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What’s the best Soulsborne game?

joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class TraitorSmoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
in Social Entropy++
So I finally got around to playing Bloodborne and it is really good! It isn’t the first Soulsborne game I’ve played but it is my favorite. Even though I’ve only ever played it and Demons Souls.

I just picked up Dark Souls 1, 2, and 3 recently too, just in case those are also good. So which one is the actual best?

You know, just another of those threads I make where I’m 5-6 years behind what is popular.

What’s the best Soulsborne game? 142 votes

Demon’s Souls
1%
Devlin_DragonusTenzytile 2 votes
Dark Souls
14%
SnorkSanderJKBahamutZEROProlegomenarhylithFandyiengtrmpTallahasseerielsponoDixonTyphoid MannyKelorMx. QuillMarekmanjiIronKnuckle's GhostBaalorSLyML Ron HowardTamerBill 21 votes
Dark Souls 2
13%
MachwingPMAversGarthorDrezPoorochondriactupsfzwmUnbrokenEvaChincymcchillaEtheaCurly_BraceAistanTheStigDontShootToastersPhasenGundiWyvernAvalonGuardDizzy DMadican 19 votes
Dark Souls 3
12%
HenroidDouglasDangerDepressperadoCraigopogoGrisloironsizideDemonStaceymanwiththemachinegun3cl1ps3Calciumtrice101MidniteKamarEddyMr FuzzbuttDrDinosaurKanaXantomas 18 votes
Bloodborne
39%
RinderAshcroftRaijin QuickfootJasconiusKevin CristIndie WinterMagic PinkMegaMan001-SPI-ConnlocopostalElendilph blakeHacksawButtersZekMasamune42Reynoldsmrpakucheese_boy 56 votes
Sekiro
18%
ShortyMulysaSemproniusEvil MultifariousJavenKarlQuidVeldrinMorninglordkriegsP10OlivawKetBraDee Kaeeternal_twilightMr BubblesSpeed RacerOctavianstopgapKristmas KthulhuXeinos 26 votes
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    joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Sekiro doesn’t have RPG stats though? I feel like that’s a strike against it

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    JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    Bloodborne
    you're peaking with bloodborne

    apart from the fact that its capped at 30FPS it is otherwise an absolute masterpiece

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    PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    qualify best

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    I needed anime to post.I needed anime to post. boom Registered User regular
    i would argue that sekiro is the most focused out of all the souls games, and that is both to its benefit and detriment depending on what you come to the games for

    liEt3nH.png
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    ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    Sekiro
    if I were to put them in tiers:

    S: Sekiro, Bloodborne

    A: Dark Souls, Dark Souls III

    B: Dark Souls II

    I haven't played demon's souls but I suspect I won't like it as much as the others; I understand it has some deeply obnoxious boss runbacks, which I consider to be an offensive misappropriation of my scant remaining time on this earth

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    joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Bloodborne
    So should I play the Dark Souls games in order then

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    PoorochondriacPoorochondriac Ah, man Ah, jeezRegistered User regular
    Dark Souls 2
    Rat King Covenant 4 Lyfe

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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    I've only played two of these.

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    3cl1ps33cl1ps3 I will build a labyrinth to house the cheese Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    The one that has Siegward.

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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    Demon's Souls I wanna try. They did a remake right?

    Dark Souls was pretty good. Very much a "correct way to play" sort of game despite the choices it gives.

    Dark Souls 2 I skipped purposefully because people were arguing about what version I should try, but also it changed what the stats from DS did, and then DS3 would change the stats again. So I was like "hey fuck relearning a game series that many times."

    Dark Souls 3 I like a LOT. Still has the same problem as the first game RE: having unspoken 'correct' builds.

    Bloodborne I haven't played because the last time I owned a Playstation console was during the Bush Jr years.

    Sekiro is on my to-buy list.

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    Munkus BeaverMunkus Beaver You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to. Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Battletoads

    Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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    asofyeunasofyeun Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    bloodborne has the most dogs and therefore wins

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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    asofyeun wrote: »
    bloodborne has the most dogs and therefore wins
    Can you pet them?

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    miscellaneousinsanitymiscellaneousinsanity grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered User regular
    where is Joke Option King's Field

    uc3ufTB.png
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    asofyeunasofyeun Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Henroid wrote: »
    asofyeun wrote: »
    bloodborne has the most dogs and therefore wins
    Can you pet them?

    no, but they can pet you in their own special way

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    Mr FuzzbuttMr Fuzzbutt Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    Demon's Souls has the best nothing, it's good but Dark Souls 1 improved on it in pretty much every way.
    Dark Souls 1 has the best world layout and design.
    Dark Souls 2 has the best PvP.
    Bloodborne has the best theme and setting.
    Dark Souls 3 is the best overall.
    Sekiro has the best individual level design and consistent quality.
    Elden Ring is most anticipated, but that's mostly because it's the only one that isn't already out.

    broken image link
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    miscellaneousinsanitymiscellaneousinsanity grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered User regular
    demon's souls has the Maiden in Black who's still the best of that npc archetype

    uc3ufTB.png
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    BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    edited December 2020
    Dark Souls
    Dark Souls 1 is my favorite one of them.
    They are all really good though.

    BahamutZERO on
    BahamutZERO.gif
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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    I kinda forgot about how clever Dark Souls 1's world layout is, yeah. Things cross over each other and it's not a straight line of progress.

    Also there's this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QeWItdf5Lc

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    miscellaneousinsanitymiscellaneousinsanity grass grows, birds fly, sun shines, and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered User regular
    o h oops this is now a Souls Videos thread sorry i don't make the rules

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPRCKdJKMsI

    uc3ufTB.png
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    Indie WinterIndie Winter die Krähe Rudi Hurzlmeier (German, b. 1952)Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    I feel like Sekiro shouldn't be in that list, not because it is bad but because the gameplay is so different it verges into its own subgenre

    wY6K6Jb.gif
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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    miscellaneousinsanity wrote: »
    o h oops this is now a Souls Videos thread sorry i don't make the rules
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzJDimvPW1Y

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    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 3
    Last one I promise.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdDPHKjSpvw

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    ph blakeph blake Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Really hard for me to choose between DS3, Bloodborne, and Sekiro; in the end I went with the one that has the Kirkhammer.

    Bloodborne and Sekiro are a better focused experience (both of those games are designed to be played a certain way, and imo really fucking deliver on their own specific gameplay experience), but god I just love the absolute jank nonsense you could pull off in Dark Souls 3.

    7h8wnycre6vs.png
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    Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    I only played a little bit of Demon's Souls and couldn't get past that spider in Bloodborne, but Bloodborne has a cane that turns into a whip and is therefore the best

    The animations to change weapon setting were my favourite thing about the game

    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
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    MadicanMadican No face Registered User regular
    Dark Souls 2
    Dark Souls 2. I would have picked Bloodborne, but it gates weapon upgrades via blood gems inside Chalice Dungeons and those suck so much even if you cheat your way straight to the CFR level dungeons.

    Also? Brainsuckers and Frenzy. Fuck them both, can't be top Souls with those alone.

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    VeldrinVeldrin Sham bam bamina Registered User regular
    Sekiro
    Sekiro wins for me, because the gameplay mechanics most naturally suit my play style and I really enjoyed the world.

    Dark Souls 3 is a close second, if only because I get a bit lost in class builds when given that kind of freedom, which detracts from my confidence.

    Bloodborne could have been my #1, as it's world and aesthetic is extremely my shit, but I never finished it because farming for support items is pure game poison to me.

    musicandrain1.png
    Steam ID - VeldrinD | SS Post | Wishlist
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    Mortal SkyMortal Sky queer punk hedge witchRegistered User regular
    I beat Demons' Souls in early 2010 and that game's bosses still stand out to me as the most flavorfully varied and memorable, even if the game is also occasionally very ugly and janky in retrospect

    Beat Dark Souls about a year and a half later, blatantly unfinished in places but incredibly solid at its core

    Dark Souls II feels more like a Demons' Souls sequel to me in some funny ways - I enjoy that game a lot, even if I got hung up on the second to last boss and could never beat it

    Bloodborne has the best told story of the ones I've played, excellent gameplay, and some really neat bosses. Just wish it ran smoother and that Vacuous Spider boss fight (where I got stuck) were mildly less horseshit

    Haven't played Dark Souls 3 or Sekiro

    If I have to pick one it's Bloodborne by sheer quality, but that also doesn't feel like my *favorite* of the bunch yet

    SLe4HhZ.pngTumblr Steam: TohaJuuko
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    Endless_SerpentsEndless_Serpents Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Here are my foolproof pie chart reviews.

    avnm7enbu0w4.jpeg
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    g8u3vjgjda26.jpeg
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    2ts4n9z5bv1t.jpeg

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    joshofalltradesjoshofalltrades Class Traitor Smoke-filled roomRegistered User regular
    Bloodborne
    ph blake wrote: »
    Really hard for me to choose between DS3, Bloodborne, and Sekiro; in the end I went with the one that has the Kirkhammer.

    Bloodborne and Sekiro are a better focused experience (both of those games are designed to be played a certain way, and imo really fucking deliver on their own specific gameplay experience), but god I just love the absolute jank nonsense you could pull off in Dark Souls 3.

    I ran Kirkhammer until I got the Whirligig Saw and never looked back

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    SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    Dark Souls
    Dark Souls for me simply because of the experience. I really like so many of the game design concepts behind the souls games (relatively plotting but punishing greed and nerves, the exploration that feels dangerous because the threat (of timeloss) is real. And they nail that dreamlike experience. You can only play your first souls game once.

    I do want to give a shoutout to The Surge 2, which is the best SoulsClone I've played. It's pretty easy outside of bosses (who are less frequent than Souls bosses, but usually took me 5-10 tries), but if you fuck things up you die in 3 combos.

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
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    Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Veldrin wrote: »
    farming for support items is pure game poison to me.

    They changed that fairly early on. They drop a lot more and you can just buy them cheaply with echos.

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    Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    poll fails for no the surge and nioh

    and that weird space hell game

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    Raijin QuickfootRaijin Quickfoot I'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    Bloodborne
    Salt and Sanctuary

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    Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    Raijin Quickfoot wrote: »
    Salt and Sanctuary

    i ended up not liking that much after the first boss

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    Endless_SerpentsEndless_Serpents Registered User regular
    Bloodborne
    In hindsight S&S isn’t that great, but I smashed it in three sessions while I was ill and definitely got my money’s worth. I wish it leaned more into being a castaway sailor and wasn’t just 2D Souls. If they’d dropped every heavy armour piece for pirate clothes I think they would have been onto something.

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    NaphtaliNaphtali Hazy + Flow SeaRegistered User regular
    Bloodborne
    make contact

    you're in the know, right?

    Steam | Nintendo ID: Naphtali | Wish List
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    PoorochondriacPoorochondriac Ah, man Ah, jeezRegistered User regular
    Dark Souls 2
    I'm currently playing Demon's Souls for the first time

    I just got to the Penetrator boss, whose arena entrance cutscene is friggin' incredible (though I'm sure it loses some of its impact if just watched on YouTube, removed from the context of playing everything between Tower Knight and him)

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    IronKnuckle's GhostIronKnuckle's Ghost Registered User regular
    Dark Souls
    I've been playing Nioh and it's a pretty dang good Soulsborne, and the best one not made by From. Something about how the game is divided up into missions that have natural endings--boss fights for example--makes the game more approachable. Little bite-sized chunks of killing many, many youkai.

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    sponospono Mining for Nose Diamonds Booger CoveRegistered User regular
    Dark Souls
    I’ve finished DS1 and BB, each of which took me about a year. DS1 was my first and still the highlight for me, but BB is an extremely close second.

    I’m about 10 hours in to DS2 and I hate it but I want to keep going. DS3 has been sitting on my shelf for about 2 years now.

    640qocnq4ske.gif
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