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FromSoftware has carved out a niche for itself in gaming, courtesy of games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Elden Ring, and Sekiro. These titles have revolutionized the action-RPG genre with their unique mechanics, detailed lore, and punishing difficulty.
This journey of this studio began with Demon Souls in 2009, which is probably the most underrated and overlooked Souls-like game of all time. However, the genre rose to mainstream fame with Dark Souls in 2011.
The Dark Souls series quickly became notorious worldwide as it boasted some of the most challenging entries in all of gaming, establishing a blueprint for future FromSoftware games to build upon.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.
Comparing Elden Ring and Sekiro: Which game offers a better representation of the FromSoftware experience?
Sekiro and Elden Ring are two of the most unique outliers in this genre. These standalone titles resemble some aspects of the Souls series but have unique elements that make them their own separate entities.
Sekiro was released by Activision in 2019. the story line follows the journey of a shinobi called Wolf as he embarks on a quest for vengeance against a samurai clan. It sets itself apart from its peers with its refreshing combat mechanics, which focus more on parrying than dodging and rolling. The game was a massive critical success and won the Game of the Year award.
Elden Ring was released in 2022 by Bandai Namco. It is one of the most ambitious games by FromSoftware and is their first fully open-world title.
Despite being a standalone game, it is the culmination of its predecessors, offering a polished and refined representation of everything that makes the genre special.
It is important to take various factors into account when comparing these two titles. For the purpose of this list, the games will be judged based on their lore, visuals, combat, world, and boss battles.
Story and Lore
The two games vary immensely in terms of their world-building and lore.
Elden Ring is similar to the Dark Souls games, with a fantasy-themed world replete with accursed objects, monsters, and beasts. Meanwhile, Sekiro deviates from the classic FromSoftware formula by depicting a fictionalized version of Japan during the Sengoku era.
While the storyline in both games has its merits, it is hard for any title to compete with the depth of the lore present in Elden Ring. With the assistance of legendary author George R.R. Martin, FromSoftware has delivered a narrative that elevates the game to much more than just battling overwhelming bosses.
With its detailed and complex lore and the grand nature of its narrative, Elden Ring wins a point for having a better story.
2) Visuals
When it comes to the visuals and quality of graphics, both games are absolutely stunning. FromSoftware always ensures that their games are visual spectacles for players to feel fully immersed in the depicted world.
While the beauty of Sekiro's graphics lies in the character models and facial animations, Elden Ring flourishes with its vast open world and brilliantly crafted environments.
This particular category is rather unfair to Sekiro. This is because Elden Ring has the advantage of being released on a newer generation of consoles that boast better technical prowess than old-gen devices. As a result, Elden Ring takes this point as well.
3) Combat
Combat is an essential element of any action RPG. If the mechanics are flawed or unpolished, the overall experience suffers a lot and hinders the player's enjoyment and immersion.
With Sekiro and Elden Ring, FromSoftware delivers two very diverse yet excellent combat systems that keep players engaged for endless hours.
While Elden Ring retains the classic Soulsborne dodge-and-roll format, Sekiro does something wildly different and refreshing instead. The game places a heavy emphasis on parrying. Players counter their opponents by chipping away at their posture and balance until they create an opening to deal the killing blow.
The former offers a greater variety of builds that players can experiment with, but the latter offers the ultimate katana-wielding experience.
Sekiro allows players to truly feel like a shinobi, with elements of stealth and the usage of items like sugar giving them the boosts they require in combat.
Sekiro wins this category for having a better and more enjoyable combat system.
4) World and level design
FromSoftware puts a lot of time and effort into the level design and environment that their games are based in, improving their overall immersion and spectacle.
Despite the beautiful and serene Japanese setting of Sekiro, Elden Ring wins this category.
FromSoftware's dedication to providing a polished and expansive open world is explicitly visible in the final product. The game delivers an exploratory experience unlike any other in the genre.
5) Boss battles
In a genre known for its fierce and challenging boss battles, this is probably the most important aspect to consider when comparing two games.
Elden Ring has its fair share of difficult boss battles, featuring cool character designs, complex lore, and backstories. With bosses like Radahn, Radagon, and the infamous Malenia, the game has contributed immensely to FromSoftware's gallery of legendary boss battles.
However, Sekiro has an advantage in this regard as it offers a more diverse and comprehensive lineup of bosses. From humanoid foes like Lady Butterfly to immense beasts like the Guardian Ape, the game covers all bases. It also features one of the best and most challenging climactic battles of all time against Isshin, the sword saint.
Which game reigns supreme?
Elden Ring narrowly wins this battle of Souls-like masterpieces.
Both games excel in their own right and do well to cover all bases and provide a balanced experience. However, Sekiro loses out in terms of the lore, visuals, and overall level design.
Having said that, both games are excellent additions to FromSoftware's library of action RPGs. They are a must-try for fans of the genre and video games in general.
