Put off by Dark Souls’ reputation? Elden Ring is for you.
Developer FromSoftware’s games may be set in separate worlds, but because of the DNA they share, fans group them together as the Soulsborne series. Elden Ring is the latest title to join that family, and like Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice before it, this monster-filled open-world RPG is a notoriously difficult game that even the most seasoned player will struggle to best. However, this reputation makes the Soulsborne games a divider: for some, it’s a badge of honor to complete them; for others, it’s a series to avoid. While the Soulsborne games are as demanding as veteran players claim, they’re also fair, and a game that punishes your mistakes isn’t the same as one that simply punishes you. Still, it can be deeply frustrating when someone on the internet tells you to “get good” without saying how. In celebrating their skill, the community around Soulsborne games, Elden Ring included, can put you off trying the series for yourself. And it’s easy to bounce off these titles, especially as each new game breaks the rules you learned to complete the previous one. Each Soulsborne game leans into a different style of combat: Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls reward cautious defensive play, Bloodborne demands aggressive, close-quarters melee, and Sekiro drives you to develop your frame-perfect parries. But if you stick with a Soulsborne game long enough to master it, your reward is a brutal fantasy story full of bizarre sights, unique monsters, and a world that draws you deep into its depths with teasing lore. It can be tempting to start at the beginning with a series as steeped in legacy as the Soulsborne games, and The Demon’s Souls remake for PS5 makes that option more accessible than ever, but I’d suggest Elden Ring is a much better entry point.
