The games made by developer FromSoftware are often incredibly immersive titles that create levels of depth and difficulty rarely seen by other creators. The best of FromSoft’s work has created instant classics, with their strongest games having levels of detail that keep players engaged for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours. However, some FromSoft games stand as titans among giants through their unique worlds players have fallen in love with.

It’s worth noting that the “Soulsborne” series that FromSoft has made does not encompass the entire library of the developer. While the studios’ upcoming games often get compared to Dark Souls or Bloodborne, not everything they produce follows the same formula. In fact, the most compelling games FromSoft has created oftentimes break tradition for completely new experiences.

Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors

Long Forgotten RPG Hack And Slash

Along with King’s Field, Shadow Tower Abyss, and Ninja Blade, earlier FromSoft games like Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors clearly showed the developer’s first steps toward the dark fantasy genre they would embody later on. Otogi 2 is arguably the best of FromSoft’s initial releases, featuring hack-and-slash action within a genuinely intriguing combination of dark and light worlds to explore.

Both Otogi 2 and its predacessor, Otogi: Myth of Demons, are backwards compatible on Xbox One and Series X|S consoles, allowing you to go back in time to their early 2000s release to see FromSoft’s earlier works.

The atmosphere of Otogi 2 meshes well with the unique movesets of multiple playable characters, similar to “build” concepts you would see in later FromSoft titles that emphasize RPG elements more. While dated a bit by today’s standards in its controls, this game introduced tons of innovations and ideas that FromSoft would keep down the line.

Dark Souls 2

Overhated But Less Refined Entry In An Iconic Series

Dark Souls 2 gets a lot of grief from die-hard Dark Souls fans, mainly for how different it is compared to other entries in the series. However, the world of Dark Souls 2 is just as compelling as any other FromSoft game, even featuring locations that could be considered far more compelling. An amazing example of this is Majula, the calm hub area in the game that may be the best resting place in any *Dark Souls *game.

The problems with Dark Souls 2 come from its over-abundance of enemies or bosses, with each lacking the refinement seen in other games from the series. While the RPG mechanics still allow tons of creative freedom for character builds, some questionable deviations in certain systems are either loved or hated by fans. The differences in Dark Souls 2 don’t make it a “bad” game, as its scale and variety are fun to explore with solid replayability.

Demon’s Souls

The Origin Point Of “Soulslike” Titles

The original Demon’s Souls was not one of FromSoft’s overnight successes, but rather a game that built up popularity over time. This title serves as the first game to truly employ the “Soulslike” gameplay loop, letting players build up a character, fight challenging bosses, and explore vast areas through third-person action. The precise movements needed to defeat bosses with specific patterns in *Demon’s Souls *laid the groundwork for every Soulsborne game to come.

A 2020 remake of Demon’s Souls by Bluepoint Games elevates the original title in many ways, improving upon older visuals for a stunning graphical remaster.

While Demon’s Souls design isn’t perfect, the approach it had to the genre was singular at the time in 2009. This game might be one of the most challenging among any of FromSoft’s games, both for its lack of resources in levels and punishing bosses and enemies you encounter. That being said, finding the solutions to overcome Demon’s Souls extra obstacles is incredibly satisfying, a trend that would continue in other difficult FromSoft games.

Armored Core 3

Pure Creativity In The Hands Of Pilots

The Armored Core series is FromSoft’s other huge franchise, with Armored Core 3 being perhaps its greatest entry from the developer’s earlier work. Armored Core 3 allows players to pilot a custom mech, and like other games in the series, you can adjust it down to the most minute details. The level of creative expression on your mech makes for incredibly immersive builds, and AC3 lets you tweak your mech more than ever.

The number of parts you can equip for your mech is staggering, with AC3 allowing for tons of quality improvements as you progress. This entry is one of the most difficult in the Armored Core series, so your build matters with every unique mission. For many fans, Armored Core 3 does everything well, with almost endless options that you could experiment with for many hours.

Dark Souls

One Of The Strongest Starts To Any Series

Dark Souls is an icon in gaming for many reasons, refining what FromSoft learned in Demon’s Souls and crafting a truly one-of-a-kind experience. The action RPG systems from earlier titles make their return, but with a far greater level of interconnection that elevates and weaves everything together. With levels seamlessly bleeding into one another, Dark Souls’ world is given life, especially as players discover more while progressing.

The many secret storylines, characters, items, and other hidden parts of Dark Souls give it tons of replayability, marking a trend for multiple endings and routes later seen in other FromSoft titles.

The challenge of Dark Souls is legendary, featuring monstrous bosses that reward learning the game’s systems. Instead of boss encounters with annoying gimmicks, Dark Souls’s bosses are refined challenges, with clear patterns players have to learn to achieve victory. Even though some aspects of this game have become frustrating later, it’s a masterpiece of level design and remains so to this day.

Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon

Preparation And Mech Customization At Its Finest

After being dormant for a long time, the *Armored Core *series returned with Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, marking FromSoft’s return to explosive mech action. This game is a triumphant return too, giving fans both old and new classic mech customization to explore. This game reflects all the refinements of modern day FromSoft games, with gorgeous new graphics and tighter gameplay for awe-inspiring missions.

The designs of Armored Core 6’s mechs are back and better than ever, with so many different paths for players to follow. You can build many different types of mechs, from high-damaging ground-locked tanks to nimble yet fragile designs that feel like piloting a fighter jet. The combat of AC6 is more forgiving than earlier entries, with far more focused levels. As the easiest game in the series to get into, the amount of creativity in this game makes it easily one of FromSoft’s best.

Dark Souls 3

The Greatest Bosses To Ever Grace Gaming

The polish behind Dark Souls 3*, which* is built off of Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2’s shortcomings, creates one of the best action RPGs of all time, even compared to games FromSoft wasn’t involved with. The world of DS3 is presented beautifully, refined to perfection with faster combat that feels like it delivers extra weight to each of your character’s actions.

Dark Souls 3 does not have the same level of interconnectivity as the original Dark Souls, but it makes up for this by adding more RPG systems, such as a very large roster of spells, armor, and weapons for you to use.

The crown jewel of Dark Souls 3, though, are its bosses. This game has some of the best boss fights ever designed, which tote the line between difficulty and spectacle with a degree of balance few games ever get right. The DLC alone has incredible opponents like Slave Knight Gael, but other foes like the Nameless King and Soul of Cinder are also memorable. The cinematic feel of DS3 is almost unrivaled, making a landmark title in its genre.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Pinnacle Of Combat Through Master Swordsmanship

A promotional image for the 2019 FromSoftware video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a spin-off of the typical FromSoft formula, despite many of the same “Soulslike” systems being in place. While you still rest, fight, and explore areas in similar ways, the combat of this game is what really makes it stand apart. Fighting in Sekiro is like a dance, with precise strikes of a sword being mixed in with parries and maneuvers to weave in and out of battles against challenging foes.

The flow of combat in Sekiro is mesmerizing, with every enemy having an individual rhythm to their attacks that you can study. The better you get at this game, the more rewarding it feels with finding the right option for every pattern in a fight. The emphasis on mastering your fighting style is mixed in with fantastic environment and enemy designs, generating a FromSoft game that deserves more recognition.

Bloodborne

The Perfect Atmosphere That Needs A Sequel

FromSoft took a large risk with Bloodborne, a spin-off of the Souls series that puts players in a Victorian setting rather than dark fantasy. However, this risk was more than worth it, as it created one of the most beloved atmospheres in gaming as a whole. Bloodborne’s world is gritty, violent, rabid, and full of horrors that could be straight out of a Lovecraftian novel. The setting of Yharnam is filled to the brim with dark secrets, all just begging to be found.

Bloodborne changes up traditional FromSoft combat in big ways, replacing sword and shield arsenals with guns and transforming trick weapons. This creates a more aggressive gameplay style, with gunshots parrying enemy attacks and movement being fast, snappy dodges rather than completely evasive rolls. This sets players up to face their fears head on, and dive deep into the terrors that try to decimate them.

Much like Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne bosses are incredibly memorable, and might be the hardest in any FromSoft game. The Orphan of Kos in Bloodborne’s DLC is particularly intense, often considered the toughest enemy FromSoft has ever made.

Each level in Bloodborne has that same feel of interconnection that made players fall in love with the original Dark Souls. Deep RPG customizations are far more streamlined as well, removing some of the clutter in favor of more focused directions. This added simplicity allows Bloodborne to be the most approachable of the* *“Soulslike” series, standing alone as perhaps PlayStation’s best exclusive of all time.

Elden Ring

Open World Allows For Truly Endless Possibilities

It’s hard to say anything about Elden Ring that hasn’t already been praised, but it truly represents the finest work FromSoftware has ever done. This game takes the Soulsborne staples and transplants them into an open world, one with a vastness that can hardly be explained, only experienced. The number of details in Elden Ring will have you exploring every nook and cranny of its world for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours.

There are nearly infinite numbers of builds for your character, pushing the FromSoft RPG mechanics to their apex in the process. This culminates into epic battles against a menagerie of fantastic bosses, whose cinematic fights pave the way forward for a compelling story within the rich world.

The level of ambition in Elden Ring extends to just how much you are able to do at any given time. There are little to no restrictions on where you can travel, as every inch of the open world is accessible from the start of your journey. Even with plenty of challenges that Souls fans crave, almost every problem has multiple solutions, rewarding players to overcome obstacles in their own way.

With Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin advising the writting of this game’s lore, the world feels fully fleshed out, expansive, and fascinating to dig into. While FromSoftware has many titles under their belt that can be considered the “complete package,” it’s hard to deny that Elden Ring truly fits that description more than any other in their catalog.

Date Founded November 1, 1986

CEO Hidetaka Miyazaki

Parent Company Kadokawa Corporation, Sixjoy Hong Kong, Sony Interactive Entertainment