FromSoftware’s Most Ambitious Games Beyond Soulslikes

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Summary

  • FromSoftware has a history of experimenting with various genres beyond Soulslikes, showcasing creativity and innovation.
  • Lost Kingdoms 2 and Echo Night exemplify FromSoftware’s early, successful forays into different gameplay styles.
  • Elden Ring demonstrates FromSoftware’s ability to innovate on a grand scale, moving beyond structured level designs.

Over the last ten years or so, FromSoftware has solidified its position as one of the most remarkable video game creators in history. It has pioneered innovative gaming experiences and even spawned a unique genre that now dominates the entire industry. Recently, the company has experienced one triumph after another, but it is now ready to revisit its design studio and explore new directions beyond the Soulslike formula that first propelled it to fame.

Prior to the release of the ‘Souls’ series, FromSoftware had dabbled in various game genres, styles, and settings with varying degrees of success and recognition. In the early stages, achieving a hit was primarily about being unique, and it is evident that creativity has always been the primary motivator for the company, striving for greatness amidst uncertainty and endeavoring to craft unprecedented worlds.

7. Lost Kingdoms 2

An ARPG Mixed With A Sprinkle Of Cards

In contrast to the notoriety that FromSoftware currently holds for its grueling action RPGs, Lost Kingdoms 2 stands out as one of the studio’s earliest and most daring attempts to blend real-time combat with strategic elements. These mechanics can still be found in various games today. Originally launched on the Nintendo GameCube, the game centered around a shrouded warrior exploring a dark fantasy realm where magic is harnessed by summoning creatures and spells using collectible cards. The real-time battle system demanded both quick reactions and strategic thinking, presenting a unique type of challenge distinct from the gradual, deliberate pace of earlier FromSoftware games, as well as offering a contrast to the faster-paced style that has since become popular.

The unique aspect of this game was its innovative design, combining deck-building strategy with real-life action play, which was scarcely found at that time. It seemed to test the hardware’s limits, featuring vast landscapes and smooth animations, although it didn’t have a flawless finish. Critically, it garnered mixed to positive reviews, but within FromSoftware’s collection, it represents a crucial and successful venture that laid the groundwork for their daring design approach in subsequent years. Given the surge of popularity in card games recently, it would be fascinating to see a contemporary remake of this game, embodying all the signature elements FromSoftware fans have come to expect from their titles.

6. Echo Night

FromSoftware Can Do Horror As Well?

Before FromSoftware gained notoriety for intricate action RPGs, they demonstrated their penchant for daring creativity in genres other than their own with Echo Night. Initially launched on the original PlayStation, Echo Night was an immersive first-person adventure game emphasizing narrative and exploration over combat, a trait now synonymous with the company. In this game, players step into Richard Osmond’s shoes, drawn into a chilling supernatural enigma aboard a spectral ship and navigating ghostly timelines, solving mysteries and conversing with spirits to reveal the truth – quite unlike FromSoftware’s earlier releases.

The heart of the game Echo Night resided in its eerie ambiance and narrative, prompting players to seek out hidden mysteries rather than having every plot point handed to them. In a genre dominated by jump scares and combat, this game focused on generating a sense of subtle dread through atmosphere, environment, and moral dilemmas, creating a more introspective and thoughtful experience that demanded patience and close observation. Although it didn’t garner massive commercial acclaim, the game served as a significant milestone for FromSoftware, demonstrating their ability to craft deeply engaging worlds centered around player exploration and emotional involvement.

5. Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon

A Bold Move Back To The Past

Following a ten-year streak of Soulslike games success, taking a step back towards their origins turned out to be both surprising and very daring. The Armored Core series was one of FromSoftware’s most significant hits during the early 2000s, and it spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs before being overshadowed by the fame and acclaim of the Souls series. Instead of playing it safe with their recent blockbuster hits that outperformed all previous work, they chose to reintroduce the classic series in a bold manner.

Soaring over a shattered landscape in an advanced exosuit, spotting the FromSoftware emblem on objects beyond the realm of fantasy felt daring, yet it proved to be a successful venture, showcasing the developer’s versatility in crafting exceptional games outside their traditional genres. The gameplay style deviated from Soulslikes, but maintained an equivalent level of action, tension, and challenge that required active player involvement.

4. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Swapping The Knights For Samurai

With the Dark Souls trilogy finished and Bloodborne showcasing a distinctly different vibe from its predecessors, there was much anticipation about where FromSoftware would lead their fans next, and if they could maintain the high quality they were known for. However, Sekiro surpassed all expectations, introducing players to an unprecedented level of precision in gameplay and a combat system that demanded a lot from them, which could have easily been too challenging due to its difficulty and steep learning curve.

Approaching game development with increased challenge, stripping away all aids, and limiting customization and weapon options may seem unconventional, but it resulted in one of the finest video games ever produced – Sekiro. This groundbreaking title reshaped future game-making methods for years to come. The sheer gratification from each keystroke and the absence of sloppiness common in earlier games made playing Sekiro an unparalleled experience, even surpassing what its creators had achieved before.

3. Demon’s Souls

The Start Of An Era

Demon’s Souls, one of FromSoftware’s most groundbreaking and daring undertakings, has left an indelible mark on the gaming landscape for over a decade now. First unveiled on PlayStation 3, this game plunged players into the grim realm of Boletaria, a land shrouded in a deadly mist and infested with demons and various fantasy creatures and adversaries. Its combat was tightly wound and punishing, its level design intricate, and its hub system interconnected, providing a stark contrast to the more conventional RPGs prevalent at the time. The game’s emphasis on challenge, which wasn’t just about adjusting difficulty via sliders but honed player skill, set it apart from others in the genre.

The objective of Demon’s Souls transcended its challenging gameplay; it was deeply rooted in its unique philosophy of constructing a world that refused to guide players, instead encouraging them to navigate and understand the game on their own accord. It bravely relied on players’ curiosity, minimizing guidance while fostering an intense, ominous environment seldom found in popular games during that era. Despite being initially perceived as a commercial risk, its allure grew over time, transforming a low-key release into a cult classic, and ultimately paving the way for the Soulsborne genre to become a gaming juggernaut for the following decade.

2. Deracine

A Departure To A Different Medium

Breaking away from their traditionally intense action games that established their reputation, Deracine represented one of FromSoftware’s quietest and most daring projects during a period seeking immersive worlds and perfect combat. Exclusively designed for PlayStation VR, it placed players as an invisible fairy in a secluded boarding school, where they could subtly manipulate the environment around them. By incorporating environmental interaction and non-linear storytelling, the game emphasized atmosphere, mystery, and emotional depth over combat or difficulty, drawing heavily from past titles for narrative inspiration but replacing physical challenges with intricate settings and vivid visuals.

The goal behind this game’s title was to convey a tender, wistful narrative within the emerging field of virtual reality, which was not yet widely popular. It invited players to move slowly, pay attention to details, and unravel the story through hints and fragmented interactions – tasks that fans of the company were familiar with but in an entirely new format compared to their past experiences. Despite not becoming a commercial blockbuster, it stands out as a singularly unique title within FromSoftware’s collection, demonstrating the studio’s eagerness to experiment beyond their traditional areas of expertise and delve into fresh ways of engaging players.

1. Elden Ring

Opening Up The World For The First Time

Instead of being the initial open-world game, Elden Ring could be regarded as one of the finest in its genre. It innovatively expanded upon the intricately linked level designs of Soulslike games, transitioning to a vast world that revolutionized how games could be navigated and enjoyed. While they might have opted for creating more elaborate castles and catacombs teeming with enemies and bosses to conquer, scattering these structures across an expansive open landscape within a beautifully crafted universe penned by one of fiction’s most esteemed authors was a daring choice that could have easily stumbled from the outset.

I’m thrilled to bits! The brilliance of the studio and their determination to achieve the unthinkable truly shone through in Elden Ring. It proved that Miyazaki’s formula could scale up spectacularly, and if given enough space, he would meticulously craft a universe that feels almost tangible. This game pushes the boundaries of logic and redefines what a video game ought to be, making it not just an exceptional open-world adventure but a vibrant masterpiece of art. It’s no wonder Elden Ring now reigns supreme as the undisputed monarch of the gaming world!

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2025-04-27 13:38