FromSoftwarehas enjoyed a sharp rise in prominence over the last decade, following the continued success and acclaim of their so-called SoulsBorne games. SoulsBorne is the name given to an unofficial series of games that began withDemon’s Soulsand includes theDark Soulstrilogy,Bloodborne,Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and the latest FromSoftware release,Elden Ring.
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The games are grouped together for featuring comparable level design, lore-based storytelling,punishing difficulty, numerous boss fights, minimal hand-holding, and similar combat mechanics with the exception ofSekiro.
The consistent acclaim that the SoulsBorne games are getting from fans and critics has madeFromSoftwareone of the gaming industry’s most highly regarded studios today. Consequently, many gamers are now starting to look further into the Japanese company’s catalog of games to see if they can find any otherhidden gems. Although FromSoftware’s SoulsBorne series is undoubtedly its best work, the company has still released some other great games over the years that offer different experiences to SoulsBorne titles.
6The Adventures Of Cookie & Cream
From just the name andcover art, it’s clear thatThe Adventures of Cookie & Creamis a far cry from the dark and gritty worlds of SoulsBorne games.
FromSoftware’sThe Adventures Of Cookie & Creamwas first released in Japan in 2000 before releasing worldwide the following year. Theaction-adventure gamefeatures a story mode where players must guide the protagonists, Cookie and Cream, through a series of obstacles to reach the goal before the time ends.
The game is fondly remembered for its multiplayer features, as thestory mode can be played cooperativelywith one player controlling Cookie and the other Cream, and there is also a Versus mode where players compete to collect the most points.
5Lost Kingdoms
Lost Kingdomswas released exclusively on the GameCube in 2002 and is an action RPG that features a unique style of combat.
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The combat plays out in real-time, where the protagonist, Katia, must avoid attacks while fighting back using playing cards. The mechanic may sound like a hot mess on paper, though FromSoftware made it feel surprisingly seamless, and the player’s ability to customize their deck offers a great level of strategy and variety to the gameplay.
Lost Kingdomswas underwhelming visually upon release and looks particularly rough today, though it’s still worth playing for someone who likes the sound of the game’s unique combat and wants to try something different inthe action-RPG genre.
4Enchanted Arms
Enchanted Armswas first released on Xbox 360 in 2006, before coming to PlayStation 3 the following year. FromSoftware published the game themselves in Japan, while Ubisoft handled publishing outside of the country.
Enchanted Armsturned heads in 2006 for itsbeautiful visuals, which were ahead of their time in the mid-2000s. As for the combat, the game features a turn-based system that takes place on a grid and puts players in control of four separate characters.Enchanted Armsfalls short in terms of innovation, as it sticks to tried and tested RPG formulas, though it’s still a solid option for fans of the genre.
3Otogi: Myth Of Demons
Otogi: Myth of Demonsis an Xbox exclusive that was originally released in Japan in 2002 before coming to the West the following year. LikeEnchanted Arms, FromSoftware only handled publishing in Japan, with Sega publishing the game elsewhere.
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Otogi: Myth of Demonsis a third-person action game that featureshack and slash combat. It performed well with fans and critics, exemplified by its80 critic score and 8.7 user score on Metacritic. The game’s warm reception led to a sequel,Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors, which was initially released in 2003 and received a near-identicalMetascore of 79.
2Armored Core Series
TheArmored Coreseriesis FromSoftware’s best-known work outside of the SoulsBorne games. The third-person mecha shooter franchise began all the way back in 1997 with the PlayStation-exclusiveArmored Core,whilethe latest game, 2013’sArmored Core: Verdict Day, was the series' 15th installment.
Given how successful the SoulsBorne series was becoming in the mid-2010s, many people believed thatVerdict Daywould be the lastArmored Corerelease. However, rumors of a newArmored Coregame have started to pick up pace, withleaked screenshotsappearing online at the start of 2022.
1King’s Field Series
TheKing’s Fieldseries consists of four role-playing games - and a designing tool that let players create their ownKing’s Fieldgames - between the years 1994 and 2001. The games differentiate themselves from SoulsBorne releases with their first-person perspective but feature a familiarlycrushing level of difficulty.
With all due respect toKing’s Field, it’s amazing to think that the original game andElden Ringare just 28 years apart, given the enormous difference in visual and technical quality. Now that FromSoftware has the attention of mainstream audiences, the next few decades look set to be full of excitement for the SoulsBorne series' loyal fanbase.
