Elden Ring has been considered the culmination of everything FromSoft has done in the last 13 years. When it comes to world design, mechanics, graphics, and combat, there is no doubt that they took most of their inspiration from the Dark Souls games. They reused some assets from the games and even added ones that were cut from the release of all the games.
Yes, you can play Elden Ring without knowing the Dark Souls games. After all, it is not related to Dark Souls in any way. It is an entirely different universe and a brand new setting.
As we said, you don’t need experience in any other From Soft title to play Elden Ring, which gives this game its charm. It is brand new, and even veterans of the Dark Souls games will be surprised by what is in this game. If you are new and considering playing Elden Ring, don’t hesitate to do so because it is worth it.
Should you play any other FromSoft game before Elden Ring?
This question is different from the one previously asked. The question is should you play another FromSoft game before Elden Ring? The answer is simple. It is totally up to you. We have stated in other articles that the game has the best accessibility to new players. We recommend you play the Dark Souls games first because you will be spoiled with Elden RIng.
By spoiled, we mean you will get used to the new mechanics added to the game, go back to Dark Souls, and look down on it. There is a jump, but it is not implemented in combat.
There isn’t a massive open world like in Elden Ring, and you will get a more linear experience. It is totally up to what order you want to play them.
We would say that the Dark Souls games are harder because you have to force yourself to push through them. Elden Ring is a more laid-back open-world exploration game. We love Dark Souls, so it will always be fun, but it is not a game for everyone. To end this, it depends on what order you want to play the games in.
If you start with Dark Souls 1, you might have a better appreciation for Elden Ring if you play the games in order of release. It will also stop you from downgrading the graphics from Elden Ring to the Dark Souls games.