The Elden Ring timeline is pretty intriguing; navigating it takes you through a rich tapestry of FromSoftware’s Soulslike games. It also gives one a unique insight into how they developed one of gaming’s most revered genres. In usual role-playing titles, when players are defeated they start from the last checkpoint. But in Soulslike games, players lose all they had and have to restart their journey to battle the enemy that defeated them. Sounds interesting, right?
To make things more interesting, the makers are launching a DLC, titled Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, on 21 June 2024. Through this, FromSoftware aims to expand this franchise further. This would introduce a whole new world of possibilities to their fans.
Hence, we thought it about time we took out a detailed guide that lists all of their Soulslike games in order. Not only is it essential for any newcomer starting with this genre, but also for veterans looking to take a peek into this franchise’s history.
Our Soulslike games list kicks off with the very first game that introduces gamers to a world of punishing difficulty and deeply immersive environmental storytelling. Each one of these games is celebrated for its intricate design, where environments tell intriguing stories and enemies test the patience and skill of gamers exploring these worlds.
Deconstructing the ‘Elden Ring’ timeline by exploring the games in order
Demon’s Souls
Release year: 2009 (original), 2020 (remake)
Platforms: PS3, PS5
FromSoftware released Demon’s Souls back in 2009 and laid the groundwork for the Soulslike genre as a whole. It featured some innovative gameplay mechanics; its difficulty curve was quite crushing; and it featured a revolutionary multiplayer system. While it was not an instant hit, it still set some new standards for role-playing games (RPGs) of that time.
Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki introduced players to the kingdom of Boletaria, where they fought against nightmarish creatures in a world where people lived without hope. Every player intending to get into the Soulslike genre should start their journey right here, so they can get familiar with the core gameplay mechanics and thematic elements that remain common throughout the series.
The Dark Souls Trilogy: The Circle of Light and Dark
Dark Souls
Release year: 2011 (original), 2018 (remastered)
Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
FromSoftware took the foundation of Demon’s Souls and used it to build a world more expansive and a story more intriguing. Though the gameplay mechanics remained the same for the most part, the developers decided to make a few upgrades to them. The most significant one was that players did not lose a part of their health bar when they died.
Besides, the game was much harder than its predecessor. But its deep narrative made Dark Souls a cornerstone in the Elden Ring timeline.
Dark Souls 2
Release year: 2014 (original), 2015 (Scholar of the First Sin)
Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
While Dark Souls 2 is not as loved as its predecessors, it stands as a unique experience that features refined gameplay mechanics and a unique narrative that stands out from everything that came before. New gameplay elements, such as dual-wielding and the return of reducing health bar mechanic, make it a unique experience for every Soulslike fan.
Its lore took fans far away from Dark Souls’ Lordran to the kingdom of Drangleic. It allowed players much more freedom to approach every new challenge the way they wanted and when they wanted to. These things make Dark Souls 2 a unique addition to FromSoftware’s Soulslike game list.
Dark Souls 3
Release year: 2016
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
After releasing two very successful instalments in this franchise series, director Miyazaki decided to give it a send-off of sorts, which became Dark Souls 3. While they never officially named it the final instalment in the series, fans consider it to be exactly that.
The game included refined gameplay mechanics, polished visuals, a vast interconnected map, and a story that concludes the whole trilogy in a satisfying manner. Players explore the apocalyptic world of Lothric, where once again, the fire fades. Players fight to save a world in shambles and are given a couple of other options to end it all by the time they reach the conclusion.
This game’s ending paves the way for a much broader narrative that fans saw in Elden Ring.
Bloodborne – A world of Lovecraftian horrors enters the Elden Ring timeline
Release year: 2015
Platform: PS4
While Dark Souls 2 was still being worked on, Sony’s Japan Studio approached Miyazaki with a new idea. He liked it and immediately started working on it. This game was introduced to the fanbase as “Project Beast”. They eventually renamed it Bloodborne, a game full of gothic horrors inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s works.
Set in the Victorian-esque city of Yharnam, Bloodborne tasks players with clearing this city’s streets of citizens who have turned into beasts. The combat shifted from a mix of defensive and offensive to a straight-on offensive one. This change in gameplay mechanics and setting makes it crucial for fans to understand how this franchise slowly evolved.
Hence, Bloodborne is, no doubt, a pivotal part of the Elden Ring timeline.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – A Shinobi’s rise
Release year: 2019
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Many fans of the franchise do not consider Sekiro a part of the Soulslike franchise, given the change in death mechanics. Unlike the other games, Sekiro even features a protagonist who has a name and a set backstory. It gives players very limited weapons and no control over their character’s skill set.
Set in the fictionalised version of 1500s Sengoku period Japan, it’s a tale of a Shinobi’s rise from death and his journey through the path of vengeance. Despite being drastically different from any other game in FromSoftware’s catalogue, Sekiro remains a crucial aspect of the Elden Ring timeline due to Miyazaki’s confirmation that Shadow of the Erdtree would feature level-up mechanics similar to Sekiro’s.
Elden Ring – A golden new era
Release year: 2022
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PC
FromSoftware’s Elden Ring represents the peak of their game design; it flawlessly combines gameplay mechanics from different Soulslike games and gives players a vast open-world to explore. In this universe, full of mystery and conflict, players would find themselves fighting various kinds of enemies and exploring different biomes.
The story of Elden Ring puts players in the middle of the Lands Between, a place divided by war. With thousands of years of lore to uncover and numerous mysterious and intriguing characters to interact with, Elden Ring without a doubt remains the most detailed title on the Soulslike games list.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – The story continues
Release year: 2024
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PC
FromSoftware is finally releasing Shadow of the Erdtree in June. This expansion will add yet another title to the Elden Ring timeline, expanding the world of Elden Ring beyond the Lands Between. It will introduce a bunch of new characters, and it reveal some that remained in the shadows during the events of the main game.
Anyone who found the world of Elden Ring worth exploring and spent hundreds of hours uncovering its lore should get their hands on this DLC when it launches. FromSoftware has overhauled the level-up system to make it challenging for even the most seasoned players. They are even calling it their largest expansion yet. Maybe that’s why it is counted among one of the most anticipated titles releasing in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which Soulslike game should I play first?
Demon’s Souls is the Soulslike game that you should play first.
– Which time period is Elden Ring set in?
FromSoftware never mentions a definite period for Elden Ring’s lore.