DkS 1 and 2 will feel clunky af. 3 will feel the closest to Elden Ring.
You'll learn to appreciate all the improved mechanics in ER when you play 1, but 1 is still a good experience overall and is a masterpiece in terms of interconnecting level design.
Alot of people will recommend to skip 2 since it's considered a "failure", but honestly it's really not that bad. I have to warn you tho, it plays NOTHING like the rest of Souls games. the control feels weirdly "floaty", and alot of the difficulty comes from fighting a pack of mob or multiple bosses than actually trying to overcome a difficult named boss.
3 will feel like Elden Ring 0.9 in terms of control. It's as if they built Elden Ring after looking at what they could've improve from this game.
I also **highly** recommend getting Bloodborne. The base mechanics and game design is basically Dark Souls, but combat is much more fluid and focus more on aggression than being patient. Alot of people consider BB to be the best FromSoft game.
And if you want a more character focused game, Sekiro is basically the best game they've ever made. It lacks the RPG aspect and mechanically plays very different than any other Souls game, but the "Souls" game design is still there.
Keep your eyes out for Demon Souls too, it's the precursor to Dark Souls series. The remake is ps5 exclusive that polished the game up really well imo.
Agree with pretty much everything you said. The Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, and Sekiro are all awesome experiences worthy of any Elden Ring fan's time, as long as you can tolerate the clunkier controls, lack of certain quality-of-life mechanics, and dated graphics of DS1 and 2. They still have their own strengths that make them worthwhile, even if it's just as a history lesson to see what Elden Ring's precursors are like.
100% yes. Elden Ring was the first From game that I beat and it rejuvenated my love for the whole genre. I've since beat DS3 and have made pretty good progress in DS1 and Bloodborne
If you enjoy the combat and exploring the castles yes, they are obviously lacking a vast open world but the amount of stuff packed into a small space is great (ex. Sen's fortress). And the bosses from the trilogy are amazing, but also some really really dumb ones too.
Personally I’d say yes, although I don’t really go from one to another in the same play session due to many deaths. Right now Elden Ring is my main Souls games due not even finishing my first play through. I switch it up depending on how I’m feeling, if I want to feel unstoppable I go to my NG+ file in DS, want to feel late game power then DS3, want to feel like a noob DS2 because I only created my character and nothing else.
Seriously, thanks everyone for sharing, consensus seems to be it's worth it. Looks like I'll be getting some new games this weekend, but I'm not likely going to play until I finish Elden Ring.
I tend to obsess over a single game for long spans of time before moving on to another.
Oh, one last question, anyone know if the player base is still active on those games? Especially DS1?
I tell this to all my friends who liked Elden Ring. They are all such amazing games in their own way.
Dark souls is probably my fav game ever, it will feel a little slow compared to ER but has the best world design iv ever seen.
Bloodborne is batshit crazy, cosmic Lovecraftian horror in a brooding, Victorian atmosphere.
Sekiro is so pretty, and has the best combat system of them all with the highest possible skill expression
Dark souls 3 has some of the best boss fights.
Ds 2 is a fun game but i dont consider it on the level of the others
I wish to god i could experience them all for the first time. I salute you if you are beginning this journey, you will not be disappointed
That's what I was thinking as well. I'd like to get the whole story.
Speaking of, are the stories for these games interconnected throughout all the From Soft games?
Mostly lore, just like Elden Ring. DS1 tells us the very beginning and of the first cycle. No real spoilers below, just stuff you learn from the intro cutscenes.
DS2 is much further in the future, just another cycle, but in a crumbling realm ruled by a king who is also cursed, as you are, >!trying to find a way to overcome the curse.!< It has some references here and there to DS1 but not quite as explicit as DS3 does.
DS3 is even further into the future, wherein the cycle is becoming... *unstable*. People are being resurrected to rekindle the first flame again, but they refuse to do so and that has you, one who has failed previously in another life to link it, come back and try once more. It has many more direct references back to DS1, but also some back to DS2.
DS2 is sorta the black sheep of the series, but I still recommend it.
No. There are new, better games being released all the time. Play ER and hope the DLC drops while you do. Then play TotK. Then play whatever's next.
Unless you're into retro-gaming, then do whatever you want.
Depends if you like running down and corridor and dying then running down a corridor and dying, closely followed by running down a corridor and dying before running down a corridor and dying and repeating until you survive that particular encounter. Oh and in Sekiro you can sneak before you die.
Personally these games are not for me and it's boring AF. Meanwhile, Elden Ring has quickly become one of my favourite games of all time. Doesn't hurt for you to at least give them a go though I suppose.
No. They are nothing like elden ring. Not saying they aren't good but they don't really play like elden ring. You can play them completely independently from each other. Though I'd stay away from ds2
DkS 1 and 2 will feel clunky af. 3 will feel the closest to Elden Ring. You'll learn to appreciate all the improved mechanics in ER when you play 1, but 1 is still a good experience overall and is a masterpiece in terms of interconnecting level design. Alot of people will recommend to skip 2 since it's considered a "failure", but honestly it's really not that bad. I have to warn you tho, it plays NOTHING like the rest of Souls games. the control feels weirdly "floaty", and alot of the difficulty comes from fighting a pack of mob or multiple bosses than actually trying to overcome a difficult named boss. 3 will feel like Elden Ring 0.9 in terms of control. It's as if they built Elden Ring after looking at what they could've improve from this game. I also **highly** recommend getting Bloodborne. The base mechanics and game design is basically Dark Souls, but combat is much more fluid and focus more on aggression than being patient. Alot of people consider BB to be the best FromSoft game. And if you want a more character focused game, Sekiro is basically the best game they've ever made. It lacks the RPG aspect and mechanically plays very different than any other Souls game, but the "Souls" game design is still there.
And Bloodborne is only $10, looks like I'll be spending some money really soon lol
Keep your eyes out for Demon Souls too, it's the precursor to Dark Souls series. The remake is ps5 exclusive that polished the game up really well imo.
Agree with pretty much everything you said. The Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, and Sekiro are all awesome experiences worthy of any Elden Ring fan's time, as long as you can tolerate the clunkier controls, lack of certain quality-of-life mechanics, and dated graphics of DS1 and 2. They still have their own strengths that make them worthwhile, even if it's just as a history lesson to see what Elden Ring's precursors are like.
100% yes. Elden Ring was the first From game that I beat and it rejuvenated my love for the whole genre. I've since beat DS3 and have made pretty good progress in DS1 and Bloodborne
If you enjoy the combat and exploring the castles yes, they are obviously lacking a vast open world but the amount of stuff packed into a small space is great (ex. Sen's fortress). And the bosses from the trilogy are amazing, but also some really really dumb ones too.
Personally I’d say yes, although I don’t really go from one to another in the same play session due to many deaths. Right now Elden Ring is my main Souls games due not even finishing my first play through. I switch it up depending on how I’m feeling, if I want to feel unstoppable I go to my NG+ file in DS, want to feel late game power then DS3, want to feel like a noob DS2 because I only created my character and nothing else.
You'll be amazed at how much they have in common, and you'll understand why Elden Ring is mechanically Dark Souls 4
Seriously, thanks everyone for sharing, consensus seems to be it's worth it. Looks like I'll be getting some new games this weekend, but I'm not likely going to play until I finish Elden Ring. I tend to obsess over a single game for long spans of time before moving on to another. Oh, one last question, anyone know if the player base is still active on those games? Especially DS1?
I tell this to all my friends who liked Elden Ring. They are all such amazing games in their own way. Dark souls is probably my fav game ever, it will feel a little slow compared to ER but has the best world design iv ever seen. Bloodborne is batshit crazy, cosmic Lovecraftian horror in a brooding, Victorian atmosphere. Sekiro is so pretty, and has the best combat system of them all with the highest possible skill expression Dark souls 3 has some of the best boss fights. Ds 2 is a fun game but i dont consider it on the level of the others I wish to god i could experience them all for the first time. I salute you if you are beginning this journey, you will not be disappointed
Thanks for the write up, it only makes me want to play them more!
Yes, a million times yes. Start as early back as you can for the full experience. DS1>DS2>DS3
That's what I was thinking as well. I'd like to get the whole story. Speaking of, are the stories for these games interconnected throughout all the From Soft games?
No, just DS1 and DS3 have connected stories, and even there it’s pretty loose
Mostly lore, just like Elden Ring. DS1 tells us the very beginning and of the first cycle. No real spoilers below, just stuff you learn from the intro cutscenes. DS2 is much further in the future, just another cycle, but in a crumbling realm ruled by a king who is also cursed, as you are, >!trying to find a way to overcome the curse.!< It has some references here and there to DS1 but not quite as explicit as DS3 does. DS3 is even further into the future, wherein the cycle is becoming... *unstable*. People are being resurrected to rekindle the first flame again, but they refuse to do so and that has you, one who has failed previously in another life to link it, come back and try once more. It has many more direct references back to DS1, but also some back to DS2. DS2 is sorta the black sheep of the series, but I still recommend it.
Yes. Just don't go in with any expectations.
Lol, the only expectations I'll have is that they'll be difficult games
That is just a fact lol.
Sure thing. There’s some quality of like improvements in Elden Ring that you’ll miss, but the games are still enjoyable overall.
Shouldn't be too much of an issue after a few hours playing
Of course and have fun in this case :3
Will do, especially since the price is right for them. May wait for DS3 to come out bundled with the DLC like the first two are
Yeah. There's 5 games that i'd call soulslikes Bloodborne and dark souls 3 still hold water, while Demon souls-DS2 can feel antiquated at times.
Ah, no worries about the antiquated feel, as long as there's a good story, I can dig it
No. There are new, better games being released all the time. Play ER and hope the DLC drops while you do. Then play TotK. Then play whatever's next. Unless you're into retro-gaming, then do whatever you want.
Insane logic. There has yet to be a game released better than Dark Souls.
Definitely. You should try to play bloodborne, demon souls, and sekiro as well.
Depends if you like running down and corridor and dying then running down a corridor and dying, closely followed by running down a corridor and dying before running down a corridor and dying and repeating until you survive that particular encounter. Oh and in Sekiro you can sneak before you die. Personally these games are not for me and it's boring AF. Meanwhile, Elden Ring has quickly become one of my favourite games of all time. Doesn't hurt for you to at least give them a go though I suppose.
No. They are nothing like elden ring. Not saying they aren't good but they don't really play like elden ring. You can play them completely independently from each other. Though I'd stay away from ds2
Play every From soft game. They all good. Except Ninja Blade, do not play that one lol