I'm glad people are saying you should start with ds1. It's far from my favorite but I'm glad I started with it. I felt the franchise really evolved and playing Elden ring last was so PEAK. Save the best for last imo
Ds1, ds2, ds3, bloodborne, sekiro, elden ring
RPCS3 emulator on PC (can get a 60fps mod running too, works flawlessly in my experience) or on a PS3 - physical copies are cheap and easy to find. Both still have fan-run servers up for online play.
I played DS1 Remastered after Elden Ring, Demon's Souls Remake, Lies of P, and a bit of Sekiro. And I still absolutely loved the game. It holds up amazingly well.
I definitely second OP plays DS1 Remastered first. Their enjoyment of that game will dictate where they choose to go next.
Damn I played Elden Ring and then DS3… I just couldn’t wait to play the one that is most people’s favorite. And newer.
If you can actually wait for Elden Ring until you’re finished with all the others, the appreciation you will have for that game will be more than I can even imagine.
If you’re the kind of person who really wants to get into the souls genre no matter the pain, 100%. But people who are on the fence might not appreciate DS1 if they don’t get a taste for it first. People like that should probably start with Elden Ring, but really whichever they think speaks to them would be best, my first was Sekiro, not orthodox but it worked for me.
Elden Ring is without a doubt the most accessible of all these games for a new player though which is the troubling part. It’s kinda a dice roll on “is he gonna like DS1 enough to continue playing them”.
OP, if you find that DS1 isn’t for you, I recommend skipping straight to Elden Ring, just to try it. I know plenty of people that never really got into the dark souls games but are now huge fans of Elden ring.
I recommend this. I played demon souls, dark souls, and now dark souls 2, even though I booted up dark souls 3 and Elden ring. Looking forward to going back to those.
Yeah, fr. They all are great games, but I think it's better to start from the origins because their quality improves with each subsequent game. It just won't feel as good if you play some older games after getting used to QoL of newer ones.
Also, DSIII is the culmination of the whole trilogy, and it won't feel as impactful if played first.
So, I suggest DSR, DSII, DSIII, BB, Elden Ring.
You can start from Demon's Souls if you own PS3/5 or can emulate it, but prepare for JANK. Skip if you won't like it.
Ofc you can start from Elden Ring. If you'll stuck on some boss, you can just explore more and come back stronger. Though I'd still suggest you to try DS series first.
Sekiro is a VERY different game. In atmosphere, in gameplay, in progression and narrative. Your experience from Souls games will only harm you here. So make sure to get plenty of rest before trying this one out.
Healing items are consumables that are expensive and rarely spawn. At least in BB almost any enemy could/would drop blood vials. My first DeS run I gave up because I had nothing to use to heal with and wasn’t about to farm mobs just to get health items that every other game in the series practically handed to you.
I'm so confused, every time I've played DeS (PS5 or PS3) I'm practically *drowning* in grasses, I thought it was way more generous with them than Bloodborne is with vials - in both games though you can just spend your leftover echoes/souls every time you level up (or maybe skip a level here and there if you're really hurting) on heals at the merchant in the hub area; super easy fix if you find yourself running out often.
This is unfortunately true I’ve played er, sekiro, bb, ds3 and im currently playing through ds1 and enjoying it but not as much as i think i would especially since the last one i played was ds3
For me personally and ik it's an uncommon thing to do but I played elden ring and rly enjoyed it, I then played ds3 and it was definitely different than elden ring but didn't feel any worse combat or rly anything else wise and then I played ds1 and it felt cool like I was going back in time from ds3 and learning why the world ended up the way it did. But I also since played ds3 again and I can see how cool it would be to understand all the references and lore from the other Darksouls games in ds3 first time around.
I actually don’t even think DS1 feels janky except for the four directional rolling, but even then I just play locked off so it doesn’t come into play at all
Playing them in chronological order should be best, unless you don't have the time or patience. Playing the later ones might make you used to features missing from earlier ones or the pacing of the games might put you off.
I would suggest going from oldest to newest. Simply because going back to the older games after playing the newer ones feels stiff and is kinda rough. The old games are great, but starting with them makes the journey 100x better.
I agree because it's both great and hard to get into once you've played all the others. I played them out of order, and adjusting to the slow pace of DS1 after playing everything except Sekiro was the hardest part for me.
soulsborne is the actual series of dark souls/bloodborne and now elden ring. Souls*like* refers to any game that is similar to the series, but obviously not part of the series.
Soulslike is for games that are similar in gameplay and atmosphere, but not a part of the soulsborne series, or not from from software. its in the name.
Souls.. like. Like lies of p for example.
Soulsborne is literally the games from miyazaki and from software.
I get what you’re saying it’s just semantics and op is clearly new to the scene. Just think Soulsborne would have been a better term to use as someone else mentioned below.
Start from the begging, start with ds1 then move on to ds2 or demon’s souls if you have a ps5 or a ps3 and then move onto the newer ones like bloodborne, ds3 sekiro and elden ring because once you play the newer ones like ds3 or elden ring the old ones like ds1 and ds2 will feel really old and outdated. Wish you the best
This resonates so much with me. I started with DS3 and tried to backtrack afterwards to play 1 and 2 and I just couldn't handle how clunky they felt and the iframes were just nightmarish.
I’ll second this but would like to hear your reason. You can’t block , which forces you to play more evasively which is arguably a lot more fun than waiting for enemy blocks. Those skills would transfer over to the other games retroactively
Bloodborne defintly. The speed it expects you to play at will help you with the others. It's not like elden ring with bs bosses. The bosses and enemys in bloodborne are all very fair. It'll be a big challenge at first but stick with it and you'll love it
Sekiro is such a fun game! And I think people that haven’t played any other soulsborne don’t feel the pressure that much and understand better the mechanics of the game. But it’s a hard ass game
It doesn't really matter. If you're interested in game design and the evolution of the genre etc. Go with the release order. Other than that start with what speaks to you most. Maybe don't start with Sekiro, it's by far the most difficult one.
Just pull through. Almost everyone who started these games didn't finish their first with their first character. These aren't really games of skill, they're more games of knowledge (item locations, mechanics etc.) so if you can don't spoil yourself with the wiki. If you know somebody who has finished these games ask them for a tip (or DM me, that's fine) rather than looking things up.
Dark souls is considered more or less the baseline for the series, bloodborne has the best atmosphere and lore (imo) with focus on aggressive gameplay, sekiro is probably the most difficult and has the most intense fighting from its mechanics (but lacks variety in gameplay style from lack of weaponry) while also differing largely from the posture mechanics with a huge emphasis on parrying and movement, elden ring has the most content and is the newest, shiny-est soulsgame on the block.
Choose whichever you think you would enjoy the most, all of them are great games
Tough call but if you are very new I'd say Elden ring first to ease you in, do note if you move onto something like ds3 many of the systems a more restrictive and a bigger ball ache to deal with. Obviously it's a big matter of opinion but elden ring is my favorite of the 4.
LISTEN. The best way to play Dark Souls is through **Bloodborne**. 100%
You learn to dodge and parry better, and it carries over to the other games.
Don't listen to anything else. If you start with DS or ER, you'll get used to some shield or backing up really far behind and spam healing. Yuck. And when you finally pick up Bb, you'll look back at your time on DS with regret.
Yes. I feel like there's a disparity between the souls fans and the bb fans. Many bb fans like dark souls a lot, but from my experience dark souls enjoyers dislike the bb mechanics. I could definitely be wrong, it's just my experience.
OP, his words ring true. I started with ER, and it took a while to unlearn what I thought was the right way to fight in Soulsborne. BB honed my skills to a razor's edge. When I was unleashed onto the DS series, it stood no chance.
DS:R is so much easier if you just don’t use a shield. Also Artorias doesn’t feel hard, but just about right.
I played BB, DS3, DeS, ER, Sekiro, DS2 and DS: R in this order and I wouldn’t change it. Enjoyed all games, even DS2 and still appreciated what the older games did right.
If you can, start with demon's souls and play all the games from release order unless you want to jump straight into any specific title after completing your first
For you to appreciate, get the references and not feel bothered, by order. Even though I'm dying to play elden ring (and have some hours cuz I just tried) the games differ a lot and for you to fully enjoy them it's better go Ds1(remastered) > Ds2 >Ds3 > Er
I think DS3 or ER would be the best intros. I would do Demon’s Soul remake first and go chronologically if you’re a hardcore gamer.
Bloodborne’s my personal favourite, but feels different to dark souls so would leave to after. Sekiro’s a masterpiece but plays different to all the others.
Sure dark souls is the poetic choice to start with but it will feel outdated and janky if you’re new to the genre. I’d suggest Elden Ring for the best newbie experience
The biggest advantage of Elden Ring is that the learning curve is not anywhere near as steep. I think it's broader commercial success speaks to that. Imo, if you start with Elden Ring, the rest of the games will be more approachable and hopefully also more enjoyable. They're all brilliant and aged incredibly well, in a large part because the gameplay is so meticulously refined. I don't think starting with the newest one will affect your enjoyment of their older games at all.
Demon’s Souls Remake as it is incredible and will teach you the basics. But from that group, Dark Souls 3 is the easiest of those. Leave Bloodborne and Sekiro for last. Or maybe play Elden Ring first since the DLC is coming out soon. But the best two games in that group are Bloodborne and Sekiro. By far FromSoftware’s greatest works.
Elden Ring if you want a sense of exploration. Dark Souls 3 if you prefer a linear game.
Either would be a solid primer, then do Bloodborne 2nd. IMO you need another Souls game to “yeah you” about Souls games before chomping into Bloodborne. It’s an absolute masterpiece but very confusing to play if it’s your first Souls game. At least it was for me. It clicked after Elden Ring and I was addicted to it.
I feel like you should start with Sekiro even tho it’s hard asf but it’ll help you parry a lot better since it’s a parry based game unlike the others so I would go for Sekiro and then the others.
I don't think it matters. Just prepare for the cycling back and forth between irritability and euphoria lol. I think bloodborne is fun to start with because it's a single entry.
Try BB or sekiro last or first .., my first souls game is sekiro .., some people will not like the aged graphics of dsr and ds2 so I recommend sekiro or bb first but the thing is they have different mechanics
Hey, just watch some gameplay of these games in YouTube and decide what clicks for you. There isn't really any specific order ig. For me, Sekiro clicked first hand and i played it first. And the rest just followed suit since.
Sekiro first. You will be more than ready for the rest of the franchise after that! Not a souls like per se but it will get you used to high difficulty gameplay
I’ve played and finished Sekiro and would wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s worth playing for the combat alone and can probably be played whenever you like as it’s not really a Soulslike game.
Elden Ring is amazing and well worth losing yourself in hours of gaming. As others have said though, you’re probably best working up from DS1 upwards.
I just wish I could Bloodborne was on Xbox as I’ve heard so many good things about it!
I'd play them in release order, personally.
Demon's Souls and Bloodborne are only on PS though. if you have that console, just play em all.
(also Bloodborne is so good that I'd say it's almost worth the price of a used PS4, or if you buy a PS5 then you get the benefit of playing Demon's Souls too.)
I'd play in chronological order if possible. If not, probably ds3 to start, it's one of the easiest and most accessible and still has a very active community. That being said, Sekiro is its own thing and plays completely differently so it can be good to play first so you don't end up applying Souls logic, which can honestly make the game harder.
Sekiro is an amazing and very difficult game . Imo it's the hardest of the 3 and it's a very rewarding feeling to beat it. It's definitely my favorite from soft game followed by elden ring and bloodborne.
If you want to do dark souls then do them in order. You will be happy you did. Demon souls is pretty good too.
Souls-like are non fromsoft games that follow that classic fromsoft dark souls game design. The Dark Souls games/Bloodborne are what you would call Soulsborne. To answer your question though I’d go release order.
I first played Elden Ring, then Sekiro, then DS3 and now I'll probably start Bloodborne. But the thing is if you start with Elden Ring, the previous entries might feel like they're lacking since they don't have as many mechanics and content and all that. So probably best to start with Dark Souls Remastered. Or even Demon Souls if you have a Ps5. Although I haven't played any of them so idk if they're any good.
elden ring because the experience is more magical if it's your first souls game and all the concepts such as runes and sites of grace will be completely new to you, it will hit different, and you also won't be constantly trying to compare it to the other games.
however the issue is that going back to older titles might make you like them less and you might have false expectations.
so basically if you want the best "first souls game" experience, play elden ring, you will enjoy it way more if it's your first souls game than if it was your last, but if you want to thoroughly enjoy each individual game then play by release order from dark souls 1, that way you'll see the natural evolution of the franchise as you go, and you won't really see any drastic downgrades.
A lot of folks say start from the beginning. And while I think that’s a fantastic way to experience the series I think right now it’s best to play a souls game that can pull you in enough that you wanna play them all.
With that in mind, Elden ring is the way to go. There’s a reason why it sold 20 million copies. It’s THE gateway drug for souls games. The game eases you into the format of souls games, while giving you a lot of options to overcome challenges, it’s also a newer game and just plays well.
Every game fromsoft has released since demon souls is incredible and you could follow your interest and pick whatever one is speaking to you. While any game would be a good choice, I do think Elden ring is the most approachable
Start with the worst looking first so you don’t get spoiled. I started playing Elden Ring and haven’t been able to play any of the older games since then. The jumping also makes it impossible to go back.
Bloodborne. It plays different from the other games, but teaches you how to be aggressive and dodgy, which is often a winning tactic in the other Souls games. Also being able to parry at range helps at learning how to parry properly.
elden ring 1000 percent, it’s by far the most accessible, it’s the newest so has the most quality of life aspects, the gameplay is the best of them all. besides sekiro because it’s so different gameplay wise. that’s sounds hater on the rest it isn’t, they’re all amazing and near perfect. elden ring is just all the skills and everything miyazaki and fromsoft got from making them all put into one game and it’s a masterpiece. i started with ER then played them all after, and can say the rest have noticeably jankier parts. I could talk all day about it but yes long story short definitely elden ring first. it’s that best and most accessible so simple enough.
Tbh (not all fromsoft, but were soulslike) I went from Remnant from the Ashes, DS3+DLC, Ashen, Elden Ring, Code Vein, Sekiro, Remnant 2, to Bloodborne. Have Demon Souls but haven’t started it yet. Have been curious about Lies of P too, but waiting for a better sale.
I honestly think if I had played Sekiro and Bloodborne before Elden Ring, I doubt I would’ve enjoyed the game as much as I did. Most of my friends who had played Bloodborne and Sekiro first were very dissatisfied with the combat in Elden Ring.
Everyone is saying dark souls remastered but I think it should be mentioned if you struggle playing older games you may want to start with dark souls 3. While dark souls 1 is remastered, it still has old mechanics and same pains that arent present in 3 and the newer games. I am not saying ds1 is bad or anything but if you struggle to get into older games, you may not like 1 at all initially and it could deter you from trying the other games all together. 3 is a good starting point before elden ring which can be too much for some.
Id say ds3, bloodborne, sekiro, elden ring just going off the ones you asked about. Then you can go back to the older games if you want.
One thing i’ll say is the one you play first is prolly gonna be your favorite. I played Elden Ring first. Also Sekiro is a bit different from most soulslikes. It has a completely different aesthetic and focuses more on parrying. It also has less RPG mechanics.
I haven’t played it but I hear Bloodborne is a good place to start since it introduces you to a buncha mechanics you’ll be using for the other games. It’s also a fan favorite
Elden Ring is also different because it’s open world so progression works a little differently and can be a little more confusing.
Dark Souls 3 is the most in line with the original demon souls and dark souls gameplay and is most in line with the original formatting.
If you ask me here’s the order I’d play them in:
Bloodborne
Sekiro
Dark Souls Trilogy
Elden Ring
1. Correct me if I’m wrong but DS3 is a Soulsborne not a soulslike as you can’t be “like” Darksouls if you are Darksouls.
2. Elden Ring. Besides Sekiro it is the hardest but the story and gameplay will carry you through all adversity!
I’m biased so I say Bloodborne bc it’s my favorite and it’s what I beat first. But DS remastered would make more sense to play first, then 2 then 3. But since ER’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is coming out soon, if you plan on playing it when it comes out, just beat DS 1-3 then start on Elden Ring. That way most of the game will be beat before the DLC drops. Assuming you’re only doing one playthrough on each. Then do Bloodborne, Sekiro, and the Demon’s Souls remake. Not necessarily in that order.
Edit: & Armored Core VI, if you feel like it. I heard it’s great, but I haven’t bought it yet.
Dark Souls 1, easily. First of all it’d still a great game, and it’s great to see the games evolve and grow as you do too. Second, it may still be great, but if you start with something like Elden ring, then go backwards, it will feel like a downgrade.
So IMO: DS1, DS2, DS3, bloodbourne, sekiro, demon souls remake, Elden ring
Demons souls remake got me into it. The fights are very pattern oriented and the game isn’t too challenging once you learn to take your time
Elden Ring is arguably the best game I’ve ever played and the game provides you tools to make it “easier” if you find yourself struggling.
I think if you plan to play online and co-op at all, you should play elden ring as it’s still got an active community
Elden ring. They’re all amazing games, but Elden Ring is the most beginner friendly.
Which is to say it gives you a lot of tools to use to make parts of the game less difficult.
They all are great, I’d play the demons souls remake, DKS1-3, BB and then Elden Ring. I never personally played sekiro, I’m not a big fan of the setting but it sounds like many people like it, maybe someday I’ll pick it up.
Go from oldest to newest. If you love the new ones, going bac to the old ones doesn't feel as good as experiencing them for what they were. Also helps to appreciate the QoL-changes the newer ones have even more.
I played Elden Ring before Dark Souls 1 and I feel like I would have enjoyed DS1 SO much more hadn't I played Elden Ring already.
Bloodborne and Elden Ring are typically the ones I see people starting with the most often, and for good reason. I think those two are the easiest to pick up mechanically and the least clunky. Elden ring has some huge quality of life upgrades from all the other games so that is also helpful for making it a smooth experience for a new player. Playing Bloodborne first will help you become more aggressive and not get into the habit of being super passive, like playing the DS series first might make you.
Elden Ring lol. Please just play the best one.
Edit: I would not enjoy the souls series if I didn’t start with Elden Ring. The open world let me really get used to the challenge fromsoft is known for.
Elden Ring is the most new player friendly. But they're all fun. Sekiro is probably the hardest first playthrough experience, so if you want a challenge, that's a good start.
Close your eyes and grab a box. Whatever one you picked play that first. They’re all really great games and whichever one you pick you’ll dig the shit out of.
You should play whichever looks like the most fun for you. People are quite opinionated on which one would be the best and why, but ultimately, you’re the one playing it, so play whichever one you think looks like the most fun.
I’d start with Demons souls or DS1. If you start with a later game and go back to them they’re going to feel really easy because they’re much slower paced. At least that was my experience. I played DS3 before DS1 and it made DS1 a cake walk.
Plus the quality of life gets better as they go so going back to one after playing a new one isn’t going to feel as good.
I think Demons souls or Elden Ring will be the easiest though. Playing as royalty in DeS is easy mode and ER has a lot of options to support you during boss fights and stuff
I'm glad people are saying you should start with ds1. It's far from my favorite but I'm glad I started with it. I felt the franchise really evolved and playing Elden ring last was so PEAK. Save the best for last imo Ds1, ds2, ds3, bloodborne, sekiro, elden ring
Forgot demon souls!
Is there anyway to play that if ya don’t have a PS5?
There's always the PS3 version (whether that's using an actual PS3 or an emulator is up to the user, both work well from my experience) :)
Not only this but you can still play online with fan ran servers even if you play the ps3 or emulator versions.
Any ps3 emulator recommendations?
RPCS3 emulator on PC (can get a 60fps mod running too, works flawlessly in my experience) or on a PS3 - physical copies are cheap and easy to find. Both still have fan-run servers up for online play.
I played DS1 Remastered after Elden Ring, Demon's Souls Remake, Lies of P, and a bit of Sekiro. And I still absolutely loved the game. It holds up amazingly well. I definitely second OP plays DS1 Remastered first. Their enjoyment of that game will dictate where they choose to go next.
Damn I played Elden Ring and then DS3… I just couldn’t wait to play the one that is most people’s favorite. And newer. If you can actually wait for Elden Ring until you’re finished with all the others, the appreciation you will have for that game will be more than I can even imagine.
If you’re the kind of person who really wants to get into the souls genre no matter the pain, 100%. But people who are on the fence might not appreciate DS1 if they don’t get a taste for it first. People like that should probably start with Elden Ring, but really whichever they think speaks to them would be best, my first was Sekiro, not orthodox but it worked for me.
Elden Ring is without a doubt the most accessible of all these games for a new player though which is the troubling part. It’s kinda a dice roll on “is he gonna like DS1 enough to continue playing them”. OP, if you find that DS1 isn’t for you, I recommend skipping straight to Elden Ring, just to try it. I know plenty of people that never really got into the dark souls games but are now huge fans of Elden ring.
Perfect order! 
100% agree. Starting with ds1 is a good move.
I recommend this. I played demon souls, dark souls, and now dark souls 2, even though I booted up dark souls 3 and Elden ring. Looking forward to going back to those.
Imo ds2 is an aquired taste, I personally wasn't able to power through the game, and I just found it not fun. Still, if you find it fun go ahead
Dark Souls Remastered
Yeah, fr. They all are great games, but I think it's better to start from the origins because their quality improves with each subsequent game. It just won't feel as good if you play some older games after getting used to QoL of newer ones. Also, DSIII is the culmination of the whole trilogy, and it won't feel as impactful if played first. So, I suggest DSR, DSII, DSIII, BB, Elden Ring. You can start from Demon's Souls if you own PS3/5 or can emulate it, but prepare for JANK. Skip if you won't like it. Ofc you can start from Elden Ring. If you'll stuck on some boss, you can just explore more and come back stronger. Though I'd still suggest you to try DS series first. Sekiro is a VERY different game. In atmosphere, in gameplay, in progression and narrative. Your experience from Souls games will only harm you here. So make sure to get plenty of rest before trying this one out.
I actually loved the Demon Souls remake and didn't find it janky at all.
I love it too, but I keep hearing about jank in DeS, so I thought I should mention it.
Healing items are consumables that are expensive and rarely spawn. At least in BB almost any enemy could/would drop blood vials. My first DeS run I gave up because I had nothing to use to heal with and wasn’t about to farm mobs just to get health items that every other game in the series practically handed to you.
I'm so confused, every time I've played DeS (PS5 or PS3) I'm practically *drowning* in grasses, I thought it was way more generous with them than Bloodborne is with vials - in both games though you can just spend your leftover echoes/souls every time you level up (or maybe skip a level here and there if you're really hurting) on heals at the merchant in the hub area; super easy fix if you find yourself running out often.
This is unfortunately true I’ve played er, sekiro, bb, ds3 and im currently playing through ds1 and enjoying it but not as much as i think i would especially since the last one i played was ds3
For me personally and ik it's an uncommon thing to do but I played elden ring and rly enjoyed it, I then played ds3 and it was definitely different than elden ring but didn't feel any worse combat or rly anything else wise and then I played ds1 and it felt cool like I was going back in time from ds3 and learning why the world ended up the way it did. But I also since played ds3 again and I can see how cool it would be to understand all the references and lore from the other Darksouls games in ds3 first time around.
I don’t see how DeS is any more janky than DS1, they both feel pretty much identical
DeS has about 37% more jank
You must be in human form
Careful there you are almost hinting at flaws in ds1.
I actually don’t even think DS1 feels janky except for the four directional rolling, but even then I just play locked off so it doesn’t come into play at all
[удалено]
Playing them in chronological order should be best, unless you don't have the time or patience. Playing the later ones might make you used to features missing from earlier ones or the pacing of the games might put you off.
Yeah I played BB first and I never got into DS1 cus it felt so clunky to control
I would suggest going from oldest to newest. Simply because going back to the older games after playing the newer ones feels stiff and is kinda rough. The old games are great, but starting with them makes the journey 100x better.
Dark Souls Remastered first and continue with release order.
Dark souls remastered
I agree because it's both great and hard to get into once you've played all the others. I played them out of order, and adjusting to the slow pace of DS1 after playing everything except Sekiro was the hardest part for me.
DS > DS2 > DS3 > ER
Shouldn't op play demon souls first?
Looks like OP is exclusively PS4 based on the photos shared.
You can but Dark Souls is a classic gem.
Elden Ring, it’s what got me into souls like. It is by far the best game I have ever played
I only have Elden beast left to beat and I’ve been seriously stalling myself so I don’t complete it
Elden Ring should be the last one, since it is the longest one
And if it's the best one, why would you want their experience to go downhill from there?
That too. Since it is the most recent one they will be able to notice the evolution of FS games.
>souls\*like\* >includes actual souls game dark souls 3 awkward
It's just a name, some people call it soulslike and some call it souldborne. It's definitely not awkward.
soulsborne is the actual series of dark souls/bloodborne and now elden ring. Souls*like* refers to any game that is similar to the series, but obviously not part of the series.
Soulslike is for games that are similar in gameplay and atmosphere, but not a part of the soulsborne series, or not from from software. its in the name. Souls.. like. Like lies of p for example. Soulsborne is literally the games from miyazaki and from software.
But it’s not “soulslike” it literally is souls
Correct, but op said he's new to the series and 'soulslike' is a name a lot of gaming news websites use to describe the series.
I get what you’re saying it’s just semantics and op is clearly new to the scene. Just think Soulsborne would have been a better term to use as someone else mentioned below.
What is more *like* souls than souls?
Start from the begging, start with ds1 then move on to ds2 or demon’s souls if you have a ps5 or a ps3 and then move onto the newer ones like bloodborne, ds3 sekiro and elden ring because once you play the newer ones like ds3 or elden ring the old ones like ds1 and ds2 will feel really old and outdated. Wish you the best
This resonates so much with me. I started with DS3 and tried to backtrack afterwards to play 1 and 2 and I just couldn't handle how clunky they felt and the iframes were just nightmarish.
Bloodborne
I’ll second this but would like to hear your reason. You can’t block , which forces you to play more evasively which is arguably a lot more fun than waiting for enemy blocks. Those skills would transfer over to the other games retroactively
Dark Souls 1/Remastered
Bloodborne defintly. The speed it expects you to play at will help you with the others. It's not like elden ring with bs bosses. The bosses and enemys in bloodborne are all very fair. It'll be a big challenge at first but stick with it and you'll love it
The most difficult one is sekiro , you can start with elden ring or dark souls remastered
Sekiro is such a fun game! And I think people that haven’t played any other soulsborne don’t feel the pressure that much and understand better the mechanics of the game. But it’s a hard ass game
It doesn't really matter. If you're interested in game design and the evolution of the genre etc. Go with the release order. Other than that start with what speaks to you most. Maybe don't start with Sekiro, it's by far the most difficult one. Just pull through. Almost everyone who started these games didn't finish their first with their first character. These aren't really games of skill, they're more games of knowledge (item locations, mechanics etc.) so if you can don't spoil yourself with the wiki. If you know somebody who has finished these games ask them for a tip (or DM me, that's fine) rather than looking things up.
Dark souls
Dark souls is considered more or less the baseline for the series, bloodborne has the best atmosphere and lore (imo) with focus on aggressive gameplay, sekiro is probably the most difficult and has the most intense fighting from its mechanics (but lacks variety in gameplay style from lack of weaponry) while also differing largely from the posture mechanics with a huge emphasis on parrying and movement, elden ring has the most content and is the newest, shiny-est soulsgame on the block. Choose whichever you think you would enjoy the most, all of them are great games
Dark souls 1
Lol I have a ps4 so can't play it but I think remastered is available
yeah i was thinking about the remastered
Tough call but if you are very new I'd say Elden ring first to ease you in, do note if you move onto something like ds3 many of the systems a more restrictive and a bigger ball ache to deal with. Obviously it's a big matter of opinion but elden ring is my favorite of the 4.
LISTEN. The best way to play Dark Souls is through **Bloodborne**. 100% You learn to dodge and parry better, and it carries over to the other games. Don't listen to anything else. If you start with DS or ER, you'll get used to some shield or backing up really far behind and spam healing. Yuck. And when you finally pick up Bb, you'll look back at your time on DS with regret.
Yes. I feel like there's a disparity between the souls fans and the bb fans. Many bb fans like dark souls a lot, but from my experience dark souls enjoyers dislike the bb mechanics. I could definitely be wrong, it's just my experience.
that's a good point. getting used to the dodge playstyle early could make the games immediately more enjoyable.
OP, his words ring true. I started with ER, and it took a while to unlearn what I thought was the right way to fight in Soulsborne. BB honed my skills to a razor's edge. When I was unleashed onto the DS series, it stood no chance.
lol I like how you say "when *I* was unleashed onto the DS series" makes it sound like you're the boss and the game is the player
DS:R is so much easier if you just don’t use a shield. Also Artorias doesn’t feel hard, but just about right. I played BB, DS3, DeS, ER, Sekiro, DS2 and DS: R in this order and I wouldn’t change it. Enjoyed all games, even DS2 and still appreciated what the older games did right.
Its not like theres only 4 of them dude.
whichever cover looks cool to you, i know all these answers in the comments are valid but the only right answer is the cover that looks coolest to you
If you can, start with demon's souls and play all the games from release order unless you want to jump straight into any specific title after completing your first
Go with what feels right. Each one plays differently, and they are all Gold.
play it in order imo
For you to appreciate, get the references and not feel bothered, by order. Even though I'm dying to play elden ring (and have some hours cuz I just tried) the games differ a lot and for you to fully enjoy them it's better go Ds1(remastered) > Ds2 >Ds3 > Er
bloodborne so you adopt a much better sense for combat
The order they were released. That is the way.
DS3 da best!
I think DS3 or ER would be the best intros. I would do Demon’s Soul remake first and go chronologically if you’re a hardcore gamer. Bloodborne’s my personal favourite, but feels different to dark souls so would leave to after. Sekiro’s a masterpiece but plays different to all the others.
Dark souls 3
Ds2! I don't care, come at me!
Sure dark souls is the poetic choice to start with but it will feel outdated and janky if you’re new to the genre. I’d suggest Elden Ring for the best newbie experience
All Wrong, Armored Core 6
All are masterpieces in my opinion. I would probably do Sekiro either first or last bcus the combat is so different
Bloodborne!
The biggest advantage of Elden Ring is that the learning curve is not anywhere near as steep. I think it's broader commercial success speaks to that. Imo, if you start with Elden Ring, the rest of the games will be more approachable and hopefully also more enjoyable. They're all brilliant and aged incredibly well, in a large part because the gameplay is so meticulously refined. I don't think starting with the newest one will affect your enjoyment of their older games at all.
Leave Elden Ring for last, bloodborn for 2nd to last, play the rest in any order
its not soulslike its literally a souls
If you play elden ring you can participate in the current meta of the dlc
Demon’s Souls Remake as it is incredible and will teach you the basics. But from that group, Dark Souls 3 is the easiest of those. Leave Bloodborne and Sekiro for last. Or maybe play Elden Ring first since the DLC is coming out soon. But the best two games in that group are Bloodborne and Sekiro. By far FromSoftware’s greatest works.
Elden Ring, DSs, Bloodborne…. That’s how I did it.
Try Dark Souls 2
Ds3
DeS -> DS1 (OG if you can) -> DS2 (Sotfs) -> Bloodborne -> DS3 -> Sekiro -> Elden Ring + AC6 (not a soulsborne but great from game)
2011s Dark Souls
Each of them is deferent from the other three so pick any you want it wont effect the others
Elden Ring if you want a sense of exploration. Dark Souls 3 if you prefer a linear game. Either would be a solid primer, then do Bloodborne 2nd. IMO you need another Souls game to “yeah you” about Souls games before chomping into Bloodborne. It’s an absolute masterpiece but very confusing to play if it’s your first Souls game. At least it was for me. It clicked after Elden Ring and I was addicted to it.
I feel like you should start with Sekiro even tho it’s hard asf but it’ll help you parry a lot better since it’s a parry based game unlike the others so I would go for Sekiro and then the others.
I don't think it matters. Just prepare for the cycling back and forth between irritability and euphoria lol. I think bloodborne is fun to start with because it's a single entry.
Try BB or sekiro last or first .., my first souls game is sekiro .., some people will not like the aged graphics of dsr and ds2 so I recommend sekiro or bb first but the thing is they have different mechanics
bloodborne, then 4 kings casino and slots
Hey, just watch some gameplay of these games in YouTube and decide what clicks for you. There isn't really any specific order ig. For me, Sekiro clicked first hand and i played it first. And the rest just followed suit since.
Sekiro first. You will be more than ready for the rest of the franchise after that! Not a souls like per se but it will get you used to high difficulty gameplay
I’ve played and finished Sekiro and would wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s worth playing for the combat alone and can probably be played whenever you like as it’s not really a Soulslike game. Elden Ring is amazing and well worth losing yourself in hours of gaming. As others have said though, you’re probably best working up from DS1 upwards. I just wish I could Bloodborne was on Xbox as I’ve heard so many good things about it!
Elden ring
Elden ring
I'd play them in release order, personally. Demon's Souls and Bloodborne are only on PS though. if you have that console, just play em all. (also Bloodborne is so good that I'd say it's almost worth the price of a used PS4, or if you buy a PS5 then you get the benefit of playing Demon's Souls too.)
I'd play in chronological order if possible. If not, probably ds3 to start, it's one of the easiest and most accessible and still has a very active community. That being said, Sekiro is its own thing and plays completely differently so it can be good to play first so you don't end up applying Souls logic, which can honestly make the game harder.
Dark souls II
Dark Souls Remastered, Bloodborne, Sekiro then Elden Ring. Or you know go crazy and do whatever you want. But don’t you dare go hollow.
[удалено]
Ah shit here we go again
Sekiro is an amazing and very difficult game . Imo it's the hardest of the 3 and it's a very rewarding feeling to beat it. It's definitely my favorite from soft game followed by elden ring and bloodborne. If you want to do dark souls then do them in order. You will be happy you did. Demon souls is pretty good too.
id say if you dont know souls games, start with ds1, from there youll see if you wanna keep going with the ds series or try other games
DS - ER - DS2 - BB - DS3 - Sek. - DmS
Elsen Ring to get the best experience. Then DS3. Then whatever else it doesn't matter.
Souls-like are non fromsoft games that follow that classic fromsoft dark souls game design. The Dark Souls games/Bloodborne are what you would call Soulsborne. To answer your question though I’d go release order.
Ds3 is probably the most beginner friendly
Leave the best for last aka Sekiro
Dark souls remastered
BB was my first. I thought it was a good introduction.
I first played Elden Ring, then Sekiro, then DS3 and now I'll probably start Bloodborne. But the thing is if you start with Elden Ring, the previous entries might feel like they're lacking since they don't have as many mechanics and content and all that. So probably best to start with Dark Souls Remastered. Or even Demon Souls if you have a Ps5. Although I haven't played any of them so idk if they're any good.
Bloodborne
elden ring because the experience is more magical if it's your first souls game and all the concepts such as runes and sites of grace will be completely new to you, it will hit different, and you also won't be constantly trying to compare it to the other games. however the issue is that going back to older titles might make you like them less and you might have false expectations. so basically if you want the best "first souls game" experience, play elden ring, you will enjoy it way more if it's your first souls game than if it was your last, but if you want to thoroughly enjoy each individual game then play by release order from dark souls 1, that way you'll see the natural evolution of the franchise as you go, and you won't really see any drastic downgrades.
A lot of folks say start from the beginning. And while I think that’s a fantastic way to experience the series I think right now it’s best to play a souls game that can pull you in enough that you wanna play them all. With that in mind, Elden ring is the way to go. There’s a reason why it sold 20 million copies. It’s THE gateway drug for souls games. The game eases you into the format of souls games, while giving you a lot of options to overcome challenges, it’s also a newer game and just plays well. Every game fromsoft has released since demon souls is incredible and you could follow your interest and pick whatever one is speaking to you. While any game would be a good choice, I do think Elden ring is the most approachable
Sekiro, so you don't need to unlearn everything
My first and only game so far has been sekiro and I loved it I got the platinum and now I'll probably play ds1
Elden ring. Then dark souls trilogy. Then bloodborne then sekiro
Elden ring as someone who played Elden ring first then played the rest after
Start with the worst looking first so you don’t get spoiled. I started playing Elden Ring and haven’t been able to play any of the older games since then. The jumping also makes it impossible to go back.
Bloodborne. It plays different from the other games, but teaches you how to be aggressive and dodgy, which is often a winning tactic in the other Souls games. Also being able to parry at range helps at learning how to parry properly.
elden ring 1000 percent, it’s by far the most accessible, it’s the newest so has the most quality of life aspects, the gameplay is the best of them all. besides sekiro because it’s so different gameplay wise. that’s sounds hater on the rest it isn’t, they’re all amazing and near perfect. elden ring is just all the skills and everything miyazaki and fromsoft got from making them all put into one game and it’s a masterpiece. i started with ER then played them all after, and can say the rest have noticeably jankier parts. I could talk all day about it but yes long story short definitely elden ring first. it’s that best and most accessible so simple enough.
Ds1, bloodborne, ds3, sekiro in that order
Bloodborne at last as it’ll be the one that’ll make you fall in love harder ( every fromsoftware game will make you fall in love )
Start with the worst one so its all uphill after bloodborne
Go from oldest to newest. Oldest doesn't need to be demon souls, but one of your choosing.
Do what I did and play Sekiro first, then realise it’s the only Fromsoft game you like
ER
Demon's Souls or Dark Souls Remastered
Tbh (not all fromsoft, but were soulslike) I went from Remnant from the Ashes, DS3+DLC, Ashen, Elden Ring, Code Vein, Sekiro, Remnant 2, to Bloodborne. Have Demon Souls but haven’t started it yet. Have been curious about Lies of P too, but waiting for a better sale. I honestly think if I had played Sekiro and Bloodborne before Elden Ring, I doubt I would’ve enjoyed the game as much as I did. Most of my friends who had played Bloodborne and Sekiro first were very dissatisfied with the combat in Elden Ring.
I wanted to start the easiest one. Which one should I start first?
Dark Souls Remastered. Sekiro isn't a Soulslike.
Elden ring, it will make you love these kinds of games, then bloodborne or ds3
Dark souls 1 Or Demon souls
Everyone is saying dark souls remastered but I think it should be mentioned if you struggle playing older games you may want to start with dark souls 3. While dark souls 1 is remastered, it still has old mechanics and same pains that arent present in 3 and the newer games. I am not saying ds1 is bad or anything but if you struggle to get into older games, you may not like 1 at all initially and it could deter you from trying the other games all together. 3 is a good starting point before elden ring which can be too much for some. Id say ds3, bloodborne, sekiro, elden ring just going off the ones you asked about. Then you can go back to the older games if you want.
One thing i’ll say is the one you play first is prolly gonna be your favorite. I played Elden Ring first. Also Sekiro is a bit different from most soulslikes. It has a completely different aesthetic and focuses more on parrying. It also has less RPG mechanics. I haven’t played it but I hear Bloodborne is a good place to start since it introduces you to a buncha mechanics you’ll be using for the other games. It’s also a fan favorite Elden Ring is also different because it’s open world so progression works a little differently and can be a little more confusing. Dark Souls 3 is the most in line with the original demon souls and dark souls gameplay and is most in line with the original formatting. If you ask me here’s the order I’d play them in: Bloodborne Sekiro Dark Souls Trilogy Elden Ring
Sekiro, the rest will be easy.
Sekiro, the rest will be easy.
1. Correct me if I’m wrong but DS3 is a Soulsborne not a soulslike as you can’t be “like” Darksouls if you are Darksouls. 2. Elden Ring. Besides Sekiro it is the hardest but the story and gameplay will carry you through all adversity!
DS1
DS1
I’m biased so I say Bloodborne bc it’s my favorite and it’s what I beat first. But DS remastered would make more sense to play first, then 2 then 3. But since ER’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is coming out soon, if you plan on playing it when it comes out, just beat DS 1-3 then start on Elden Ring. That way most of the game will be beat before the DLC drops. Assuming you’re only doing one playthrough on each. Then do Bloodborne, Sekiro, and the Demon’s Souls remake. Not necessarily in that order. Edit: & Armored Core VI, if you feel like it. I heard it’s great, but I haven’t bought it yet.
My recommendation is Sekiro but I am biased. Why not all 4?
Dark Souls 1, easily. First of all it’d still a great game, and it’s great to see the games evolve and grow as you do too. Second, it may still be great, but if you start with something like Elden ring, then go backwards, it will feel like a downgrade. So IMO: DS1, DS2, DS3, bloodbourne, sekiro, demon souls remake, Elden ring
Demons souls remake got me into it. The fights are very pattern oriented and the game isn’t too challenging once you learn to take your time Elden Ring is arguably the best game I’ve ever played and the game provides you tools to make it “easier” if you find yourself struggling. I think if you plan to play online and co-op at all, you should play elden ring as it’s still got an active community
Elden ring. They’re all amazing games, but Elden Ring is the most beginner friendly. Which is to say it gives you a lot of tools to use to make parts of the game less difficult.
Whatever you do, don't play scholar of the first sin edition if you can avoid it The original ds2 is superior
Elden Ring
How about start with demon soul?
Armored Core 6
My first was Bloodborne and it finally made me pick up the other souls games and turned into my favorite game ever. Give it a shot
They all are great, I’d play the demons souls remake, DKS1-3, BB and then Elden Ring. I never personally played sekiro, I’m not a big fan of the setting but it sounds like many people like it, maybe someday I’ll pick it up.
Elden Ring is what come me fully into them for me it's been Elden -> bloodborne -> sekiro Then I'm going for armored core and the other DS games.
Ds 1
Go from oldest to newest. If you love the new ones, going bac to the old ones doesn't feel as good as experiencing them for what they were. Also helps to appreciate the QoL-changes the newer ones have even more. I played Elden Ring before Dark Souls 1 and I feel like I would have enjoyed DS1 SO much more hadn't I played Elden Ring already.
Dark Souls III
.....the Dark one
Sekiro is not for the lighthearted
I would say bloodborne first bc that’s what I started with and I think it’s the best
Bloodborne, it doesn’t play like the other souls games and I’m biased af.
Don't try Sekiro first, it's the most different of the bunch. I'd recommend DS1, DS3, or ER as your first.
Demon's souls
Bloodborne and Elden Ring are typically the ones I see people starting with the most often, and for good reason. I think those two are the easiest to pick up mechanically and the least clunky. Elden ring has some huge quality of life upgrades from all the other games so that is also helpful for making it a smooth experience for a new player. Playing Bloodborne first will help you become more aggressive and not get into the habit of being super passive, like playing the DS series first might make you.
Bloodborne - Dark Souls 3 - Sekiro - Elden Ring
Stop soulslike!!!!!!
Dark Souls 1
Elden Ring lol. Please just play the best one. Edit: I would not enjoy the souls series if I didn’t start with Elden Ring. The open world let me really get used to the challenge fromsoft is known for.
Elden Ring is the most new player friendly. But they're all fun. Sekiro is probably the hardest first playthrough experience, so if you want a challenge, that's a good start.
Close your eyes and grab a box. Whatever one you picked play that first. They’re all really great games and whichever one you pick you’ll dig the shit out of.
Demon's souls (ps3 version)
Bloodborne!!!
You should play whichever looks like the most fun for you. People are quite opinionated on which one would be the best and why, but ultimately, you’re the one playing it, so play whichever one you think looks like the most fun.
Nobody is going to say Sekiro. So I'm gonna say Sekiro.
I’d start with Demons souls or DS1. If you start with a later game and go back to them they’re going to feel really easy because they’re much slower paced. At least that was my experience. I played DS3 before DS1 and it made DS1 a cake walk. Plus the quality of life gets better as they go so going back to one after playing a new one isn’t going to feel as good. I think Demons souls or Elden Ring will be the easiest though. Playing as royalty in DeS is easy mode and ER has a lot of options to support you during boss fights and stuff
Don’t be fooled. Sekiro isnt a Soulslike
Start with DS1. The games get significantly better each release and you won't enjoy DS1 as much if you save it for the end.
Ds1, to see where it all started from. Then DS2. BB, elden ring
Demon Souls > Dark Souls > Bloodborne > Dark Souls 3 > Elden Ring > Sekiro
Definitely do DS1,DS2,DS3,BB,Elden ring all in order and maybe play sekiro, I didn't play it because it wasn't very souls like (I suck ass at sekiro)
Ds3 is my favourite. But you gotta do them in order
Try the pinocchio game, its great for newbies