Ranking the Dark Souls Series, from Worst to Best
The Dark Souls series, in its entirety, is regarded as one of the best game series we’ve seen yet. For its crushing difficulty, intricate combat systems, grandiose aesthetic and crazy world building, there’s a lot to enjoy across these notoriously hard(and fun) games. But then comes the heated debate: “Which one is the best? Which one is the worst?” It can be tough to get a proper answer, especially for something that’s quite subjective. So, why not take a look and see if I can give an accurate ranking, from worst to best?
DARK SOULS II
First up is Dark Souls II, the third entry in the Soulsborne series. Developed by the company’s B-Team, a lot of new ideas and concepts were put into practice with this title, for better or worse. Most enemies will eventually stop spawning after killing them enough times, giving any player a breather for later excursions. Going Hollow will reduce your max HP by half until you use a Human Effigy to become human. But even as you consider these options and more, that doesn’t save Dark Souls II from having some of the most frustrating enemy placement and level design in the series. Some of the most egregious examples are places like Harvest Valley, The Old Iron Keep, and a good portion of the three Lost Crowns DLC packs. It’s a good time for any veterans looking for a challenge or new experience, but newcomers and casual players are better off staying well away from DSII if they value their sanity.
DEMON’S SOULS
Our second title on the list is Demon’s Souls, first released in 2009 before later receiving a Playstation 5 remake in 2020. As the first entry into the series, both versions are still a good time to play through. As you explore every area in Boletaria, there’s plenty to find in the level designs and content which would ultimately stick around and make several appearances in later games. However, as this was the first Souls game, it’s also a bit rough around the edges, especially with mechanics and designs that just felt arbitrary at best. There’s inventory encumbrance, meaning just having too many items will inhibit your abilities until you throw a bunch of stuff into the hub world’s storage box. On top of that, a lot of necessary items Souls veterans know to be handy are found as limited use consumables here. The worst offender in this regard is Moon Grass, Demon’s Souls’ version of Estus Flasks. Some bosses are known to be rather brutal to fight even by Dark Souls standards. If they don’t hit like a truck, they’ll come down on you with relentless aggression or some kind of obscure gimmick. Besides that, Demon’s Souls is still a decent time overall if you’re ever curious to try it.
DARK SOULS III
Next up is Dark Souls III. This game was created as the last installment within the Dark Souls trilogy, with its own conclusive ending added in the second DLC. Of course, the game itself was met with high praise just like those before it and it still is a solid title in its own right. It boasts some of the most gorgeous areas to trek through, numerous memorable bosses to fight, and has even implemented one of the most interesting combat mechanics we’ve seen yet: Weapon Arts, which were unique skills found on every weapon to add another layer of depth to combat. The DLC’s are also an amazing time, as they brought in some of the most interesting weapons in the game, as well as some of the greatest bosses in the Dark Souls series to date. The only thing that kept this title from being placed higher were the issues of scaling regarding numerous weapons and spells. A lot of potentially interesting options like Miracles and Pyromancies felt a bit too weak to use, even after investing in the right upgrades. Regardless of that though, there’s so much about this game that makes it a blast to play through, and an especially great entry point for first timers to get into.
BLOODBORNE
Bloodborne as a whole is a game that is well deserving of having the rank 3 spot on this list. Despite being a Playstation 4 exclusive, there is so much about this game that was just done right. The movement is fluid and tight, as it’s easily the fastest Soulsborne game we’ve seen yet. The same goes for combat, with fast attacks and dodges being the encouraged route to take in any fight. Every Trick Weapon was made to be completely unique in every way, especially when considering their potential to take one of two forms that you can swap between on the fly. There’s nothing in this game that doesn’t feel intensely satisfying to use in any scenario. The worldbuilding is just as insane, as we dive far away from medieval fantasy themes and into a Victorian Era region that’s filled to the brim with Lovecraftian Eldritch horror. While the diversity in areas and locales may be a bit lacking compared to other Souls games, Bloodborne has proven to make up for it with many in-depth characters in the world and a great overarching story. Considering all this, it’s definitely still a must-play for anyone who owns a PS4.
ELDEN RING
Our runner-up(by a very close margin) is the critically acclaimed, widely celebrated Elden Ring. The most recent and quite possibly the most well received Soulsborne game as of right now. It’s the culmination of FromSoftware’s work over the years, directed and written by Hidetaka Miyazaki and famed Game of Thrones writer George R. R. Martin. What’s there to say about this game that hasn’t already been said? One could sum up Elden Ring as a Dark Souls game given an open world map to play around in, but everyone knows there is so much more to it. The storyline and background lore is handled masterfully, with so many characters worth investing time and emotion into throughout their questlines. The areas, despite the bleak setting, are so intensely creative and unique that you never feel as if you were going through the same slog over and over and over again. And the combat system is a beautiful mix of Dark Souls III’s variety and Bloodborne’s lightning fast gameplay. And there’s so much to do! Between sidequests, dungeons, secret areas, and a myriad of bosses to fight, one might get overwhelmed just thinking about it. It excels as a Dark Souls game and stands as a phenomenal open world RPG all on its own. Though the openworld nature might not be everyone’s cup of tea, as the sheer size and scale means that a long-term investment is required, whether you’re a veteran or newcomer. But if you think you can get past that hurdle, then by all means, give this game a shot! The experience is more than worth it.
DARK SOULS
And here we are, the best game in the series, Dark Souls. This game was what broke the mold back in 2011, and continued to do so for years to come. As the second game in the series, it went on to act as a spiritual successor to Demon’s Souls. And that really shows, as so many things that were frustrating to deal with in that game were greatly improved upon here. The bosses are much more manageable to fight without getting too easy. You’re free to carry as much gear and loot as you like without worrying about being stuck in inventory management. Your primary source of healing has been changed to be a permanent, rechargeable item so you never have to worry about farming for more just to last longer in an upcoming fight. The large variety of areas boasts numerous routes that actually interconnect with one another, allowing the player to complete them in whatever order they like, save for a select few exceptions. Most of your combat options are more than viable to make use of, as the game itself accommodates for any playstyle you can think of. As the game that put FromSoftware, and Dark Souls as we know it, on the map, there’s more than enough reason to give it a shot. Whether you want the best entry point into the series, or just want to experience(or re-experience) a proper classic title, look no further than here.
RECAP
And there you have it. It may not be a special list, let alone a perfect list. But it’s my take on the game series that’s taken the world by absolute storm. A game series that has made a sizeable impact in my life as well as many others, whether they’re new to gaming or veterans in their own right.
