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The best Souls-like game from FromSoft is...?
- Thread starter LakeOf9
- Start date
darrylgorn
Member
The original Dark Souls, easily.
The way the world is specifically tailored yet still gives the illusion of pure freedom. The fantastical and medieval theme, throughout. The mystique surrounding the lore. The heft and solid feel to the movement and combat.
Yeah, I can't imagine any other game in the same caliber, they all seem like a shadow of this one.
The way the world is specifically tailored yet still gives the illusion of pure freedom. The fantastical and medieval theme, throughout. The mystique surrounding the lore. The heft and solid feel to the movement and combat.
Yeah, I can't imagine any other game in the same caliber, they all seem like a shadow of this one.
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay
Member
well technically all the games made by fromsoft are real soulsgames, not "soulslikes."
Soulslikes are an attempt at imitating souls, for example lords of the fallen. Dark souls 2 is the only choice on the list that is an attempt to copy the souls formula instead of a legit myazaki masterpiece so it IS a soulslike. And being the only non-souls game on the list, ds2 wins by default
Soulslikes are an attempt at imitating souls, for example lords of the fallen. Dark souls 2 is the only choice on the list that is an attempt to copy the souls formula instead of a legit myazaki masterpiece so it IS a soulslike. And being the only non-souls game on the list, ds2 wins by default
Guilty_AI
Member
ok nerd
Touch fuzZy. get BizZay
Member
Just being precise
FoxMcChief
Gold Member
I see the ponies have taken over the poll.
MiguelItUp
Member
I'd say Elden Ring as it felt like an accumulation of everything they've ever done for many reasons. Such a huge game with so much content.
But aesthetically it'll always be Bloodborne because it feels unique. Always has.
But aesthetically it'll always be Bloodborne because it feels unique. Always has.
laynelane
Member
I voted Bloodborne, but really it's in a tie with Demon's Souls for me. Demon's Souls was my introduction to Fromsoft and I've been a fan since. The game took over my life for a period of time. Explored every nook and cranny, tried out different weapons and play styles, and got the platinum. I played Bloodborne even more, though. The combat is so satisfying and even with the amount I've played, it's never lost its charm. Then there's the atmosphere, enemy design, and so many amazing bosses. Soundtracks are amazing for both games too.
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DaciaJC
Gold Member
Playing Dark Souls 3 looks like this.
Are you thinking of world design? Because
gaming_again
is right, the level design in DS3 is fantastic. Cathedral of the Deep, Royal Archives, heck I would even consider Farron Keep as one of the best swamp levels in the entire series because it's actually sprawling enough that you can easily lose your sense of direction.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
Absolutely bloodborne
Nothing beats its well crafted level and combat design. I felt a sense of satisfaction beating bosses that’s nowhere to be found in ER
Nothing beats its well crafted level and combat design. I felt a sense of satisfaction beating bosses that’s nowhere to be found in ER
TropicanaTwista
Member
1) BB
2) DS3
.
.
.
3)DS1
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4)Demon souls
.
.
.
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.
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5/6) DS2/ ER.
Do not care for these games at all. Way too many bosses, with a heavy majority of them not memorable at all. DS2 is also probably the closest game to ER in terms of open world, and I just feel that type of game doesn't work with FROMs formula at all. Takes you away from the good parts (gameplay and good boss design) and forces you to explore and in turn you're rewarded with shitty boring bosses. I will say, the DS2 dlc was great though.
2) DS3
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.
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3)DS1
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4)Demon souls
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.
.
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.
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5/6) DS2/ ER.
Do not care for these games at all. Way too many bosses, with a heavy majority of them not memorable at all. DS2 is also probably the closest game to ER in terms of open world, and I just feel that type of game doesn't work with FROMs formula at all. Takes you away from the good parts (gameplay and good boss design) and forces you to explore and in turn you're rewarded with shitty boring bosses. I will say, the DS2 dlc was great though.
LavitzSlambert
Member
Elden Ring. I can see why some would say Bloodborne, it's my second favorite. I really don't understand the reverence for DS1 though, other than I am guessing it was their first experience and they're stuck on nostalgia. While the first half is incredible, the majority of the second half is awful. Areas I never want to play ever again: Catacombs, Tomb of the Giants, The Duke's Archives, Crystal Cave, Demon Ruins, Lost Izalith, New Londo Ruins. The only areas I enjoyed past Anor Londo were The Great Hollow/Ash Lake, and the Artorias DLC.
From best to worst:
Elden Ring
Bloodborne
Dark Souls 2
Demons Souls
Dark Souls 1
Haven't played DS3 yet, nor Sekiro though it's supposedly a much different kind of game.
From best to worst:
Elden Ring
Bloodborne
Dark Souls 2
Demons Souls
Dark Souls 1
Haven't played DS3 yet, nor Sekiro though it's supposedly a much different kind of game.
ssringo
Member
Looking nice doesn't equate to replay value. There's a lack of gear variety with most of the stuff that's really different being locked behind later game areas/questlines. Great if you're into NG+ but I'm not; especially if there's literally nothing new (I pushed Dark Souls 2 quite far because there was some new stuff only in NG+). Plus there's only around 15 or so weapons in the base game so if a particular weapon/style doesn't do it for you then you have very limited options. Same thing with armor. The DLC adds a whole lot of options and several become available right after Amelia without the need to delve too deep into the DLC areas. All that boiled down to a blind run and a planned run with a save scum at the end to see the endings. Didn't feel like going again until the DLC released which then actually pushed me to do several more runs.
Edit: Also want to mention that load times were ass gravy terrible until it got patched to merely being slow. Something any late comers did not get to experience.
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existensmaximum
Member
To me, the "truest" Souls games with the most fleshed out identity and personality are Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
A couple of the other games are okay/good but none come close to the greatness of those two IMO.
A couple of the other games are okay/good but none come close to the greatness of those two IMO.
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DarkBatman
SBI’s Employee of the Year
Although I initially thought that the decision would be difficult for me, I have to say that it can actually only be BLOODBORNE imho.
The game easily took the top spot with the atmosphere alone, but then it fires up with great bosses, a phenomenal lore and an absorbing world. It was also the first FromSoftware title that I platinumed and I have to say that (aside from all the rage moments) I enjoyed every single second immensely.
The game easily took the top spot with the atmosphere alone, but then it fires up with great bosses, a phenomenal lore and an absorbing world. It was also the first FromSoftware title that I platinumed and I have to say that (aside from all the rage moments) I enjoyed every single second immensely.
kyussman
Member
I've not played them all so my opinion is a bit moot.....but Bloodborne for the setting alone is an all time classic game for me.I do appreciate the relative simplicity of Dark Souls though,before they got high on their own farts with the multi part boss fights and increased difficulty.
Fess
Member
I’ve only played Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne and Elden Ring.
Elden Ring is #1, my all time #2 in the whole hobby.
Demon’s Souls #2, PS5 remake for 60fps.
Bloodborne #3, needs a PS5 remake, framerate kills it for me.
Playing Shadow of the Erdtree right now in Elden Ring. How can FROM be so far ahead of everyone else?
Elden Ring is #1, my all time #2 in the whole hobby.
Demon’s Souls #2, PS5 remake for 60fps.
Bloodborne #3, needs a PS5 remake, framerate kills it for me.
Playing Shadow of the Erdtree right now in Elden Ring. How can FROM be so far ahead of everyone else?
NeoIkaruGAF
Gold Member
It’s not Dark Souls 3, and it sure as hell isn’t Elden Ring.
For me, nothing beats the tension and brutality of Demon’s Souls, or the perfect structure and the excellent fairness and balance of Dark Souls 1. For me, it all went downhill from there - though I didn’t play Bloodborne.
Dark Souls 1 has the best swamp in the series, and even Lost Izalith is still better than any fucking swamp seen later in the series.
Elden Ring can suck my rotten, tarnished peepee.
For me, nothing beats the tension and brutality of Demon’s Souls, or the perfect structure and the excellent fairness and balance of Dark Souls 1. For me, it all went downhill from there - though I didn’t play Bloodborne.
Dark Souls 1 has the best swamp in the series, and even Lost Izalith is still better than any fucking swamp seen later in the series.
Elden Ring can suck my rotten, tarnished peepee.
Gaiff
SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
I hear you, but the game is also a lot shorter than the others. The Trick Weapons are a cool mechanic for the game too because most of them are two-in-one so looking strictly at the raw number of weapons doesn't tell the whole story. There's also the fact that the move sets of the regular form and trick form can be combo'd into one another which is nice. There are fewer weapons but they're also far more unique with none resembling another unlike with Dark Souls where many weapons have move sets that bleed into one another. Never mind the fact that a few weapons are also utterly outclassed by a better variant, making the list of viable weapons not quite as expansive as it appears.
Still, this is a criticism I can understand.
Mephisto40
Member
Dark Souls 3
Fight me
Fight me
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
SOTE has a lot of balance issues and honestly I think people are choosing to ignore how glacially slow FROM are at evolving the formula.
I love their games but the plain truth is that there's plenty of room for improvement. Particularly on the UX side, I mean come on why give us such a crazy array of tools, gear and weapons then make switching builds and testing out various things so clumsy?
_Ex_
Member
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Pimpollo818
Member
FEAR THE OLD BLOOD
Moonjt9
No Silksong? = Delivering the pain.
I think Elden Ring is one of the best games of all time. Shadow of the Erdtree is a masterclass in world and level design that brings the genre back to its heights of dark souls 1.
However, there is something about the replayability that dark souls 3 has that makes it to the top of my list I think. It’s such a fun game to get into and go for a run because it’s relatively linear, something the classic souls games have that Elden ring’s open world lacks.
I might get flack but I think Bloodborne is great but it just doesn’t hit those sweet notes that Dark Souls and Elden Ring do. There really is something about swords and magic and dragons.
However, there is something about the replayability that dark souls 3 has that makes it to the top of my list I think. It’s such a fun game to get into and go for a run because it’s relatively linear, something the classic souls games have that Elden ring’s open world lacks.
I might get flack but I think Bloodborne is great but it just doesn’t hit those sweet notes that Dark Souls and Elden Ring do. There really is something about swords and magic and dragons.
Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Perfect thread to ask this in:
What about Sekiro? It’s just a twist on this formula is it not?
I went back to play this again first time since release. I have no clue how I ever beat this fucking game. I made it to the poison drunk guy outside of lady butterfly and it took me a hour to beat him. I had to look up a cheese online, and I never knew there was a NPC in the grass there to help with the fight?
I’m playing on my ps5 this time and not my PC, and idk if it’s input delay or what but I can’t parry jack shit. I feel slow and retarded trying to play this again.
But to answer your question OP: Elden Ring. It was Bloodborne for me but the new dlc put ER over the top for me. BB is a lot of rose tinted glasses. It definitely needs a 4k 60fps version to matter to me again. Plus the chalice dungeons won’t ever not suck.
What about Sekiro? It’s just a twist on this formula is it not?
I went back to play this again first time since release. I have no clue how I ever beat this fucking game. I made it to the poison drunk guy outside of lady butterfly and it took me a hour to beat him. I had to look up a cheese online, and I never knew there was a NPC in the grass there to help with the fight?
I’m playing on my ps5 this time and not my PC, and idk if it’s input delay or what but I can’t parry jack shit. I feel slow and retarded trying to play this again.
But to answer your question OP: Elden Ring. It was Bloodborne for me but the new dlc put ER over the top for me. BB is a lot of rose tinted glasses. It definitely needs a 4k 60fps version to matter to me again. Plus the chalice dungeons won’t ever not suck.
tommib
Banned
Never
Never played these. Wonder if I get one on eBay to play on my PS3…The OG FS Souls is still the best:
NeverYouMind
Member
It needs a fidelity boost but the chalice dungeons are an amazing way to farm blood gems, blood stones, Caryll runes, and blood echoes. Some of them even have challenging bosses. The chalice glyphs with the best loot make doing reruns fun. With a trip to Old Yahrnam you can have end game stats and gear with maxed out bullets and blood vials within a few hours.
Elden Ring scope is large but quality is middling. Very rarely does the game present an entertaining challenge or an event that has any effect on anything (only defeating Radahn and Maliketh has any real impact). The lore is kind of crap outside of two sidequests (Lunar Princess Rhanni and Sorceress Sellen). Bloodborne is more dynamic in these regards.
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linko9
Member
Replayed Demon's and Bloodborne this week. This was my first time replaying BB, and honestly I wasn't feeling it that much. Even the first time through, I felt the game world was too samey throughout, and too many of the bosses are just big monsters that you whack while only seeing their legs, and you don't really have to learn their attacks. the 30 fps is pretty painful too after playing ER and Demon's remake just before. This was my first replay of the Demon's remake (played the original 4 times maybe), and I enjoyed it more than I expected— short game, but I love the world, weapon, and armor design (Yurt's armor looks shit in the remake though).
Dark Souls is the easy winner for me, no contest. I honestly had no idea BB was this popular in comparison.
Dark Souls is the easy winner for me, no contest. I honestly had no idea BB was this popular in comparison.
Codes 208
Member
Its mostly due to the bosses and setting. Bloodborne has a lot more hits than misses. And Yharnam is such an awesome setting for a lycan/eldritch horror arpg
The only issue is the frame pacing and IQ, the very reasons why we want a remaster/remake
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bender
What time is it?
GigaBowser
The bear of bad news
CitizenKratos
Member
I would say Bloodborne takes the win counting From games only. Include Demons Souls 2020 and there might be contention.
NeverYouMind
Member
Most people were over the 2020 Demon Souls remaster the moment they had their hands on Elden Ring in 2022. It is actually funny that the PS4 version of Elden Ring feels two generations ahead of this PS5 exclusive.
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Good day and pleasant evening to the 6 other Dark Souls II GigaChads. 
Badlucktroll
Member
Elden Ring and BB are two of the best games i have ever played, however i also love the dark souls series. we must not let it be forgotten
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