FromSoftware has enjoyed a sharp rise in prominence over the last decade, following the continued success and acclaim of their so-called SoulsBorne games. SoulsBorne is the name given to an unofficial series of games that began with Demon's Souls and includes the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and the latest FromSoftware release, Elden Ring.
The games are grouped together for featuring comparable level design, lore-based storytelling, punishing difficulty, numerous boss fights, minimal hand-holding, and similar combat mechanics with the exception of Sekiro.
The consistent acclaim that the SoulsBorne games are getting from fans and critics has made FromSoftware one of the gaming industry's most highly regarded studios today. Consequently, many gamers are now starting to look further into the Japanese company's catalog of games to see if they can find any other hidden gems. Although FromSoftware's SoulsBorne series is undoubtedly its best work, the company has still released some other great games over the years that offer different experiences to SoulsBorne titles.
6 The Adventures Of Cookie & Cream
From just the name and cover art, it's clear that The Adventures of Cookie & Cream is a far cry from the dark and gritty worlds of SoulsBorne games.
FromSoftware's The Adventures Of Cookie & Cream was first released in Japan in 2000 before releasing worldwide the following year. The action-adventure game features a story mode where players must guide the protagonists, Cookie and Cream, through a series of obstacles to reach the goal before the time ends.
The game is fondly remembered for its multiplayer features, as the story mode can be played cooperatively with one player controlling Cookie and the other Cream, and there is also a Versus mode where players compete to collect the most points.
5 Lost Kingdoms
Lost Kingdoms was released exclusively on the GameCube in 2002 and is an action RPG that features a unique style of combat.
The combat plays out in real-time, where the protagonist, Katia, must avoid attacks while fighting back using playing cards. The mechanic may sound like a hot mess on paper, though FromSoftware made it feel surprisingly seamless, and the player's ability to customize their deck offers a great level of strategy and variety to the gameplay.
Lost Kingdoms was underwhelming visually upon release and looks particularly rough today, though it's still worth playing for someone who likes the sound of the game's unique combat and wants to try something different in the action-RPG genre.
4 Enchanted Arms
Enchanted Arms was first released on Xbox 360 in 2006, before coming to PlayStation 3 the following year. FromSoftware published the game themselves in Japan, while Ubisoft handled publishing outside of the country.
Enchanted Arms turned heads in 2006 for its beautiful visuals, which were ahead of their time in the mid-2000s. As for the combat, the game features a turn-based system that takes place on a grid and puts players in control of four separate characters. Enchanted Arms falls short in terms of innovation, as it sticks to tried and tested RPG formulas, though it's still a solid option for fans of the genre.
3 Otogi: Myth Of Demons
Otogi: Myth of Demons is an Xbox exclusive that was originally released in Japan in 2002 before coming to the West the following year. Like Enchanted Arms, FromSoftware only handled publishing in Japan, with Sega publishing the game elsewhere.
Otogi: Myth of Demons is a third-person action game that features hack and slash combat. It performed well with fans and critics, exemplified by its 80 critic score and 8.7 user score on Metacritic. The game's warm reception led to a sequel, Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors, which was initially released in 2003 and received a near-identical Metascore of 79.
2 Armored Core Series
The Armored Core series is FromSoftware's best-known work outside of the SoulsBorne games. The third-person mecha shooter franchise began all the way back in 1997 with the PlayStation-exclusive Armored Core, while the latest game, 2013's Armored Core: Verdict Day, was the series' 15th installment.
Given how successful the SoulsBorne series was becoming in the mid-2010s, many people believed that Verdict Day would be the last Armored Core release. However, rumors of a new Armored Core game have started to pick up pace, with leaked screenshots appearing online at the start of 2022.
1 King's Field Series
The King's Field series consists of four role-playing games - and a designing tool that let players create their own King's Field games - between the years 1994 and 2001. The games differentiate themselves from SoulsBorne releases with their first-person perspective but feature a familiarly crushing level of difficulty.
With all due respect to King's Field, it's amazing to think that the original game and Elden Ring are just 28 years apart, given the enormous difference in visual and technical quality. Now that FromSoftware has the attention of mainstream audiences, the next few decades look set to be full of excitement for the SoulsBorne series' loyal fanbase.