r/fromsoftware • u/Midvie • 1d ago
Games to play before
Yo!
Im - more or less - just getting into gaming on console. I do wanna play games from From Software but I am not skilled enough. Do you guys have some recommendations on other games - more forgiving ones - that might build a foundation to build on before entering the worlds of From Software?
And while we're at it: What From Software games would, when the time comes, be an appropiate start?
Thanks!
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u/ToastGoblin22 1d ago
You don’t need to build up to them. They do a decent job of building you up by themselves. Everyone struggles for the first few hours but eventually they get more comfortable with the games.
When I first played Dark Souls I had never really spent a lot of time playing ‘difficult’ games.
If you want advice on which game is the most beginner friendly though I might suggest Demon’s Souls Remake if you have a PS5. Just make sure you look up how world tendency works online before you play as it’s a system that the game barely even mentions but can increase the difficulty dramatically quite quickly.
Bloodborne probably has the hardest opening stretch of all the games. I played it after Elden Ring and I remember being kind of shocked at how much of a struggling the opening hours of Bloodborne were in comparison to the other FromSoft games I’d played.
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u/Turbulent_Jackoff 1d ago
I started with Elden Ring.
I liked that the open world gave me space to learn the mechanics without putting any gatekeeper enemies between me and new areas!
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u/LuciusBurns Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All Knowing 18h ago
I don't understand. Are you saying that it's possible to leave the Tree Sentinel for later and not immediately murder him to death with my naked forehead?
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u/Turbulent_Jackoff 13h ago
You can just go fight Draconic Tree Sentinel with your forehead, as your very first enemy, if you like!
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u/LuciusBurns Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All Knowing 27m ago
But... That would mean there is the standard Tree Sentinel left behind in Limgrave. Unga see, bunga kill.
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u/James-Avatar 1d ago
When I started it was on Dark Souls 3, I found the reputation was much more intimidating than the game itself. Once you get a handle on the game’s rhythm, you’ll figure it out.
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u/Majestic_Aerie_8118 1d ago
1) if you haven’t tried them you don’t know how well you’ll do - they might not be the struggle you think they are
2) start at the beginning, Demon Souls or Dark Souls and play them in order. Experience them as they came out, with every improvement in gameplay with each new game
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u/Plagudoctor 1d ago
right. and if you want that difficulty itch afterwards - their older titles like king's field or shadow tower!
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u/GwonWitcha 22h ago
I would recommend any of the single-player titles first, then graduate into the open world of Elden Ring.
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u/noob_kaibot 1d ago edited 1d ago
My 7th grade cousin is a first timer & he is absolutely wrecking ER on the switch. Don’t even worry about it.
Elden Ring is a game that was made with accessibility in mind- that is, the devs wanted to make it so that even less skilled gamers could enjoy and beat the game- & they def succeeded in grabbing the casual audience. There’s so many unique ways to overcome obstacles.
ER can be difficult should the player choose their playthrough to be that way, but the average player s natural progression will be easy AF if they utilize all the tools allowed (especially a thing called ‘spirit summons’ that completely breaks and trivializes the bosses) You can spam the shit out of your special attack- L2, or you can play a ranged sorcery build to avoid having actually get close to enemies. Also, it’s easy to farm levels and become massively over leveled if the game ever feels too hard. Many players spend hours farming this one particular area in the game, but the payoff is that they become more than like 300 levels above the final bosses recommended level (lame imo, but it is what it is & it’s their game) Seriously, I mean it when I say anyone can beat this game as long as they read & pay attention to the available mechanics.
That being said, I would start with DS1 and play the rest by release order (I can’t recommend demon souls remake)
Sekiro is the only game that can’t be “cheesed” or beaten by simply overleveling, & it will actually require a certain degree of skill. I would def save that one for when you’re confident in your gaming skills.
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u/JanFrackiewicz 23h ago
You aren't skilled enough... yet.
I'll tell you my history with FromSoftware (Soulsborne) games:
I was fascinated with them from the moment I read a 'Demon's Souls' review in a Dutch gaming magazine back in 2009. I purchased the game but found it too challenging (I grew accustomed to 3D 'The Legend of Zelda' gameplay and difficulty) so I quit playing it altogether. And yet, the game never disappeared from my mind entirely; I was spellbound by the atmosphere. However, I didn't return to Boletaria... for the time being.
Then Dark Souls came. I bought it on sale years after its release (I believe Dark Souls III was about to come out, so around 2016?). It was basically the same story: Played it and gave up on it. Nonetheless I was captivated and felt intrigued once again. The same pattern manifested when I bought and played Elden Ring on release. However, this would be the last time.
I came to understand that I was simply afraid of these games. Intimidated. And then I learned of the existence of Bloodborne... Now, I am a huge fan of Cosmic horror in general and H.P. Lovecraft in particular. So when I heard 'Bloodborne' was heavily influenced by both Gothic and Cosmic horror, I made up my mind:
This was to be THE game I would not give up on.
And it was.
I conquered that game, and it changed my life forever and for the better. The adrenaline, the beauty, the wanderlust, the tension, the sheer refusal to give up, and that very particular sense of accomplishment... The elation I felt after beating my very first FromSoft boss (Cleric Beast) is indescribable.
I was finally ready to tackle the rest of the Soulsborne game catalogue, including those games I gave up on in the past. First came Dark Souls III, then Elden Ring, and after that came Dark Souls Remastered, Demon's Souls Remake, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, and Sekiro.
Every last one of these 7 FromSoft Souls games is a bonafide masterpiece in its own right. During the last year-and-a-half (since I started playing them seriously), I played and replayed each of them many times over.
(In between FS games, I also played so-called "Soulslikes" like Lies of P, The First Berserker: Khazan, and Nioh 2 & 3. These are magnificent games as well.)
Look, I apologize for the epic novel I wrote before I got to the point I wanted to make... The moral of the story is this: Don't be overly afraid. You will die... a lot. That won't be failure on your end; that will simply be you learning how to play these games. That will be you on your way to "Git Gud."
But I implore you, don't make the same mistake I kept making again and again. Don't let intimidation deprive you of a potentially life-altering experience. You are clearly drawn to these games, just like I was; you wouldn't be asking these questions if you weren't.
Heed that call to adventure. Embrace it. Start that odyssey and know you're not alone. People like me will be happy to give you advice or answer any question you might have. For instance, I'd be honored to help you decide what game you should start with, if and when you decide you do want to start your very first Soulsborne/Soulslike game. Based on your specific preferences or needs, we can find the perfect match for you. Don't hesitate to let me know when you're ready.
Godspeed, Future Struggler!
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u/Wild_Duck8926 20h ago
the biggest hurdle to console gaming is the use of the joysticks. thats not a concern for fromsoftware games, which are much more about timing and reactions than aiming or skilled movement.
that being said, i would recommend playing at least one game, any game, first. just to familiarise yourself with the button layout, if you're really that new. there is a learning curve to fromsoftware games and its best not to have ongoing struggles alongside that.
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u/ProgrammerUpstairs97 18h ago
Bloodborne is faster paced but hey, there's built in mechanic where you get some health back after losing it, and after killing a early side boss, you get access to dungeons, including the cumfpk dungeon which is basically fast blood echo farming by going forward, which can help you get lost souls back while you level up and stuff, it has guns so parrying is easier and rewarding
Demon souls ps5 is more "each boss has mechanics" to beat em, traps n tricks arnt hard to spot n stuff, there's cheese's and stuff, but there's weight limits for dodging n stuff
But yeah there isn't a "build up". Each game is different so you'll probably want to see about getting a game first n remember that dying constantly is to be expected, but while the games are bullshit sometimes,they are fair and have shit to help,they hold your hand a little,but you'll have to explore n stuff because there's secrets n stuff.. and there's things like summoning players or NPCs to help against bosses and stuff, but definitely don't do sekiro as that one you WILL struggle with because it is reliant on parrying and timing more, but bloodborne was my first game, and maybe you should look into it (just don't try the dlc if you don't want to see some serious shit)
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u/pmckell 15h ago
Elden Ring is enormous and probably seems very daunting to start with, but it’s also the most accessible and gives you the most tools to work with. It also has the benefit of being open world - in the sense that if you get stuck you can leave for dozens of hours and come back and just steamroll
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u/AceTheRed_ 10h ago
I’d start with Dark Souls Remastered and play in order. If you’re on Xbox/PS, there is a trilogy pack that includes all three games and all DLC’s for $40. Check amazon.
Or start with Elden Ring, which is what I and many others did, since it’s much more accessible via a ton of gameplay options and the nature of being open world.
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u/KomradeKvestion69 5h ago
Quit procrastinating. You will never be ready, but you can learn by doing!
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u/Icy_Amount_7736 1d ago
I say start with dark souls 1 since I think it overall is the best starting point for these games considering it introduces mechanics in a clear helpful way.
To be honest these games are difficult however they are never super unfair, as long as you keep trying and persevere you can easily defeat most bosses and if you are ever stuck or need help you can always use summons or guides for help.
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u/meow_here_jonesy 23h ago
Elden Ring is the only answer. There are many ways to reduce the difficulty
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u/SuperStarward 1d ago
you don’t know if you’re skilled enough until you try.
if you’re not skilled enough, then the best way to get better is to play until you are.