Known for being one of the most challenging genres in modern gaming, FromSoftware took the video game world by storm with the creation of the Soulsborne games. Titles like Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, and Dark Souls have obtained so many accolades over the years that many indie developers have gone on to produce some fantastic Soulslikes, a genre inspired by FromSoftware's most iconic games.
With seven Soulsborne titles within FromSoftware's repertoire, this list will break down and rank each of them based on their high reception and sheer brutal gameplay.
7 Dark Souls 2
Starting on our list is the first direct sequel of the Dark Souls series, Dark Souls 2. Released three years after the first game, Dark Souls 2 amps the difficulty to greater heights than its predecessor when it comes to the combat gameplay. A grueling mechanic that has exasperated many players is the loss of maximum health — a severe punishment for every death you succumb to. In turn, however, this game incentivizes you to think critically and strategically when slaying even the regular enemy grunts you encounter in the Kingdom of Drangleic.
With the added layer of difficulty from its predecessor, Dark Souls 2 set the bar for what fans expected from later Soulsborne games released by FromSoftware. Even though Dark Souls II's intense difficulty stands as its greatest strength, it also serves to be the game's biggest weakness among some fans and critics. For some, this title has resulted in players tuning out of the series before giving the overall franchise a chance. Even some fans of the series consider this particular game to be the "odd child" of the Soulsborne titles, despite its intriguing additions to the series' lore; thus, it ranks last on our list.
6 Dark Souls
At number six is the original Dark Souls, which initially took the action role-playing game genre by storm after its initial release in 2011. Though it's the first installment in the Dark Souls series, it's technically the second Soulsborne game developed by FromSoftware. This game is where the traditional mechanics, like the bonfire checkpoints, originated before becoming a series staple in later Soulsborne games. While some may argue that Dark Souls isn't as difficult as its successors, the former still maintains a high enough difficulty curve meant to frustrate even hardcore gamers and incentivize them to play smartly.
Just like with Dark Souls 2, the first installment was met with some criticism due to the game's brutal gameplay and combat. That, however, didn't deter the title from receiving high praise. It eventually went on to inspire many new and already existing franchises in the game industry. Dark Souls would easily be surpassed by its successors that improved on the gameplay mechanics, difficulty, and lore, though the original Dark Souls still contains some of the best level design out there.
5 Demon's Souls
Next up at number five is Demon's Souls, the game that started the entire franchise and originated the Soulslike subgenre. Released on the PlayStation 3 in 2009, it can't be disputed how much this title has won the admiration of many fans and critics over the years. Because of this game's massive reception and high review scores, Demon's Souls paved the way for FromSoftware to create numerous titles similar in gameplay and structure, like the aforementioned Dark Souls games, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring.
Leaving such a high mark in the gaming industry, Demon's Souls has inspired other video game franchises and standalone titles such as Lords of the Fallen, Code Vein, Titan Souls, and many others. Despite being the grandfather of the Souls franchise and Soulsborne subgenre, titles released by FromSoftware have efficiently surpassed their predecessor in terms of gameplay quality, difficulty, and sales.
4 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice sneaks and slashes its way to fourth place. This title is FromSoftware's first attempt to break away from the medieval, gothic European setting and utilize a fictionalized Japan set in the Sengoku period, which greatly paid off.
Taking the role of a shinobi known as Wolf, Sekiro changes its pace from other Soulsborne games by focusing more on stealth and counter swordplay rather than all-out rush combat. Of course, with the game's faster paced action and heavy use on outsmarting your enemies, Sekiro also possesses some of the most excruciating boss fights that haven't been seen in many video games in a while. Its mixed reception due to the sheer difficulty of its gameplay impedes it from scoring a tad higher on our list. Be that as it may, if a Soulsborne game set in feudal Japan mixed with rich Buddhist mythology and philosophy is what you crave, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is right up your alley.
3 Bloodborne
Coming at number three on our list (and adding the 'borne' in Soulsborne) is Bloodborne, the first Soulsborne game released by FromSoftware on the PlayStation 4. Inspired by Lovecraftian lore and architectural settings modeled after places in Scotland and the Czech Republic, Bloodborne has become one of the console's more successful and top-rated games. It sold well over two million units globally by the end of its launch year.
Known for being one of the more difficult Soulsborne titles in the franchise, Bloodborne has become known among many hardcore fans and critics to be one of the most challenging modern games of all time. Along with being one of the most demanding games, many players also hail Bloodborne as one of the better developed titles within the subgenre. Its high praise and accolades are well-earned, as the title has put forth comic books, card games, and even a board game over the years of its short existence.
2 Dark Souls 3
Finishing in second place is Dark Souls 3, the latest installment in the mainline Dark Souls series. Amping it up a notch in terms of difficulty, better frame rate, and smoother, faster-paced action, Dark Souls III is a title worthy of its spot on our list.
The gameplay of is closest to Bloodborne than other Soulsborne games. This is due to Dark Souls 3 improving on the mechanics, such as enhanced AI designs for bosses and enemies, improved controls and input responses, newly implemented gameplay features such as "focus points" for magic skills, and much more. All these freshly applied and amended features significantly make Dark Souls 3 superior to its predecessors — not only with general combat and gameplay, but the game also includes some of the best bosses in all of gaming. The game itself is surpassed by only the latest released Soulsborne title.
1 Elden Ring
In a not-so-surprising result, Elden Ring takes the top spot on our list at number one. This game expertly takes elements of open-world design and Soulsborne gameplay and combines them into one beautiful package. If that wasn't enough, Elden Ring also provides you with a breathtaking setting with unforgettable lore written by George R.R. Martin, which will more than definitely keep you immersed as you perish by the hands of many challenging enemies.
Being a title with Souls gameplay, you will know what to expect; however, some fans of this game believe Elden Ring to be one of the slightly easier Souls games to play from start to finish. Even if you've never played the Souls games that precede this title, Elden Ring provides enough of a skill challenge for fresh players wishing to dive into the franchise. With so many accolades and being the second best-selling game of 2022, it's of little wonder that Elden Ring reigns supreme among many fans and critics.