Rank the From Software Souls series

[Wolf Kanno]

Pretty much what it says on the tin. Non-Souls titles may count as well so Elden Ring, Nightreign, Sekiro, and Bloodborne can be counted too if you want.

[Wolf Kanno]

Let's get this started. From least favorite to favorite:

Honorable mentions: Sekiro and Nightreign
I have yet to play Nightreign so I have no real opinion of it. It's not exactly a genre I am interested in playing, but that's no reason to knock it. As for Sekiro, I have played it, but I never got super far into it. The high skill level required to get anywhere in the game and my busy personal life meant I've just never had much time to dedicate to this game. I am interested in playing it again, but I am afraid I'll have to start over if I do.

6. Dark Souls II
Not a major surprise, as I'm sure most average fans would rank this game towards the bottom. DS2 is not a bad game per se, just one that lacks the polish of other titles in the series and feels a bit too bloated for its own good. The game suffered from a problematic development history and suffers from both having to live up to a runaway success that is DS1 and conflicting visions. My personal issues with the game is that it recycles a bit too much from DS1 and even itself. What we get is still pretty solid, but I find DS2 is a slow burn with the opening hours leaving much to be desired before finally opening up and having a stronger second half. The DLC proves that once the development team was all on the same page, they can deliver some pure awesomeness.

Favorite Areas: Brume Tower, Frozen Eleum Loyce, Dragon Arye, Shrine of Amana
Favorite Boss: Executioner's Chariot, Darklurker, Fume Knight, Burnt Ivory King

5. Dark Souls
And I probably just lost 90% of the people reading this thread. I get this is the sacred cow of the series and the one that most people have the fondest memories of, but for me, it has not held onto my interest as much as the four games above it. I blame it on DS1 largely feeling like a Demon's Souls re-imagining in terms of recycling characters and concepts, which is not a bad thing, but it does diminish the wonder for seeing how I got into this franchise through the previous title. With that said, DS1 is a solid title and managed to work out a lot of the jankier elements from Demon's Souls and manages to be way more user friendly and with better customization and lore. About my only other gripe is that DS1 has the opposite issue with DS2 for me in that I feel the game starts very strong but loses a lot of my favor in the post-Anor Londo sections of the game which feel less polished and mired with more cheap deaths due to wonky level design or gimmicky stage mechanics. I tend to save the excellent DLC for this section of the game just so I don't end it on a bitter note. I also low key think the other reason I'm not fond of this entry is just how toxic the fans of this particular entry are. The game is still fantastic though overall, and much easier to get into than some other titles in the series.

Favorite Areas: Anor Londo, Painted World, New Londo Ruins, The Duke's Archives
Favorite Boss: Artorias The Abyss Walker, Ornstein and Smough, Great Wolf Sif.

4. Dark Souls III
Yes, I am well aware of the heresy, especially since I would easily agree that DS3 is the easiest entry of the franchise and feels a bit too similar to Bloodborne for the wrong reasons, but truth be told, the main reason why I like this entry more is the lore and setting. Another reason DS1 isn't higher is because I felt it stripped away too much of the Fantasy Horror aspect Demon's Souls had and DS2 is not much different in that regard. DS3 brings us back there and cranks it to eleven with a world that doesn't just feel like the end, but one begging to be put out of it's misery. The four main antagonistic bosses are more interesting, being former people who linked the flame or destined to do so, being brought back to continue the cycle and the Ashen Ones being people who failed to link the flame getting a second chance to do so. Yet the world is one that feels warped, sickly, and down right apocalyptic. I also love how this game feels like a love letter to the games that came before it with shout outs to all the previous games. The DLC is also amazing, giving the rather bleak title a more hopeful ending and finally exploring the mystery of the Furtive Pygmy and giving us the most lore we've ever got about the Dark Soul itself. I also feel this game has my favorite collection of NPCs of the three Dark Souls games.

Favorite Areas: Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, Farron Keep, Lothric Castle, Grand Archives, Painted World of Ariandel, The Ringed City
Favorite Boss: Iudex Grundyr, Abyss Watchers, Yhorm the Giant, Aldrich Devourer of Gods, Lothric the Younger Prince, Nameless King, Sister Freide, Slave Knight Gael

3. Demon's Souls
The game that started it all. I will fully admit this title is this high largely on nostalgia. It doesn't play nearly as well as any of the three games listed before it and it feels the most experimental of the series with a lot of gimmick bosses and Mega Man X6 levels of obnoxious level design, but I can't help but really love this game since it was my first introduction to the series and managed to scratch an itch I needed. I know some Souls players who cut their teeth on later titles hate the glut of gimmick boss fights and lack of skilled based ones, but truth be told I kind of like them more since they wind up being more memorable despite many being pretty easy. I also just love some of the locations in this game with Tower of Latria, Shrine of Storms, and the Valley of Defilement being way more memorable for me than some later locales in the series. I have fond memories stumbling through this title to the point where I had to just start over because I gimped myself too bad. You always remember your first Souls game they say, and beating this one gave me a level of satisfaction the others haven't. I also appreciate the fact the game is very much a Fantasy Horror title and I love the NPCs in this entry. Also, I don't care what any Souls fan says, the Valley of Defilement 5-2 is easily the most difficult poison swamp level in the spiritual series. As a final note, I feel the World Tendency system was a cool mechanic that was way ahead of its time, and I really wish another title in the Souls franchise would bring it back.

Favorite Areas: It would be easier to say that the Stonefang Tunnels are my least favorite area.
Favorite Boss: Tower Knight, Penetrator, King Allant, Dragon God, Fool's Idol, Maneater, Old Monk, Old Hero, Storm King, and Maiden Astrea.

2. Elden Ring
Another controversial choice within the community, and solid proof I'm just a filthy casual with the series besides my obvious first choice at this point. Elden Ring takes the Souls formula and places it into an open world setting.The lore gets a bit of a step up with help from everyone's favorite fantasy writer punching bag George R.R. "where the smurf is the Winds of Winter?!" Martin. Truth be told, though this game is one of the most user-friendly entries in the series formula with lots of build options, a whole mechanic system built around summoning helpers for boss fights, and actual horseback riding combat. If you love exploration, this game is for you as there are countless secrets and in-depth NPC quest lines to occupy your time, and the starting area of Limgrave is so packed with content, many players still trip over a cave or two they missed despite being on NG+3. The lore is also really killer with a level of tragedy not seen in the rest of the series and a cast of characters that feel more ambiguous in their motives than other entries. The locations are also varied and fantastically designed with unique open locales and intricately designed story dungeons where you'll be accidentally twisting your way back to previous places. The boss battles are also just well designed with a few new unique ideas and a few old ones coming back and being reworked in a good way. The game also brings back a myriad of build options not seen since DS2 and even manages to bring in some shout outs from previous Souls titles. I also feel Elden Ring finds a nice balance of giving us that high fantasy almost mythology type setting we see in Dark Souls 1, but also gives me plenty of my Berserk level Fantasy Horror I crave. The DLC is also fantastic and manages to re-contextualize a lot of characters and motives from the main game that always felt a bit off, while also throwing a serious monkey wrench into how you view the endings. This entry is easily the one I would recommend for first time players wanting to get into the series but feels too intimidated to start the others due to their reputation or fan bases.

Favorite Areas: Nokron and Nostella the Eternal Cities, Lyndell the Royal Capital, Volcano Manor, Redmain Castle, and most of the DLC but special menmtion to the Abyssal Woods.
Favorite Boss: Radahn, Tibia Mariner, Night's Calvery, Rykard, Godfrey The First Elden Lord, Fire Giant, Vyke, Malenai Blade of Miquella, Ancestor Spirit, Metyr Mother of Fingers, Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Ghostflame Dragon, Bayle the Dread, Midra Lord of Flame, and Messmer the Impaler.

1. Bloodborne
To no one's surprise on this forum, Bloodborne is still my favorite. This really just stems from the fact I'm a fan of the works of Lovecraft and Miyazaki manages to take Lovecraft's ideas and perfectly represent them in a game format, something actual Lovecraft games often fail to do. It's not just filling the game with weird aliens and Outer Gods, its also about how dreams are portals to other worlds and depravity of man itself. Insight is also one of the coolest mechanics in the game and I wish later Souls titles would bring it back in some way. I also love how the game also gives us some exploration with classic Universal horrors with werewolves, vampires, and other creatures that go bump in the night getting their own shout outs. The NPC collection is also cool and I love how the game subverts a few gameplay tricks that have been around since Demon's Souls. Music is also fantastic and Yharnum is just a twisted and weird setting that left a lasting impression on me. There wasn't really a game quite like Bloodborne before it came out and it often still puts the titles that try to follow its example to shame. While I am not clamoring for a Bloodborne 2 anytime soon as I feel the game works as a lone entry I would love to see it get a remaster. The gameplay also suits my play-style better than previous entries. I've very much a dodgy stay on the offense type player and Bloodborne's battle system works great for building a system that rewards aggressive tactics. I will remark the game is far from perfect though, as I'm not a fan of going back to finite healing items that need to be farmed and despite my praise of the battle system, I will agree Bloodborne doesn't offer as much in terms of character building being more flash than substance. Though I do still love the concept of trick weapons and how the gameplay works with it. The DLC for this game is also my absolute favorite of all the games with serious lore drops, awesome boss battles, and the most obvious shout out to Lovecraft in the whole game. Overall, Bloodborne fills that need for Gothic design and Cosmic Horror that I love so much and the world and lore always bring me back to it.

Favorite Areas: Hunter's Dream, Upper Cathedral Ward, Forsaken Castle Cainhurst, Old Yharnam, Nightmare of Mensis. The Hunter's Nightmare, Research Hall, Fisherman's Village.
Favorite Boss: Father Gascoigne, Blood Starved Beast, Vicar Amelia, Ebretias Daughter of the Cosmos, Martyr Logarius, Micolash the Host of the Nightmare, Gehrman the First Hunter, The Moon Presence, Ludwig the Holy Blade, Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower, and The Orphan of Kos.

[Loony BoB]

1. Bloodborne - An interesting name. Borne of blood makes me think of a few things, so it inspires the imagination.
2. Elden Ring - A ring of elders? An old trinket? Raises questions!
3. Dark Souls - The most simple of edgelord game titles, yet still effective.
4. Dark Souls III - Once you start numerals, you gotta commit to it. At this point, it looks like a commitment was in place.
5. Dark Souls II - The numbers never quite hit me as clever titles, so this one gets docked points for starting that.
6. Demon's Souls - Apostrophes ruin game titles.

Never played any of them. Hope this was helpful for anyone who intends on reading the titles of these games.

[Wolf Kanno]

To be fair, as awkward as the title is, Demon's Souls makes sense with context. As for the Elden Ring, the ring is not a physical object like say in Lord of the Rings, but more like a runic invocation such as the Lesser Rings of Solomon.

With that said, you should try the series out.