · Turn-based · 2023 · $59.99
S
96
-
2
Elden Ring
Soulslike · Action RPG · 2022 · $59.99
S
95
-
3
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
RPG · Action RPG · 2015 · $49.99
S
92
-
4
Dark Souls III
Soulslike · Action RPG · 2016 · $59.99
S
90
-
5
Divinity: Original Sin 2
RPG · Turn-based · 2017 · $59.99
A
89
-
6
Lies of P
Soulslike · Action RPG · 2023 · $59.99
A
87
-
7
Darkest Dungeon
Roguelike · Turn-based · 2016 · $24.99
A
86
-
8
Path of Exile 2
Action RPG · Co-op · 2024 · $29.99
A
85
- See places 9 to 12 →
The tiers
Four ranks, from Sovereign to Common. If two games share a tier, either is a safe choice; the review tells you which suits you.
Choose your path
Four kinds of player walk into a dark world. Find yours, or let the Oracle decide.
The Warrior
Lives for the fight. Boss patterns, parries and the moment it finally clicks.
The Scholar
Reads every item description. Wants a world with history and people worth meeting.
The Tactician
Thinks in turns, positions and synergies. Happiest planning the perfect round.
The Collector
Wants loot, builds and numbers that keep going up for hundreds of hours.
Duel of the month
Elden Ring against Lies of P: the open world versus the gauntlet. Pick your own pairing on the duel page.
The trial ladder
How hard each world will make you work, from Gentle to Merciless. Difficulty is not quality: a Merciless game can sit in tier S.
- None in the codex yet.
Chronicles
The Index · 30 September 2026The Index, autumn 2026: what moved and whyBaldur's Gate 3 keeps the top spot by a single point. Diablo IV slips into tier C.
Early Access · 22 August 2026Why an Early Access game is in tier APath of Exile 2 is unfinished. It is also already one of the deepest action RPGs on Steam.
Steam Deck · 15 July 2026Nine of twelve: the dark worlds that work best on Steam DeckNine entries in the codex are Steam Deck Verified. Here is how we would split them.
Questions at the gate
What we cover, how the numbers work and what we will not do for a publisher.
What does the site cover?
Dark fantasy games sold on Steam: soulslikes, grim RPGs, gothic strategy and action RPGs. We cover the Steam version only, with Windows, macOS, Linux and Steam Deck notes where they apply.
How are the scores out of 100 calculated?
Five weighted criteria: combat (25%), world and lore (25%), builds and systems (20%), fair challenge (15%) and the PC port (15%). The editor may then adjust the total by up to five points, with the reason stated in the review.
What do the S, A, B and C tiers mean?
S (90+) is Sovereign: genre-defining. A (85 to 89) is Ascendant: excellent with one caveat. B (80 to 84) is Bannered: great for the right player. C (70 to 79) is Common: good, but a better choice usually exists.
What is the "trial" rating?
A separate five-step difficulty rating, from Gentle to Merciless. It describes how hard a game is, not how good it is; a Merciless game can still be in tier S.
Do publishers pay for placement or scores?
No. Nobody pays for coverage, rank or score, and we accept no review conditions. If outbound store links ever become affiliate links, they will be labelled.
Raven post
One letter when the Index changes or a new entry is inscribed. About twice a month. No ads.
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