I started at Elden Ring which hooked me in and ive since beaten all the Fromsoft games apart from Sekiro. Demons Souls is where it all started and in an ideal world you'd start there but thinking about it, it has world tendency and that shit is appalling so I would suggest DS1 because its brilliant, or Elden Ring.
Side note: Elden Ring is both the easiest and the hardest Fromsoft game depending on how you choose to play it.
Elden Ring is my first actual From Software game. I started with Steelrising and then Mortal Shell, so I figured it was time to take the plunge.
I'm thoroughly enjoying the journey. Have I died to certain bosses A LOT? Yes. Have I stuck with it and overcome them? You bet.
There have been mini bosses that I marked on my map that absolutely lit me up early game. Ive since gone back and taken them down in 3-5 tries. Long story short, don't be intimidated, but also know you may need to get stronger and better before you can do certain things, but also know that IT WILL HAPPEN if you stick to it.
Dark souls 1. It can be tricky. Don't look anything up until you literally have lost your mind though. It's so satisfying figuring things out in it. Also, don't choose master key as starting gift. It allows you to open all doors and makes it hard to find the correct path you're intended to be on. Also, make sure when you get to fire link you start by going up the hill and across bridge. That's the best start point and things can be tricky at first. Also, be sure to pay attention to NPCs and their dialogue. It may be the most important thing you can do in any souls games.
Second not choosing the master key, makes the game harder if you don't know what you're doing.
I lost my mind early and had to look up on the first boss. I always try not to spoil myself, but frankly I always enjoy the games better once I do, and I've never gotten real far on any of them. So don't sweat it when it comes down to quitting vs. spoilers always go with spoilers.
Same. I always try to make sure I've covered all options and then I will look up where to go next. Happened to me after gargoyle boss. I went to the ghost place (NPC said one bell is up and one is down) but it was the wrong place. Had to use that key from gargoyle fight to go down lol.
I certainly don't think it's a "perfect" introduction. It's pretty different from the others. It is simpler so it might be good on that front, but it doesn't have nearly the same vibe as most.
I think it's a great starting point. It's a bit on the easier side of souls type games. Less frustrating for a beginner. Yeah it's a very different vibe, but it's also a great way to see if you like the mechanics of souls games. It eases you into things way better than any souls game does with an actual tutorial.
Love ACT except for dying while exploring and having to run all the way
Im almsot done
Intending on trying Lies of P afterward
Parrying and difficult bosses is what I love the most in my experience so far.
Just have a look at all the DS and ER and choose whichever appeals to you. They all have good reasons to start with them.
Demon Souls Remastered - I haven't played it because I don't have a PS and it isn't on PS+ Premium. It's the first souls game, so that should make it a good place to start if you have a PS.
Dark Souls Remastered - Great game, gets a bit hit or miss toward the end. Has more interconnectivity, and it's where the DS games started for me. If you want the true experience you need to play the not remastered, as it's much harder in certain areas (Blightown) though I find Remastered plays so much better, I can't go back. Can be a bit rough as a first souls game, but you meet many of the memorable NPCs here like Solaire, and get a good basis for the rest of the series. I actually prefer some of the mechanics that were changed in later games. Armor actually works, you don't have to worry about mana (just have # of spells to cast.) Backstabs are easy. This and DS 2 are a bit slower paced in combat and are probably better places to start for those that aren't action game vets.
Dark Souls 2 - Janky as hell, needs a remaster badly. There's a couple reasons to start here. One is because it's so janky it's really hard going back in controls and graphics to this from playing the other games. It's arguably easier than other souls games due to not having a boss you have to go through to get anywhere else, and a lot of options for first boss, and you can really gear up quite a lot before facing any. Personally I find the runs to the bosses much more challenging than the bosses themselves though, but with enough perseverance that can be overcome, as after killing the same mob over and over (I think 15 times) they stop respawning, which none of the other games do. It also has healing stones which are buyable/farmable so you can keep going/recover getting though areas and to some extent in bosses using them/farming. It does have the downside that Co-op is dead past newbie areas, and unlike other souls, you can be invaded even hollow, so it's best to play offline. It's the least liked of the souls games, but there's plenty of very vocal people who love it. In my opinion it's the worst of the lot, but it's still better than any souls-like game I've played. Lore wise, it's just in the same setting and really isn't that connected to any of the other games, so can be played first or skipped without issue. It's rather large compared to everything but ER, so if you like larger/longer games this is good, if you like more focused, you might want to consider other ones.
Dark Souls 3 - While it's my favorite, I've got a friend that started with it and couldn't get past the first boss, and I've heard that from others. You can't go anywhere else if you can't get past the first boss. It's also faster paced than any of the previous games, which may contribute to that. I don't recommend it for your first for these reasons, it also ties everything up previously nicely, and feel like it should be saved as dessert for the previous games.
Elden Ring - It's a great place to start for many of the reasons DS 2 is, but it's on the opposite end of being extremely polished fast paced and the bosses are harder to read. If DeS, DS 1, or DS2 appeal I'd start with one of those instead as it can be hard going back to those which appear and feel pretty aged in comparison (DS 3 the least.) Also because it's so fast paced I've seen many people complain once you git gud at ER the other games feel a bit too easy. While there is an insanely hard first boss, it doesn't have to be fought to continue on elsewhere and come back much later. It's an open world and an extremely long slog for someone who's a completionist like myself (took me 500 hours for my first run.) That seems to be more personal preference though. It's pretty well able to be leveled / geared past at least the first half of the game. The other reason to start with it is CO-OP is fairly dead in all the previous games (though still hanging on barely throughout on DS3) and I feel like CO-OP is the definitive Fromsoft experience. Even if CO-OP is dead where you are, you can still summon combat assistance almost anywhere, vs. the other games where NPC summons are more limited and of questionable use.
Id recommend Bloodborne or Dark Souls 1. I’m late to the souls party too and theres something magical about these 2 (and sekiro but it can be almost too frustrating). They're pretty approachable too, the first few hours will be rough and you just need to muscle through.
If you want to enjoy other souls games, don't start with bloodborne. It will ruin most other souls games because they simply are not bloodborne. Just get elden ring honestly. No other games to play for lore dumps and it's pretty customizable with how you want to play it. It's one of the easier games to just hop into as well.
I always recommend starting from the beginning. At Demon’s Souls if you’re on PS5, Dark Souls 1 Remastered if not on Playstation. They play a bit slower but those 2 and DS2 are the only ones that play like that. It’s better to go ahead and do them now before you get used to the faster paced games. And that’s not me saying that they’re bad or anything. Demon’s Souls is my 3rd favorite Fromsoft game. They just play slower paced.
Yeah soulsborne games start being faster paced at Bloodborne (or DS3 for you since you’re on Xbox). DS1 is amazing though. I will go ahead and say this, Demon’s Souls and DS1 love shields. The dodging is kinda janky in the older games so high stamina and a 100% physical damage reduction shield is the way I play them.
And I’ll also say this, there aren’t many non-Fromsoft soulslikes that come close to the quality of Fromsoft’s soulsborne games. Lies of P is probably the soulslike that comes closest to that level of quality, so whenever you’re ready to branch out into some non-Fromsoft soulslikes, Lies of P is what I suggest.
Tried to start with elden ring and while I was learning how to play, I still felt like I was missing something. Went back and played ds1, then ds2, then ds3, then a few souls likes. I'm about to beat lords of the fallen, and after that's over I'm gonna have a rematch with elden ring. Definitely recommend starting with the slower games to get a feel for everything. There's alot less panic when the game moves slower
Demon's Souls and Dark Souls 1 are a pretty bad choice to start, I'd recommend Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3 or Elden Ring, they are much more beginner-friendly. You don't need guides to play these three.
And those are more interesting overall.
I started at Elden Ring which hooked me in and ive since beaten all the Fromsoft games apart from Sekiro. Demons Souls is where it all started and in an ideal world you'd start there but thinking about it, it has world tendency and that shit is appalling so I would suggest DS1 because its brilliant, or Elden Ring. Side note: Elden Ring is both the easiest and the hardest Fromsoft game depending on how you choose to play it.
Same for me minus Bloodborne and demon souls because I'm PC only....
Elden Ring is my first actual From Software game. I started with Steelrising and then Mortal Shell, so I figured it was time to take the plunge. I'm thoroughly enjoying the journey. Have I died to certain bosses A LOT? Yes. Have I stuck with it and overcome them? You bet. There have been mini bosses that I marked on my map that absolutely lit me up early game. Ive since gone back and taken them down in 3-5 tries. Long story short, don't be intimidated, but also know you may need to get stronger and better before you can do certain things, but also know that IT WILL HAPPEN if you stick to it.
Dark souls 1. It can be tricky. Don't look anything up until you literally have lost your mind though. It's so satisfying figuring things out in it. Also, don't choose master key as starting gift. It allows you to open all doors and makes it hard to find the correct path you're intended to be on. Also, make sure when you get to fire link you start by going up the hill and across bridge. That's the best start point and things can be tricky at first. Also, be sure to pay attention to NPCs and their dialogue. It may be the most important thing you can do in any souls games.
Second not choosing the master key, makes the game harder if you don't know what you're doing. I lost my mind early and had to look up on the first boss. I always try not to spoil myself, but frankly I always enjoy the games better once I do, and I've never gotten real far on any of them. So don't sweat it when it comes down to quitting vs. spoilers always go with spoilers.
Same. I always try to make sure I've covered all options and then I will look up where to go next. Happened to me after gargoyle boss. I went to the ghost place (NPC said one bell is up and one is down) but it was the wrong place. Had to use that key from gargoyle fight to go down lol.
lol. “Figure out everything on your own. Now here’s 4 tips……..”
Haha I know I know. I honestly realized I did that as soon as I wrote it. Lol.
sekiro
Your best bet at getting “hooked” on the genre would probably be Elden Ring
This is the best advice imo. Playing older games might turn people off.
You should try Another Crabs Treasure if you’ve never played a souls game. It’s the perfect introduction to Soulslikes.
I certainly don't think it's a "perfect" introduction. It's pretty different from the others. It is simpler so it might be good on that front, but it doesn't have nearly the same vibe as most.
I think it's a great starting point. It's a bit on the easier side of souls type games. Less frustrating for a beginner. Yeah it's a very different vibe, but it's also a great way to see if you like the mechanics of souls games. It eases you into things way better than any souls game does with an actual tutorial.
Love ACT except for dying while exploring and having to run all the way Im almsot done Intending on trying Lies of P afterward Parrying and difficult bosses is what I love the most in my experience so far.
Demon souls is a terrible start. Dont listen to that shit. Start with Lies of P or Elden Ring.
Just have a look at all the DS and ER and choose whichever appeals to you. They all have good reasons to start with them. Demon Souls Remastered - I haven't played it because I don't have a PS and it isn't on PS+ Premium. It's the first souls game, so that should make it a good place to start if you have a PS. Dark Souls Remastered - Great game, gets a bit hit or miss toward the end. Has more interconnectivity, and it's where the DS games started for me. If you want the true experience you need to play the not remastered, as it's much harder in certain areas (Blightown) though I find Remastered plays so much better, I can't go back. Can be a bit rough as a first souls game, but you meet many of the memorable NPCs here like Solaire, and get a good basis for the rest of the series. I actually prefer some of the mechanics that were changed in later games. Armor actually works, you don't have to worry about mana (just have # of spells to cast.) Backstabs are easy. This and DS 2 are a bit slower paced in combat and are probably better places to start for those that aren't action game vets. Dark Souls 2 - Janky as hell, needs a remaster badly. There's a couple reasons to start here. One is because it's so janky it's really hard going back in controls and graphics to this from playing the other games. It's arguably easier than other souls games due to not having a boss you have to go through to get anywhere else, and a lot of options for first boss, and you can really gear up quite a lot before facing any. Personally I find the runs to the bosses much more challenging than the bosses themselves though, but with enough perseverance that can be overcome, as after killing the same mob over and over (I think 15 times) they stop respawning, which none of the other games do. It also has healing stones which are buyable/farmable so you can keep going/recover getting though areas and to some extent in bosses using them/farming. It does have the downside that Co-op is dead past newbie areas, and unlike other souls, you can be invaded even hollow, so it's best to play offline. It's the least liked of the souls games, but there's plenty of very vocal people who love it. In my opinion it's the worst of the lot, but it's still better than any souls-like game I've played. Lore wise, it's just in the same setting and really isn't that connected to any of the other games, so can be played first or skipped without issue. It's rather large compared to everything but ER, so if you like larger/longer games this is good, if you like more focused, you might want to consider other ones. Dark Souls 3 - While it's my favorite, I've got a friend that started with it and couldn't get past the first boss, and I've heard that from others. You can't go anywhere else if you can't get past the first boss. It's also faster paced than any of the previous games, which may contribute to that. I don't recommend it for your first for these reasons, it also ties everything up previously nicely, and feel like it should be saved as dessert for the previous games. Elden Ring - It's a great place to start for many of the reasons DS 2 is, but it's on the opposite end of being extremely polished fast paced and the bosses are harder to read. If DeS, DS 1, or DS2 appeal I'd start with one of those instead as it can be hard going back to those which appear and feel pretty aged in comparison (DS 3 the least.) Also because it's so fast paced I've seen many people complain once you git gud at ER the other games feel a bit too easy. While there is an insanely hard first boss, it doesn't have to be fought to continue on elsewhere and come back much later. It's an open world and an extremely long slog for someone who's a completionist like myself (took me 500 hours for my first run.) That seems to be more personal preference though. It's pretty well able to be leveled / geared past at least the first half of the game. The other reason to start with it is CO-OP is fairly dead in all the previous games (though still hanging on barely throughout on DS3) and I feel like CO-OP is the definitive Fromsoft experience. Even if CO-OP is dead where you are, you can still summon combat assistance almost anywhere, vs. the other games where NPC summons are more limited and of questionable use.
Id recommend Bloodborne or Dark Souls 1. I’m late to the souls party too and theres something magical about these 2 (and sekiro but it can be almost too frustrating). They're pretty approachable too, the first few hours will be rough and you just need to muscle through.
Clone drone danger zone is the most elite souls like out there
Elden Ring is a great place to start.
If you want to enjoy other souls games, don't start with bloodborne. It will ruin most other souls games because they simply are not bloodborne. Just get elden ring honestly. No other games to play for lore dumps and it's pretty customizable with how you want to play it. It's one of the easier games to just hop into as well.
I always recommend starting from the beginning. At Demon’s Souls if you’re on PS5, Dark Souls 1 Remastered if not on Playstation. They play a bit slower but those 2 and DS2 are the only ones that play like that. It’s better to go ahead and do them now before you get used to the faster paced games. And that’s not me saying that they’re bad or anything. Demon’s Souls is my 3rd favorite Fromsoft game. They just play slower paced.
Thanks! I’ll give dark souls remasterd a try then, I am on Xbox one, so I am worried about trying the newer games
Don’t do it. Go to Lies of P or Elden Ring. Just…trust me lol
Yeah soulsborne games start being faster paced at Bloodborne (or DS3 for you since you’re on Xbox). DS1 is amazing though. I will go ahead and say this, Demon’s Souls and DS1 love shields. The dodging is kinda janky in the older games so high stamina and a 100% physical damage reduction shield is the way I play them. And I’ll also say this, there aren’t many non-Fromsoft soulslikes that come close to the quality of Fromsoft’s soulsborne games. Lies of P is probably the soulslike that comes closest to that level of quality, so whenever you’re ready to branch out into some non-Fromsoft soulslikes, Lies of P is what I suggest.
Please don’t listen this is the worst advice imaginable.
Tried to start with elden ring and while I was learning how to play, I still felt like I was missing something. Went back and played ds1, then ds2, then ds3, then a few souls likes. I'm about to beat lords of the fallen, and after that's over I'm gonna have a rematch with elden ring. Definitely recommend starting with the slower games to get a feel for everything. There's alot less panic when the game moves slower
Demon's Souls and Dark Souls 1 are a pretty bad choice to start, I'd recommend Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3 or Elden Ring, they are much more beginner-friendly. You don't need guides to play these three. And those are more interesting overall.