Summary
FromSoftwareis best known for the incredible difficulty present throughout its impressive library of games, so much so that the development company is widely regarded as the grandfather of the entire ‘Soulslike’ genre.
FromSoftware’s titles are often met with critical and popular acclaim. But what many fans do not know is that the company has scores of game credits outsidethe ‘Soulsborne’ genrethat still fit the identity that the developer strives for. Picking themost difficult FromSoftware gamestakes into cognizance a lot of factors, but there is a clear line of reasoning as to why some games are more difficult than others.
Updated on July 28, 2025, by Gerardo Molina:While many of the titles on the list have been long forgotten or been overshadowed by the Dark Souls franchise, Elden Ring and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, they’re still great games to play. Many of the games on this list are from a time when FromSoftware was not nearly as big as it is today, yet managed to deliver an entertaining and immersive experience to those who enjoyed their titles. While some of the games on this list focus on fighting on board huge mechanical vehicles, others take a more traditional RPG approach with the classical undertones that make FromSoftware titles famous.
17Shadow Assault: Tenchu
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.0/5
Shadow Assault: Tenchuputs players in charge of one of several selectable characters from the Tenchu universe. Like similar games in its genre, players will be given a specific task to complete on each level that they’ll have to carefully carry out. This title also follows the popular game mechanic of putting hit points on top of enemies’ heads for a visual appeal that never fails to deliver.
Unfortunately, as opposed to later successes made by FromSoftware such as theDark Soulsfranchise,Shadow Assault: Tenchureceived mixed reviews.
16Shadow Tower Abyss
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.32/5
As opposed to other games on this list,Shadow Tower Abyssis played completely from a first-person perspective and tasks players with navigating through various catacombs, open-air walkways, and caverns that they’ll have to explore as they ascend a tower.
This title takes on a more classical RPG approach and could be considered to be one of the first FromSoftware games to have players explore various subterranean forests, dark caverns, and other areas that are packed with challenging enemies blocking their path. Players must increase their stats wisely to progress through the game and make the challenges ahead of them simpler.
15Armored Core: Project Phantasma
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.36/5
Set two years before the events of the originalArmored Core,Armored Core: Project Phantasmatasks players with investigating the Amber Crown complex, the home of a mysterious Doomsday Organization, and a covert research project codenamed Project Phantasma.
Gameplay doesn’t vary much from its predecessor, but there are new weapons added to make the experience feel different. While it’s likely the easiest FromSoftware game out there, that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s a classic in the studio’s history, even though it almost never gets the recognition it clearly deserves.
While the first game in theKing’s Fieldseries may not have received an official English release, fans came to save the day with a full translation patch of their own that allows players to check out the first-ever game developed by FromSoftware. Fans ofDark Soulswill be amazed to see the many waysKing’s Fieldinspired FromSoftware’s flagship series, even if the core combat itself is as clunky as they come.
Maintaining distance and picking one’s hits wisely is the best way to playKing’s Field, especially sincethe control scheme can be a painto learn. In fact, a lot ofKing’s Field’s difficulty feels artificial, which can frustrate players. However, those who bear the early slog of this title and find some decent equipment and spells to use will be taking out most enemies from afar before they have a chance to retaliate, even if the challenge keeps on ramping up.
13King’s Field 3
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.58/5
This is where things get tricky. While this game is officiallyKing’s Field 3, the game was released asKing’s Field 2in the West since the first game never received an official translation. This title is the last of theKing’s Fieldseries to make its wayonto the PS1, serving as the most polished version of a formula that can take a while for players to get into.
The combat is far from easy and mandates that players remain mobile and wear the best equipment to smite their foes. Initial fights at a low level can be a downright nightmare to deal with, and it’s important to combine melee attacks and sorcery to ensure that players aren’t flattened by enemies who arrive in the later stages. This, coupled with the obtuse exploration, ensures thatKing’s Field 3is as challenging and cryptic as the past two titles in the franchise, making it one ofFromSoftware’s hardest games.
12King’s Field 2
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 3.85/5
King’s Fieldhas the distinct honor of being the first video game developed by FromSoftware wayback when in 1994. It was a fantasy game that already started to develop some of the tropes that are a staple of FromSoftware games today.
In 1995,King’s Field 2was released, and it featured a significant difficulty spike with better enemy design and intuition, making it much harder to progress through the game. Considering its age, some of the jank of the game also inadvertently adds to the difficulty, but all in all,King’s Field 2is a solid entry to the FromSoftware roster.
BeforeDark Souls, there wasArmored Core. This was the series that first brought FromSoftware to prominence, and it is one that the company persists with still. The game is far removed from theSoulsgames in atmosphere and aesthetic, but is bonded in difficulty.
Verdict Day’s difficulty lies in the variety of missions and the specificity of the mech building to survive each mission. With 60 missions in the game, and each more difficult than the last, it isn’t hard to see why this is adifficult FromSoftware gameto clear.
As the middle child of theDark Soulsseries, it does make some sense that it is the most complex of the three games.Dark Souls 2features a seemingly new control system, making turning and rolling feel clunkier than the original, which can lead to many moments where, despite evading an attack, damage is assured.
Some of the design choices also add to the game’s difficulty. For instance, the Humanity mechanic means that most players have to move around with half of their HP bar, and there are some areas where the map isunforgiving, like Black Gulch, which throws poison at players at every turn in a dark environment.
9Armored Core: For Answer
GameFAQs Difficulty Rating: 4/5
Set five years after the LYNX War, Earth finds itself under the rule of the League of Ruling Companies made up of various nations that endured and survived the infamous armed conflict.Armored Core: For Answerinnovated on many things, including a new interface for Armored Core customization that gave players a lot more freedom.
This title is also the second in the series to feature multiple endings, which isn’t anything new in the gaming world, but when the concept is properly executed, it almost always delivers and makes the experience amazing.
The third game of theDark Soulsseries was a masterpiece that perfected the art of creating an atmosphere.Dark Souls 3is also known to have some of the most difficult bosses in the entire FromSoftware catalog. Hundreds have fallen to the Soul of Cinder,The Nameless King, and Slave Knight Gael.
On the other hand, a lot of the content before the boss fights is relatively easy to deal with, which makesDark Souls 3somewhat balanced on the difficulty meter, especially since some overpowered weapons would be nerfed upon FromSoftware’s updates and discovery, allowing additional tweaks to the game’s meta in both PvP and PvE.
