Well OP I've thought of some games that are sort of similar so here ya go: the games I've thought of.
Monster Hunterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyimeuI9Xq4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smGduqXa22g#t=3m40sTo fight huge monsters in this you have to learn a bunch of timing-intense moves and keep planning them out all the time because getting clipped by a huge monster can send you flying, and you have to always be setting up traps and sequences, and you can stun a dino by stamping a mallet into its noggin. The enemies react to locational damage, they have tails to sever and you can shred up their wings etc. It's really detailed and you fight big monsters.
Instead of the character having combat skills or stats you level up, you just develop your skill as a player, each weapon has combo sets you have to learn to know how to hit where you want to. You also change your abilities by matching the armor you wear. You can make earplugs out of giant rabbits so you don't get stunned by dragon roars and like a hundred other things.
http://kiranico.com/en/mh3u/armorI've only played MH3U for the 3DS which has a lot of swimming. Some people hate it but I think it's fine, except the game was a big factor in wearing my C-stick out, but that's life.
Cataclysmhttp://en.cataclysmdda.com/You can get a development version of cataclysm right off of github if you want. It's sort of similar to DF, it has some screwy locational damage and also it has infections you can die of. In the experimental versions you can get grabbed and you can sprint; most of your skill in this game is about how good you are at running away. A lot of depth comes from meticulous weaponry assembly and also fire is really cool in this game. The combat isn't too similar to DF really and you spend a lot more time gearing up and turning yourself into a cyborg or lizard mutant etc but it has a lot of the same overall feeling to me, like there are countrysides with various animals cavorting around. The main fun thing is to build a tank and run over a bunch of idiots with it. Also you can slay a CHUD, butcher it, and take its 50-gallon drum.
Dark Soulshttp://store.steampowered.com/app/211420/I like the combat in DS because if I screw up I'm dead pretty quickly, like in DF if a tough vampire dude cuts my foot I have like .4 seconds to live after that, and everyone you fight can be a huge danger. From also made armored core so to me it always felt like the knights handle like mechs lol. To be good in melee you have to practice the timing for all the wallops you can do with the weapon you like, and account for attacks being interrupted and so forth. You have to study just about every normal NPC you run into and also know the tricks that multiplayer invaders do. Main features include fuckers throwing napalm at you and immense dudes with hammers who like to scoop ya. If you check around half.com or slickdeals or wait for a steam sale it's pretty easy to get this game for $10 or less. AFAIK a lot of people still play it so you can organize irl with other players to do big arena tournaments.
Hybrid HeavenYou're a spy or something and you do pro-wrestling moves on aliens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcsdZYEev3A#t=7mSil(Haven't been able to compile this lately)
http://www.amirrorclear.net/flowers/game/sil/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07f3rKY2c50I think the depth in Sil comes from figuring out different tactics for different monsters. If orcs find you in a room with two entrances they will stand outside the door, split up, and attack you from both of them, rather than just all coming at you in a big line. You also get lots of perks as you level up that let you build different fighting styles. It's like angband plus cool stuff.
There ya go OP have fun go nuts let's all think of some games.