Never played a Dark/Demon Souls game

I never got around to playing any of the Souls games. At first, I was completely uninterested because the difficulty level made the game sound like it wouldn't be any fun. At this point in my life, if I keep banging my head against something in a game I just turn it off. The difficulty in these games sounds, from what I've heard, like it's just difficult for the sake of being difficult. That doesn't sound great to me. Thing is, I've heard so many people talking these games up that I kinda want to give them ago.

Enter Lords of the Fallen. Decided, last minute, to pick it up on release day. Got the disc version, even got the pre-order bonuses. I actually like it a lot. I know it supposedly a good bit easier than Souls, but it's challenging enough so far and I'm enjoying it when I have time to play.

This makes me want to go back and try the Dark/Demon Souls games. If I was just going to try ONE of them, which would be the best? Or maybe I should just wait for Bloodborne, since I don't really want to go back to the old consoles. Oh, and I have PS3 and Xbox 360. Is one version superior? Demon Souls and Dark Souls would probably run well on my PC. Not sure of the specs on DSII, but it's much newer so I'd probably do better on console. I heard the PC ports of the first games were pretty bad...

Dark Souls 2 is possibly a bit easier to get into, or at least I found that to be the case.

its never too late to come back. May I recommend livestreaming your first time playing any of the Dark Souls games. You will be shamed but there are a lot of supportive fans who will encourage you.... to die for their own amusements. But it's worth sharing the game as more a communal experience.

DSII will most likely run better on your PC than DS1. It's a really good PC version of a game; especially for a Japanese game; especially especially compared to DS1. DS II also requires much less finagling with settings and you don't have to worry about DSfix (although GeDoSaTo for DSII is highly recommended).

If the difficulty and obtuseness was a turnoff for you, then I'd recommend DSII. If I was to recommend what I thought was the better, more inspired, and tighter game, then I'd recommend DS1.

Everyone who tells you those games are difficult just to be difficult is lying. Every single one of them.

Demon's Souls is a PS3 exclusive so that's the only place you'll be playing it. Dark Souls is on PS360 and PC. I recommend the PC version with at least DSfix. For DSII I also recommend the PC version. Maybe with GeDoSaTo.

If you just want to try one, I'd give Dark Souls on PC a try. Although if you are interested in playing Bloodborne and will have access to a PS4 by the time it arrives you can just wait for that. Or you can play Demon's Souls as preparation for Bloodborne. Demon's Souls is the oldest of the 3, making it technically the least impressive and least active in terms of community.

I think that Dark Souls 1 is probably the best initial experience with the series. It's "relatively accessible" compared to Demon's Souls, and is more memorable than Dark Souls 2 in my humble opinion and the opinion of many others. I'm not sure how things have changed with the death of GFWL, but I can only hope it's easier now (also I played through most of the game disconnected from the internet on the PS3 and it was still fine).

Dark Souls 2 probably feels like a smoother game but the first one had a better atmosphere and that is one of the series' really strong points. Others might argue Demon's Souls but I think it really started coming together in Dark Souls.

Also as others have said, the games aren't actually that difficult. What is really difficult is adjusting to a style of gameplay unlike almost every game that has come out in recent years. It's changing mindset and playstyle. Like in a fighting game, changing from a fast character with fast combos, to a slow character, with slow, drawn-out, choreographed moves.

Finally, I haven't heard people give this advice in a year or two so I'll give it here: give Dark Souls 10 hours or so of your life. The first few hours can be slow-moving, as you get accustomed to the different style of gameplay, but once it breaks you in, it is a blast.

I've only played Demons and Dark Souls 2 and had a harder time getting into DS2. Demon's Souls overall is harder, but there were two or three early bosses in DS2 that gave me fits. Once I got past those it wasn't incredibly hard. But in both games the difficulty is fair. You might spend hours on the first level, but you get a bit further each time and learn how you need to play to succeed.

And don't feel weird summoning other players to help you with bosses. I avoided it completely in Demons and only did it a handful of times in DS2, but the co-op stuff is a lot of fun and there's no punishment for using help over doing it yourself. Even if the boss isn't necessarily hard, it's still fun to summon one or two people and wreck house.

I wouldn't say that they're difficult for the sake of being difficult. They are fair. That said, I gave up on Dark Souls because I didn't feel like running back to a boss for a fifth time.

As somebody who got into the Souls game this year, I'd recommend starting with Dark Souls 1. It's got some clunky mechanics and the first hours can be pretty tough, but once you get over that initial curve, and you start getting into the swing of things, you'll really start to get into the rewarding nature of the gameplay. If you're struggling, don't be afraid to summon help, or consult one of the wiki's for information. The games are not as hard as their reputation makes them out to be, as it more about learning to be patient and working out enemy move sets and when's the right time to strike. They rarely throw you into a situation where you'd be never stand a chance and it's really hard but fair. If you finished Lords of the Fallen, alot of the mechanics in that game are very similar so you shouldn't have too much difficulty adjusting.

Dark Souls 2 is also worth a try as its controls are a little tighter and responsive, and a some of the jankier parts have been improved, but it has some sections that really hard for the sake of being hard, but it's still a very enjoyable game for the most part.

As for platform, Dark Souls 1 is getting steam connectivity soon, so you could wait for that and get it there, as while it isn't the best port, it's got some good mods that fix a lot of the problems. Dark Souls 2 is a much better PC port, and runs fine. I played both games on 360 and they ran fine, and it's perfectly playable, it's really down to what you more comfortable with.

When I first played DS1 (didn't finish, not out of frustration, just had other games I wanted to play) the aspect I had problems with was the fact that there was little explanation to what was going on. Most found that to be great for them because they felt it required them to piece everything together, but to me I feel a game should at least give you some sort explanations to various aspects of the game. I like to piece together the world, not the numbers and the mechanics of the game... that said, I still have DS1 and WILL go back to it, because each encounter with enemies is meaningful and I loved fighting the enemies.

The games are absolutely not "difficult just for the sake of being difficult" and I highly recommend all three of them. Start with Dark Souls II and work your way backwards as they get more difficult and obtuse the further back you go.

I would start with Dark Souls 1. I think that's where most of the masses started and honestly, it's probably the most forgiving game of the 3. These games are meant to be challenging and different, not hard. They reward patience and focus, anyone that tells you that they are hard just to be hard either played for 20 minutes and gave up or not at all. Give it a shot, they are very rewarding games to play in my opinion.

If you are interested, start at Demon's Souls. Demon's Souls is a hard game to go back to if you start at Dark Souls or worse, Dark Souls 2. It's my favorite in the series, but it is...uninviting.

If you're only gonna play one then play Dark Souls. It has much more interesting bosses and level design than the other ones. You'll probably want to play the PC version due to performance but the PS3 version will probably also have an active player base that doesn't have hackers.

If you know you're only going to play one, then make it Dark Souls II.

If you think there's a chance you'll be drawn into the other games after playing one, make the the first one be Demon's Souls.

@eternalvigil: I don't think I've ever seen someone say the controls in DSII are tighter and more responsive than in Dark Souls. Interesting.

Dark Souls 1 is the best of the three, has the most memorable atmosphere, world/level design, and boss fights, and I'd also argue that it eases you into the game better than the other two. Play it on PC with DSfix.

Also, give it 5-6 hours before you give up. The games aren't 'hard,' they just force you to play by their rules in a way that most games don't. It'll take you an hour or two to unlearn tendencies you picked up from other games and learn the tendencies that Dark Souls wants you to know. After that, it's a blast. I died more in the first area than I did over the entirety of the rest of the game.

Dark Souls 2 is a very balanced game for the most part and never difficult due to cheapness or cheese except for a very few short spots and bosses, mostly all in late game or DLC. It is definitely a good game to get into and of all the "Souls" games has the best start as it ramps up slowly with a good learning curve. DS1 on the other hand does have entire levels that border on pure cheese and are very cheap/unfun to actually play through. Demon's Souls in my opinion is better than the other two in many ways but sadly is only on PS3. You could also wait for Bloodborne on PS4 but I get the feeling it will be a little more on the "hard for hard's sake" side than the other games.

So get yourself a digital version of DS2 and give it a spin. Don't be above asking for help or advice either, knowing how the mechanics actually work is not a "spoiler" or cheating.

Having played Dark Souls, Demons Souls and Dark Souls 2 all this year for the first time DS1 is my favourite. From what I heard before I played it, it sounded like a game which I wouldn't like at all. I had it in my Steam library for a while after picking it up on there for cheap, it took me a while to get around to it, and I'm so glad I did. So play that one if your going to play any. Dark Souls 2 is fine, but it has nothing on the first. Demons Souls is great, but I much preferred the world of Dark Souls and its layout.

The difficulty thing over the Souls' games is overstated. They're not that difficult, they just require patience. Which I suppose is difficult for many people...

... it's just difficult for the sake of being difficult.

This is the only thing you are wrong about. The game is not difficult just to be difficult. It's challenging- which is different from just being difficult. Challenging implies it will be tough to master, but rewarding which is what the Souls games are. Yes, the game will troll you, but only so you will not get cocky and you will learn from your mistakes.

They are a great deal of fun. Souls games are fun because of the challenge. They aren't difficult games, though, by any stretch. That allusion is mostly false.

Dark Souls is hands down the best game made last generation imo. A must play experience for any RPG fan.

Make it Dark Souls 1, because it's the best one. You kind of can't go wrong though, and I suppose 2 might be closer to Lords of the Fallen. So perhaps that's a better fit.

I am most of the way through Lords of the Fallen, I have to say it isn't as hard as Dark Souls but its also no slouch in some area's. I have done a Strength melee build and that causes some moments in lords of the fallen to be more difficult than I thought it would be, although so far no bosses like O&S from DS1.

Depends. Do you care more about (a) atmosphere/story or (b) mechanics/graphics?

If you answered (a), then I'd go with Dark Souls I, as I found that to be a far more memorable in terms of "sucking me in." I felt like the world of Dark Souls II was Dark Souls I gone Hollow - yes, there were fewer invasions, but ultimately it lacked a soul.

If you answered (b), then go with Dark Souls II, since it's a way smoother experience performance wise and does a *slightly* better job of explaining its mechanics (I still wish it had an easy way to compare items in shops).

I'd say go for Dark Souls first. I could never had imagined I would come to love the Souls games as much as I did. They came as a huge surprise for me.

Saying they seem difficult for the sake of being difficult isn't really fair. Harder games are so because they are supposed to (if they aren't broken games). The Souls games are designed to be a challenge and demands you to measure most actions you take. If you have the patience to do so, you wont find it too punishing and I think you will have a good time.

But it isn't just about the difficulty, they are also pretty awesome games in general. There's a certain bleak and moody post-apocalyptic atmosphere that you don't get in a lot of fantasy games.

The ability to jump is a lot easier to properly execute in DSII. I also like character movement more in II for some reason. I hate that getting control over the direction of rolling attacks is a lot harder and very finicky in II, but I don't feel like I'm going to be constantly backstabbed when fighting players which I always did in DS1.

No, they just try to make you aware of your surroundings and be on your tows most of the time instead of running headstrong throughout the game .And when you come through an obstacle that makes you die then it's just its way to tell you to try a different tactic to pass it .

You should try Dark Souls first since the rest are more difficult and make sure to make your class balanced between magic and sword fighting .