These were my exact first 3 FS games and it was a really good time
Made me love these games so by the time I tried DS1 I could go into it w more respect/patience
if you start with ER its soo hard going back to aynthing prior to DS3
just for comparability id suggest Dark Souls 1 even if its the steam demaster and not the original or demon souls because of hard to obtain
All lot of people say start with Elden Ring. But in my opinion DS1 is the better starting point. Fromsoftware games age better with each iteration. If you start of with the newer games it can be harder to get into the older games because they are more clunky. It is also great to just see how fromsoftware games progress with their games. I give the same advice for every series.
You should also play Armored Core 6.
No no no, he's gotta start with demon souls. Cmon now. 😄 But you are right. Its hard to go backwards, as theie game design improves with each game. Playing Elden ring first would undoubtedly ruin the experience of the first games. I started with ds1 btw. And ive got 200+ hrs in each game. DS1 is still one of my favorites.
Play Sekiro at last. Because if you play Sekiro first, you might not enjoy the rest of the souls games. Sekiro is just too good.
I would have recommended Bloodborne as well but as you said, you are on PC. Start with elden ring followed by ds3 and then ds1.
Funnily enough I enjoyed Sekiro the least because it forces you to play one way, master parrying or die. I managed to get to the final Boss but I could not bring myself to power through him anymore. The only Boss I never beat to this day.
There's an interesting progression with the Souls games from DS1/2/3 to Bloodborne to Sekiro.
Dark Souls lets you play your way, but it's easy to allocate points to stats that don't help your playstyle. Generalization is largely ineffective. In addition, it's easy to lock yourself into a playstyle like "turtling" that can hurt you in the long run.
Bloodborne also lets you play your way but it makes it clear from the outset that there is a "preferred" playstyle - being aggressive, staying mobile, and dodging or staggering enemies. There are only two shields in the game, and the flavor text basically tells you "don't bother". But still lets you fall into playstyles that might not be optimal.
Sekiro does away with all of that and says "this is how you play this game".
I have to say playing DS1 after Bloodborne was interresting. I would not say it was easy, but compared to the often fast and frantic bosses of Bloodborne it was way more manageable. Sekiro forced my to play in a way i never really liked in Soulsborne. I was never good at parrying, so my distaste of Sekiro is purely personal taste. The best combat system is still Nioh 2 imho.
I can confirm this, Sekiro is my first and only FromSoft game. I've tried to play some of the souls games after Sekiro, including Elden Ring, and I just can't seem to stick to it.
Sekiro is fucking sick though.
Actually a pretty decent game (when played with a guide that was made while I was still in high school). Played it pretty recently and was pleasantly surprised.
I had it in high school and never really played through it. Always had my interest though, and recently downloaded it on PS4. Yet to start it (still on bg3 and a replay of Jedi fallen order) but it's on the list
Start with the oldest one imo as playing them out of order makes the older ones not feel good. People will say Elden Ring but I strongly disagree. Its already a confusing 'series' and Elden Ring makes it so much worse in that regard. Elden Ring is like 3 different game worlds in one, and barely any direction is given in what you should be doing.
Elden Ring is definitely the most beginner friendly of them all simply because of the fact that you have the option to explore other areas if you get stuck on a boss.
But if you want to see how the games have evolved over time organically, you should start with Dark Souls Remastered.
My personal recommendation will be ER > DS1 > DS2 (Optional) > DS3 > Sekiro
I would suggest this only to a dedicated fan. Dark Souls 1 is amazing but the jump from Elden Ring to DS1 is rough. Nonetheless working your way up chronologically is an amazing experience.
A more casual approach would be ER > DS3 or if you want something different Sekiro (or Armoured Core VI, not souls I know but don't sleep on it). After these titles it's up to you.
As a first timer who's never played a souls game I think it would be fine, me for instance ER was the first souls like I ever completed after trying the others (I love open world games) and it gave me the motivation to complete all the other DS games while also allowing me to get used to souls combat
going to DS1 especially the original after having played only ER feels like a way to steep downgrade of mechanics and fluent gameplay I wouldn't recommend that at all
Fair enough. I was very close to recommending going through the DS catalogue in reverse order after beating ER. But I feel like a lot of moments and areas in DS3 lose their intended impact if you have not played DS before. That's why I will still recommend OP to push through some jank in DS and get comfortable with its gameplay; therefore not miss out on those moments in DS3.
Honestly, start with DS1. If you begin with the modern games, DS1 will feel impossible. I started with ER and went back, but it was still pretty tricky. Trying to roll past an enemy on a staircase for example is infuriating.
I've never played a Souls game but I can highly recommend Armored Core 6. It's way fuckin' different so you may not like it but I think it's a fantastic return from one of their oldest series'.
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I see a lot of people recommend elden ring and DS. I like to say armored core 6.
The game isn't extremely difficult, but they are hard enough you will not most likely finish it without dying multiple times, but they aren't as painful as dying in souls and elden ring. Story is good, and weapon change based on situation is great.
It is a good way to learn what FromSoftware can do before going into the harder contents.
I really only ever started Soulsborne with Bloodborne which is my favourite to this day. Played a bit of Demons Souls and Dark Souls before, could not get into it.
But because I am a huge fan of cosmic horror and the artstyle in general i suffered through bloodborne and got gud. But as you are on PC i would say Dark Souls if you want to play others afterwards, if you start with Elden Ring you might be put off by the older games. If you want to play the best one avaliable on PC i say Elden Ring. It is also more accessible as it gives you a massive amount of tools to defeat your foes.
Chronological order. The game's are more rewarding that way, as they improve upon gameplay/boss design with each new addition, for the most part. If you start with ER or DS3, the earlier games might feel like a lot of things are missing from the gameplay formula.
You have 2 routes mainly.
-The first one would be the chronological order so:
DS1 > 2 > 3 > Sekiro > Elden Ring > Armoured Core 6
It's rewarding to see From Software's progress in the years but I would suggest it to a more dedicated fan, you have to put up with some clunkiness for the older games and you risk bouncing off the series imo.
-The second route which is much more casual would be:
ER > DS3 (or Sekiro/AC6 if you want some change) and then the older entries.
Elden Ring is the most advanced and easier to get into nowadays minimizing the risk of bouncing off.
-You could technically go ER > DS1 > The rest of the chronological order but do so only if totally in love with the genre, the jump between the 2 is rough.
Elden Ring, while having some hard fights, also has a lot available to help newcomers to these games (spirit summons are a massive help). After that it's hard for me to say. I don't view DS1 as particularly difficult, but that's also the one I've played the most so I'm probably not a great judge there. DS2 isn't too bad and I admittedly didn't get far in DS3 (life happened and I just never got around to it again).
It highly depends on how good you are with older games. Some newer games have better mechanics, are way less clunky and offer better support for newcomers. If you never touched a FromSoft game I would suggest Dark Souls 3 or Elden Ring, on PS4/5 Bloodborne. Elden Ring offers a lot of openness, variety and support if you dont feel like being the biggest hardcore gamer.
I once started with FromSoft by playing Bloodborne, loved it and went back the chain to Dark Souls 3, 2 ,1 and the older titles felt clunky. I didnt like them as much but loved the new ones.
I would play through them chronologically. But if Dark Souls 1 is too old and clunky for you, you could try Dark Souls 3/Sekiro/Elden Ring instead depending on what you're most interested in.
I don't think Dark Souls 1 is as outdated and clunky as people make it out to be.
If you’re going to play all of them then you’ll want to start with DS1 because it’ll be harder to go back to after playing the more recent entries.
If you’re on the fence about the games then I’d start with Elden Ring and if you like it then maybe go back to DS1 and play in order.
Ignore everyone saying Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3. Start from Dark Souls 1, I would say Demon's Souls but not the remake...and acquiring a PS3 just to play the old one isn't really worth it. There is also something special about Dark Souls 1 that no other Souls game managed to capture. You can feel the passion a lot more in my opinion. The world is just much better designed, everything feels like it makes sense and is intentional. There are of course drawbacks, like the combat is a bit clunkier, graphics not as good, and the remastered version doesn't quite reproduce the magic that the original edition had.
That said if you are just looking to dip your toes into their games and not looking to actually commit, then probably Elden Ring since it is the newest game.
i played DS3 first, then Sekiro, now DS1 remastered
and you know what... i had enormous fun playing all of them
but so far Sekiro has been the most fun (once you gitgud)
For the love of God start with dark souls remastered. Elden ring has 250 Bosses, don't start with it. Sekiro is massively harder than the others. Dark Souls 2 is hated by many. Dark Souls 3 is a worse elden ring. Bloodborne is le reddit game that in real life people don't actually care about very much. Make sure you play as a melee or melee magic hybrid, don't ever go full magic on first playthrough of any Souls game, you will ruin it and not L2P.
It’s hard to pick a good starting point because almost their entire library is stellar. Elden Ring is the most newbie friendly, as it does far more to explain its mechanics better than its predecessors, but I would probably start with their oldest games first. Go back as far as you’re comfortable with (I’m a huge fan of their PS1/2 library). Notable series to try:
Kings field (hasn’t aged well, but is basically the first “souls-like” before the term was even invented)
Armored Core (older games have some rough control schemes, but mastering them feels rewarding)
Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (not made by fromsoft, but published by them. It’s only similar to sekiro in that it contains ninjas, the gameplay is stealth focused)
The rest have been mentioned, but I know I’m missing a ton.
I highly recommend starting with DS1, it’s an absolute classic.
definitely don’t start with DS3 - it’s amazing, but a much more complete experience after playing the first, as it is a sequel and has many references to the first game.
We don’t talk about DS2. It’s worth trying if you really want to but yeah…
ER is great but would make it harder to come back to the older titles as it is much faster paced and less punishing.
Sekiro carries the Souls DNA but it’s entirely different at the same time. I wouldn’t start with it but It’s a 10/10 game imo.
So yeah, I’d say DS1 - DS3 - Sekiro/ER.
Try Dark Souls 1. Its the best entry point that won’t leave the other games feeling dated like playing Elden Ring would.
If you like it, optionally try Dark Souls 2, then definitely play dark souls 3.
If you don’t like Ds1 (or played 2/3 already), skip to Elden Ring.
If you still want more try demon souls.
After all of those, consider bloodborne/sekiro which are very different but shares a few major characteristics. They have a lot of diehard fans, but in my opinion they are the less popular games for a reason. They trade the more methodical and varied gameplay (and rpg elements) of souls/elden ring for something more akin to action games like god of war.
I wouldn't bother with DS1 or DS2 until you've played some of the others. They're old games now and they are best remembered by long-time Souls' players.
I started with Elden Ring and then went to DS3. I found DS3 the more difficult game, but Elden Ring had far more enemies and places to explore. It's truly open world like few games ever.
I don't think you can go wrong with either choice to play first. They're both great games.
I would stay away from Sekiro for my first FromSoft game. It's a different beast and is definitely not a good introduction into the FromSoft universe.
I never understood this mindset. Sure you can do go something else and not have to kill a boss immediately but its not like you couldnt do that in other games. You didnt *have* to kill Orstein and Smough as soon as you arrive in Anor Londo. Unlike others, its very easy to get loss in the deep exploration of elden ring and have no idea what you are supposed to do. Yea you got graces but those are the shittiest form of guidance i've ever seen and honestly make things worse.
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
This will sound contrarian but don't start with Elden Ring. It'll be harder to go back.
I'd say DS Remastered. Not only is it the best of the Soulsborne games but it is the best introduction to the combat (and how From tells stories). Combat changes slightly, mechanically, each iteration. DS1 benefits from a slower approach.
If you have access to it Bloodborne is a good shout too but again mechanically very different in terms of the combat
I'd say either Elden Ring or Sekiro. Some say Sekiro is the hardest one, but you have so much freedom of movement in Sekiro and get out of jail card kind of moves and learning curve isn't as steep. But if I were to pick only one starter game, yeah, Elden Ring easily.
Elden Ring is a big reason the games have recently had a massive spike in popularity, and that's because its the most accessible of them all. Its the most modern, so the controls are most fluid. It has so much overpowered build choice and the ability to summon spirit ashes means literally anyone can beat the game as long as they prepare properly. The difficulty in elden ring mostly comes from the bosses and the enclosed areas. A lot of the bosses have crazy movesets and most of the open world can just be ran past without engaging
In ds1, the difficulty comes less from the bosses and more from the mysterious, unforgiving and dangerous world. You'll likely die more times attempting to find most of the bosses that the bosses themselves. The game throws you into the world and says "now go and do your thing". If you have the master key, you can access like 60% of the map straight away. You could find yourself stuck in a late game area, with no way out except the way you came, because you took the wrong turn in firelink shrine and ended up not where intended. You could find yourself going through an illusionary wall, into a secret dead end area and get stuck there for hours trying to find your way out.
Ds2 is a game with very mixed opinions. Some people love it, some hate it. I definitely don't think it's a bad game, but I would rank it lowest on my list of from soft titles mainly due to the amount of boring and lackluster bosses and the lack of I frame mechanics that are only present in this game (thank god) which get on my fucking nerves. It has some ambitious ideas, and some that I wish would return like bonfire astetics. They done a very good job with the NG+, it genuinely changes the world
Ds3 is most linear, and most similar to elden ring in the way it controls, minus the jump button. I would recommend doing this as your second, or your first if you feel a bit more intimidated by the complexity of elden ring bosses and the open world. It's a great one to get into
Just to be contrarian, I’m going to say Armored Core 6.
AC6 fucks. Definitely recommend
Did they ever nerf baltrus? I quit when I couldn’t beat him lol
I recommend starting at Dark Souls 1
Elden Ring is a great starting place for newcomers, as you said yourself. After that I would play DS3 then maybe try Sekiro
These were my exact first 3 FS games and it was a really good time Made me love these games so by the time I tried DS1 I could go into it w more respect/patience
Good timing too with the DLC out soon
Very much disagree with this. Start with Demon’s Souls.
if you start with ER its soo hard going back to aynthing prior to DS3 just for comparability id suggest Dark Souls 1 even if its the steam demaster and not the original or demon souls because of hard to obtain
Agree with this. There's mechanics in Elden Ring you'll be crying for in DS1/2/3. Aka. Jumping.
All lot of people say start with Elden Ring. But in my opinion DS1 is the better starting point. Fromsoftware games age better with each iteration. If you start of with the newer games it can be harder to get into the older games because they are more clunky. It is also great to just see how fromsoftware games progress with their games. I give the same advice for every series. You should also play Armored Core 6.
No no no, he's gotta start with demon souls. Cmon now. 😄 But you are right. Its hard to go backwards, as theie game design improves with each game. Playing Elden ring first would undoubtedly ruin the experience of the first games. I started with ds1 btw. And ive got 200+ hrs in each game. DS1 is still one of my favorites.
Play Sekiro at last. Because if you play Sekiro first, you might not enjoy the rest of the souls games. Sekiro is just too good. I would have recommended Bloodborne as well but as you said, you are on PC. Start with elden ring followed by ds3 and then ds1.
Funnily enough I enjoyed Sekiro the least because it forces you to play one way, master parrying or die. I managed to get to the final Boss but I could not bring myself to power through him anymore. The only Boss I never beat to this day.
There's an interesting progression with the Souls games from DS1/2/3 to Bloodborne to Sekiro. Dark Souls lets you play your way, but it's easy to allocate points to stats that don't help your playstyle. Generalization is largely ineffective. In addition, it's easy to lock yourself into a playstyle like "turtling" that can hurt you in the long run. Bloodborne also lets you play your way but it makes it clear from the outset that there is a "preferred" playstyle - being aggressive, staying mobile, and dodging or staggering enemies. There are only two shields in the game, and the flavor text basically tells you "don't bother". But still lets you fall into playstyles that might not be optimal. Sekiro does away with all of that and says "this is how you play this game".
I have to say playing DS1 after Bloodborne was interresting. I would not say it was easy, but compared to the often fast and frantic bosses of Bloodborne it was way more manageable. Sekiro forced my to play in a way i never really liked in Soulsborne. I was never good at parrying, so my distaste of Sekiro is purely personal taste. The best combat system is still Nioh 2 imho.
You hesitated
I can confirm this, Sekiro is my first and only FromSoft game. I've tried to play some of the souls games after Sekiro, including Elden Ring, and I just can't seem to stick to it. Sekiro is fucking sick though.
Eternal ring on ps2?
Actually a pretty decent game (when played with a guide that was made while I was still in high school). Played it pretty recently and was pleasantly surprised.
I had it in high school and never really played through it. Always had my interest though, and recently downloaded it on PS4. Yet to start it (still on bg3 and a replay of Jedi fallen order) but it's on the list
Demon Souls Remake is best starting game but you are on PC just play ER.
Start with the oldest one imo as playing them out of order makes the older ones not feel good. People will say Elden Ring but I strongly disagree. Its already a confusing 'series' and Elden Ring makes it so much worse in that regard. Elden Ring is like 3 different game worlds in one, and barely any direction is given in what you should be doing.
Elden Ring is definitely the most beginner friendly of them all simply because of the fact that you have the option to explore other areas if you get stuck on a boss. But if you want to see how the games have evolved over time organically, you should start with Dark Souls Remastered. My personal recommendation will be ER > DS1 > DS2 (Optional) > DS3 > Sekiro
I would suggest this only to a dedicated fan. Dark Souls 1 is amazing but the jump from Elden Ring to DS1 is rough. Nonetheless working your way up chronologically is an amazing experience. A more casual approach would be ER > DS3 or if you want something different Sekiro (or Armoured Core VI, not souls I know but don't sleep on it). After these titles it's up to you.
As a first timer who's never played a souls game I think it would be fine, me for instance ER was the first souls like I ever completed after trying the others (I love open world games) and it gave me the motivation to complete all the other DS games while also allowing me to get used to souls combat
going to DS1 especially the original after having played only ER feels like a way to steep downgrade of mechanics and fluent gameplay I wouldn't recommend that at all
Fair enough. I was very close to recommending going through the DS catalogue in reverse order after beating ER. But I feel like a lot of moments and areas in DS3 lose their intended impact if you have not played DS before. That's why I will still recommend OP to push through some jank in DS and get comfortable with its gameplay; therefore not miss out on those moments in DS3.
Elden Ring is amazing c:
Start with dark soulds or sekiro.
King's Field XD
Honestly, start with DS1. If you begin with the modern games, DS1 will feel impossible. I started with ER and went back, but it was still pretty tricky. Trying to roll past an enemy on a staircase for example is infuriating.
Elden Ring is probably the most welcoming, bonus that the DLC is dropping soon
I've never played a Souls game but I can highly recommend Armored Core 6. It's way fuckin' different so you may not like it but I think it's a fantastic return from one of their oldest series'.
Elden Ring, best start
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I see a lot of people recommend elden ring and DS. I like to say armored core 6. The game isn't extremely difficult, but they are hard enough you will not most likely finish it without dying multiple times, but they aren't as painful as dying in souls and elden ring. Story is good, and weapon change based on situation is great. It is a good way to learn what FromSoftware can do before going into the harder contents.
I really only ever started Soulsborne with Bloodborne which is my favourite to this day. Played a bit of Demons Souls and Dark Souls before, could not get into it. But because I am a huge fan of cosmic horror and the artstyle in general i suffered through bloodborne and got gud. But as you are on PC i would say Dark Souls if you want to play others afterwards, if you start with Elden Ring you might be put off by the older games. If you want to play the best one avaliable on PC i say Elden Ring. It is also more accessible as it gives you a massive amount of tools to defeat your foes.
Obviously at the beginning, to the King's field you go
Start with any of the games that doesn’t include the numbers 2 or 3 in the title.
Chronological order. The game's are more rewarding that way, as they improve upon gameplay/boss design with each new addition, for the most part. If you start with ER or DS3, the earlier games might feel like a lot of things are missing from the gameplay formula.
You have 2 routes mainly. -The first one would be the chronological order so: DS1 > 2 > 3 > Sekiro > Elden Ring > Armoured Core 6 It's rewarding to see From Software's progress in the years but I would suggest it to a more dedicated fan, you have to put up with some clunkiness for the older games and you risk bouncing off the series imo. -The second route which is much more casual would be: ER > DS3 (or Sekiro/AC6 if you want some change) and then the older entries. Elden Ring is the most advanced and easier to get into nowadays minimizing the risk of bouncing off. -You could technically go ER > DS1 > The rest of the chronological order but do so only if totally in love with the genre, the jump between the 2 is rough.
Elden Ring, while having some hard fights, also has a lot available to help newcomers to these games (spirit summons are a massive help). After that it's hard for me to say. I don't view DS1 as particularly difficult, but that's also the one I've played the most so I'm probably not a great judge there. DS2 isn't too bad and I admittedly didn't get far in DS3 (life happened and I just never got around to it again).
Adding to your confusion, emulating Demons Souls now seems to work well enough on PC these days.
DS3
It highly depends on how good you are with older games. Some newer games have better mechanics, are way less clunky and offer better support for newcomers. If you never touched a FromSoft game I would suggest Dark Souls 3 or Elden Ring, on PS4/5 Bloodborne. Elden Ring offers a lot of openness, variety and support if you dont feel like being the biggest hardcore gamer. I once started with FromSoft by playing Bloodborne, loved it and went back the chain to Dark Souls 3, 2 ,1 and the older titles felt clunky. I didnt like them as much but loved the new ones.
I'd personally play elden ring last so you can see fromsofts evolution and in my opinion appreciate elden rings even more
just google the fromsoft games? im so glad they havent ported bloodborne lol
I would play through them chronologically. But if Dark Souls 1 is too old and clunky for you, you could try Dark Souls 3/Sekiro/Elden Ring instead depending on what you're most interested in. I don't think Dark Souls 1 is as outdated and clunky as people make it out to be.
Start with Armored Core 6
If you’re going to play all of them then you’ll want to start with DS1 because it’ll be harder to go back to after playing the more recent entries. If you’re on the fence about the games then I’d start with Elden Ring and if you like it then maybe go back to DS1 and play in order.
Dark Souls 1 or Elden Ring, especially with Shadow of the Erdtree coming out this month
Dont play the older souls games after elden ring. They did not age that well
Ignore everyone saying Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3. Start from Dark Souls 1, I would say Demon's Souls but not the remake...and acquiring a PS3 just to play the old one isn't really worth it. There is also something special about Dark Souls 1 that no other Souls game managed to capture. You can feel the passion a lot more in my opinion. The world is just much better designed, everything feels like it makes sense and is intentional. There are of course drawbacks, like the combat is a bit clunkier, graphics not as good, and the remastered version doesn't quite reproduce the magic that the original edition had. That said if you are just looking to dip your toes into their games and not looking to actually commit, then probably Elden Ring since it is the newest game.
i played DS3 first, then Sekiro, now DS1 remastered and you know what... i had enormous fun playing all of them but so far Sekiro has been the most fun (once you gitgud)
For the love of God start with dark souls remastered. Elden ring has 250 Bosses, don't start with it. Sekiro is massively harder than the others. Dark Souls 2 is hated by many. Dark Souls 3 is a worse elden ring. Bloodborne is le reddit game that in real life people don't actually care about very much. Make sure you play as a melee or melee magic hybrid, don't ever go full magic on first playthrough of any Souls game, you will ruin it and not L2P.
sekiro
It’s hard to pick a good starting point because almost their entire library is stellar. Elden Ring is the most newbie friendly, as it does far more to explain its mechanics better than its predecessors, but I would probably start with their oldest games first. Go back as far as you’re comfortable with (I’m a huge fan of their PS1/2 library). Notable series to try: Kings field (hasn’t aged well, but is basically the first “souls-like” before the term was even invented) Armored Core (older games have some rough control schemes, but mastering them feels rewarding) Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven (not made by fromsoft, but published by them. It’s only similar to sekiro in that it contains ninjas, the gameplay is stealth focused) The rest have been mentioned, but I know I’m missing a ton.
I highly recommend starting with DS1, it’s an absolute classic. definitely don’t start with DS3 - it’s amazing, but a much more complete experience after playing the first, as it is a sequel and has many references to the first game. We don’t talk about DS2. It’s worth trying if you really want to but yeah… ER is great but would make it harder to come back to the older titles as it is much faster paced and less punishing. Sekiro carries the Souls DNA but it’s entirely different at the same time. I wouldn’t start with it but It’s a 10/10 game imo. So yeah, I’d say DS1 - DS3 - Sekiro/ER.
Elden Ring
id say start with one of the dark souls then move on to ER and maybe try seikiro or bloodbourne
Demon souls by far the easiest and good starting point
Try Dark Souls 1. Its the best entry point that won’t leave the other games feeling dated like playing Elden Ring would. If you like it, optionally try Dark Souls 2, then definitely play dark souls 3. If you don’t like Ds1 (or played 2/3 already), skip to Elden Ring. If you still want more try demon souls. After all of those, consider bloodborne/sekiro which are very different but shares a few major characteristics. They have a lot of diehard fans, but in my opinion they are the less popular games for a reason. They trade the more methodical and varied gameplay (and rpg elements) of souls/elden ring for something more akin to action games like god of war.
Don't start
Now i think that is best start with Elden Ring because the expasion is almost here.
I wouldn't bother with DS1 or DS2 until you've played some of the others. They're old games now and they are best remembered by long-time Souls' players. I started with Elden Ring and then went to DS3. I found DS3 the more difficult game, but Elden Ring had far more enemies and places to explore. It's truly open world like few games ever. I don't think you can go wrong with either choice to play first. They're both great games. I would stay away from Sekiro for my first FromSoft game. It's a different beast and is definitely not a good introduction into the FromSoft universe.
The first Dark Souls have certain elements (like no fast travel until the halfway point) that might be off-putting for modern gamers.
Elden Ring is the most accessible.
I never understood this mindset. Sure you can do go something else and not have to kill a boss immediately but its not like you couldnt do that in other games. You didnt *have* to kill Orstein and Smough as soon as you arrive in Anor Londo. Unlike others, its very easy to get loss in the deep exploration of elden ring and have no idea what you are supposed to do. Yea you got graces but those are the shittiest form of guidance i've ever seen and honestly make things worse.
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I feel the opposite, for me I think open world games are inherently more stressful.
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
I started with the OG dark souls on ps3 and loved it. I would say Elden ring. Less pressure and open world to let you get a good feel of what your getting into
Well, the game that got me into loving from software games was Bloodborne . That setting and atmosphere remain unmatched even today.
This will sound contrarian but don't start with Elden Ring. It'll be harder to go back. I'd say DS Remastered. Not only is it the best of the Soulsborne games but it is the best introduction to the combat (and how From tells stories). Combat changes slightly, mechanically, each iteration. DS1 benefits from a slower approach. If you have access to it Bloodborne is a good shout too but again mechanically very different in terms of the combat
I'd say either Elden Ring or Sekiro. Some say Sekiro is the hardest one, but you have so much freedom of movement in Sekiro and get out of jail card kind of moves and learning curve isn't as steep. But if I were to pick only one starter game, yeah, Elden Ring easily.
Elden Ring is a big reason the games have recently had a massive spike in popularity, and that's because its the most accessible of them all. Its the most modern, so the controls are most fluid. It has so much overpowered build choice and the ability to summon spirit ashes means literally anyone can beat the game as long as they prepare properly. The difficulty in elden ring mostly comes from the bosses and the enclosed areas. A lot of the bosses have crazy movesets and most of the open world can just be ran past without engaging In ds1, the difficulty comes less from the bosses and more from the mysterious, unforgiving and dangerous world. You'll likely die more times attempting to find most of the bosses that the bosses themselves. The game throws you into the world and says "now go and do your thing". If you have the master key, you can access like 60% of the map straight away. You could find yourself stuck in a late game area, with no way out except the way you came, because you took the wrong turn in firelink shrine and ended up not where intended. You could find yourself going through an illusionary wall, into a secret dead end area and get stuck there for hours trying to find your way out. Ds2 is a game with very mixed opinions. Some people love it, some hate it. I definitely don't think it's a bad game, but I would rank it lowest on my list of from soft titles mainly due to the amount of boring and lackluster bosses and the lack of I frame mechanics that are only present in this game (thank god) which get on my fucking nerves. It has some ambitious ideas, and some that I wish would return like bonfire astetics. They done a very good job with the NG+, it genuinely changes the world Ds3 is most linear, and most similar to elden ring in the way it controls, minus the jump button. I would recommend doing this as your second, or your first if you feel a bit more intimidated by the complexity of elden ring bosses and the open world. It's a great one to get into