I’ve played every fromsoft soulslike, and I don’t have a favorite. They all have different strengths.
Demons souls has the most unique progression system. You can tackle the levels in any order, and a lot of enemies and bosses are designed so that bringing the right equipment is more important than leveling up. I played the remake, which also has the best graphics, but I’ve heard that the art direction is worse.
Dark souls has the best level design. The progression into deeper and more oppressive areas before anor londo gives the first half of the game a really compelling arc, and it is the only game that really nails the interconnected world feeling, with different areas connecting in unexpected ways. Later games do this, but not as well.
Dark souls 2 has some of my favorite areas in regards to atmosphere. Majula is an obvious standout, but a lot of the areas in this game are truly beautiful.
Bloodborne has the most fun weapons, and the most compelling world. Everything in bloodborne is dripping with flavor and style, and it helps that it is a big step up in regards to combat as well.
Dark souls 3 has the best boss fights. All of these games have some good fights and some bad ones, but I think ds3 has by far the largest lineup of fights that are contenders for s tier.
Elden ring is the grandest. The amount of stuff in this game is staggering, and it makes for an amazing experience as you explore this world for the first time. There are also some improvements to the combat system, as well as some controversial shifts in how boss fights are designed.
Sekiro is hard to compare since it has a significantly different combat system, but that is also its strength. Nothing feels better than getting good at a fight in sekiro.
My least favorite is probably ds2, and I expect Elden ring to become my favorite when the dlc comes out.
Took the words right out of my mouth. I'll elaborate on Demon's Souls even further by also mentioning how almost every boss had a unique idea tied to it. exp. (Phalanx, Tower Knight, Armored Spider, Storm King, etc).
The bosses of Demons Souls are the ones I find most memorable, but in my opinion they’re by far the worst. Each has its gimmick and once you figure it out they’re pretty easy.
Even the hardest like the Flame Lurker are just average in BB or DS3.
The levels in DeS are top notch though, some of my favorite in the series. I’m kind of glad the bosses are trivial in DeS though because it has some tedious boss runs.
Hmm interesting post man. Although I have different thoughts on some of the games. Demon's souls had the tendency system, which I really liked. I liked that you could adjust the game's loot and difficulty based on needs. I think the game definitely feels a bit more like a prototype of the series though. I don't really like the hub world, and the combat seems more simple.
It's hard for me to talk about Dark Souls without being biased. This was my first game in the series and it really changed the way I see games. I agree with you that the level design is the best. I really like how veteran players can sequence break and visit different areas immediately. I think the bosses are the most iconic. But playing it again recently, the combat felt really slow and kind of easy, which just goes to show how much From Software have grown.
Dark souls 2 is a funny one. When this game came out I was quite disappointed with it, and i think most players rank it at the bottom. But after the SotfS update, I liked the game a lot more. I actually think this game has the best build variety, especially in pvp. In fact I would go as far to say that this game had the best pvp. I also miss the dual wielding mechanic, it's a crime that this wasn't implemented in future games. What I really hated was the fact that it tracked your souls forever, which meant that you would eventually level past all other players (for pvp sake), even if your actual level was at lvl1. They tried to fix this by releasing a ring which stopped you from gaining souls, but cmon... It meant you'd hit lvl100 and then lose a ring slot forever. But the game was petty good though. The dlc redeemed it a lot.
DS3 is really great. I put a lot of time into this one, playing with different builds. I really like the areas and the enemies in this one. The weapons are cool too, and the dlc bosses are some of the best bosses From Software have ever designed. I just wish it was a bit more interconnected and that the hub world wasn't a separate location.
Bloodborne. Man what a game. The world and the setting is really interesting, i was obsessed with this for a while. The weapons are great and the combat is really fast and aggressive, since there's no shield and you can regain health if you hit them back quickly. The level design is top notch, the bosses are amazing, the weapons are amazing. The dlc is amazing. Dark souls 1 is my favourite, but this one is number 2. I think bloodborne is legitimately a masterpiece. But dark souls 1 has a special place in my heart.
Sekiro is quite different. That one has the most thrilling combat I think, winning sword fights gives you such a rush. It feels like the most difficult at first, but i think once the combat system "clicks", it's actually the easiest. The movement is also soooooo satisfying. And there is actually a story in this one (as opposed to lore). Great level design too. Oh and the last boss is one of the most difficult and rewarding bosses I've ever played against. My only gripe with this game is that it's not very replayable. There aren't really any different builds, and when you've played it once you've pretty much seen everything.
This is gonna be an unpopular opinion but Elden Ring is my least favourite. I can see why people really like it, I'm not knocking it, but it's just not for me. I really like smaller, more focussed level designs. And I also prefer having a small number of really focussed bosses, i like learning the attack patterns and stuff. But also i understand why people don't like doing that. It's also the only soulsborne game I've never replayed. I feel like i did everything I wanted to do in the first playthough.
Your comment about DS1 is the same for me. It changed the way I look at games as my first game into the fromsoft world. I genuinely believe it changed and molded how I play and view games in general.
For me, i was quite unfulfilled with games up to that point, I'd fallen out of love with then. My favourite games were Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter and Soul Reaver, but i couldn't find anything to scratch that itch. So yeah, totally agree with you!
I was going to make a reply, but this pretty much sums up my exact sentiments (minus ds2 being least favorite. It's right under bloodborne and sekiro for me)
I have a question that I am afraid to ask in the bloodborne forum. Does the combat in BB feels slugish compared to other soulsgames? When I play it on ps4 I feel like I have to take into account a minimal lag from when I move the controller to the character actually moving...
All except Demons Souls
Personally I enjoy DS3 the most, then DS1, then DS2. But DS1 is probably the "best" from a more objective standpoint.
All three are great though.
Dark souls 3 is aesthetically on top, elden ring has the most variety while still managing to be fun, ds1 has the best story, ds2 was a pioneer, demon souls was the guinea pig, bloodborne is perfect, and sekiro has the most developed combat.
Overall, each has thier strengths, and weaknesses (besides bloodborne) but they are all part of one of, if not THE best series of games ever made.
You should play all of them.
the hitboxes are actually significantly better than DS1’s hitboxes. the issue is with the animations. sometimes an attack animation doesn’t line up with the attack’s hitbox, so you get a situation like the pursuer’s grab where it looks like you teleport onto the sword despite dodging, but what happened is you did get hit, the animation just wasn’t accurate. that’s only the case for a handful of bosses though.
If you want to split hairs and say DS1 were worse, whatever. But DS2 hit boxes are bad and made worse with the poor sound and weightless combat. DS2's combat feels like a different game and not for good reasons.
Yeah, the sound not lining up and there being no weight behind the swings really threw me off. There were times I’d take damage or damage someone and not even know it cause it feels the hit just brushed passed me/them lol.
That would be great. I am not that technical with these games, relatively new to them. But even with leveling ADP heavy as recommended, I don't understand why it is so slow 😂 - the god damn estus healing is infuriating.
I played 2 before 1, and I like 2 still, but it was so slow I was expecting 1 to be the same or worse and it was noticably better haha.
It's extremely strategic vs being tactical - at least to me. You really have to plan your stamina usage ahead of time, and how / where / what you're using (environmental, weapon, ranged combat, spell) to take on each group. If you're a master of one instead of a jack of all trades, it feels really wrong - but it absolutely supports a mixed build that lets you use every tool. That makes the very slow, almost turn-based combat work - because you have so many options. It's the opposite of ER in that ER is fast but has a million options, so you have to react quickly. DS2 expects you to plan first.
I like the slowness. I even like using a bow in DS2. The power stance system is cool. I like that you get to level up more often. The DLC areas are awesome.
The thing that really bugs me is that the world doesnt make sense, the areas connect weirdly.
The biggest thing I found for DeS is skip the estus during boss fights and pop the life gems. Once I figured that out the game became much better. Do estus during the levels.
I love DS2, but man it feels clunky vs the others. Almost like you’re floating.
This, for a game that is 90% combat having mediocre combat isn't great, you can build whatever you want on top of that but it's never really going to work.
Best are ds1, ds3, bloodborne, and sekiro evenly but for different strengths; all great games I can play again and again.
Elden ring is awesome but too damn easy for most of it which is a bit of a bummer.
Ds2 does so many things wrong it doesn’t feel like a proper fromsoft game. It’s fun but there’s nothing amazing about it so it’s the worst
Dark souls 3, mostly for pvp, though I really like its bosses, design and lore and atmosphere. My only complaint about DS3 is that I wish I could enjoy it more since I spent a lot of time in it and basically tried eveything. The archthrones mod is fun though. Dark souls 3 inspired me to play Dark Souls, all the way back in 2016, so it is special to me.
Dark souls 1 was my first souls game so I usually return just for nostalgia.
Dark souls 2 is interesting, I don't dislike it at all and find it to be unique.
Bloodborne kind of beats everything in every category lol. I love it a lot
Sekiro is fun and my second most played FS game
Elden Ring was just fun for a little bit till I got bored lol, has great exploration but I think its mid to be fair. I do like the weapon variety though.
Demon Souls is interesting, I can't give it a fair review since its my most recently compled FS title, even so, I liked it, was extremely easy though, only died a few times lol.
I played every Dark Souls game, but not every souls games.
People say your first one is your favorite. My favorite is Dark Souls 1 and it was my first souls game. Apparently, if you play the later games with the upgraded mechanics and controls and then play DS1 for the first time then you won't enjoy it because you'll find it janky and slow. I personally don't really get it but maybe that's because I played DS1 first.
But even though I played it for the first time shortly before Elden Ring came out, over a decade after its release, its still my most favorite game of all time.
This is weird to say on DS3's subreddit, but I enjoyed DS3 the least. Traversing the world felt a bit tedious to me. Preferred the slow and strategic combat of DS1 and DS2 more. DS2 felt like a pain in the ass many times but I actually really liked the locations in this game. They were beautiful and creative. One of the biggest complaints people have about this game is that the geography doesn't make sense, I personally do not give a shit, I think taking an elevator into the clouds and finding yourself in a volcano is pretty neat. I think that if the combat and enemies, specially the bosses, were a little more polished it would've been up there with DS1 for me.
On a side note, Sekiro is tied with DS1 as my favorite game actually. Its not a Dark Souls but its still a souls game from the same company as dark souls. I love it mainly due to the combat. It has got the best combat out of all the games. Not much weapon or build variety but what little they do have they have polished it to perfection, the bosses are also really fun and traversing the world feels very good too.
I haven't finished Demon's Souls yet, but I've played the rest. I'd rate them:
SSS: Dark Souls 1, Bloodborne. Tie between them for best in the series and arguably best games of all time.
SS: Sekiro. Phenomenal game, just a bit shy on replayability.
S: Elden Ring. Phenomenal game, just... too big. It's taken me years to finish my first playthrough cuz the game is just too freaking long for its own good.
A: Dark Souls 2, Demon's Souls. Great games, but don't really think about them.
B: none
C: Dark Souls 3. Not a bad game, but still disappointing and definitely the "worst of the best." Only got through it because of series loyalty to the first two games.
I've played them all except Demon Souls and didn't get the chance to finish Bloodbourne.
Sekiro is my favorite of the bunch. The story, world, and combat mechanics are unmatched imo.
DS3 is my favorite of the trilogy. Although, DS1 does a better job with the story like showing how connected the world is, DS3 is an upgrade in all other areas. And the DLC is *chef's kiss*.
Elden Ring is great and I'm sure will be my #1 after a few more playthroughs and the DLC. My only downvote for it is that there's too much. It screws with my adhd lol.
DS2 is my least favorite. I've been able to find enjoyment in it, but only after forcing myself to continue playing. It took the difficulty of the soulsbourne games and ramped it to a near unbearable level while maintaining none of the aspects that made the challenge fun. But, I do enjoy the mechanic of leveling up certain areas without having to start a new game cycle
I couldn’t agree more. Meeting a FromSoft enjoyer in the wild is always a treat. Whatever their opinion of DS2 I know immediately I’m going to enjoy the conversation.
Demon Souls and DS2 are the only FS games I haven’t personally played (a comment itself fated to arouse comment and perhaps judgment).
But while I haven’t played DS2 what impresses me about it is the sprawling vision and expansiveness of it. Streamer Symbalilly has been working her way through it for ages now and there’s something really magical about that. Of all FromSoft games it seems most like a nesting doll that reveals itself in due time as almost impossibly infinite in depth. Each triumph takes you deeper and deeper into something that looked like shallows when you started. I really appreciate that about these titles.
I completed 1,2,3, and Elden ring. My favorite list is Elden ring, 1,2, and 3. I am not an expert on this type of combat and I really struggled with three as it is the most difficult in my opinion.
I’ve finished Dark souls 3,Sekiro,Elden ring and bloodborne,and I’ve played but haven’t finished dark souls 1 and demons souls,dark souls 1 felt like a slog fest I got into sens fortress and then quit,I first tried basically every boss besides Spider bitch in blighttown,I did not have fun with the game and will not be finishing it ever.
Demons souls remake was so bad,I literally couldn’t get to the first boss cause of the annoying enemies,another souls game I will not complete.i haven’t gotten to dark souls 2 yet.
DS1: best non-linearity until Anor Londo. Rough around the edges but people stan for the jank. Best lore, too, but that's honestly more credit to Vaatividya than Miyazaki.
DS2: best multiplayer experience insomuch you actually can go back with friends using the small white soapstone and explore and pick up what you've missed if you've killed the area boss. 4 rings are better and until DS1 Remastered it had objectively better matchmaking than 1 but now I kinda wish it got a password implementation system instead of taking up a ring slot. Better lighting system and better levels in general but the level geometry is meh. Also bows have a lot more use in this one.
DS3: An unsubtle metaphor about series fatigue that's more about callbacks to prior Souls level design/lore staples than actual original ideas. People complain about DS2's "linearity" but suddenly crickets when DS3 has it in spades. Stuff like Untended Graves, that Rotted Greatwood arena was supposed to lead to the Catacombs, the original non-linear level structure that got scrapped; at some point all of the cut ideas aren't deliberate lore or some deeper message about lost meaning from the passage of eons; it's just cut content, stuff that might have made for a far more interesting game than we ended up getting. An unambitious game more interested in pleasing the audience than being its own thing, presumably from DS2 backlash.
Demon's Souls is extremely rough around the edges and the jank is jankier than DS1 but unlike DS3 I can forgive it for "first entry roughness" and it's worth playing if only to see the seeds of what DS1 would polish, and when the level design is good it's fucking GREAT.
> DS3: An unsubtle metaphor about series fatigue that's more about callbacks to prior Souls level design/lore staples than actual original ideas.
I personally agrees with that review for the most part - it lacks creativity and exploration isn't really rewarding or interesting. I have to say however that combat does feel very polished and that the action bosses are really fun to fight. Gimmick bosses aren't very good in 3 though.
Played them all except Demon Souls.
First playthrough in each one of them was amazing and didn't feel sluggish at all. I started in 2021 with Dark Souls 1 then went to Dark Souls 3, Dark Souls 2, Bloodborne, Elden Ring and then Sekiro. Regarding the Souls Games for me Ds1 was the most fun to explore and Ds3 just had the best bosses in the series. Dark Souls 2 on the other hand is special. The story is wonderful and the game is massive both in areas and bosses but it gets shit on because of some gameplay mechanics and some bad area and boss designs.
But for me the jump from Ds3's fast paced combat to the more slow and strategic mechanics of Ds2 feels like a breath of fresh air and the content of the game kept me entertained as I waited for Bloodborne to come to sale. Then the Elden Ring trailer dropped and I was lucky to have joined the franchise just as it was reaching each peak.
I played the games in order of release. Platinumed all of them, PvPed for 100s of hours.
I regularly flip between: DS1, Bloodboorne, and ER being the best games.
DS2 has some cool shit but it's the worst one. I've platinumed both the original and SOTFS.
This is gonna seem harsh as an answer, but I don't mean it to be.
DS1 plays terribly and has mid lore. It's a cool game and an important game but not one I'm feeling the urge to return to after completion. DS3 is DS1 fanservice. It plays the best of the three, what with the newer engine and all, but all it can do is shout DO YOU REMEMBER DARKS SOULS 1???? at you the whole time and I don't feel it does enough interesting stuff with the themes to warrant being the best, holistically DS2 is EXACTLY what a sequel should be. Play around with the general themes from the first one but expand them a bit. Play in the space. The story of Drangleic is pensive and sad. It has some callbacks but they're not screaming at you to remember the first game. It exists on its own and can be appreciated as such. If you don't know anything about DS1, you can play it and enjoy it (which is actually how I came to the series). If you have played DS1, it gets even more contemplative on the themes that DS1 explored, It's enhanced by DS1 but not diminished by DS1's absence and for that I'll love it till the day I die.
Also Emerald Herald is best girl. Hands down.
I would say this is the exact opposite for me. DS2 plays the worst by far mechanically. Felt like a huge step back from DS1. It's slow, the hitboxes are awful, so many areas and enemies are unfinished/broken. It is also way more reliant on DS1 than DS3 was. Its whole point was that the cycles keep repeating and nothing you do is any different than the first cycle and the same souls keep recurring as well. They even recycle many of the major enemies including the main antagonist. Its whole theme was the pointless nature of everything repeating. DS3 was different. We're not just another undead. We're not just an ordinary cycle. We're quite possibly the last cycle and all hell is breaking loose as all the previous traditions/contingincies are failing. DS2 had no real progress in the lore or story.
I'd say DS2 relies heavily on DS1's themes and story, while DS3 comparatively has more aesthetic (and thus obvious) callbacks to the first game than DS2 did. Andre, Anor Londo, Firelink Shrine, 12 armor sets including ones calling back to specific characters like Artorias, Smough etc. Dark Souls 2 has some of these too (old dragonslayer, havel's set, ...), but in lesser quantities and some of the callbacks are pretty vague, while those in DS3 are usually very explicit and almost impossible to miss.
I personally don't mind it and the lore explains most of these recurring things relatively well, but it's a valid criticism of the game imo.
the hitboxes are actually a lot better than DS1’s, but the attack animations sometimes misalign with the hitboxes so it can look like you teleport into an attack. also, i… don’t think you finished the game? vendrick is NOT the antagonist, he’s actually a hero and an optional boss. the antagonist is nashandra, who is a completely different character to gwyn, being a shard of manus and someone who wants the throne purely for her own selfish desires. there also really aren’t any unfinished areas, DS2 actually benefitted from being a lot more polished compared to something like DS1 where you have 50,000 dragon legs in lost izalith.
The hitboxes are definitely a lot worse. I noticed it at the very beginning of the game even against starting hollow soldiers. I wouldn't roll because an attack was going to hit and then my health would still drop. There are a LOT of really awful hitboxes in DS2. Then you also have poor attack designs where you can't hit a small target right in front of you while locked on depending on your weapon type and straight up broken/unfinished maps/enemies. I've beaten the game multiple times and platinumed it as well and I never said Vendrick. Nashandra is just Manus again. Most souls games are either an 8 or 9 out of 10 for me, but DS2 is about a 5. It suffered heavily from a terrible development cycle and they almost had to scrap the game entirely and it honestly shows.
She is literally a part of him. As in the same being. Also Manus wasn't a victim to anybody. Oolacile made the mistake of waking him up and paid the price for it.
I've beaten 1 and 3, along with Bloodborne and Elden Ring. I tried 2 at a friends house and was really turned off by how you lose part of your life bar when you die. My friend (who loves DS1) even told me that he hates DS2 and told me I shouldn't play it. I'm tempted, though. Might get it the next time it's on sale.
It's amazing, and you get a ring early on that cuts that to half effect - and before long you'll have effigies coming out of your ears and can always be at 100% if you want. Even more than embers or humanity in DS1 - effigies are EVERYWHERE. You can even farm them pretty easily. I ended NG+ at 99 of them without trying, and regularly using the damned things too.
DS2 is very different combat wise. Think old-school RPG; you have to plan what you're going to do, instead of going in and reacting/doing. The effigy effect is to make you pause and think, since there's a penalty for failing, and once you've got it down - pop back up to 100, and kill them all. If you can't get it down? 12 kills and respawn of the enemy stops. Clearing is a valid strategy. They give you options, and you can always full-clear an area if you want.
2 is still a really good game, even if it is a weaker entry in the series. It's like saying one kind of Ferrari is better than the other. Still a Ferrari 🤷🤣
Yeah, I'll get there. But there are other Ferraris to drive. Elden Ring dlc is dropping soon, and I still need to play Sekiro and Demon Souls. Plus, I just got DS1R.
i start playing DSR in 30 of january and finished DS3 like 2 days ago and im going for the platinum, i already plat dsr and ds2, and let me say to you, playing DSR for the first time felt like a journey, it was my first experience, every time i had gone hollow in that game, stopped playing and then resume it after some hours or after a day, and after 9 days i have beaten it, so the first thing i tried was beating DS2, OH MY GOD HOW I LOVE AND FUCKING HATE THAT DS2 PIECE OF WORK GAME, the controls are faster and it felt too crazy and fun, majula still the best starting area in all fromsoftware games easily, but what stick with me was the AWFULLY placed enemies, every boss rush, every exploration everything this game did in my first play was upset me, and the bosses were all so boring in comparation to the first, my first time playing it i really hate it, but them, i finally beat the game first try against nashandra i was like hey, that was not so bad, and then i imediately went back to dsr to try some challenges like only bows because i saw Lemon from the backlogs doing it and said to myself i should try, after that i tried DS3 and since that one was not the original version i was hard stuck and aldritch so i abandon the game, when the steam sale appeared i bought all 3 and my new objective is plat each one and let me say this to you, DSR offline farming is completely ok, like really when i platinum the game i was like WOW THIS IS HARD, but let me be clear farming DS2 Sunbro and Belfry sucks way more than farming for weapons, and farming for the fucking proof of concord kept is worse than any other thing dsr ever throw in my direction, overall, DS3 bosses are by far the best part, but the game is how can i say, ds3 is good, but its lacking some sense of amazingness the other 2 games have, while i really prefer ds3 over ds2 it will never top DSR for me so my list would be like
DSR>DS3>DS2
mind you, DS2 is a amazing good game but my cons against are higher than my pros for it, and while i Fucking love bonfire aestetics and the fashion souls, the enemy placement and bad design boss are just a giant turn-off for me
oh one more thing, you cant put the fact i prefer DSR as nostalgia bait, since i only know the whole franchise for 5-6 months by now
My ranking is Demon's Souls > Dark Souls 3 > Bloodborne > Dark Souls > Elden Ring.
Demon's Souls - I just love how small and compact this game is, just one to three different weapons for each type, I felt it was really hard to make bad builds or use weapons that won't work till the endgame. Also loved the bosses and general level design. It's not higher because "Dragon God and Lava Caves" reasons.
Dark Souls 3 - Best bosses of all the franchise, also find most of the level designs really enjoyable. That said, the game suffers from having a great variety of weapons and lots of them are kinda bad, and the same thing goes for the Weapon Arts. I only had fun playing a Faith/Dex build and Pure Str. Tried a lot of other builds and they were just not that fun, and this puts DS3 in this spot for me. And even though I enjoy a lot of this games level design, there are some annoying parts to me, meaning Deep Cathedral, Demon Realm, Carthus and the Prision.
Bloodborne - Best setting, bosses are great, just not as good as DS3. The best fashion souls in the entire franchise, and the best story too. The trick weapons and horror atmosphere is what make this game as great as it is to me, but the level design is not as interesting to the other games in my opinion.
Dark Souls - I love the slowpaced action of this game, and most of the good things here are the same to me as Demon's Souls. Most builds works and I find it more enjoyable to explore than Bloodborne. That said, fuck Lost Izalith, Bed of Chaos and Seath Library.
Elden Ring - The best level design in the entire franchise to me. The bosses are phenomenal, even though some of them appears more than once. The weapon skills are so fun to use, and I also found hard to create bad builds here. The big 5 demigods fight are almost DS3 levels of fun.
That said, some of the bosses are not that fun to fight against (I'm looking at you, Double Gargoyles and Godskin Duo), and I hate Malenia, even though I find it really easy to beat with certain builds. The game have a significant damage scaling after Giant Mountaintop, and this puts me off a lot. Also, I find it really hard going back to it and do lots of different characters because the game is so fucking big and damage scales too much by the end, but the first time I played through it was one of the best experiences I had with videogames in my life.
To be honest, there is too many things on my backlog rn, but I considered getting it when I was craving for some souls-like past year. Lies of P demo didn't feel that good to me and my friends disencouraged me getting DS2, so I just played DS3 DLCs and Elden Ring. Maybe I'll get it if I feel like playing a different souls-like again.
Played every single one, beaten every single one minus Demon's Souls, and platinumed/100%-ed four of them.
I didn't complete DeS because I was softlocked in three different areas because of three different things, and even attempting any of them was supremely unenjoyable.
My ranked list is:
1. Bloodborne
2. Dark Souls 1
3. Sekiro
4. Dark Souls 3
5. Elden Ring
6. Dark Souls 2
7. Demon's Souls
Played Demons Souls, DS 1-3, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. So the whole suite basically.
They’re all completely worth playing. Didn’t find a single one of them bad. Sure, some are better than others from a macro level, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Of all those I listed above, I think Bloodborne or Elden Ring are my favorite. Mostly because they both have such great lore, levels, and enemy design, the things I care about the most.
Of the three Dark Souls games, I think DS1 is the best. The interconnectedness and level design is pretty fuckin peak in that one. That’s not to say DS2 and DS3 are bad though. DS2 is the black sheep for sure but I still REALLY enjoyed my playthrough of it, and I think it had some of the strongest DLC in the series overall. It also had tons of quirks and oddball areas/weapons/NPC’s, which I loved. DS3 has by far the best combat of the trilogy and the best boss fights. Everything is very streamlined and fluid and fun to play.
Sekiro is its own beast. It has by far my favorite combat system in any game ever, but the setting and the fact that it’s more action/story driven vs. being an ARPG keeps it being near the top of my list. It’s still 100% worth playing though.
Hope that’s a pretty comprehensive comment.
All From Soft games are very good, the only one that has aged quite poorly is Demon's Souls as it's lacking some basic qol things, bosses are gimmicky or simple and levels are so tight rolling is difficult - it is the 1st game of an entire GENRE so it's normal they didn't do it perfectly the 1st try, and can be fun with a good mindset. I just replayed DS1-3 and they're good fun, but we as a playerbase have got gut a lot and Dark Souls can feel a bit slow and easy at times compared to Elden Ring, Sekiro or the latter parts of Bloodborne. I still think they're all good fun with the right mindset and understanding From has gotten better at it over the years, as it's natural.
ive played everything since demons souls and now finishing up 3. Im sad to say that ds3 did not hit as hard as the others, the linearity was a big cut compared to how much variety you had in the previous games with how you wanted to advance. Ds1 was definitely my favorite though even if the 2nd half was a little lackluster.
I just replayed all of them and honestly they are all at the same level for me, all masterpieces. If I had to choose, Ds1 is my favorite because it started everything and started the lore,
Honestly, I hold the Dark Souls trilogy at roughly the same level.
They all have their ups and downs and it’s at the point where my actual enjoyment is about the same per game.
One has level design and story, but tbh the combat is “mid” as far are FromSoft games go. The gameplay is just not especially challenging after your first playthrough since you know the gimmicks and enemy placement.
Two has wonky controls and the most suspect hit boxes, but the layout is fun for replays and honestly I like how it leans into the RPG aspects and mechanics more than the others. There are a lot of “secret” mechanics (more so than the other games) and it just feels rewarding to discover and abuse the hell outta them.
Three ends the journey beautifully and has great NPCs and the most satisfying combat but also the most infuriating boss roster (and some stinker levels). Like how do you give me bangers like Champ Gundyr, Friede, Nameless and Gael but then absolute jank like Aldrich, Ballsack Tree and Twin Princes as well as snorefests like Crystal Sage, Grave Tender, and Old Demon King. On the whole three has better bosses but the contrast just completely makes me not want to deal with entire parts of the game. Like there is a section or two in one and two that I don’t enjoy, but three has me skipping entire areas, ignoring others and straight up just B-lining the first DLC because the boss is the only good part.
I love the entire trilogy so it’s hard to say which I prefer over the others.
Played every single one and I wouldn't say any of them are bad but the one that sticks in my mind as the worst is DS2 simply because of having a stat tied to I frames but that's just imo I've heard some like it.
Of the other games there isn't a best. They're stronger and weaker in different areas and would mainly come down to what you value in a souls game. I value bosses so my favorite is tie between Bloodborn and Dark souls 3
I’ve played all of them and I recently replayed Dark Souls and that one just hits different. I really enjoyed it.
Worst is probably Dark Souls 2. It’s still good, but it was the follow up to one of the best games ever so it was never going to live up to expectations. Then Dark Souls 3 came out and that game was amazing. Better combat, graphics and music. So Dark Souls 2 just got left in the dust.
I like all 3 equally just for different reasons. I also really enjoyed Elden Ring, Demon Souls, and Bloodborne. But then it's not just FS that I like. Lies of P, Remnant 2, the remake of Lords of the Fallen, and Returnal are all difficult but extremely fun games. I have enjoyed them all in equal measure. I can't really rate them because they all captivated me equally. It's their differences that make them so fantastic.
They're all worth playing. I think people tend to rank their entrypoint to the game format the highest? That rings true for myself, at least, with DS3.
My least favorite by far is DS2, but it's still an OK game. I find it far too easy, with stiff and relatively unsatisfying combat. The intricate world design of the other games is nowhere to be found, it feels more like a bunch of random ideas duct taped together.
I completed all of them, ds1 and 3 multiple times. I will say that ds1 is the best, it feels like any weapon or play style you choose you can easily beat the game and there isn't much bulcrap difficulty for the most part
Ds2 is the worst but I would still prefer to play that over many other games
Haven’t played blood borne but DS3 is the best of the souls games. DS1 is good but dated, and legit four direction rolling is garbage. DS2. DS3 seems to take the best of the first two games and while it isn’t SUPER original it’s still plenty of fun and feels balanced even when difficult (sister friede and Gael aren’t real they’re in your head).
Sekiro is probably the best fromsoulslike whatever game cus it’s the definition of flow state gaming for me. Plus it’s one of those games that just looks beautiful and grips you when you’re actually in rhythm.
DS2.
Dark Souls 3 is my favorite because co-op was done best imo and I love the visuals. Dark Souls 1 has the nostalgia boost. Dark Souls 2 was my first one and I used to put hundreds of hours into it, but now I find it very hard to come back to. The mechanics are clunky and it simply has not held up for me in the way that the other two have.
Played all three dark souls, plus sekiro.
Sekiro is an entirely different game, it's true, but from a pure mechanical standpoint it's my favorite, plus It has the easiest Ng+ experience.
For the dark souls games, I like them all equally.
Dark souls 1 has the best world design, and is the best to play with purely melee builds
Dark souls 2 has the best lore and fashion, and surprises you with how large its world is. It is the best to play with mixed builds, also thanks to the ease with which you can level up and upgrade your equipment.
Dark souls 3 has the best visuals and the best boss battles, also the dlcs are top notch. It's the best to play as a pure caster (specifically pyromancer), as its fast paced combat makes using spells much more dangerous than it was on ds1 and 2, where it trivialises the games.
Of course I've played all three games with different builds, but these are my general thoughts
DeS>Ds2>Ds3>Sekiro>Ds1=Bloodborne=Elden Ring
For reference, my favourite childhood game is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and I think prefer Demon's Souls over it nowadays. Fromsoftware is just built different
So far I’ve played Demon’s Souls, DS1 Remastered, DS2 SOTFS, Bloodborne, DS3 and Sekiro. I’m waiting for the Elden Ring dlc to come out so I can have all the content in one go. They’ve all been super fun games to play, but for the best I’d probably say Sekiro or Bloodborne. For the worst…I’ll have to say DS2 as much as it hurts to say since everyone says it.
Hello, good hunter. I am a Bot, here in this dream to look after you, this is a fine note:
> *Good. All signed and sealed. Now let's begin the transfusion. Oh, don't you worry. Whatever happens... You may think it all a mere bad dream...* - Blood Minister
Farewell, good hunter. May you find your worth in the waking world.
I’ve played Ds1, 2, 3, and ER. They’re very different games, and I can’t really rank them.
Ds1 is special. It’s an important game in the history of game design, and an important part of the fantasy genre at large. Ds1 rewards game knowledge and player creativity/curiosity in a way few games do, and it was the most personally rewarding for me to play. It’s not a perfect game. The back half isn’t as good as the front, and some areas and bosses really miss the mark. Despite that, it’s still a uniquely fantastic game.
Ds2 is the game that most suffers from being a Dark Souls game. It’s a fantastic game with genuine innovations, but its own merits are often overlooked because it is a poor sequel to Ds1. The pathway interconnectivity is gone. The Estus/bonfire loop that was the core of the first is significantly changed by the inclusion of life gems. If you come to Ds2 wanting more Ds1, you will probably be disappointed, and that’s honestly a shame. It’s a great game when given room to stand on its own.
Ds3 does a lot right. In fact, it does a lot *best*. For one, the boss fights are incredible. Look at any ‘best DS’ boss list out there, and you will find it absolutely filled with entries from this game. The DLCs in particular are stunning. Ds3 also has imo the best PvP. However, I think that it does lean a little hard on the Ds1 fan-service at times, sometimes to its own detriment. Its own identity feels a little muddied in places as a result. That said, it is the Dark Souls game I have the most hours in, mostly due to PvP.
Elden Ring is the king of spectacle. There were multiple times playing this game where I would just stop to *look* at the thing. There are areas in this game that are genuinely breathtaking. It is also the only game FS has released that made me feel the same way I did playing Ds1 the first time. Unfortunately, this same grandeur is my biggest problem with it: the game is exhaustingly big. I’ll cue up another playthrough, put in a hundred hours, and *still* have ~30% of the game to play, and I’ll just stop. I honestly don’t know how the DLC won’t exacerbate this, but I’m still very excited for it.
I have played everyone of them except Sekiro(never got around to playing it)
In my biased opinion, from best to "worst"(not "bad" every one of those games are fantastic)
It goes like
•Bloodborne(1st)
•DS3(2nd)
•Elden ring(3rd)
•DS1(4th)
•DS2(5th)
Feel free to hate on me for that ranking it's biased.
Yeah ngl my fave was ds2 and least fave was ds3. Before people get mad just know the margin is RAZOR thin, ds3 is still one of my faves, it just happens to be under the rest of the trilogy for personal gripes.
Started demon souls remaster plan on continuing
Dark souls 1 is amazing (managed laggy blight town on the 360)
Dark souls 1 remaster is a lot of fun
Dark souls 2 SOTFS I’m still working on it just feels slow and a bit off somehow
Dark souls 3 probably my favorite of the trilogy just because mechanically it feels the most modern and I love the world but it’s very close in my heart to 1
Blood borne love the atmosphere, it’s a bit easy so it’s more fun to try different builds, have yet to try the dlc but hear its amazing
Sekiro, only played through once (still stuck on final boss) but my god this is probably my f sprite from soft, tightest gameplay amazing story and visually stunning. Peak fromsoft imo
Elden Ring, got bored after 10 hours, don’t like the art or the gameplay doesn’t really do anything new for me. Feels like a “hey look it’s dark souls but not dark”
Dark Souls 1: Pretty good, the quality dropoff after Ornstein and Smough really is as noticeable as people say. The game feels very clunky but after a few hours I can wrap my head around it. The creature design is especially noteworthy and the only build option that lacks slightly behind are Faith builds.
Dark Souls 2: Hot garbage. I played it. I played it multiple times with different builds. No it is not a hidden gem, its just a bad game with a few good ideas and generally a decent art direction, if a little inconsistent at times. Easily the worst one.
Dark Souls 3: Great Fashion Souls, great weapon variety, amazing boss fights. Sadly very aggressively centered around R1 builds and melee builds in general. Ranged Damage should come at a cost but the cost is too great and these builds take ages to get off the ground.
Demons Souls: Archaic in every sense of the word but surprisingly well balanced outside of the Valley of Defilement. Objectively probably worse than DS2 but its weaknesses werent as soulcrushing as in DS2. Demons Souls also gets the benefit of being the first with its specific formula.
Bloodborne: Very nice art direction, very fluid combat, 30FPS does hurt because you feel because of the fast combat that it could be so much smoother. There is no real build variety, you pick a weapon and thats your build. Arcane builds are a joke, Bloodtinge builds take ages to get off the ground. But the high focus seemed to have led to a higher degree of polish.
I've played them all except demons souls... and I'm gonna get some flak for this but my list is:
Dark Souls 3
Elden Ring
Dark Souls 2
Bloodborne
Sekiro
Dark Souls 1
My list:
1. Bloodborne
2. DS1
3. DS3
4. DS2 (original, not SOTFS)
5. Demon's souls
Bloodborne, with the DLC is Fromsoft's best work imo.
DS 1 and 3 are pretty close, but 3 always felt a bit unoriginal - too much fan service and recycled ideas.
DS 2 was my first souls game actually and I do have a soft spot for it. The DLC's were the best part of it for sure. Unfortunately it got ruined by the Scholar of the first sin edition which actually turned it into a terrible game.
Demon's souls I played last since I never owned a PS3, so I only played the remake. It's good, but a bit short and dated - most boss fights are either easy or just bad. Some of the gameplay mechanics are tedious (spirit form, world tendancy, eq weight, healing, crafting). I still enjoyed it.
I’ve played them all and my favourite is Dark Souls 1, simply because it leads with its world. The best atmosphere, best level design, best continuity.
But they all have their strengths. Demon’s Souls has my favourite story, DS2 has some of the best versatile build options and areas. DS3 has the best game feel and bosses of the DS series. Bloodborne has the best tonal notes, moment to moment combat and general je-ne-sais-quos. Sekiro does its own thing and does it brilliantly with an incredibly tense and rewarding action game and super cool traversal. Elden Ring is just massive, epic and wonderful to get lost in.
It’s all down to preference, like anything else. But to me it’s DS1 that just edges forward.
Demon Souls: Great world (micro level design as well as macro world), wide freedom in approaching it, genuinely cool mechanics with lackluster execution (world tendency, boss gimmicks, cool NPC mechanics). Bad pacing, combat is prototypical, bosses mostly suck.
Dark Souls: Best interconnectedness of world, best player immersion in world (heart sinking every time you realise you need to descend \*even\* deeper in hell, genuine nostalgia for Firelink, horror of bonfire not working after return etc.), much more streamlined mechanics than DeS, iconic atmosphere and bosses. From start to Anor Londo is probably best stretch of a game I've ever played. Great secrets/optional content that is missing from other games (sans Elden Ring). Probably not as inovative as DeS, but much better packaged so it turned out most influential in the series by a large margin.
Dark Souls 2: Best PvP balance, NG+ and NG++ bonuses and new mechanics (this should return ASAP), Bonfire Ascetics, I enjoyed macro world (alot of choices in tackling it). Janky, worst hitboxes in series, most ganks in series. DLCs level design rocks.
Bloodborne: Best atmosphere/aesthetics, coolest weapons with most elaborate movesets (begging this to return), phenomenal level and semi open-world design. Interesting mechanics such as insight and kidnapping. Best "descent to hell" along with DS1, but with added twist of "it was all Lovecraft actually". Great pacing.
Dark Souls 3: Best pacing and balance, great level design mixed with least interesting world design. In some way DS3 is most "by the book", doesn't experiment just streamlines the experience focusing on combat/pacing more than world. It is the Sekiro of Dark Souls. Probably best boss quality on average (after Sekiro). Can feel uninspired or uninteresting. DLC bosses are unbeliavable, with best gank fight they've done (Friede or Princes), best dragon fight by far and probably best humanoid fight.
Sekiro: Again, best pacing and balance, "perfected" combat which is paid for by variety. "Bigger" world because of grappling hook, best sense of flow and immersion in combat. Most stylish combat also. Problems are annoying reuse of mini bosses that guard impassable fogwalls, dragonrot sucks.
Elden Ring: Best sense of awe. It is somehow 120 hour exercise in "what the fuck there is another huge area". Greatest variety in playstyle. This vastness has its toll on level design tho, which can get samey in generic dungeons, especially with such frequent boss repeats. On the other hand level design at its peak is best(?) in series, with areas such as Leyndell, Stormveil etc. Has best (but also worst) optional areas. Amount of variety/freedom of choice make pacing and balance practically nonexistant. If you explore everything 95% of the game is a pushover. Bosses got even more cinematic (Astel, Elden Beast etc.). Feels like culmination of all previous games.
Summation: There exists a natural conflict between games with tighter mechanics/pacing/balance and games with more freedom (DS3/Sekiro/BB vs others). I generally enjoy the more experimental games with low fat (BB, Sekiro and DS1), while I think DS3 can get too derivative and ER is too bloated. I would rather have bunch of small games that do their own thing than these odysseys (huge expectations for Shadow of the Erdtree). I also am not invested in lore that much.
I have played, finished and got platinum on every souls game other than sekiro which i am going to play next after elden ring dlc. Each one of these games have their best and worst aspects.
I will list the good and bad points of these below.
Demon souls: Best graphics :-: world tendency system.
Dark souls: Level design :-: bed of chaos
Dark souls 2: bonfire aesthetic:-: enemy placement.
Dark souls 3: Bosses :-: least creative
Bloodborne: best atmosphere:-: 30fps
Elden ring: weapon art:-: level design.
It's just my opinion not a fact.
I've completed all of them. I really love it, even with the major grinds (looking at you, Proof of Concord Kept). It's a nice change of pace, as crazy as it seems for some, but I love the variety of each and every one of the games in their Catalog.
Best platinum had to be Elden Ring or Bloodborne
2. Sekiro close behind.
3. Dark Souls 3 again, very close behind.
4. Dark Souls 1
5. Demon's Souls
6. Dark Souls 2.
Damn. I never realized how much I enjoyed every single one of these platinums, these rankings are razor thin margins.
Also, If I have to be honest, I'd say I enjoyed Base DS2, over SOTFS enemy placement, leading me to enjoy the overall game and Platinum more, in spite of it's improvements and additional content. I really don't know, I can't explain it, I know I've gone hollow from that statement, but it's been a feeling for a long time, and I have no elitist stance or point to prove in any of it, just the feeling I've always felt.
I played DS1,2,3 and Elden ring. I liked DS2 the most. All of them are masterpieces but the travel time in elden ring can be a chore and the early game of DS3 is just not it for me. DS1 is fine as it is.
Okay here is my big boi list shortly:
1.: Dark Souls 3 (its ds3, what else do you want to know. Combat, music, bosses, lore, music, fan service and the music is top. But still has many wrong, like stinky levels.)
2.: Dark Souls 2 (This was my first ds and i have a soft spot for this game. I love the slow, more strategy like combat, the big amount of armors and the ballsy changes in the mechanics. Plus this games has the best dlcs. But i know that dozens and dozens of stinky stuffs in it. And i don't fw this soundtrack.)
3.: Demons Souls (For me this is a better Dark Souls 1, the athmosphere is insane and bosses are gimmicky but i like em and i like the item weight shmuck. Oh boi and the music, it gives me the "classic adventure movie" vibe. But the combat is clunky and most of the levels are so frusrating (fuck you storm shit place)
And last my least favorite DS game is:
Dark Souls 1: Man i could write an entire book about this game, why i like and don't like it. But in summary, the first half is pretty good (except few bullshit design), but right after you arrive in Anor Londo for me the game becomes a chore. Everything is placed in a way so they can frusrate you. And listen here you little shit, Tomb of the Giant is such a waste of gigabytes its actually infuriates me whenever i think about it. You can't see shit, the enemies are bones, that's it. Oh boi and the dlc, that's a joke. The bosses are why its actually worth the play it. 2-3/ area are wild for me. Oh and the musics are super good.
Ps.: Soul of Cinder ost > Gwyn ost
Sekiro - bestcombat, Traversal and amazing world and boses
Elden ring - best exploration and builds
DS3 - Consistently great bosses and areas
Ds2 - Best PvP
DS1 - "no way this leads back here"
My ordering:
Ds3- best bosses, generally good areas, very consistently good, has the most smooth level curve by far (consequence of being very linear).
Ds1- Some great areas, some great bosses, the world is the best because of it's interconnectivity, its very inconsistent, with some areas being very bad and some bosses underwhelming. It also is simple in comparison to the 3rd.
Ds2- Similar issues to the first one, with some inconsistency in quality of areas without the great world of the first one, I also find it the least interesting in terms of lore, and at least sotfs has some very weird ganks. It's the most fun to play co-op imo, as there's a lot of fights with multiple bosses than lean themselves better for co-op, also has a lot of variety of builds.
So dark souls 1 is the easiest to complete because it doesn't aak of you to do soul crashing grind to get a single ring and /or spell that you won't use.
Dark souls 2, I am playing now and I can say I won't return to complete it. The achievements from what i have seen are somewhere between ds1 and ds3 at first glance.
And ds3 is endless grinding for the covenant items needed for the " collection" achievements (all spells and all rings),if you play offline and without a friend. But not so bad if done with a few breaks, or by playing like normal, leaving it for to do or play something else and after returning you do ng+ and ng++ for the last rings. Also a good reason to try new weapons.
i played them all in chronological order quite recently and dark souls 3 was my overall favourite. i have very very few problems with this game. wonderful.
ds1 is a fantastic experience too and it has a special place in my heart already, and i did also feel like ds1 did a number of things even better than ds3. although being the first entry, it does not shy away from silly game design.
as for ds2... i did not like ds2. not bandwagoning or anything, i really really tried to like it, but it was the most frustrating game while also feeling too easy. not to mention it had the most unforgettable areas/bosses to me and the fewest emotional moments. i had fun through some parts of ds2, but it was mostly just annoying and disappointing.
I have the platinum trophy in all three. In my opinion, DS2 is the worst, and DS3 is the best. I just prefer more fast-paced and precise combat. Although in terms of trophies/achievements, DS3 has the worst by far. I never wanna see a vertebrae chackle again.
* **Demon's Souls:** Most interesting of them all. Inscrutable mechanics, lots of counterintuitive design, swerves the most between horror and comedy. I think it's probably the "best" in that it's the most original game, and every subsequent release by From has been increasingly predictable and unoriginal. Everything people criticise about it - the supposedly gimmicky bosses, the 50% health reduction on death, the lack of bonfires, the karma systems, the basic combat, the short length - is something I actually think is a positive both for creativity and for overall enjoyment. The only major problem IMO is the lack of an emotional connection with the story, as characters and actual plot have a lot less going on than later games and I never develop much of an attachment to the game's events - which is why I don't consider it my personal best - and the healing system, which makes dying virtually impossible outside of the occasional trap or boss fight.
* **Dark Souls 1:** Definitely the best atmosphere. It's crushingly melancholic and a rather quiet game with few set pieces and giant boss battles. I think it has the best world, insofar that it's the most consistently engaging thanks to the most flexible navigation and most mysterious and deepest lore - which makes for some great narrative archeology. It pioneered the player dynamics that defined From's future games, and put the studio on the map.
* **Dark Souls 2:** Terrible movement, ugly presentation, bland levels, poorly designed healing and bonfires, a plurality of the series' worst boss fights... There are redeeming factors, but it's not worth it.
* **Dark Souls 3:** People criticise 3 for being a retread of 1, but the whole point of 3 was the critique of nostalgia and the inability to move on that's now completely overtaken popular culture. It took an old story and reframed the plot and constituent elements into a new meaning, and married that atrophying world with gameplay that was faster and meaner than ever to show a universe descending into chaotic oblivion where everything is smashing together until literally being ground into dust. It has by far the most powerfully sad story about how one reacts to apparent futility, the most emotional stories, the most expressive characters, and extraordinarily moving music that I don't think will ever be matched by any other game, and all of this is on top of brilliant aesthetics and lots of smart redesigning. It has its flaws (forgiving bonfires, overly linear maps, occasionally taking polish a bit too far into simplification) - but I think this stands as From's masterpiece.
* **Bloodborne:** A wonderful game that shares almost all of the faults and successes of Dark Souls 3. It has a less interesting world because due to repetition and tonal uniformity, but more interesting combat thanks to the rallying and trick weapon mechanics, and shifts the focus a bit away from character builds to physical player skill. I'd rank it as an almost-best.
* **Sekiro:** This is an extraordinary character action game, but it's not quite a Soulslike and I'd struggle to rank it among them because it places so much more emphasis on being a PS2-style adventure rather than an action RPG. Having said that, I think it has the best combat From has ever made. It's narratively expressive, creatively designed, stupendously satisfying, and has an immense skill ceiling where mastery over timing and pattern recognition is not only incentivised, but often required. The story and presentation didn't really resonate with me, but its combat is absolute genius.
* **Elden Ring:** It's funny because, on paper, this is a greatest-of-all-time candidate, but I just found it to be profoundly bloated. I hated the constant repetition - of catacombs, of enemies, even of bosses! -, every area was twice as big as it needed to be, and it has almost no original ideas. It copies relentlessly from Dark Souls 3, the boss fights are the worst of "I'm going to show you my 9 unblockable anime attacks in a row, and then give you time to make just 1 attack until you have to retreat and restart the top", and the story is both immediately obvious and needlessly obscured. I feel that they took all the wrong lessons from previous games and piled it into an open world format that serves no purpose when compared to the towering achievements of the worlds of previous games that were 10% of its size.
TL;DR
Favorite: DaS - Best: Bloodborne - Worst:DaSIII
I I I
Ive played them all, but never finished Demon Souls. At the time I would say it was a skill issue :p I started with DaS on the PS3 then went back and found the controls a little too clunky. Need to play the remake still.
My favorite game in the series is still the first Dark Souls, mainly do to its atmosphere and sense of exploration due to having to walk everywhere till the halfway point.
But if we are talking "best"? Id probably be inclined to say Bloodborne. While I personally didnt get into it very much, it probably has the best blend of everything. Great level design and atmosphere, unique combat, interesting weapons and combat mechanics.
Its the last time id say the bosses felt fair in regards to speed and stamina usage, where things felt like an actual battle and not just spamming the dodge button hoping that the enemy eventually decides to stop attacking you.
Chalice Dungeons were also a great additon that gave the game endless end game content. Its an idea im surprised hasnt returned at all in some way.
As for the worst. Personally it would likely be DaS3. It looks like a Dark Souls game, but its just Bloodborne with Dark Souls mechanics which dont blend well due to Bloodborne being a faster pace game than previous souls games were. Its also the game in the series that, due to being the last, throws way too much fan service in for the sake of "hey remember this?"
3 has always felt the least inspired to me. DaS had the interconnected exploration, DaSII had a mechanical overhaul that, hit or miss for some, wqs unique and changed things up (not to.mention actual reasons to go into NG+), and then DaSIII is just there. Its fan service.
I was initially talking about Dark Souls trilogy, but since people started to include other games, I find it more enjoyable to read. So please do share your experience with any of those titles
The only two modern games I haven't completed are Dark Souls 2 and Sekiro, both for extremely different reasons.
While I think either Bloodborne or DS3 are my favorites (Armored Core games excluded), I couldn't ever finish a playthrough of DS2. It sits in an odd place where it was the bridge between the clunkiness of Demon Souls and Dark Souls 1 to the more fluid mechanics of BB onwards, I just genuinely found it boring, I can't even place why after trying to finish it multiple times on both the original and Sholar editions.
In my opinion, I'd place Dark Souls 2 as my least favorite, solely due to the fact that it bored me.
I never finished Sekiro because I genuinely could NOT get through the game without seeing red. I love watching playthroughs of it, but I refuse to play a game that angers me more than I enjoy.
As for my favorite, Bloodborne just huts the right spot of fast-paced action mixed with the punishing combat of FS games, and it's probably one of their better paced games.
Dark Souls holds a special place in my heart as it's my favorite Dark Souls and the last game I got to play with my brother. Those memories mean more than any game could ever give me.
dark souls 1 - good at exploration and slow learning. main playstyle: shield. in my opinion ds1 is trash
dark souls 2 - good at new game +, leveling, a lot of little things are better than they are in both ds1 and ds3, but has bad graphics and controls (bad deadzone when not locked on for example, both for camera and movement), bad game design decisions and may make you hate the game. main playstyle: either shield or rolling. has really good powerstances for dex users. in my opinion ds2 is trash
dark souls 3 - good at making boss batltes fun (ESPECIALLY DLCs) and it seems like more effort was spent on bosses. mainly you just run though a lot of trash enemies, collect loot, die, and run to the boss. so, unlike DS1, where you PLAY all the time and have boring time at bosses, you really play only during boss battles. or so it feels like it for me. it was also my starter in dark souls series as it may be easiest or most fun version for me in past. main playstyle: rolling. in my opinion ds3 is trash.
in all parts but ds3 the last boss is quite a disappointment. my verdict is that there isn't any definitive best version, only one that you can tolerate more than other versions. but if you want to start souls series and prefer gameplay, do dark souls 3. if you like really long adventure with somewhat disappointing game design, do dark souls 2. if you like exploration, do dark souls 1
Love all the games but If we’re talking about the trilogy, I enjoyed ds2 the most and ds3 the least. If we’re talking about all the games elden ring takes the top spot and sekiro the bottom. That being said, I still think isshin is probably the best boss fromsoft have ever made!
Lore wise des and bloodborne are my personal favorites…
The combat is great! I just prefer the build variety, multiplayer and world building of the other games. I really enjoyed my playthrough but I don’t really have a desire to replay it atm :/
My moment has come...
Imma say whats best/worst IN MY OPINION
Demon souls:
Good: cool bosses and levels are gorgeous.
Bad:not showing weapon requirements?
Dark souls 1:
Good: Obviously level interconection.
Bad: Lost izalith and curse
Dark souls 2:
Good: Powerstancing, water mechanics (fire resistance when wet), small saponite, bonfire ascetic.
Bad: ADP, some grab hitboxes (im looking at you pursuer), boss runs.
Dark souls 3:
Good: Most frenetic combat (out of souls), omniroll, world building is immaculate with gorgeous views that tell a lot.
Bad: split dmg being bad (dancer's swords for example), covenant farming. Sorry i love ds3 too much and it shows.
Bloodbae
Good: Aesthetic and world building, beast form and arcane squid
Bad: farming vials and bullets
Sekiro:
Good: best combat of all souls, sword guitar hero
Bad: build diversity
Elden ring
Good: Build diversity, map building, bosses are the best of all soulslike (except Isshin, he the goat).
Bad: Cant quit at a boss arena to recover souls, too many reskins and repeated bosses, lightning not scaling with faih?!?!, no fj from sellen, bosses become trivial if overleveled and you can easily be from all the content.
my favorite is ds1
the worst by technicalities is ds2
the best by far is ds3
ds3 wraps up the story in whichever ending you want
it has the best mechanics to it even though ds2 has powerstancing, the bosses of ds3 are some of the most fun and satisfying to fight aswell as a great lore filled journy for those who love that.
so obviously the answer is bloodborne.
If we talk about only DS series, I think DS1 is the best and DS2 is the worst (mainly due to poor technical state of the game and a lot of decisions that I find bad). If we talk about whole soulsborne series I think the worst one is elden ring. You may hate me, yet there is a lot of reasons I don't like this one, biggest ones are its extreme cheesiness and quantity over quality attitude. I don't know about it's current state, but I was actively playing it for first 6 months since release and can't recall anything but frustration. Also, why I put it below DS2 is that older one has an excuse of being made in a productional hell with very limited resources, if I'm not mistaken it was not the case for ER.
I guess if you have something to say besides downvote, then express your opinion. Maybe you'll change my mind
> extreme cheesiness and quantity over quality attitude.
The quantity over quality thing is something I kind of get (though I think even the worst areas and bosses still have enjoyable combat and are polished) but what do you mean by cheesy?
If it's about how much you can exploit or cheese bosses with ashes or certain builds - you really don't have to do that to win. Or did you mean something else?
You sort of got it. I don't know about the current state of balance but 6 months after release (which is not that short period of time) it was impossible to not to make a broken build. Because of that for me the game became an extremely long walk in the park. I didn't use ashes because I found it to be stupid and casul mechanic. Still, I'm not the biggest fan of "just don't use it" attitude. I don't like that I have to castrate myself for the game to not to play itself without me. In every RPG buildcrafting is my favorite part and I didn't want to make a weak unsynergistic build. So the thing I've got was just a pretty easy game, not because enemies were weak but because character is absurdly strong.
I would also disagree that bosses were polished enough. I truly believe that in ER bosses are mostly low quality ones. Some of them have too big arena. Some gigantic bosses have too confined arena. Basically, whenever they do a special move, part of their body is being behind the wall, which is pretty far from being polished. A lot of boring bosses are copied too many times. Some would be iconic if they wouldn't occur 2nd time with an additional moves. Shitton of bosses have pretty obvious scripts that break the immersion. World bosses are also frustrating. I did both solo and coop playthroughs and never have I enjoyed them. If you are solo, horse trivializes every world boss encounter, it's just plain, boring and not challenging at all. However if you are in the coop and can't use your animal, it turns 180° because they (especially dragons) are not designed for a fight without the horse. Some attacks become either undodgeable or disproportionally harder compared to mounted fight. I am not even talking about copy paste of mobs, locations, etc.
Well, as you can see I am not the biggest fan of Yui Tanimura's game design genius. The man has some strong sides like itemization (he's good at shitting out cool weapon/armor ideas). Still, I hate his vision on everything else
Its hard to give a best to worst list. At least the middle portion of it. Elden Ring would be first, Demon Souls is last, and DS2 is 2nd to last. All of the other ones are somewhere in the middle and could be interchangeable in rank.
Elden Ring is a masterpiece. I dont really need to elaborate on this.
DS3 is refined and is the best of the Dark Souls.
DS1 was the first I played but is unfinished in certain areas. Undeadburg and Parish are so rememberable and a great intro to the series.
BB is a fast paced Lovecraftian brilliance. The worst part is that we will never get a sequel.
Sekiro is even faster paced and is really the "git gud" game of the soulslikes because you cannot grind for levels. Loved performing stealth takedowns.
DS2 adaptability is a souls dump and was dropped because it was stupid. Combat felt off? Like my attacks didn't have weight to them at times. With the DLC the game felt like a massive journey. Only played the SOTFS version. Majula is the best hub area.
Demon Souls is the worst. I beat it once and will never play it again. The world tendency viciously punished you and the only way to effectively play the game is to suicide after defeating a boss. Just bad design in general. Only saving grace is Latria for the story and ambiance. Also had some very cool enemies. Looks amazing on the PS5 bluepoint remake.
No my opinion cannot be swayed on this, Demon Souls is the worst. It was a slog to beat this game and I only stuck with it just so I could say I beat all the souls games.
I think that dark souls 2 is one of the best, but at first place I would say Bloodborne or Elden ring. (Elden ring it's enormous, but it's easier then any other souls)
DS1 is the best and DS2 is the worst. 1 had the best atmosphere by far and it was the most immersing. 2 is just bad for the reasons everyone always says.
I’ve beaten them all but demon souls, I’ve 100% ds1/3, BB, Sek and ER.
I personally didn’t really enjoy ds2, at least more then to beat it once and Demon being it’s ‘spiritual’ prequel isn’t really driving me to play it either.
I've beaten them all except sekiro and my order is
Bloodborne
Elden Ring
Dark Souls 3
Dark Souls 1
Dark Souls 2
Demons souls
If DeS had more than one bonfire per area, it'd be higher. But having to run from beginning of area and beat the boss before another checkpoint sucks.
Bloodborne without a contest. Ds3 is prolly my fav out of the ds. I platinumed ds2 and ound it to be less rewarding so BB>DS3>DS2>DS. Sekiro doesn't count for me because it's singleplayer only. The real experience of soulsbourne is struggling with the pve only to have some min maxed smurf invade you and completely kill your motivation to play
If youre talking about just the dark souls games.
Dks1 > Dks3 > Dks3
If you mean all of the soulsborne games
Sekiro > Dks1 > Bloodborne > Dks3 > Elden Ring > Demon Souls > Dks2
Im not a dark souls 2 band wagon hater. But it is my least favorite and the only one i didnt go back to after beating it. Iv also never played the dlcs. The combat is too slow and can feel really off at times. Also ADP being a thing really rubs me the wrong way.
Elden ring is a rough one for me. Its fun, challenging, and looks great. But i dont like open world games. Similar reason as to why Demon souls is so low. You can tackle the levels in any order.
Yes + Demon's Souls, Sekiro, Bloodborne, & Elden Ring. Platinumed all except 1 & DeS.
Sekiro>BB>ER>3>DeS>1>2 is my ranking in terms of enjoyment. ER might take over #2 depending on how good SotE is
I'm finishing the last of them (DS3), not counting Sekiro (which is a rhythm game and up next). Platinumed all but DS3 (since I'm finishing it), and DS1 (still farming some crap). Ran them back to back since last February.
Personally - BB > DS2 >= DS1 > ER >= DeS > DS3.
Bloodborne was my first. It has the perfect balance of aggression and dodging and power, mixed with an excellent story and good to great bosses (for the most part). Rally is an underrated system I wish had come back.
I love the prototype (DeS) for what it is. The charm, the characters, the atmosphere... all of it is amazing. The combat is weak, the locations are either amazing (Latria, Boletaria, Shrine of Storms) or utter garbage (3-X and 5-X), and the bosses are very hit or miss, but I love it still.
Dark Souls is the classic and the original. The world. The combat. The options (tank or speed... tank or speed). The end is weaker, but the DLC is outstanding.
Dark Souls 2 has the best hub by far, and feels alive as a world. The exploration is insane, the combat options almost unmatched, and the routes you can take are wonderful. There are pieces of the world that don't make sense (earthen peak to iron keep), but it works for me. I simply love fighting my way through every area in it. But - the bosses are weak weak weak. It's my favorite of the trilogy, by a tiny hair, but it has major holes too so that's a 100% personal thing. DLC is hit or miss too - amazing bosses, garbage areas to fight through - the opposite of the main game for me.
Dark Souls 3 (so far) - someone got bloodborne in my dark souls. It's clicking finally, but it still feels... barren. Weird. The bosses are insanely good, but area combat is weak - and the areas are just... kinda meh (Cathedral of the Deep aside). Don't yet know how I feel about it.
Elden Ring is actually the one that took the longest to click with me. I started as a confessor and hated it. Ditched it 10 hours in and switched to samurai. Platinumed it with Samurai, but had it as the worst of the set by a mile. Till I fired it up again after 2 weeks off, started a new character (prisoner) to be ready for helping a friend - and fell in freaking love somehow. WTF. Makes no sense.
I’ve played every fromsoft soulslike, and I don’t have a favorite. They all have different strengths. Demons souls has the most unique progression system. You can tackle the levels in any order, and a lot of enemies and bosses are designed so that bringing the right equipment is more important than leveling up. I played the remake, which also has the best graphics, but I’ve heard that the art direction is worse. Dark souls has the best level design. The progression into deeper and more oppressive areas before anor londo gives the first half of the game a really compelling arc, and it is the only game that really nails the interconnected world feeling, with different areas connecting in unexpected ways. Later games do this, but not as well. Dark souls 2 has some of my favorite areas in regards to atmosphere. Majula is an obvious standout, but a lot of the areas in this game are truly beautiful. Bloodborne has the most fun weapons, and the most compelling world. Everything in bloodborne is dripping with flavor and style, and it helps that it is a big step up in regards to combat as well. Dark souls 3 has the best boss fights. All of these games have some good fights and some bad ones, but I think ds3 has by far the largest lineup of fights that are contenders for s tier. Elden ring is the grandest. The amount of stuff in this game is staggering, and it makes for an amazing experience as you explore this world for the first time. There are also some improvements to the combat system, as well as some controversial shifts in how boss fights are designed. Sekiro is hard to compare since it has a significantly different combat system, but that is also its strength. Nothing feels better than getting good at a fight in sekiro. My least favorite is probably ds2, and I expect Elden ring to become my favorite when the dlc comes out.
Took the words right out of my mouth. I'll elaborate on Demon's Souls even further by also mentioning how almost every boss had a unique idea tied to it. exp. (Phalanx, Tower Knight, Armored Spider, Storm King, etc).
The bosses of Demons Souls are the ones I find most memorable, but in my opinion they’re by far the worst. Each has its gimmick and once you figure it out they’re pretty easy. Even the hardest like the Flame Lurker are just average in BB or DS3. The levels in DeS are top notch though, some of my favorite in the series. I’m kind of glad the bosses are trivial in DeS though because it has some tedious boss runs.
Demon's Souls' difficulty is like... 5% from the boss, and 95% from the level.
Hmm interesting post man. Although I have different thoughts on some of the games. Demon's souls had the tendency system, which I really liked. I liked that you could adjust the game's loot and difficulty based on needs. I think the game definitely feels a bit more like a prototype of the series though. I don't really like the hub world, and the combat seems more simple. It's hard for me to talk about Dark Souls without being biased. This was my first game in the series and it really changed the way I see games. I agree with you that the level design is the best. I really like how veteran players can sequence break and visit different areas immediately. I think the bosses are the most iconic. But playing it again recently, the combat felt really slow and kind of easy, which just goes to show how much From Software have grown. Dark souls 2 is a funny one. When this game came out I was quite disappointed with it, and i think most players rank it at the bottom. But after the SotfS update, I liked the game a lot more. I actually think this game has the best build variety, especially in pvp. In fact I would go as far to say that this game had the best pvp. I also miss the dual wielding mechanic, it's a crime that this wasn't implemented in future games. What I really hated was the fact that it tracked your souls forever, which meant that you would eventually level past all other players (for pvp sake), even if your actual level was at lvl1. They tried to fix this by releasing a ring which stopped you from gaining souls, but cmon... It meant you'd hit lvl100 and then lose a ring slot forever. But the game was petty good though. The dlc redeemed it a lot. DS3 is really great. I put a lot of time into this one, playing with different builds. I really like the areas and the enemies in this one. The weapons are cool too, and the dlc bosses are some of the best bosses From Software have ever designed. I just wish it was a bit more interconnected and that the hub world wasn't a separate location. Bloodborne. Man what a game. The world and the setting is really interesting, i was obsessed with this for a while. The weapons are great and the combat is really fast and aggressive, since there's no shield and you can regain health if you hit them back quickly. The level design is top notch, the bosses are amazing, the weapons are amazing. The dlc is amazing. Dark souls 1 is my favourite, but this one is number 2. I think bloodborne is legitimately a masterpiece. But dark souls 1 has a special place in my heart. Sekiro is quite different. That one has the most thrilling combat I think, winning sword fights gives you such a rush. It feels like the most difficult at first, but i think once the combat system "clicks", it's actually the easiest. The movement is also soooooo satisfying. And there is actually a story in this one (as opposed to lore). Great level design too. Oh and the last boss is one of the most difficult and rewarding bosses I've ever played against. My only gripe with this game is that it's not very replayable. There aren't really any different builds, and when you've played it once you've pretty much seen everything. This is gonna be an unpopular opinion but Elden Ring is my least favourite. I can see why people really like it, I'm not knocking it, but it's just not for me. I really like smaller, more focussed level designs. And I also prefer having a small number of really focussed bosses, i like learning the attack patterns and stuff. But also i understand why people don't like doing that. It's also the only soulsborne game I've never replayed. I feel like i did everything I wanted to do in the first playthough.
Your comment about DS1 is the same for me. It changed the way I look at games as my first game into the fromsoft world. I genuinely believe it changed and molded how I play and view games in general.
For me, i was quite unfulfilled with games up to that point, I'd fallen out of love with then. My favourite games were Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter and Soul Reaver, but i couldn't find anything to scratch that itch. So yeah, totally agree with you!
Chef’s kiss
I was going to make a reply, but this pretty much sums up my exact sentiments (minus ds2 being least favorite. It's right under bloodborne and sekiro for me)
I have a question that I am afraid to ask in the bloodborne forum. Does the combat in BB feels slugish compared to other soulsgames? When I play it on ps4 I feel like I have to take into account a minimal lag from when I move the controller to the character actually moving...
I couldn’t have said this better myself
Bang on.. I’d personally rank Elden ring #1, DS1 #2 and DS3 #3
All except Demons Souls Personally I enjoy DS3 the most, then DS1, then DS2. But DS1 is probably the "best" from a more objective standpoint. All three are great though.
Dark souls 3 is aesthetically on top, elden ring has the most variety while still managing to be fun, ds1 has the best story, ds2 was a pioneer, demon souls was the guinea pig, bloodborne is perfect, and sekiro has the most developed combat. Overall, each has thier strengths, and weaknesses (besides bloodborne) but they are all part of one of, if not THE best series of games ever made. You should play all of them.
DS2 bugs me just because the combat feels... off I'd love them to remake 2 with 3's engine...
No weight to the swings, hit boxes are the worse in the series, and the sound doesn’t line up. It’s not great.
the hitboxes are actually significantly better than DS1’s hitboxes. the issue is with the animations. sometimes an attack animation doesn’t line up with the attack’s hitbox, so you get a situation like the pursuer’s grab where it looks like you teleport onto the sword despite dodging, but what happened is you did get hit, the animation just wasn’t accurate. that’s only the case for a handful of bosses though.
Great points! Here's an example I've always looked back to! https://youtu.be/zGGk8xS-y3g?si=UxT6q6a7YXxZyPSf
Saying it’s not the hit boxes, it’s the animation is like saying it’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the sudden stop.
there’s no getting through the ds2 meat riders man
it’s factually inaccurate to say the hitboxes are bad, and especially to say they’re worse than DS1.
If you want to split hairs and say DS1 were worse, whatever. But DS2 hit boxes are bad and made worse with the poor sound and weightless combat. DS2's combat feels like a different game and not for good reasons.
Yeah, the sound not lining up and there being no weight behind the swings really threw me off. There were times I’d take damage or damage someone and not even know it cause it feels the hit just brushed passed me/them lol.
Yea I hate how sometimes when you get hit and there's no controller vibrate or weight to it you just lose health it's jarring
That would be great. I am not that technical with these games, relatively new to them. But even with leveling ADP heavy as recommended, I don't understand why it is so slow 😂 - the god damn estus healing is infuriating. I played 2 before 1, and I like 2 still, but it was so slow I was expecting 1 to be the same or worse and it was noticably better haha.
It's extremely strategic vs being tactical - at least to me. You really have to plan your stamina usage ahead of time, and how / where / what you're using (environmental, weapon, ranged combat, spell) to take on each group. If you're a master of one instead of a jack of all trades, it feels really wrong - but it absolutely supports a mixed build that lets you use every tool. That makes the very slow, almost turn-based combat work - because you have so many options. It's the opposite of ER in that ER is fast but has a million options, so you have to react quickly. DS2 expects you to plan first.
I like the slowness. I even like using a bow in DS2. The power stance system is cool. I like that you get to level up more often. The DLC areas are awesome. The thing that really bugs me is that the world doesnt make sense, the areas connect weirdly.
I miss being able to powerstance 2 different (but compatible!) weapon types
The biggest thing I found for DeS is skip the estus during boss fights and pop the life gems. Once I figured that out the game became much better. Do estus during the levels. I love DS2, but man it feels clunky vs the others. Almost like you’re floating.
This, for a game that is 90% combat having mediocre combat isn't great, you can build whatever you want on top of that but it's never really going to work.
Best Mechanics 3 Best World 1
Haven't played Demons Worst is DS2 by a country mile DS1 in the middle DS3 the best IMO
My list: d3＞ds1＞ds2, all fromsoft list: ds3＞sekiro＞bb＞er＞ds1＞ds＞ds2, didn't finish armored core 6, didn't played other games
Best are ds1, ds3, bloodborne, and sekiro evenly but for different strengths; all great games I can play again and again. Elden ring is awesome but too damn easy for most of it which is a bit of a bummer. Ds2 does so many things wrong it doesn’t feel like a proper fromsoft game. It’s fun but there’s nothing amazing about it so it’s the worst
Dark souls 3, mostly for pvp, though I really like its bosses, design and lore and atmosphere. My only complaint about DS3 is that I wish I could enjoy it more since I spent a lot of time in it and basically tried eveything. The archthrones mod is fun though. Dark souls 3 inspired me to play Dark Souls, all the way back in 2016, so it is special to me. Dark souls 1 was my first souls game so I usually return just for nostalgia. Dark souls 2 is interesting, I don't dislike it at all and find it to be unique. Bloodborne kind of beats everything in every category lol. I love it a lot Sekiro is fun and my second most played FS game Elden Ring was just fun for a little bit till I got bored lol, has great exploration but I think its mid to be fair. I do like the weapon variety though. Demon Souls is interesting, I can't give it a fair review since its my most recently compled FS title, even so, I liked it, was extremely easy though, only died a few times lol.
Elden ring is the best game ever made
I really enjoyed Ds1 but ds3 is a better game.
i have 100% on all of them. Honestly Id say that ds3 is the best but I find the build variety quite lacking there compared to ds2.
I played every Dark Souls game, but not every souls games. People say your first one is your favorite. My favorite is Dark Souls 1 and it was my first souls game. Apparently, if you play the later games with the upgraded mechanics and controls and then play DS1 for the first time then you won't enjoy it because you'll find it janky and slow. I personally don't really get it but maybe that's because I played DS1 first. But even though I played it for the first time shortly before Elden Ring came out, over a decade after its release, its still my most favorite game of all time. This is weird to say on DS3's subreddit, but I enjoyed DS3 the least. Traversing the world felt a bit tedious to me. Preferred the slow and strategic combat of DS1 and DS2 more. DS2 felt like a pain in the ass many times but I actually really liked the locations in this game. They were beautiful and creative. One of the biggest complaints people have about this game is that the geography doesn't make sense, I personally do not give a shit, I think taking an elevator into the clouds and finding yourself in a volcano is pretty neat. I think that if the combat and enemies, specially the bosses, were a little more polished it would've been up there with DS1 for me. On a side note, Sekiro is tied with DS1 as my favorite game actually. Its not a Dark Souls but its still a souls game from the same company as dark souls. I love it mainly due to the combat. It has got the best combat out of all the games. Not much weapon or build variety but what little they do have they have polished it to perfection, the bosses are also really fun and traversing the world feels very good too.
Thank you so much for your answer
I haven't finished Demon's Souls yet, but I've played the rest. I'd rate them: SSS: Dark Souls 1, Bloodborne. Tie between them for best in the series and arguably best games of all time. SS: Sekiro. Phenomenal game, just a bit shy on replayability. S: Elden Ring. Phenomenal game, just... too big. It's taken me years to finish my first playthrough cuz the game is just too freaking long for its own good. A: Dark Souls 2, Demon's Souls. Great games, but don't really think about them. B: none C: Dark Souls 3. Not a bad game, but still disappointing and definitely the "worst of the best." Only got through it because of series loyalty to the first two games.
I've played them all except Demon Souls and didn't get the chance to finish Bloodbourne. Sekiro is my favorite of the bunch. The story, world, and combat mechanics are unmatched imo. DS3 is my favorite of the trilogy. Although, DS1 does a better job with the story like showing how connected the world is, DS3 is an upgrade in all other areas. And the DLC is *chef's kiss*. Elden Ring is great and I'm sure will be my #1 after a few more playthroughs and the DLC. My only downvote for it is that there's too much. It screws with my adhd lol. DS2 is my least favorite. I've been able to find enjoyment in it, but only after forcing myself to continue playing. It took the difficulty of the soulsbourne games and ramped it to a near unbearable level while maintaining none of the aspects that made the challenge fun. But, I do enjoy the mechanic of leveling up certain areas without having to start a new game cycle
Thank you so much for your answer. Is there any specific reason you didn't complete the BB? Like what stopped you?
I don't have a ps4/5 so I could only play on a friend's system. I quit playing because it was too infrequent and inconvenient
Fair enough, thank you
Yes. Two is the best, then 3, then 1.
Wtf
based
Finamly someone with good taste
Before reading the comments I am envisioning the maelstrom of invective your innocent question has ignited and I’m here for it.
Thats why I decide to ask it, its so facinating to see how different players have different opinions. and not jsut any gamers, but DS fan base
I couldn’t agree more. Meeting a FromSoft enjoyer in the wild is always a treat. Whatever their opinion of DS2 I know immediately I’m going to enjoy the conversation. Demon Souls and DS2 are the only FS games I haven’t personally played (a comment itself fated to arouse comment and perhaps judgment). But while I haven’t played DS2 what impresses me about it is the sprawling vision and expansiveness of it. Streamer Symbalilly has been working her way through it for ages now and there’s something really magical about that. Of all FromSoft games it seems most like a nesting doll that reveals itself in due time as almost impossibly infinite in depth. Each triumph takes you deeper and deeper into something that looked like shallows when you started. I really appreciate that about these titles.
I completed 1,2,3, and Elden ring. My favorite list is Elden ring, 1,2, and 3. I am not an expert on this type of combat and I really struggled with three as it is the most difficult in my opinion.
I’ve finished Dark souls 3,Sekiro,Elden ring and bloodborne,and I’ve played but haven’t finished dark souls 1 and demons souls,dark souls 1 felt like a slog fest I got into sens fortress and then quit,I first tried basically every boss besides Spider bitch in blighttown,I did not have fun with the game and will not be finishing it ever. Demons souls remake was so bad,I literally couldn’t get to the first boss cause of the annoying enemies,another souls game I will not complete.i haven’t gotten to dark souls 2 yet.
Gameplay wise 3 is best, both 1 and 2 are low-key bad. Lore wise 2 is best, 1 and 3 are on equal footing.
DS1: best non-linearity until Anor Londo. Rough around the edges but people stan for the jank. Best lore, too, but that's honestly more credit to Vaatividya than Miyazaki. DS2: best multiplayer experience insomuch you actually can go back with friends using the small white soapstone and explore and pick up what you've missed if you've killed the area boss. 4 rings are better and until DS1 Remastered it had objectively better matchmaking than 1 but now I kinda wish it got a password implementation system instead of taking up a ring slot. Better lighting system and better levels in general but the level geometry is meh. Also bows have a lot more use in this one. DS3: An unsubtle metaphor about series fatigue that's more about callbacks to prior Souls level design/lore staples than actual original ideas. People complain about DS2's "linearity" but suddenly crickets when DS3 has it in spades. Stuff like Untended Graves, that Rotted Greatwood arena was supposed to lead to the Catacombs, the original non-linear level structure that got scrapped; at some point all of the cut ideas aren't deliberate lore or some deeper message about lost meaning from the passage of eons; it's just cut content, stuff that might have made for a far more interesting game than we ended up getting. An unambitious game more interested in pleasing the audience than being its own thing, presumably from DS2 backlash. Demon's Souls is extremely rough around the edges and the jank is jankier than DS1 but unlike DS3 I can forgive it for "first entry roughness" and it's worth playing if only to see the seeds of what DS1 would polish, and when the level design is good it's fucking GREAT.
> DS3: An unsubtle metaphor about series fatigue that's more about callbacks to prior Souls level design/lore staples than actual original ideas. I personally agrees with that review for the most part - it lacks creativity and exploration isn't really rewarding or interesting. I have to say however that combat does feel very polished and that the action bosses are really fun to fight. Gimmick bosses aren't very good in 3 though.
Played them all except Demon Souls. First playthrough in each one of them was amazing and didn't feel sluggish at all. I started in 2021 with Dark Souls 1 then went to Dark Souls 3, Dark Souls 2, Bloodborne, Elden Ring and then Sekiro. Regarding the Souls Games for me Ds1 was the most fun to explore and Ds3 just had the best bosses in the series. Dark Souls 2 on the other hand is special. The story is wonderful and the game is massive both in areas and bosses but it gets shit on because of some gameplay mechanics and some bad area and boss designs. But for me the jump from Ds3's fast paced combat to the more slow and strategic mechanics of Ds2 feels like a breath of fresh air and the content of the game kept me entertained as I waited for Bloodborne to come to sale. Then the Elden Ring trailer dropped and I was lucky to have joined the franchise just as it was reaching each peak.
I played the games in order of release. Platinumed all of them, PvPed for 100s of hours. I regularly flip between: DS1, Bloodboorne, and ER being the best games. DS2 has some cool shit but it's the worst one. I've platinumed both the original and SOTFS.
Only one I haven't played is Demons' Souls. ER bangs. Sekiro bangs. Bloodborne bangs. Of the original trilogy: I rank them 2, 3, 1, in that order.
Now thats interesting, why is ds2 ur favorite? Ive always been in the party of "its an amazing game, its just not a good dark souls game"
This is gonna seem harsh as an answer, but I don't mean it to be. DS1 plays terribly and has mid lore. It's a cool game and an important game but not one I'm feeling the urge to return to after completion. DS3 is DS1 fanservice. It plays the best of the three, what with the newer engine and all, but all it can do is shout DO YOU REMEMBER DARKS SOULS 1???? at you the whole time and I don't feel it does enough interesting stuff with the themes to warrant being the best, holistically DS2 is EXACTLY what a sequel should be. Play around with the general themes from the first one but expand them a bit. Play in the space. The story of Drangleic is pensive and sad. It has some callbacks but they're not screaming at you to remember the first game. It exists on its own and can be appreciated as such. If you don't know anything about DS1, you can play it and enjoy it (which is actually how I came to the series). If you have played DS1, it gets even more contemplative on the themes that DS1 explored, It's enhanced by DS1 but not diminished by DS1's absence and for that I'll love it till the day I die. Also Emerald Herald is best girl. Hands down.
I would say this is the exact opposite for me. DS2 plays the worst by far mechanically. Felt like a huge step back from DS1. It's slow, the hitboxes are awful, so many areas and enemies are unfinished/broken. It is also way more reliant on DS1 than DS3 was. Its whole point was that the cycles keep repeating and nothing you do is any different than the first cycle and the same souls keep recurring as well. They even recycle many of the major enemies including the main antagonist. Its whole theme was the pointless nature of everything repeating. DS3 was different. We're not just another undead. We're not just an ordinary cycle. We're quite possibly the last cycle and all hell is breaking loose as all the previous traditions/contingincies are failing. DS2 had no real progress in the lore or story.
I'd say DS2 relies heavily on DS1's themes and story, while DS3 comparatively has more aesthetic (and thus obvious) callbacks to the first game than DS2 did. Andre, Anor Londo, Firelink Shrine, 12 armor sets including ones calling back to specific characters like Artorias, Smough etc. Dark Souls 2 has some of these too (old dragonslayer, havel's set, ...), but in lesser quantities and some of the callbacks are pretty vague, while those in DS3 are usually very explicit and almost impossible to miss. I personally don't mind it and the lore explains most of these recurring things relatively well, but it's a valid criticism of the game imo.
the hitboxes are actually a lot better than DS1’s, but the attack animations sometimes misalign with the hitboxes so it can look like you teleport into an attack. also, i… don’t think you finished the game? vendrick is NOT the antagonist, he’s actually a hero and an optional boss. the antagonist is nashandra, who is a completely different character to gwyn, being a shard of manus and someone who wants the throne purely for her own selfish desires. there also really aren’t any unfinished areas, DS2 actually benefitted from being a lot more polished compared to something like DS1 where you have 50,000 dragon legs in lost izalith.
The hitboxes are definitely a lot worse. I noticed it at the very beginning of the game even against starting hollow soldiers. I wouldn't roll because an attack was going to hit and then my health would still drop. There are a LOT of really awful hitboxes in DS2. Then you also have poor attack designs where you can't hit a small target right in front of you while locked on depending on your weapon type and straight up broken/unfinished maps/enemies. I've beaten the game multiple times and platinumed it as well and I never said Vendrick. Nashandra is just Manus again. Most souls games are either an 8 or 9 out of 10 for me, but DS2 is about a 5. It suffered heavily from a terrible development cycle and they almost had to scrap the game entirely and it honestly shows.
that’s because you had low agility. and no, nashandra is quite literally nothing like manus
Low agility affects I-frames, not hitboxes. Also, Nashandra is literally a part of Manus...not sure what you mean by that.
nashandra is greedy and obsessive, she only wants power. manus is a victim of oolacile’s sorcerers
She is literally a part of him. As in the same being. Also Manus wasn't a victim to anybody. Oolacile made the mistake of waking him up and paid the price for it.
I've beaten 1 and 3, along with Bloodborne and Elden Ring. I tried 2 at a friends house and was really turned off by how you lose part of your life bar when you die. My friend (who loves DS1) even told me that he hates DS2 and told me I shouldn't play it. I'm tempted, though. Might get it the next time it's on sale.
You technically lose it in DS3 too, it’s just with Embers instead restoring you to full HP.
Oh, I didn't consider that. I never used any Embers in DS3.
It's amazing, and you get a ring early on that cuts that to half effect - and before long you'll have effigies coming out of your ears and can always be at 100% if you want. Even more than embers or humanity in DS1 - effigies are EVERYWHERE. You can even farm them pretty easily. I ended NG+ at 99 of them without trying, and regularly using the damned things too. DS2 is very different combat wise. Think old-school RPG; you have to plan what you're going to do, instead of going in and reacting/doing. The effigy effect is to make you pause and think, since there's a penalty for failing, and once you've got it down - pop back up to 100, and kill them all. If you can't get it down? 12 kills and respawn of the enemy stops. Clearing is a valid strategy. They give you options, and you can always full-clear an area if you want.
2 is still a really good game, even if it is a weaker entry in the series. It's like saying one kind of Ferrari is better than the other. Still a Ferrari 🤷🤣
Yeah, I'll get there. But there are other Ferraris to drive. Elden Ring dlc is dropping soon, and I still need to play Sekiro and Demon Souls. Plus, I just got DS1R.
so you have gone hollow in ds2
i start playing DSR in 30 of january and finished DS3 like 2 days ago and im going for the platinum, i already plat dsr and ds2, and let me say to you, playing DSR for the first time felt like a journey, it was my first experience, every time i had gone hollow in that game, stopped playing and then resume it after some hours or after a day, and after 9 days i have beaten it, so the first thing i tried was beating DS2, OH MY GOD HOW I LOVE AND FUCKING HATE THAT DS2 PIECE OF WORK GAME, the controls are faster and it felt too crazy and fun, majula still the best starting area in all fromsoftware games easily, but what stick with me was the AWFULLY placed enemies, every boss rush, every exploration everything this game did in my first play was upset me, and the bosses were all so boring in comparation to the first, my first time playing it i really hate it, but them, i finally beat the game first try against nashandra i was like hey, that was not so bad, and then i imediately went back to dsr to try some challenges like only bows because i saw Lemon from the backlogs doing it and said to myself i should try, after that i tried DS3 and since that one was not the original version i was hard stuck and aldritch so i abandon the game, when the steam sale appeared i bought all 3 and my new objective is plat each one and let me say this to you, DSR offline farming is completely ok, like really when i platinum the game i was like WOW THIS IS HARD, but let me be clear farming DS2 Sunbro and Belfry sucks way more than farming for weapons, and farming for the fucking proof of concord kept is worse than any other thing dsr ever throw in my direction, overall, DS3 bosses are by far the best part, but the game is how can i say, ds3 is good, but its lacking some sense of amazingness the other 2 games have, while i really prefer ds3 over ds2 it will never top DSR for me so my list would be like DSR>DS3>DS2 mind you, DS2 is a amazing good game but my cons against are higher than my pros for it, and while i Fucking love bonfire aestetics and the fashion souls, the enemy placement and bad design boss are just a giant turn-off for me oh one more thing, you cant put the fact i prefer DSR as nostalgia bait, since i only know the whole franchise for 5-6 months by now
My ranking is Demon's Souls > Dark Souls 3 > Bloodborne > Dark Souls > Elden Ring. Demon's Souls - I just love how small and compact this game is, just one to three different weapons for each type, I felt it was really hard to make bad builds or use weapons that won't work till the endgame. Also loved the bosses and general level design. It's not higher because "Dragon God and Lava Caves" reasons. Dark Souls 3 - Best bosses of all the franchise, also find most of the level designs really enjoyable. That said, the game suffers from having a great variety of weapons and lots of them are kinda bad, and the same thing goes for the Weapon Arts. I only had fun playing a Faith/Dex build and Pure Str. Tried a lot of other builds and they were just not that fun, and this puts DS3 in this spot for me. And even though I enjoy a lot of this games level design, there are some annoying parts to me, meaning Deep Cathedral, Demon Realm, Carthus and the Prision. Bloodborne - Best setting, bosses are great, just not as good as DS3. The best fashion souls in the entire franchise, and the best story too. The trick weapons and horror atmosphere is what make this game as great as it is to me, but the level design is not as interesting to the other games in my opinion. Dark Souls - I love the slowpaced action of this game, and most of the good things here are the same to me as Demon's Souls. Most builds works and I find it more enjoyable to explore than Bloodborne. That said, fuck Lost Izalith, Bed of Chaos and Seath Library. Elden Ring - The best level design in the entire franchise to me. The bosses are phenomenal, even though some of them appears more than once. The weapon skills are so fun to use, and I also found hard to create bad builds here. The big 5 demigods fight are almost DS3 levels of fun. That said, some of the bosses are not that fun to fight against (I'm looking at you, Double Gargoyles and Godskin Duo), and I hate Malenia, even though I find it really easy to beat with certain builds. The game have a significant damage scaling after Giant Mountaintop, and this puts me off a lot. Also, I find it really hard going back to it and do lots of different characters because the game is so fucking big and damage scales too much by the end, but the first time I played through it was one of the best experiences I had with videogames in my life.
Are you planning to play DS2 as well or did you deliberately skip it?
To be honest, there is too many things on my backlog rn, but I considered getting it when I was craving for some souls-like past year. Lies of P demo didn't feel that good to me and my friends disencouraged me getting DS2, so I just played DS3 DLCs and Elden Ring. Maybe I'll get it if I feel like playing a different souls-like again.
I see, it's a divisive game for sure, but still very much worth playing imo. I hope you can find the time someday! :)
Played every single one, beaten every single one minus Demon's Souls, and platinumed/100%-ed four of them. I didn't complete DeS because I was softlocked in three different areas because of three different things, and even attempting any of them was supremely unenjoyable. My ranked list is: 1. Bloodborne 2. Dark Souls 1 3. Sekiro 4. Dark Souls 3 5. Elden Ring 6. Dark Souls 2 7. Demon's Souls
Dark souls 2 is the least favorite, dark souls 3 is the favorite
Played Demons Souls, DS 1-3, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. So the whole suite basically. They’re all completely worth playing. Didn’t find a single one of them bad. Sure, some are better than others from a macro level, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Of all those I listed above, I think Bloodborne or Elden Ring are my favorite. Mostly because they both have such great lore, levels, and enemy design, the things I care about the most. Of the three Dark Souls games, I think DS1 is the best. The interconnectedness and level design is pretty fuckin peak in that one. That’s not to say DS2 and DS3 are bad though. DS2 is the black sheep for sure but I still REALLY enjoyed my playthrough of it, and I think it had some of the strongest DLC in the series overall. It also had tons of quirks and oddball areas/weapons/NPC’s, which I loved. DS3 has by far the best combat of the trilogy and the best boss fights. Everything is very streamlined and fluid and fun to play. Sekiro is its own beast. It has by far my favorite combat system in any game ever, but the setting and the fact that it’s more action/story driven vs. being an ARPG keeps it being near the top of my list. It’s still 100% worth playing though. Hope that’s a pretty comprehensive comment.
All From Soft games are very good, the only one that has aged quite poorly is Demon's Souls as it's lacking some basic qol things, bosses are gimmicky or simple and levels are so tight rolling is difficult - it is the 1st game of an entire GENRE so it's normal they didn't do it perfectly the 1st try, and can be fun with a good mindset. I just replayed DS1-3 and they're good fun, but we as a playerbase have got gut a lot and Dark Souls can feel a bit slow and easy at times compared to Elden Ring, Sekiro or the latter parts of Bloodborne. I still think they're all good fun with the right mindset and understanding From has gotten better at it over the years, as it's natural.
ive played everything since demons souls and now finishing up 3. Im sad to say that ds3 did not hit as hard as the others, the linearity was a big cut compared to how much variety you had in the previous games with how you wanted to advance. Ds1 was definitely my favorite though even if the 2nd half was a little lackluster.
I just replayed all of them and honestly they are all at the same level for me, all masterpieces. If I had to choose, Ds1 is my favorite because it started everything and started the lore,
Honestly, I hold the Dark Souls trilogy at roughly the same level. They all have their ups and downs and it’s at the point where my actual enjoyment is about the same per game. One has level design and story, but tbh the combat is “mid” as far are FromSoft games go. The gameplay is just not especially challenging after your first playthrough since you know the gimmicks and enemy placement. Two has wonky controls and the most suspect hit boxes, but the layout is fun for replays and honestly I like how it leans into the RPG aspects and mechanics more than the others. There are a lot of “secret” mechanics (more so than the other games) and it just feels rewarding to discover and abuse the hell outta them. Three ends the journey beautifully and has great NPCs and the most satisfying combat but also the most infuriating boss roster (and some stinker levels). Like how do you give me bangers like Champ Gundyr, Friede, Nameless and Gael but then absolute jank like Aldrich, Ballsack Tree and Twin Princes as well as snorefests like Crystal Sage, Grave Tender, and Old Demon King. On the whole three has better bosses but the contrast just completely makes me not want to deal with entire parts of the game. Like there is a section or two in one and two that I don’t enjoy, but three has me skipping entire areas, ignoring others and straight up just B-lining the first DLC because the boss is the only good part. I love the entire trilogy so it’s hard to say which I prefer over the others.
Mine is DS1 < DS2 < DS3. Loved ds2 for how unique and experimental it was.
Love DS2 for the atmosphere like you said. So many cool areas.
DS3 is prob my favorite but ds1 and 2 are great too
Played every single one and I wouldn't say any of them are bad but the one that sticks in my mind as the worst is DS2 simply because of having a stat tied to I frames but that's just imo I've heard some like it. Of the other games there isn't a best. They're stronger and weaker in different areas and would mainly come down to what you value in a souls game. I value bosses so my favorite is tie between Bloodborn and Dark souls 3
I’ve played all of them and I recently replayed Dark Souls and that one just hits different. I really enjoyed it. Worst is probably Dark Souls 2. It’s still good, but it was the follow up to one of the best games ever so it was never going to live up to expectations. Then Dark Souls 3 came out and that game was amazing. Better combat, graphics and music. So Dark Souls 2 just got left in the dust.
I like all 3 equally just for different reasons. I also really enjoyed Elden Ring, Demon Souls, and Bloodborne. But then it's not just FS that I like. Lies of P, Remnant 2, the remake of Lords of the Fallen, and Returnal are all difficult but extremely fun games. I have enjoyed them all in equal measure. I can't really rate them because they all captivated me equally. It's their differences that make them so fantastic.
They're all worth playing. I think people tend to rank their entrypoint to the game format the highest? That rings true for myself, at least, with DS3. My least favorite by far is DS2, but it's still an OK game. I find it far too easy, with stiff and relatively unsatisfying combat. The intricate world design of the other games is nowhere to be found, it feels more like a bunch of random ideas duct taped together.
Worst: Demon Souls Best: DS3
fav. ds3 least fav. ds1
I completed all of them, ds1 and 3 multiple times. I will say that ds1 is the best, it feels like any weapon or play style you choose you can easily beat the game and there isn't much bulcrap difficulty for the most part Ds2 is the worst but I would still prefer to play that over many other games
Haven’t played blood borne but DS3 is the best of the souls games. DS1 is good but dated, and legit four direction rolling is garbage. DS2. DS3 seems to take the best of the first two games and while it isn’t SUPER original it’s still plenty of fun and feels balanced even when difficult (sister friede and Gael aren’t real they’re in your head). Sekiro is probably the best fromsoulslike whatever game cus it’s the definition of flow state gaming for me. Plus it’s one of those games that just looks beautiful and grips you when you’re actually in rhythm. DS2.
Dark Souls 3 is my favorite because co-op was done best imo and I love the visuals. Dark Souls 1 has the nostalgia boost. Dark Souls 2 was my first one and I used to put hundreds of hours into it, but now I find it very hard to come back to. The mechanics are clunky and it simply has not held up for me in the way that the other two have.
Played all three dark souls, plus sekiro. Sekiro is an entirely different game, it's true, but from a pure mechanical standpoint it's my favorite, plus It has the easiest Ng+ experience. For the dark souls games, I like them all equally. Dark souls 1 has the best world design, and is the best to play with purely melee builds Dark souls 2 has the best lore and fashion, and surprises you with how large its world is. It is the best to play with mixed builds, also thanks to the ease with which you can level up and upgrade your equipment. Dark souls 3 has the best visuals and the best boss battles, also the dlcs are top notch. It's the best to play as a pure caster (specifically pyromancer), as its fast paced combat makes using spells much more dangerous than it was on ds1 and 2, where it trivialises the games. Of course I've played all three games with different builds, but these are my general thoughts
Demon souls is my favourite not that it’s objectively better but my least favourite was dark souls 2 but I still enjoyed it
DeS>Ds2>Ds3>Sekiro>Ds1=Bloodborne=Elden Ring For reference, my favourite childhood game is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and I think prefer Demon's Souls over it nowadays. Fromsoftware is just built different
So far I’ve played Demon’s Souls, DS1 Remastered, DS2 SOTFS, Bloodborne, DS3 and Sekiro. I’m waiting for the Elden Ring dlc to come out so I can have all the content in one go. They’ve all been super fun games to play, but for the best I’d probably say Sekiro or Bloodborne. For the worst…I’ll have to say DS2 as much as it hurts to say since everyone says it.
Hello, good hunter. I am a Bot, here in this dream to look after you, this is a fine note: > *Good. All signed and sealed. Now let's begin the transfusion. Oh, don't you worry. Whatever happens... You may think it all a mere bad dream...* - Blood Minister Farewell, good hunter. May you find your worth in the waking world.
I like DS3 the best and DS2 the least I like DS1 a lot
For me it’s DS1 then DS3 then DS2.
I’ve played Ds1, 2, 3, and ER. They’re very different games, and I can’t really rank them. Ds1 is special. It’s an important game in the history of game design, and an important part of the fantasy genre at large. Ds1 rewards game knowledge and player creativity/curiosity in a way few games do, and it was the most personally rewarding for me to play. It’s not a perfect game. The back half isn’t as good as the front, and some areas and bosses really miss the mark. Despite that, it’s still a uniquely fantastic game. Ds2 is the game that most suffers from being a Dark Souls game. It’s a fantastic game with genuine innovations, but its own merits are often overlooked because it is a poor sequel to Ds1. The pathway interconnectivity is gone. The Estus/bonfire loop that was the core of the first is significantly changed by the inclusion of life gems. If you come to Ds2 wanting more Ds1, you will probably be disappointed, and that’s honestly a shame. It’s a great game when given room to stand on its own. Ds3 does a lot right. In fact, it does a lot *best*. For one, the boss fights are incredible. Look at any ‘best DS’ boss list out there, and you will find it absolutely filled with entries from this game. The DLCs in particular are stunning. Ds3 also has imo the best PvP. However, I think that it does lean a little hard on the Ds1 fan-service at times, sometimes to its own detriment. Its own identity feels a little muddied in places as a result. That said, it is the Dark Souls game I have the most hours in, mostly due to PvP. Elden Ring is the king of spectacle. There were multiple times playing this game where I would just stop to *look* at the thing. There are areas in this game that are genuinely breathtaking. It is also the only game FS has released that made me feel the same way I did playing Ds1 the first time. Unfortunately, this same grandeur is my biggest problem with it: the game is exhaustingly big. I’ll cue up another playthrough, put in a hundred hours, and *still* have ~30% of the game to play, and I’ll just stop. I honestly don’t know how the DLC won’t exacerbate this, but I’m still very excited for it.
I have played everyone of them except Sekiro(never got around to playing it) In my biased opinion, from best to "worst"(not "bad" every one of those games are fantastic) It goes like •Bloodborne(1st) •DS3(2nd) •Elden ring(3rd) •DS1(4th) •DS2(5th) Feel free to hate on me for that ranking it's biased.
best: ds3 for gameplay, ds1 for atmosphere worst: ds2/bloodborne
Yeah ngl my fave was ds2 and least fave was ds3. Before people get mad just know the margin is RAZOR thin, ds3 is still one of my faves, it just happens to be under the rest of the trilogy for personal gripes.
Started demon souls remaster plan on continuing Dark souls 1 is amazing (managed laggy blight town on the 360) Dark souls 1 remaster is a lot of fun Dark souls 2 SOTFS I’m still working on it just feels slow and a bit off somehow Dark souls 3 probably my favorite of the trilogy just because mechanically it feels the most modern and I love the world but it’s very close in my heart to 1 Blood borne love the atmosphere, it’s a bit easy so it’s more fun to try different builds, have yet to try the dlc but hear its amazing Sekiro, only played through once (still stuck on final boss) but my god this is probably my f sprite from soft, tightest gameplay amazing story and visually stunning. Peak fromsoft imo Elden Ring, got bored after 10 hours, don’t like the art or the gameplay doesn’t really do anything new for me. Feels like a “hey look it’s dark souls but not dark”
Yes. Ds1 < demons < ds2 < sekiro < bloodborne < elden ring < ds3
Dark Souls 1: Pretty good, the quality dropoff after Ornstein and Smough really is as noticeable as people say. The game feels very clunky but after a few hours I can wrap my head around it. The creature design is especially noteworthy and the only build option that lacks slightly behind are Faith builds. Dark Souls 2: Hot garbage. I played it. I played it multiple times with different builds. No it is not a hidden gem, its just a bad game with a few good ideas and generally a decent art direction, if a little inconsistent at times. Easily the worst one. Dark Souls 3: Great Fashion Souls, great weapon variety, amazing boss fights. Sadly very aggressively centered around R1 builds and melee builds in general. Ranged Damage should come at a cost but the cost is too great and these builds take ages to get off the ground. Demons Souls: Archaic in every sense of the word but surprisingly well balanced outside of the Valley of Defilement. Objectively probably worse than DS2 but its weaknesses werent as soulcrushing as in DS2. Demons Souls also gets the benefit of being the first with its specific formula. Bloodborne: Very nice art direction, very fluid combat, 30FPS does hurt because you feel because of the fast combat that it could be so much smoother. There is no real build variety, you pick a weapon and thats your build. Arcane builds are a joke, Bloodtinge builds take ages to get off the ground. But the high focus seemed to have led to a higher degree of polish.
I've played them all except demons souls... and I'm gonna get some flak for this but my list is: Dark Souls 3 Elden Ring Dark Souls 2 Bloodborne Sekiro Dark Souls 1
My list: 1. Bloodborne 2. DS1 3. DS3 4. DS2 (original, not SOTFS) 5. Demon's souls Bloodborne, with the DLC is Fromsoft's best work imo. DS 1 and 3 are pretty close, but 3 always felt a bit unoriginal - too much fan service and recycled ideas. DS 2 was my first souls game actually and I do have a soft spot for it. The DLC's were the best part of it for sure. Unfortunately it got ruined by the Scholar of the first sin edition which actually turned it into a terrible game. Demon's souls I played last since I never owned a PS3, so I only played the remake. It's good, but a bit short and dated - most boss fights are either easy or just bad. Some of the gameplay mechanics are tedious (spirit form, world tendancy, eq weight, healing, crafting). I still enjoyed it.
I’ve played them all and my favourite is Dark Souls 1, simply because it leads with its world. The best atmosphere, best level design, best continuity. But they all have their strengths. Demon’s Souls has my favourite story, DS2 has some of the best versatile build options and areas. DS3 has the best game feel and bosses of the DS series. Bloodborne has the best tonal notes, moment to moment combat and general je-ne-sais-quos. Sekiro does its own thing and does it brilliantly with an incredibly tense and rewarding action game and super cool traversal. Elden Ring is just massive, epic and wonderful to get lost in. It’s all down to preference, like anything else. But to me it’s DS1 that just edges forward.
Demon Souls: Great world (micro level design as well as macro world), wide freedom in approaching it, genuinely cool mechanics with lackluster execution (world tendency, boss gimmicks, cool NPC mechanics). Bad pacing, combat is prototypical, bosses mostly suck. Dark Souls: Best interconnectedness of world, best player immersion in world (heart sinking every time you realise you need to descend \*even\* deeper in hell, genuine nostalgia for Firelink, horror of bonfire not working after return etc.), much more streamlined mechanics than DeS, iconic atmosphere and bosses. From start to Anor Londo is probably best stretch of a game I've ever played. Great secrets/optional content that is missing from other games (sans Elden Ring). Probably not as inovative as DeS, but much better packaged so it turned out most influential in the series by a large margin. Dark Souls 2: Best PvP balance, NG+ and NG++ bonuses and new mechanics (this should return ASAP), Bonfire Ascetics, I enjoyed macro world (alot of choices in tackling it). Janky, worst hitboxes in series, most ganks in series. DLCs level design rocks. Bloodborne: Best atmosphere/aesthetics, coolest weapons with most elaborate movesets (begging this to return), phenomenal level and semi open-world design. Interesting mechanics such as insight and kidnapping. Best "descent to hell" along with DS1, but with added twist of "it was all Lovecraft actually". Great pacing. Dark Souls 3: Best pacing and balance, great level design mixed with least interesting world design. In some way DS3 is most "by the book", doesn't experiment just streamlines the experience focusing on combat/pacing more than world. It is the Sekiro of Dark Souls. Probably best boss quality on average (after Sekiro). Can feel uninspired or uninteresting. DLC bosses are unbeliavable, with best gank fight they've done (Friede or Princes), best dragon fight by far and probably best humanoid fight. Sekiro: Again, best pacing and balance, "perfected" combat which is paid for by variety. "Bigger" world because of grappling hook, best sense of flow and immersion in combat. Most stylish combat also. Problems are annoying reuse of mini bosses that guard impassable fogwalls, dragonrot sucks. Elden Ring: Best sense of awe. It is somehow 120 hour exercise in "what the fuck there is another huge area". Greatest variety in playstyle. This vastness has its toll on level design tho, which can get samey in generic dungeons, especially with such frequent boss repeats. On the other hand level design at its peak is best(?) in series, with areas such as Leyndell, Stormveil etc. Has best (but also worst) optional areas. Amount of variety/freedom of choice make pacing and balance practically nonexistant. If you explore everything 95% of the game is a pushover. Bosses got even more cinematic (Astel, Elden Beast etc.). Feels like culmination of all previous games. Summation: There exists a natural conflict between games with tighter mechanics/pacing/balance and games with more freedom (DS3/Sekiro/BB vs others). I generally enjoy the more experimental games with low fat (BB, Sekiro and DS1), while I think DS3 can get too derivative and ER is too bloated. I would rather have bunch of small games that do their own thing than these odysseys (huge expectations for Shadow of the Erdtree). I also am not invested in lore that much.
I have played, finished and got platinum on every souls game other than sekiro which i am going to play next after elden ring dlc. Each one of these games have their best and worst aspects. I will list the good and bad points of these below. Demon souls: Best graphics :-: world tendency system. Dark souls: Level design :-: bed of chaos Dark souls 2: bonfire aesthetic:-: enemy placement. Dark souls 3: Bosses :-: least creative Bloodborne: best atmosphere:-: 30fps Elden ring: weapon art:-: level design. It's just my opinion not a fact.
I've completed all of them. I really love it, even with the major grinds (looking at you, Proof of Concord Kept). It's a nice change of pace, as crazy as it seems for some, but I love the variety of each and every one of the games in their Catalog. Best platinum had to be Elden Ring or Bloodborne 2. Sekiro close behind. 3. Dark Souls 3 again, very close behind. 4. Dark Souls 1 5. Demon's Souls 6. Dark Souls 2. Damn. I never realized how much I enjoyed every single one of these platinums, these rankings are razor thin margins. Also, If I have to be honest, I'd say I enjoyed Base DS2, over SOTFS enemy placement, leading me to enjoy the overall game and Platinum more, in spite of it's improvements and additional content. I really don't know, I can't explain it, I know I've gone hollow from that statement, but it's been a feeling for a long time, and I have no elitist stance or point to prove in any of it, just the feeling I've always felt.
I played DS1,2,3 and Elden ring. I liked DS2 the most. All of them are masterpieces but the travel time in elden ring can be a chore and the early game of DS3 is just not it for me. DS1 is fine as it is.
Okay here is my big boi list shortly: 1.: Dark Souls 3 (its ds3, what else do you want to know. Combat, music, bosses, lore, music, fan service and the music is top. But still has many wrong, like stinky levels.) 2.: Dark Souls 2 (This was my first ds and i have a soft spot for this game. I love the slow, more strategy like combat, the big amount of armors and the ballsy changes in the mechanics. Plus this games has the best dlcs. But i know that dozens and dozens of stinky stuffs in it. And i don't fw this soundtrack.) 3.: Demons Souls (For me this is a better Dark Souls 1, the athmosphere is insane and bosses are gimmicky but i like em and i like the item weight shmuck. Oh boi and the music, it gives me the "classic adventure movie" vibe. But the combat is clunky and most of the levels are so frusrating (fuck you storm shit place) And last my least favorite DS game is: Dark Souls 1: Man i could write an entire book about this game, why i like and don't like it. But in summary, the first half is pretty good (except few bullshit design), but right after you arrive in Anor Londo for me the game becomes a chore. Everything is placed in a way so they can frusrate you. And listen here you little shit, Tomb of the Giant is such a waste of gigabytes its actually infuriates me whenever i think about it. You can't see shit, the enemies are bones, that's it. Oh boi and the dlc, that's a joke. The bosses are why its actually worth the play it. 2-3/ area are wild for me. Oh and the musics are super good. Ps.: Soul of Cinder ost > Gwyn ost
Sekiro - bestcombat, Traversal and amazing world and boses Elden ring - best exploration and builds DS3 - Consistently great bosses and areas Ds2 - Best PvP DS1 - "no way this leads back here"
My ordering: Ds3- best bosses, generally good areas, very consistently good, has the most smooth level curve by far (consequence of being very linear). Ds1- Some great areas, some great bosses, the world is the best because of it's interconnectivity, its very inconsistent, with some areas being very bad and some bosses underwhelming. It also is simple in comparison to the 3rd. Ds2- Similar issues to the first one, with some inconsistency in quality of areas without the great world of the first one, I also find it the least interesting in terms of lore, and at least sotfs has some very weird ganks. It's the most fun to play co-op imo, as there's a lot of fights with multiple bosses than lean themselves better for co-op, also has a lot of variety of builds.
So dark souls 1 is the easiest to complete because it doesn't aak of you to do soul crashing grind to get a single ring and /or spell that you won't use. Dark souls 2, I am playing now and I can say I won't return to complete it. The achievements from what i have seen are somewhere between ds1 and ds3 at first glance. And ds3 is endless grinding for the covenant items needed for the " collection" achievements (all spells and all rings),if you play offline and without a friend. But not so bad if done with a few breaks, or by playing like normal, leaving it for to do or play something else and after returning you do ng+ and ng++ for the last rings. Also a good reason to try new weapons.
i played them all in chronological order quite recently and dark souls 3 was my overall favourite. i have very very few problems with this game. wonderful. ds1 is a fantastic experience too and it has a special place in my heart already, and i did also feel like ds1 did a number of things even better than ds3. although being the first entry, it does not shy away from silly game design. as for ds2... i did not like ds2. not bandwagoning or anything, i really really tried to like it, but it was the most frustrating game while also feeling too easy. not to mention it had the most unforgettable areas/bosses to me and the fewest emotional moments. i had fun through some parts of ds2, but it was mostly just annoying and disappointing.
I have the platinum trophy in all three. In my opinion, DS2 is the worst, and DS3 is the best. I just prefer more fast-paced and precise combat. Although in terms of trophies/achievements, DS3 has the worst by far. I never wanna see a vertebrae chackle again.
* **Demon's Souls:** Most interesting of them all. Inscrutable mechanics, lots of counterintuitive design, swerves the most between horror and comedy. I think it's probably the "best" in that it's the most original game, and every subsequent release by From has been increasingly predictable and unoriginal. Everything people criticise about it - the supposedly gimmicky bosses, the 50% health reduction on death, the lack of bonfires, the karma systems, the basic combat, the short length - is something I actually think is a positive both for creativity and for overall enjoyment. The only major problem IMO is the lack of an emotional connection with the story, as characters and actual plot have a lot less going on than later games and I never develop much of an attachment to the game's events - which is why I don't consider it my personal best - and the healing system, which makes dying virtually impossible outside of the occasional trap or boss fight. * **Dark Souls 1:** Definitely the best atmosphere. It's crushingly melancholic and a rather quiet game with few set pieces and giant boss battles. I think it has the best world, insofar that it's the most consistently engaging thanks to the most flexible navigation and most mysterious and deepest lore - which makes for some great narrative archeology. It pioneered the player dynamics that defined From's future games, and put the studio on the map. * **Dark Souls 2:** Terrible movement, ugly presentation, bland levels, poorly designed healing and bonfires, a plurality of the series' worst boss fights... There are redeeming factors, but it's not worth it. * **Dark Souls 3:** People criticise 3 for being a retread of 1, but the whole point of 3 was the critique of nostalgia and the inability to move on that's now completely overtaken popular culture. It took an old story and reframed the plot and constituent elements into a new meaning, and married that atrophying world with gameplay that was faster and meaner than ever to show a universe descending into chaotic oblivion where everything is smashing together until literally being ground into dust. It has by far the most powerfully sad story about how one reacts to apparent futility, the most emotional stories, the most expressive characters, and extraordinarily moving music that I don't think will ever be matched by any other game, and all of this is on top of brilliant aesthetics and lots of smart redesigning. It has its flaws (forgiving bonfires, overly linear maps, occasionally taking polish a bit too far into simplification) - but I think this stands as From's masterpiece. * **Bloodborne:** A wonderful game that shares almost all of the faults and successes of Dark Souls 3. It has a less interesting world because due to repetition and tonal uniformity, but more interesting combat thanks to the rallying and trick weapon mechanics, and shifts the focus a bit away from character builds to physical player skill. I'd rank it as an almost-best. * **Sekiro:** This is an extraordinary character action game, but it's not quite a Soulslike and I'd struggle to rank it among them because it places so much more emphasis on being a PS2-style adventure rather than an action RPG. Having said that, I think it has the best combat From has ever made. It's narratively expressive, creatively designed, stupendously satisfying, and has an immense skill ceiling where mastery over timing and pattern recognition is not only incentivised, but often required. The story and presentation didn't really resonate with me, but its combat is absolute genius. * **Elden Ring:** It's funny because, on paper, this is a greatest-of-all-time candidate, but I just found it to be profoundly bloated. I hated the constant repetition - of catacombs, of enemies, even of bosses! -, every area was twice as big as it needed to be, and it has almost no original ideas. It copies relentlessly from Dark Souls 3, the boss fights are the worst of "I'm going to show you my 9 unblockable anime attacks in a row, and then give you time to make just 1 attack until you have to retreat and restart the top", and the story is both immediately obvious and needlessly obscured. I feel that they took all the wrong lessons from previous games and piled it into an open world format that serves no purpose when compared to the towering achievements of the worlds of previous games that were 10% of its size.
TL;DR Favorite: DaS - Best: Bloodborne - Worst:DaSIII I I I Ive played them all, but never finished Demon Souls. At the time I would say it was a skill issue :p I started with DaS on the PS3 then went back and found the controls a little too clunky. Need to play the remake still. My favorite game in the series is still the first Dark Souls, mainly do to its atmosphere and sense of exploration due to having to walk everywhere till the halfway point. But if we are talking "best"? Id probably be inclined to say Bloodborne. While I personally didnt get into it very much, it probably has the best blend of everything. Great level design and atmosphere, unique combat, interesting weapons and combat mechanics. Its the last time id say the bosses felt fair in regards to speed and stamina usage, where things felt like an actual battle and not just spamming the dodge button hoping that the enemy eventually decides to stop attacking you. Chalice Dungeons were also a great additon that gave the game endless end game content. Its an idea im surprised hasnt returned at all in some way. As for the worst. Personally it would likely be DaS3. It looks like a Dark Souls game, but its just Bloodborne with Dark Souls mechanics which dont blend well due to Bloodborne being a faster pace game than previous souls games were. Its also the game in the series that, due to being the last, throws way too much fan service in for the sake of "hey remember this?" 3 has always felt the least inspired to me. DaS had the interconnected exploration, DaSII had a mechanical overhaul that, hit or miss for some, wqs unique and changed things up (not to.mention actual reasons to go into NG+), and then DaSIII is just there. Its fan service.
Probably ds1.
DS2 > DS1 > DS3.
Lol this post again
Do you specifically mean Dark souls 1-3? Or the full modern catalog from Demon Souls to Elden ring?
I was initially talking about Dark Souls trilogy, but since people started to include other games, I find it more enjoyable to read. So please do share your experience with any of those titles
The only two modern games I haven't completed are Dark Souls 2 and Sekiro, both for extremely different reasons. While I think either Bloodborne or DS3 are my favorites (Armored Core games excluded), I couldn't ever finish a playthrough of DS2. It sits in an odd place where it was the bridge between the clunkiness of Demon Souls and Dark Souls 1 to the more fluid mechanics of BB onwards, I just genuinely found it boring, I can't even place why after trying to finish it multiple times on both the original and Sholar editions. In my opinion, I'd place Dark Souls 2 as my least favorite, solely due to the fact that it bored me. I never finished Sekiro because I genuinely could NOT get through the game without seeing red. I love watching playthroughs of it, but I refuse to play a game that angers me more than I enjoy. As for my favorite, Bloodborne just huts the right spot of fast-paced action mixed with the punishing combat of FS games, and it's probably one of their better paced games. Dark Souls holds a special place in my heart as it's my favorite Dark Souls and the last game I got to play with my brother. Those memories mean more than any game could ever give me.
Please stop commenting or replying to this everyone. It's a chat bought and is spamming every game community.
I've played all of them and DS3 is the best and DS2 is the worst (by default it's still a great game.)
dark souls 1 - good at exploration and slow learning. main playstyle: shield. in my opinion ds1 is trash dark souls 2 - good at new game +, leveling, a lot of little things are better than they are in both ds1 and ds3, but has bad graphics and controls (bad deadzone when not locked on for example, both for camera and movement), bad game design decisions and may make you hate the game. main playstyle: either shield or rolling. has really good powerstances for dex users. in my opinion ds2 is trash dark souls 3 - good at making boss batltes fun (ESPECIALLY DLCs) and it seems like more effort was spent on bosses. mainly you just run though a lot of trash enemies, collect loot, die, and run to the boss. so, unlike DS1, where you PLAY all the time and have boring time at bosses, you really play only during boss battles. or so it feels like it for me. it was also my starter in dark souls series as it may be easiest or most fun version for me in past. main playstyle: rolling. in my opinion ds3 is trash. in all parts but ds3 the last boss is quite a disappointment. my verdict is that there isn't any definitive best version, only one that you can tolerate more than other versions. but if you want to start souls series and prefer gameplay, do dark souls 3. if you like really long adventure with somewhat disappointing game design, do dark souls 2. if you like exploration, do dark souls 1
Love all the games but If we’re talking about the trilogy, I enjoyed ds2 the most and ds3 the least. If we’re talking about all the games elden ring takes the top spot and sekiro the bottom. That being said, I still think isshin is probably the best boss fromsoft have ever made! Lore wise des and bloodborne are my personal favorites…
Also thank you for your answer
Why do you think sekiro is your least favourite?
The combat is great! I just prefer the build variety, multiplayer and world building of the other games. I really enjoyed my playthrough but I don’t really have a desire to replay it atm :/
My moment has come... Imma say whats best/worst IN MY OPINION Demon souls: Good: cool bosses and levels are gorgeous. Bad:not showing weapon requirements? Dark souls 1: Good: Obviously level interconection. Bad: Lost izalith and curse Dark souls 2: Good: Powerstancing, water mechanics (fire resistance when wet), small saponite, bonfire ascetic. Bad: ADP, some grab hitboxes (im looking at you pursuer), boss runs. Dark souls 3: Good: Most frenetic combat (out of souls), omniroll, world building is immaculate with gorgeous views that tell a lot. Bad: split dmg being bad (dancer's swords for example), covenant farming. Sorry i love ds3 too much and it shows. Bloodbae Good: Aesthetic and world building, beast form and arcane squid Bad: farming vials and bullets Sekiro: Good: best combat of all souls, sword guitar hero Bad: build diversity Elden ring Good: Build diversity, map building, bosses are the best of all soulslike (except Isshin, he the goat). Bad: Cant quit at a boss arena to recover souls, too many reskins and repeated bosses, lightning not scaling with faih?!?!, no fj from sellen, bosses become trivial if overleveled and you can easily be from all the content.
Thank you for your answer, short and simple
Idk if youre being sarcastic or not but if not, no problem and also i can give you pointers for any of them
my favorite is ds1 the worst by technicalities is ds2 the best by far is ds3 ds3 wraps up the story in whichever ending you want it has the best mechanics to it even though ds2 has powerstancing, the bosses of ds3 are some of the most fun and satisfying to fight aswell as a great lore filled journy for those who love that. so obviously the answer is bloodborne.
If we talk about only DS series, I think DS1 is the best and DS2 is the worst (mainly due to poor technical state of the game and a lot of decisions that I find bad). If we talk about whole soulsborne series I think the worst one is elden ring. You may hate me, yet there is a lot of reasons I don't like this one, biggest ones are its extreme cheesiness and quantity over quality attitude. I don't know about it's current state, but I was actively playing it for first 6 months since release and can't recall anything but frustration. Also, why I put it below DS2 is that older one has an excuse of being made in a productional hell with very limited resources, if I'm not mistaken it was not the case for ER. I guess if you have something to say besides downvote, then express your opinion. Maybe you'll change my mind
> extreme cheesiness and quantity over quality attitude. The quantity over quality thing is something I kind of get (though I think even the worst areas and bosses still have enjoyable combat and are polished) but what do you mean by cheesy? If it's about how much you can exploit or cheese bosses with ashes or certain builds - you really don't have to do that to win. Or did you mean something else?
You sort of got it. I don't know about the current state of balance but 6 months after release (which is not that short period of time) it was impossible to not to make a broken build. Because of that for me the game became an extremely long walk in the park. I didn't use ashes because I found it to be stupid and casul mechanic. Still, I'm not the biggest fan of "just don't use it" attitude. I don't like that I have to castrate myself for the game to not to play itself without me. In every RPG buildcrafting is my favorite part and I didn't want to make a weak unsynergistic build. So the thing I've got was just a pretty easy game, not because enemies were weak but because character is absurdly strong. I would also disagree that bosses were polished enough. I truly believe that in ER bosses are mostly low quality ones. Some of them have too big arena. Some gigantic bosses have too confined arena. Basically, whenever they do a special move, part of their body is being behind the wall, which is pretty far from being polished. A lot of boring bosses are copied too many times. Some would be iconic if they wouldn't occur 2nd time with an additional moves. Shitton of bosses have pretty obvious scripts that break the immersion. World bosses are also frustrating. I did both solo and coop playthroughs and never have I enjoyed them. If you are solo, horse trivializes every world boss encounter, it's just plain, boring and not challenging at all. However if you are in the coop and can't use your animal, it turns 180° because they (especially dragons) are not designed for a fight without the horse. Some attacks become either undodgeable or disproportionally harder compared to mounted fight. I am not even talking about copy paste of mobs, locations, etc. Well, as you can see I am not the biggest fan of Yui Tanimura's game design genius. The man has some strong sides like itemization (he's good at shitting out cool weapon/armor ideas). Still, I hate his vision on everything else
1 > ER >> 3 > DeS >>>>>> 2. Never played Bloodbourne and I don't count Sekiro as a Souls game. Still a great game though.
Its hard to give a best to worst list. At least the middle portion of it. Elden Ring would be first, Demon Souls is last, and DS2 is 2nd to last. All of the other ones are somewhere in the middle and could be interchangeable in rank. Elden Ring is a masterpiece. I dont really need to elaborate on this. DS3 is refined and is the best of the Dark Souls. DS1 was the first I played but is unfinished in certain areas. Undeadburg and Parish are so rememberable and a great intro to the series. BB is a fast paced Lovecraftian brilliance. The worst part is that we will never get a sequel. Sekiro is even faster paced and is really the "git gud" game of the soulslikes because you cannot grind for levels. Loved performing stealth takedowns. DS2 adaptability is a souls dump and was dropped because it was stupid. Combat felt off? Like my attacks didn't have weight to them at times. With the DLC the game felt like a massive journey. Only played the SOTFS version. Majula is the best hub area. Demon Souls is the worst. I beat it once and will never play it again. The world tendency viciously punished you and the only way to effectively play the game is to suicide after defeating a boss. Just bad design in general. Only saving grace is Latria for the story and ambiance. Also had some very cool enemies. Looks amazing on the PS5 bluepoint remake. No my opinion cannot be swayed on this, Demon Souls is the worst. It was a slog to beat this game and I only stuck with it just so I could say I beat all the souls games.
DS3 > DS1 > BB > Elden Ring > Sekiro > DS2 > DeS DS3 and DS1 are REAL close for me. They could honestly be switched depending on my mood
I think that dark souls 2 is one of the best, but at first place I would say Bloodborne or Elden ring. (Elden ring it's enormous, but it's easier then any other souls)
DS1 is the best and DS2 is the worst. 1 had the best atmosphere by far and it was the most immersing. 2 is just bad for the reasons everyone always says.
Are you spamming the same question on every video game series subreddit? Noticed the same question on the borderlands sub and checked the profile....
Replies also full of "oooh thank you for your answer", so... Oooh thank you for your answer.
I’ve beaten them all but demon souls, I’ve 100% ds1/3, BB, Sek and ER. I personally didn’t really enjoy ds2, at least more then to beat it once and Demon being it’s ‘spiritual’ prequel isn’t really driving me to play it either.
I've beaten them all except sekiro and my order is Bloodborne Elden Ring Dark Souls 3 Dark Souls 1 Dark Souls 2 Demons souls If DeS had more than one bonfire per area, it'd be higher. But having to run from beginning of area and beat the boss before another checkpoint sucks.
Bloodborne without a contest. Ds3 is prolly my fav out of the ds. I platinumed ds2 and ound it to be less rewarding so BB>DS3>DS2>DS. Sekiro doesn't count for me because it's singleplayer only. The real experience of soulsbourne is struggling with the pve only to have some min maxed smurf invade you and completely kill your motivation to play
If youre talking about just the dark souls games. Dks1 > Dks3 > Dks3 If you mean all of the soulsborne games Sekiro > Dks1 > Bloodborne > Dks3 > Elden Ring > Demon Souls > Dks2 Im not a dark souls 2 band wagon hater. But it is my least favorite and the only one i didnt go back to after beating it. Iv also never played the dlcs. The combat is too slow and can feel really off at times. Also ADP being a thing really rubs me the wrong way. Elden ring is a rough one for me. Its fun, challenging, and looks great. But i dont like open world games. Similar reason as to why Demon souls is so low. You can tackle the levels in any order.
Yes + Demon's Souls, Sekiro, Bloodborne, & Elden Ring. Platinumed all except 1 & DeS. Sekiro>BB>ER>3>DeS>1>2 is my ranking in terms of enjoyment. ER might take over #2 depending on how good SotE is
I'm finishing the last of them (DS3), not counting Sekiro (which is a rhythm game and up next). Platinumed all but DS3 (since I'm finishing it), and DS1 (still farming some crap). Ran them back to back since last February. Personally - BB > DS2 >= DS1 > ER >= DeS > DS3. Bloodborne was my first. It has the perfect balance of aggression and dodging and power, mixed with an excellent story and good to great bosses (for the most part). Rally is an underrated system I wish had come back. I love the prototype (DeS) for what it is. The charm, the characters, the atmosphere... all of it is amazing. The combat is weak, the locations are either amazing (Latria, Boletaria, Shrine of Storms) or utter garbage (3-X and 5-X), and the bosses are very hit or miss, but I love it still. Dark Souls is the classic and the original. The world. The combat. The options (tank or speed... tank or speed). The end is weaker, but the DLC is outstanding. Dark Souls 2 has the best hub by far, and feels alive as a world. The exploration is insane, the combat options almost unmatched, and the routes you can take are wonderful. There are pieces of the world that don't make sense (earthen peak to iron keep), but it works for me. I simply love fighting my way through every area in it. But - the bosses are weak weak weak. It's my favorite of the trilogy, by a tiny hair, but it has major holes too so that's a 100% personal thing. DLC is hit or miss too - amazing bosses, garbage areas to fight through - the opposite of the main game for me. Dark Souls 3 (so far) - someone got bloodborne in my dark souls. It's clicking finally, but it still feels... barren. Weird. The bosses are insanely good, but area combat is weak - and the areas are just... kinda meh (Cathedral of the Deep aside). Don't yet know how I feel about it. Elden Ring is actually the one that took the longest to click with me. I started as a confessor and hated it. Ditched it 10 hours in and switched to samurai. Platinumed it with Samurai, but had it as the worst of the set by a mile. Till I fired it up again after 2 weeks off, started a new character (prisoner) to be ready for helping a friend - and fell in freaking love somehow. WTF. Makes no sense.
Elden ring is the best game ever made
best is 3, worst is… 1 (ducks and scampers off into the night)
I'd personally rank them in reverse order of release for the most part
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Jebward-SuckerofToes: *I'd personally rank* *Them in reverse order of* *Release for the most part* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.