FromSoftware has been around for almost 40 years, but the studio's real breakthrough happened not so long ago. Following the release of Demon's Souls in 2009, FromSoftware established itself as the creator of a new popular action-RPG subgenre, the so-called soulslike (or soulsborne), further cementing the formula with Dark Souls. Since then, the company has become one of the leading RPG creators, with almost every new release earning widespread recognition, glowing reviews, and near-instant cult status.
After finding its niche, for the past decade, FromSoftware and its director Hidetaka Miyazaki have focused almost exclusively on soulslike games, inspiring numerous followers from other studios and reaching a peak with Elden Ring — one of the most acclaimed and best-selling games in modern history. While there's more to FromSoftware's portfolio than soulslikes, it's what the studio does best, constantly pushing the formula to new heights and bringing freshness to each title while keeping the signature essentials intact.
15 Best FromSoftware Games, Ranked
FromSoftware's long roster of games is full of excellence. From Dark Souls to Armored Core 6 and Nightreign, here's how the best titles rank up.
While players eagerly anticipate upcoming The Duskbloods, which promises to marry Bloodborne's grim aesthetics with Elden Ring Nightreign's online gameplay, here's a look at some of the best FromSoftware games worth playing in 2025, many of them must-plays for any action-RPG fan. The games are sorted by release date, from newer to older. Note that Demon's Souls (2020) is excluded because it's technically not a FromSoftware title (though it's well worth playing in 2025 if you own a PS5).
Elden Ring Nightreign
Bold Experiment Fueled by Iconic Name
Elden Ring Nightreign
- Released
- May 30, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Soulslike, Roguelite
The most recent FromSoftware work, Elden Ring Nightreign, was created as an experimental project to try something new, with minimal involvement from Miyazaki himself. Naturally, the game isn't suited for every solo player who grew accustomed to the studio's traditional single-player focus, as Nightreign deliberately breaks many familiar rules. Yet despite this, it stands as another big success of 2025, drawing new audiences to the Elden Ring universe.
Elden Ring Nightreign is much faster-paced than players expect from a FromSoftware title and is designed around co-operative play. While the game can be played solo, it truly shines alongside other players and is well worth trying in 2025.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
A Sudden Return to the Studio's Roots
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
- Released
- August 25, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Action, Shooter
The unexpected return to the Armored Core franchise, which the studio hadn't touched in a decade, showcased how FromSoftware remains willing to explore new ground (or revisit its roots) rather than produce yet another soulslike. While not exactly what many fans expected, Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon emerged as a fast-paced, endlessly dynamic action game, with player freedom and rich customization defining the intense battlefield experience.
17 Hardest FromSoftware Games, Ranked
FromSoftware enjoys providing players with intense, exhilarating, and challenging experiences, and these games amount to some of their hardest yet.
Of course, the studio applied lessons learned from years of action-RPG development, infusing Armored Core 6 with intricate level design and impressive location and enemy variety. As a result, it's an easy recommendation for mecha action fans in 2025, though expectations should be adjusted before diving in.
Elden Ring
FromSoftware's True Magnum Opus
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Hidetaka Miyazaki's magnum opus (for now, at least), Elden Ring stands as a true masterpiece by any metric and a game impossible to ignore in 2025. A pinnacle of the action-RPG soulslike formula, Elden Ring takes the best of FromSoftware's work and places it in an enormous, stunningly beautiful world ripe for exploration.
Elden Ring has joined the elite club of single-player games still played regularly by thousands each day, with too many mysteries to uncover and too many formidable foes to defeat. Is Elden Ring, along with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, worth playing in 2025? That's hardly even a question at this point.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Action Game Unlike Any Other
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Released
- March 22, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Another showcase of how FromSoftware can refresh its own formula, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is often regarded as an action game with possibly the most satisfying combat system of them all. A deadly dance of sword strikes and deflections, a hymn to patience and determination, Sekiro is as beautiful as it is tough, and a perfect game to test one's skills in 2025.
Dark Souls Trilogy: Why You Should Start Over in 2025
The Dark Souls franchise might seem quaint in the wake of Elden Ring, but it's still worth replaying in 2025 for a number of reasons.
Sure, there's a steep learning curve to Sekiro's combat, but once it clicks, players will struggle to find another action game that provides the same sensation. On top of that, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is so complete it hardly needs any DLC or follow-ups, but fans may soon relive its best moments thanks to the upcoming Sekiro: No Defeat anime.
Dark Souls 3
Elden Ring's Older Brother
Dark Souls 3
- Released
- March 24, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Probably the closest thing to Elden Ring that FromSoftware has produced, Dark Souls 3 is an undisputed recommendation for any Elden Ring fan seeking more of the same. Naturally, Dark Souls 3 isn't an open-world game and is fairly linear, yet when it comes to the feeling of combat and exploration, the two are practically twins.
Alongside its expansions, Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed City, Dark Souls 3 delivers the same challenging action-RPG experience expected from the studio, and despite some turbulence from its short development time, the Deluxe Edition remains worth playing today.
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin
Divisive, but That's What Makes It Special
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin
- Released
- April 2, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Despite being the most divisive in the series, and perhaps in the whole FromSoftware portfolio over the past decade, Dark Souls 2, especially its refined and tweaked Scholar of the First Sin edition, doesn't deserve to be ignored by action-RPG fans. As of 2025, however, players should approach the title with some caution.
8 Best PS5 Games Like Elden Ring, Ranked
For Soulslike players who love Elden Ring, check out these similar games on the PS5.
First, the game's visuals are not the best — the original Dark Souls 2 launched as a PS3/Xbox 360 title before Bloodborne — and even at release, it looked notably different from its advertised version. Second, Miyazaki wasn't involved in the development, so the feel of combat and the overall atmosphere differ from both the original Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3. Overall, Dark Souls 2 is a very special game, and that's exactly why it deserves mention on a list like this.
Bloodborne
Shackled to a Single Platform
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Despite being among the oldest games on the list and constrained to a single platform, Bloodborne's cult status is undeniable. Expectations were high after the success of the Dark Souls games, yet the title still managed to surpass them in every regard.
An original universe with unparalleled aesthetics and a unique combat system encouraging aggressiveness, coupled with traditionally strong exploration and a cryptic narrative, ensured Bloodborne became a true gem of the PlayStation 4 era. Ten years later, the game and its The Old Hunters expansion still hold up remarkably well and remain must-play titles for PS4 and PS5 owners, while also being among the most wanted games on PC. One can dream, just as a Hunter.
Dark Souls
A Cornerstone in the Studio's Legacy
Dark Souls Remastered
- Released
- May 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
A game that truly started a new era for FromSoftware, Dark Souls was a full-fledged hit where Hidetaka Miyazaki perfected the ideas first explored in the more experimental Demon's Souls. Dark Souls pioneered a new path for action-RPGs, but the game is worth playing in 2025 for far more than historical interest.
Over time, the original Dark Souls has remained strong thanks to its unique aesthetics, gloomy atmosphere, and an interconnected world that rewards curiosity. And while not made by FromSoftware, Dark Souls Remastered is a definitive way to relive the iconic game, with minimal visual changes and subtle but meaningful improvements.
Upcoming Soulslike Games With Ridiculous Mechanics
From late 2025 onward, these upcoming soulslike games promise to shake up the genre with innovative mechanics.