BEST Soulsborne Games: All Ranked [Expert Picks]

Soulsborne games genre, or Soulslike games, have gained massive popularity in recent years. These titles have high replay value and are tough to beat. If you’re a new fan or someone who is just as hooked to the Soul games just like I am, then it’s worth knowing the Best Soulsborne Games. Even though it’s hard to rank games like Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Dark Souls it needs to be done in order to fulfill the needs of the gaming community.

Bloodborne

Bloodborne is the only FromSoftware game that is exclusive to PlayStation. It is also one of the many reasons that the game surfaces all expectations. When it comes to graphical Fidelity, gameplay aesthetics, depth in Lore, Boss battle designs, weapon variety, and anything that you see in Bloodborne is a state-of-the-art experience created by the FromSoftware developer.

The boss battles aspect and the variety of weapons is the highlighting or even the selling point of Bloodborne. Also, the cherry on top is the landscape of the environment that the game has.

Personally, having played all FromSoftware video games in the hierarchy, starting with Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls 1, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3, and then coming to Bloodborne was a profound experience. Since playing Bloodborne, I find myself continuously going back to it every year just because I miss the sheer atmosphere the game provides!

If I have to rank the Good, the Bad, and the average Soulsborne game, then Bloodborne is my top priority when it comes to ranking the best of the best in the league. Despite releasing in 2015, the grind, enemy design, unique weapons with signature changing weapon types, usage of tools, level traversal, and other similar small details all play a message part in making Bloodborne one of the best Soulsborne games you can experience in 2024.

Pros

• Bloodborne is known for its incredibly challenging gameplay.
• The combat in Bloodborne is fast-paced and fluid.
• Loads of weapon variety.
• Bloodborne has several very memorable boss battles that are challenging and epic.

Cons

• The AI teammates in Bloodborne are not that well-optimized.
• Bloodborne has a very steep learning curve.
• Bloodborne is locked at 30 FPS (Frames per second).
• The Chalice Dungeons can get repetitive very quickly.

If you want to learn more about the best souls like games, then our video has got your back. 

Sekiro

If there is a Soulsborne game that looks and plays like most games in this genre but yet presents a unique perspective on playstyle and replayability, then I think Sekiro is the one that takes the cake here. FromSoftware did massive changes from design, world settings, combat, leveling up, and the multiplayer coop player experience with Sekiro.

If you ask me, Sekiro was by far the most brutal soulsborne game the developers have ever released. I had the hardest time settling into Sekiro as compared to all the other Soulslike games. They dropped the character leveling and the coop experience, the two features that gave most soulsborne games an easy mode. 

For better or worse, Sekiro is the best work of FromSoftware developers from the story, combat mechanics, world theme, and impact of having unique gear in the arsenal. Sekiro was released back in 2019, and even if you play it for the first time today or revisit the game again, you will have a hard time adjusting to the combat of the game as it deviates from most FromSoftware video games. 

There is a steady learning curve associated with the playstyle of Sekiro, one that is easy to forget if you keep playing the rest of FromSoftware’s catalog. As mentioned earlier, this is by far one of the top reasons why most hardcore players of this genre think that Sekiro is the best soulsborne game of all time.

Pros

• The combat in Sekiro is intense and challenging but also incredibly satisfying.
• The environments in Sekiro are designed brilliantly.
• Sekiro’s story is engaging and well-written.
• Sekiro has an excellent level design.

Cons

• Some of the bosses in Sekiro are reused.
• Sekiro has a lack of difficulty options that may make it less accessible to players who are new to the genre.

Elden Ring

Elden Ring is the recent experience that Hidetaka Miyazaki created after decades of experience with the Soulsborne formula, releasing various iterations and perfecting each with a sequel. 

This game is not the only brainchild of Hidetaka Miyazaki, but George R. R. Martin also got to plant his seeds in the development of the game’s story, world design, boss names, and much more. It is probably one of the many reasons that Elden Ring feels like a much more detailed and polished take in the Soulsborne genre.

The easy-to-spot feature that makes Elden Ring stand out from the rest of previously released Soulsborne games, exclusive or not, is the open-world design of the game. Just one look at the in-game design of Elden Ring, and you’ll immediately realize how big, interconnected, and full of small side-quests the game’s world is created for the players to engage and play for countless hours.

Like most Soulsborne games, I have played more than 100 hours of Elden Ring as well, and the sheer amount of exploration, replay value, and the feeling to discover it all never ceases. From a player’s perspective, I think FromSoftware ticked all the boxes and knew exactly what players wanted from the next Hidetaka Miyazaki video game the company delivered. As far as world design, graphics, and lore are concerned Elden Ring might just be the Best Soulsborne game ever!

Pros:

• The vast world within Elden Ring is very well-designed.
• Certain areas are breathtaking, with stunningly detailed environments that are immersive.
• Elden Ring’s characters are incredible and memorable.
• The writing is fantastic and does a fantastic job of keeping you engaged in the tale.
• Elden Ring’s combat is thrillingly fun.

Cons:

• AI can be a bit clunky sometimes.
• There are bosses who appear more than once in one run, which may be repetitive.

Demon’s Souls Remake

Rewind back to 2009 when Demon’s Souls was the first game that gave birth to the punishing video game genre called Soulsborne that I know today. As a PlayStation 3 exclusive, the hard-to-win and survival aspect of the game immediately made it stand apart from the rest of the video game genres of the time.

Re-released 11 years later than the first release of the game, Demon’s Souls Remake is basically a revamped version of the original title and applies a whole new layer of graphical enhancement on top of the core gameplay combat mechanics lore, enemy and boss designs, and much more.  

The graphical enhancement of Demon’s Souls Remake is not the only reason to experience this title. Still, the number of bugs, clunkiness in combat, and several other issues are irked out in the remake version of the game.  

So, for a lot of players out there, the original Demon’s Souls is probably the best Soulsborne game ever, mainly because they get to experience the genre firsthand, have to learn the learning curve of the game, and triumph over the bosses.

However, to me, the Demon’s Souls remake is still one of the massive, dynamic, and intriguing gameplay experiences that simply is much better than the Dark Souls series, and that is why I think this title is the fourth-best Soulsborne title.

Pros

• Players get to experience the roots of the Soulsborne genre in Demon’s Souls Remake.
• Demon’s Souls Remake’s music and sound design are also top-notch.
• The combat in Demon’s Souls Remake is brutal and incredibly satisfying.

Cons

• The UI in Demon’s Souls Remake can be incredibly clunky and awkward to navigate.
• Demon’s Souls Remake has very limited accessibility.
• There are not that many core changes in the remake of Demon’s Souls compared to its 2009 counterpart.

Dark Souls 1

The release of Dark Souls 1, after Demon’s Souls, back in the day, was a significant jump when it comes to connected level design, combat mechanics, NPC interactions, expansive lore, and other interesting gameplay elements. Where Demon’s Souls lacked behind in gameplay experience, FromSoftware picked right from that point, improved upon, and delivered its Dark Souls product.

It was Demon’s Souls that gave birth to the Soulsborne formula, but I think Dark Souls was the first game that had an influence on the video game industry into making more Soulsborne clones that I see today. Part of the reason was the multi-platform release of the game, which allowed players of Xbox and PC along with PlayStation 3 to experience Hidetaka Miyazaki’s new video game genre. 

Regardless of the multi-platform approach, Dark Souls 1 is still one of the best Dark Souls and Soulsborne games when it comes to world design, dynamic NPCs, unique boss battles and designs, and much more. Sure, there are tons of downsides that the game has due to hardware limitations at the time it was released.

However, the replayability, exploration, and approach to progress the linear story of the game is unmatched when you compare Dark Souls with Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3.

Pros

• Dark Souls 1 has an incredibly satisfying combat system.
• The world of Dark Souls 1 is very captivating and mysterious.
• Dark Souls 1 features a huge sense of accomplishment behind the challenges.
• The original enemy design in Dark Souls 1 is arguably the best out of all the Dark Soul games.

Cons

• The controls of Dark Souls 1 might feel outdated to some players.
• The second part of Dark Souls 1 might feel slightly rushed in pacing.

Dark Souls 3

After the release of Dark Souls 2, the Dark Souls 3 was a miles better video game if you compare it to the prequel. Most players hated DS2, and this contributed to the company dropping the idea of making Dark Souls 3 on the same engine. Fortunately, the developers picked their game up and FromSoftware’s Dark Souls 3 was a hit.

Moreover, players who played Dark Souls 1 would simply term Dark Souls 3 as an elder sibling of the franchise because the game does the same as the first one did, only bigger and better. Dark Souls 3 features a larger gameplay world, expansive weapon choices, boss battles, tons of side missions, dynamic NPCs, both hostile and friendly, and much more.

For me, Dark Souls 3 stands out as the best title in the series for sure. Don’t get me wrong DS1 was amazing, however, DS3 just had that extra bit of lore, challenge, and world size that lured me deeper and deeper into the game.

So, if you’re to highlight the best Dark Souls or Soulsborne video game that shares elements of the first game but still delivers much more than that, then Dark Souls 3 will come first to your mind. Also, the co-op experience of Dark Souls 3 was made much better than the first two games, and I think it increased the replay value of the game as you can always play the game with strangers or friends via jolly cooperation.

Pros

• Dark Souls 3 offers a very challenging yet fun gameplay experience.
• The combat is amazing and requires you to be very strategic.
• Dark Souls 3 is one of the best games for players looking to put their skills to the test.
• The art direction and atmosphere in DS3 are phenomenal.

Cons

• Dark Souls 3 is a very difficult game for beginners to get into.
• All of the endings can be incredibly disappointing and anti-climactic.

Dark Souls 2

The least favorite Soulsborne video game for most players of this genre would easily be the Dark Souls 2. Don’t get me wrong, and this game still has all of the core elements that Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls had. The game had two basic problems that ruined the overall experience, at least it had been the case with us.

First, the change in combat, character movement, and hitbox design were lackluster and underwhelming. Of course, the new additions are always welcomed in video games, but only if they comprehend the existing system of a game engine. This was not the case with Dark Souls 2, and that is where the core problem was. 

Secondly, the graphic design was a tad bit better than Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls, but it was far from its roots, and the game looked and felt very different than the prequel. This reason also contributed further to making Dark Souls 2 an underwhelming or below-average soulsborne game of all time.  

While the expansive lore of the first Dark Souls paved the way for the sequel to pick things off where it ended, Dark Souls 2 deviated from the story continuation idea. Instead, a brand new story and lore were set up for Dark Souls 2, which was slightly interesting, but it could have been much more if FromSoftware had decided to continue or connect the first game’s story with the second one.

Regardless of all the core issues that made Dark Souls 2 a not-so-great Soulsborne game that most players know, this is still a FromSoftware video game and is fun to play. Even if you play for the first time the remastered version of the game containing all story DLC or revisit it again, you will find yourself hooked on the game’s story and exploration.

Pros

• The PvP in Dark Souls 2 is incredibly well-designed.
• Dark Souls 2’s soundtrack fits the dark and haunting atmosphere very well.
• The art direction of Dark Souls 2 is exceptional.
• Dark Souls 2 has a lot of content that can keep you engaged for many hours.

Cons

• The world of Dark Souls 2 does not feel as connected.
• Dark Souls 2’s controls feel incredibly awkward and unsatisfying.
• The movement in Dark Souls 2 feels restrictive.
• Many players feel that Dark Souls 2 mechanics are too different from other Dark Souls games.

My Experience With Soulsborne Games

In all honesty, Soulsborne games are tough to get into, and when I first dived into the genre, I almost wanted to quit. My first Soulsborne game was Dark Souls 1, which I started in late 2019, and like most rookies, I went into the Catacombs first and couldn’t get out. Frustrated by the repetitive difficulty, I uninstalled the title and, a few months later, decided to try Dark Souls 3. After 120 hours of agony but eventual satisfaction, I beat the base game and the DLC, thanks to my veteran friend.

I went back into Dark Souls 1 with prep and eventually beat it, although I think beating Manus took longer than the rest of the game combined. After these, Dark Souls 2, Sekiro, Demon’s Souls, and Bloodborne were my following 3 completions. Finally, I started Elden Ring in February 2022 and beat it after 140 hours. Overall, these games gave me a type of satisfaction I never expected games to give, and the atmosphere of it all makes the experience worthwhile. Even now, I dive back into these games for their awe-inspiring vibe and level design.

That is pretty much everything you need to know about all Soulsborne games and how each video game title holds its standing in the genre. I even noted down my own personal thoughts under some of the games listed above after hundreds of hours into the Soulsborne genre.

Do you find my ranking of each game similar to yours? Let me know more of your thoughts in the comments section below.