FromSoftware has become one of the most celebrated companies in the gaming industry ever since the release ofDark Souls, one of the greatest action-adventure games of all time.This game served as a breath of fresh airin a genre that was stuffed with titles that coddled players every step of the way and didn’t let them breathe and figure out the mechanics on their own.
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Ever since the success of this title,FromSoftware has been on a roll, releasing several games in the same vein that have all been pretty engaging in their own right. Each Soulsborne game has a unique identity of its own, featuring great mechanics that make these titles a joy to play through. The best feature of every Soulsborne game ever released by FromSoftware is mentioned below.
7Demon’s Souls — World Tendency
Demon’s Soulswas the first attempt by FromSoftware to make a game with the Soulsborne DNA which was mildly successful in its own right. WhileDark Soulswas the game that brought this franchise to new heights of popularity, it’sDemon’s Soulsthat established the formula and had several unique spins of its own.
For starters, the game had a mechanic called World Tendency that made the game harder or easier depending on the morality of the actions players carry out in the game. Both White and Black World Tendency influence the world ofDemon’s Soulsin a unique way and players who don’t want to make the game impossibly hard for themselves should try not to be too evil in the game for their own good.
6Dark Souls — Interconnected Level Design
Dark Soulsis the game that put FromSoftware on the map and proved just how much of a genius Hidetaka Miyazaki really is. Many things aboutDark Soulscan be commended when people talk about why the game was such a massive hit, but one of its most impressive aspects is definitely the level design.
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While other FromSoftware games also feature interlinked levels, many fans still believe that nothing has come quite close to the brilliant way in which the map is connected inDark Souls. Stopping by Firelink Shrine once again after exploring the majority of the game’s content is easily one of the most awe-inspiring moments in the game, and it’s a shame that the second half ofDark Soulsdoesn’t manage to maintain the interconnected nature of this title.
5Dark Souls 2 — Power Stance
Dark Souls 2is considered by many to bethe black sheep of the series, with many fans not really appreciating the changes this game made to theDark Soulsformula. However, once players keep the comparisons away, they have to admit thatDark Souls 2is still a wonderful action title that adds several new features to the mix.
One such mechanic that is a blast to interact with is the power stance. Players who want to dual-wield like a champ will have a great time using two copies of the same weapon to wreak havoc and destroy their enemies!
4Bloodborne — Countershot
Bloodborneis easily one of the best games Miyazaki has ever made, withthe mix of gothic and Lovecraftian elementsbeing quite brilliant indeed. This title also pushed the notion of combat being more fast-paced and action-packed, something that was carried out to great effect.
Bloodborne’s parrying process involves a pretty unique move where players straight-up shoot an enemy in the face to stun them before unleashing a powerful visceral attack that deals massive damage. It’s one of the most satisfying mechanics in the game that players won’t be tired of anytime soon.
3Dark Souls 3 — Weapon Arts
Dark Souls 3wrapped up the series in a great way, allowing FromSoftware to work on bigger and better projects. This game features the return of Miyazaki’s direction in the series after being absent in the last game.
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Dark Souls 3features several great Weapon Arts that players can use to spice up the combat system. These unique moves hit like a truck and can turn the tide of battle… provided that players picked the perfect time to unleash this attack instead of leaving themselves wide open, that is.
2Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — Deflection
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twicemarks a pretty notable change in theSoulsborneformula, featuring a fixed protagonist and a lack of any notable role-playing elements. Instead, players get stronger by beating bosses and unlocking various different prosthetic tools along the way.
Thebiggest part ofSekiro’s combat systemis the Posture gauge which can be depleted by attacking enemies and deflecting their attacks. This requires pinpoint precision, andSekiro’sinsistence on players using this combat mechanic means that players either learn how to deflect or die over and over again to the many challenging enemies in this game.
1Elden Ring — Open-World Design
Elden RingisFromSoftware’s biggest success by a country mile. The shift to an open world was worrying for many fans, but FromSoftware really pulled out all the stops while developing a massive world that players could get lost in for hours on end.
Elden Ringhas several great qualities, but it’s the manner in which the game absolutely maximizes its open world that makes it such a great game. The sheer number of bosses and secrets present in the open world is staggering and shows just how much work was put into FromSoftware’s masterpiece.
