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FromSoftware’s games have had something of a cult following since the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009. The developer’s iconic style was one of the main reasons that made these titles famous, and 2011’s Dark Souls earned tremendous amounts of praise from critics and fans.
FromSoftware has recently released Elden Ring, its first fully open-world game that combines many features from previous titles. With lore co-written by George R. R. Martin himself and headed by game director Hideaki Miyazaki, Elden Ring has been a commercial and critical success and was one of the contenders for last year’s Game of the Year gong.
I take these two games released nearly a decade apart in this versus feature and determine which is the better FromSoftware production. They will be assessed based on five categories, and the title that wins the most points between the two will be deemed the better game. Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Note: This article reflects the writer’s opinions.
FromSoftware’s best outing: Elden Ring or Dark Souls
1) Story
Let’s be honest here, piecing together the story is probably the most fun aspect of FromSoftware titles, whether from character dialogue, item descriptions, or the tiny details in cutscenes that are never explained adequately.
It is, after all, a traditional part of the Soulsborne experience to finish one of these games and then head to VaatiVidya’s YouTube page to get more info.
The story of Dark Souls revolves around a dying world, while in Elden Ring, such a calamity is yet to happen. While players in the former have to choose to let the world be as it is or usher in something new, in Elden Ring, the choice is mostly about which new age to bring forth.
Despite the similarities these games share, there are subtle differences that distinguish them.
Elden Ring’s story is a grand tale, a fact that is alluded to in the title screen music itself. Similarly, the title screen music of Dark Souls is somber and gloomy, reflecting its central narrative.
As stories can be quite subjective, many of you might disagree here, but for me, Dark Souls gets the point, primarily due to its melancholy nature and smaller scope.
2) Gameplay
I think the winner of this round will be pretty evident, but let’s go through the reasoning anyways. It’s no surprise that Dark Souls only had a cult following at the time of its release, as the gameplay was staggeringly hard to get around.
It wasn’t just the huge difficulty spike but also the controls and patterns, for which there was no proper tutorial.
Elden Ring employs the same core gameplay but is far more welcoming to new players. An optional tutorial is much appreciated, and the ability to jump is a boon for even the FromSoftware veterans.
Many accessibility options and quality-of-life adjustments make Elden Ring the best playable experience in the developer’s catalog.
Thus, it should be obvious that Elden Ring will get the point in this round. Its smooth gameplay and optional features make it the most user-friendly FromSoftware title. The flexibility to switch builds, spirit summons, and well-balanced skills are just the icings on the cake.
3) Visuals
Dark Souls has its fair share of awe-inspiring visuals, especially those hinting at new areas. The gloomy and creeping Darkroot Garden, the final light of Anor Londo, and the ruins of Lost Izalight perfectly capture the mood of the game with its beautiful and haunting scenery.
For Elden Ring, FromSoftware took a different approach and set the stage in a more colorful world. From the moment users step out into the open world, they are greeted with a stunning vista comprising wide open fields, overlooked by the gigantic Erd Tree in the distance.
Elden Ring will nab the point for better visuals as it has a wide array of locations, each depicting a different look and feel. It captures the spirit of Dark Souls in certain areas, as well as a few other Soulsborne titles like Bloodborne and Sekiro, with its visual imagery.
4) World design
The world of Dark Souls is a dreary land, slowly diminishing in grace and stature until only the shadows of its past glory remain. One of the game’s best features was how the world looped back into itself, a theme that FromSoftware carried forward into future games.
In comparison, Elden Ring’s world is a land that is still in its heyday, and much of its grandeur remains. The game’s open world is rich with things to do, NPCs to meet, and side quests to take up.
There is never a dull moment in Elden Ring, whether gamers complete an objective or simply travel from one point to another.
Dark Souls will get the point for world design purely due to its interconnected world, making it feel much more real. While Elden Ring does do this in certain areas known as Legacy Dungeons, Dark Souls’ smaller scope benefits from this design more than Elden Ring’s expansive world.
5) Themes
Fromsoftware games always have central themes surrounding their narratives, adding context to the overarching plot and more meaning to the character’s choices.
In Dark Souls, the primary theme centered around death. It can be seen in the dying world, the fate of the side characters, and the two final endings of the game.
In Elden Ring, this has been tweaked a little, with the primary theme here being change and how people fear it. In the game, the concept of death has been completely taken away, and the user’s ultimate goal is to eventually return it to the world. Thus, it’s part of the cycle of change once more.
The point here is taken by Dark Souls once more. The exploration of the themes of death, acceptance, and understanding is profound, which is reflected perfectly in its gameplay, visuals, and characters.
Conclusion
Dark Souls triumphs over Elden Ring as the best FromSoftware title in this versus feature. Its phenomenal story and world design are some of the best in video game history, while its central theme of death is a profound choice that makes it a masterpiece of a title.
That is not to say that Elden Ring fails in these regards, as it too does all these aspects justice. However, compared to the original game that set these rules in the first place, Elden Ring comes up second.
