Recommended Free Tools
No. You can start with the Soulslike game that interests you without first completing another game or learning the genre’s conventions. Expect to learn that game’s controls, combat, exploration, and progression as you play; familiarity with another title may help, but it is optional.
Do you need genre experience first?
No sequence of Soulslike games is required before you try one. For example, Bandai Namco’s ELDEN RING Starter Guide, published November 10, 2021, is expressly for both beginners and players familiar with FromSoftware games such as Dark Souls. It covers the essentials before play, including the interface, controller settings, basic actions, and attack and defense.
That guidance is specific to ELDEN RING, but it illustrates the practical point: start with the game you want to play, then learn its own rules. Prior experience can make some genre conventions feel more familiar; the available sources do not establish that it is necessary or quantify how much it helps.
What should you learn as you start?
Do not assume that a mechanic or control from one game works the same way in another. Take time to understand the selected game’s instructions and systems, especially its controls, combat, exploration, and early progression. Bandai Namco’s official ELDEN RING guide index identifies those as subjects its beginner guidance covers.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
- Explore a land of vast wonders - A world unseen, where new sights rise with every stride- Enter a fascinating realm filled with the wonders and discoveries of ancient Chinese mythology! Confront mighty foes, old and new - Heroic Monkey, might and fame, adversaries rise, to test his name. One of the major highlights of Journey to the West is its diverse cast of adversaries, each with unique strengths.
- Temper your mastery of varied spells - Spells unbound, knowledge's flight, infinite abilities take their height. Spells, transformations, and magic vessels in all manifestations, complementary yet adversarial, have long been iconic combat elements of Chinese mythology.
- Discover heartfelt tales behind every façade - Uncover the stories behind a variety of characters. Beneath the ferocity of your foes is a tapestry of their origins, personalities and motivations waiting to be revealed.
- Digital Deluxe Edition Voucher Code Included - PSN voucher code provides Bronzecloud Staff, Folk Opera Mask, Folk Opera Almsgiving Armor, Folk Opera Leather Bracers, Folk Opera Buskins, Wind Chimes, and selected Digital Soundtrack.
- Languages – In-game voice: Chinese and English. In-game text: English, French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Traditional Chinese.
- Check the control layout and settings before relying on remembered inputs.
- Learn the game’s own attack and defense basics rather than treating another title as a tutorial for it.
- Pay attention to how that game explains exploration and early progression.
Is ELDEN RING a reasonable first choice?
It can be one option, but it is not established as the objectively easiest or best first Soulslike. PlayStation’s ELDEN RING game page describes it as offering “a new degree of freedom compared to its predecessors” and calls it “perhaps the most accessible ‘Soulslike’ for newcomers to the genre in years.” Those are PlayStation’s characterizations, not the result of a consistent comparison of games or a difficulty ranking.
That freedom may suit someone who values having room to explore and approach challenges at their own pace, but it does not prove that every player will find the game easy. In a PlayStation Blog interview, FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki said, “In general, I’d like new players to feel unpressured and that they can approach the game at their pace.” Treat that as the developer’s stated aim, not a guarantee about an individual player’s experience.
Rank #2
- Soulslike Video Game design.
- Lightweight, Classic fit, Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem
Bandai Namco’s 2026 article about what ELDEN RING is about also presents the game as a possible starting point for people who have never played the Souls series. That is publisher guidance rather than an independent comparison with other games.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should you choose your first game?
Choose the game you are most curious about, rather than treating another title as a required training step. If you are deciding between games, look at what matters to you: whether you prefer open exploration or a more directed structure, how the game teaches its systems, and whether story continuity matters to you within a particular series. The sources cited here do not compare Soulslikes across those dimensions, so they do not support a universal easiest-to-hardest order.
Rank #3
- 2-Pack Gamer Towels: Includes two matching hand towels with the phrase “You Dried,” styled after the iconic “You Died” screen from Soulslike games
- Perfect Size: Each towel measures 16 x 27 inches, making them ideal as hand towels, guest towels, or kitchen towels.
- Soft & Absorbent: Made from 100% cotton for a comfortable feel and everyday practicality.
- Subtle Gamer Decor: A fun, understated reference to Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Nightreign, and Bloodborne that fans will instantly recognize.
- Great Gift for Gamers: Makes a unique housewarming, holiday, or birthday gift—perfect for gaming bathrooms, kitchens, or display decor.
Questions such as “What should I start with?” and whether ELDEN RING works as a first Soulslike appear in individual Reddit posts, including r/soulslikes and r/Eldenring. These examples show the concern, but they are not survey evidence about how common it is or proof that one starting point suits everyone.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- You died :A perfect gift for anyone who likes this adventure series, if you like this game, you can also give it to yourself, or you can like to give it to your family or good friends who like this game, they will be surprised to receive it
- Keychain:Exquisitely made,Sturdy and Durable.High Polished Smooth Surface. Lead and nickel free. comfortable to wear
- The stainless steel circle that comes with the key ring measures 5*1.2 cm (1.96* 0.47in)
- Give on every occasion:Keep it as a surprise to your colleagues, family and friends. At the same time it a the perfect present in various festivals
- About More: If there is any problem with the purchase, please feel free to contact us.Each of our jewelry is packed with a pouch velvet, nice package and ready for gifting
Rank #4
- Overhauled Character Creator – Create more lifelike characters with improved facial detail, body shapes, and visual fidelity
- Shared-Progression Cross-Play Cooperative Play – Both players now save all main story progress as long as they’re on the same “New Game” and have defeated a similar number of main bosses within one. Both players retains all loot, 100 percent vigor, and can revive each other in all online sessions.
- Free Friend’s Pass – Invite any friend to join your adventure in online co-op even if they don’t own the game. Friends keep loot and character progress, plus get full offline access to the tutorial and character creator
- Revamped Combat and Movement – V2.0 adds smoother animations, better weapon response, refined lock-on, improved evasions, and new grievous strike prompts
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
