FromSoftware has become one of the most celebrated companies in the gaming industry ever since the release of Dark Souls, one of the greatest action-adventure games of all time. This game served as a breath of fresh air in a genre that was stuffed with titles that coddled players every step of the way and didn't let them breathe and figure out the mechanics on their own.
Ever since the success of this title, FromSoftware has been on a roll, releasing several games in the same vein that have all been pretty engaging in their own right. Each Soulsborne game has a unique identity of its own, featuring great mechanics that make these titles a joy to play through. The best feature of every Soulsborne game ever released by FromSoftware is mentioned below.
7 Demon's Souls — World Tendency
Demon's Souls was the first attempt by FromSoftware to make a game with the Soulsborne DNA which was mildly successful in its own right. While Dark Souls was the game that brought this franchise to new heights of popularity, it's Demon's Souls that established the formula and had several unique spins of its own.
For starters, the game had a mechanic called World Tendency that made the game harder or easier depending on the morality of the actions players carry out in the game. Both White and Black World Tendency influence the world of Demon's Souls in a unique way and players who don't want to make the game impossibly hard for themselves should try not to be too evil in the game for their own good.
6 Dark Souls — Interconnected Level Design
Dark Souls is the game that put FromSoftware on the map and proved just how much of a genius Hidetaka Miyazaki really is. Many things about Dark Souls can be commended when people talk about why the game was such a massive hit, but one of its most impressive aspects is definitely the level design.
While other FromSoftware games also feature interlinked levels, many fans still believe that nothing has come quite close to the brilliant way in which the map is connected in Dark Souls. Stopping by Firelink Shrine once again after exploring the majority of the game's content is easily one of the most awe-inspiring moments in the game, and it's a shame that the second half of Dark Souls doesn't manage to maintain the interconnected nature of this title.
5 Dark Souls 2 — Power Stance
Dark Souls 2 is considered by many to be the black sheep of the series, with many fans not really appreciating the changes this game made to the Dark Souls formula. However, once players keep the comparisons away, they have to admit that Dark Souls 2 is still a wonderful action title that adds several new features to the mix.
One such mechanic that is a blast to interact with is the power stance. Players who want to dual-wield like a champ will have a great time using two copies of the same weapon to wreak havoc and destroy their enemies!
4 Bloodborne — Countershot
Bloodborne is easily one of the best games Miyazaki has ever made, with the mix of gothic and Lovecraftian elements being quite brilliant indeed. This title also pushed the notion of combat being more fast-paced and action-packed, something that was carried out to great effect.
Bloodborne's parrying process involves a pretty unique move where players straight-up shoot an enemy in the face to stun them before unleashing a powerful visceral attack that deals massive damage. It's one of the most satisfying mechanics in the game that players won't be tired of anytime soon.
3 Dark Souls 3 — Weapon Arts
Dark Souls 3 wrapped up the series in a great way, allowing FromSoftware to work on bigger and better projects. This game features the return of Miyazaki's direction in the series after being absent in the last game.
Dark Souls 3 features several great Weapon Arts that players can use to spice up the combat system. These unique moves hit like a truck and can turn the tide of battle... provided that players picked the perfect time to unleash this attack instead of leaving themselves wide open, that is.
2 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — Deflection
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice marks a pretty notable change in the Soulsborne formula, featuring a fixed protagonist and a lack of any notable role-playing elements. Instead, players get stronger by beating bosses and unlocking various different prosthetic tools along the way.
The biggest part of Sekiro's combat system is the Posture gauge which can be depleted by attacking enemies and deflecting their attacks. This requires pinpoint precision, and Sekiro's insistence on players using this combat mechanic means that players either learn how to deflect or die over and over again to the many challenging enemies in this game.
1 Elden Ring — Open-World Design
Elden Ring is FromSoftware's biggest success by a country mile. The shift to an open world was worrying for many fans, but FromSoftware really pulled out all the stops while developing a massive world that players could get lost in for hours on end.
Elden Ring has several great qualities, but it's the manner in which the game absolutely maximizes its open world that makes it such a great game. The sheer number of bosses and secrets present in the open world is staggering and shows just how much work was put into FromSoftware's masterpiece.