FromSoftware has a long and storied history of creating challenging and rewarding video games. From the original Dark Souls to the latest release, Elden Ring, these games have captivated players with their unique blend of action, adventure, and role-playing. Not to mention their vague yet very effective and deep world-building and storytelling. The sentiment that a FromSoftware game is unlike any other game holds true every time and perhaps would be so for all eternity. FromSoftware is just that type of game studio.
But which FromSoftware game is the best? That’s a question that fans have debated constantly for years. Fans of the “souls-like” genre or not, everyone has their opinion about this very topic. Well, here’s mine. Here is what I believe is the best FromSoftware game to date.
The Best FromSoftware Game
Let us be perfectly clear here, every FromSoftware game in existence can just as easily be somebody’s favorite and pick for the best FromSoftware game.
From the series that propelled them to stardom, Dark Souls and Demon Souls, the games that cemented their place among the best gaming studios today, Bloodborne and Sekiro, to their latest industry-shaking masterpiece, Elden Ring.
Any of them could just as quickly take the “best” title. I understand that everyone has their opinion, and I fully respect that.
However, having played almost every FromSoftware game today, there is just one title that I believe outranks everything else. That being Elden Ring. Recency bias aside, Elden Ring is a masterpiece unlike any other.
It is the culmination of everything that FromSoftware has learned and accomplished over the past two decades, and it is a game that will be remembered for years to come.
In fact, it isn’t just the best FromSoftware game to date, I can even go as far as saying that it is the best game in any genre from the past few years.
Why Elden Ring is the Best
Being FromSoftware’s first foray into open-world games, Elden Ring dwarfs its contemporaries in terms of scope. It is a massive game in every sense of the word. Notably, Elden Ring’s map is over 100 times larger than the world of Dark Souls 3! The game is jam-packed with content, from catacombs and dungeons to castles and fortresses.
Honestly, you wouldn’t think FromSoftware is new to open-world gaming because of how wonderfully they have crafted Elden Ring’s map.
Not only that, but each location seemingly also has stories to tell. And don’t get us started with the characters that populate the open-world. Everyone is meticulously written each of them could just as easily have a 1-hour backstory deep-dive in YouTube.
The story of Elden Ring is rich and complex, and it is told through a variety of means. There are cutscenes, dialogue, and item descriptions, and it is all up to you to piece together the story. The story is dark and mysterious, and it will keep you guessing until the very end.
Moreover, the combat in Elden Ring is some of the best that I have ever experienced. True to the FromSoftware formula, every encounter is challenging. There are no common enemies here, everyone feels like a boss.
True, dying multiple times on a single area section can get quite frustrating, but the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment you’d receive after finally beating it is unmatched.
FromSoftware is just the master of punishing yet rewarding games, and Elden Ring may just be the epitome of such.
Final Thoughts
All this and more combined makes Elden Ring the best FromSoftware game, at least for me. Although having played Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bloodborne is just as memorable and fun, my wonderful experience with Elden Ring is just on a plane of its own.
To be perfectly honest, Elden Ring ruined some games for me because of how great and seemingly perfect it is. Now, I can’t help myself but compared every game I play to it.
Nevertheless, I cannot recommend this game enough. You owe it to yourself to play Elden Ring. It is the best FromSoftware game to date and among the best games in our generation and perhaps even the next. Now, let’s see if they can follow it up with the upcoming Armored Core: Fires of Rubicon.
