The era ofElden Ringis upon FromSoftware fans, andArmored Coreis about to return. However, the games that brought the company to this time of prosperity are still fresh in many players' minds. WhileDemon’s Soulscodified the Soulslike format and refined elements from FromSoftware’s past, it wasDark Soulsthat gave its action-RPG subgenre mainstream attention.DarkSoulsevolved with every new game, and the advances of related titles likeBloodborneandSekiro: Shadows Die Twicesprang forth from its original formula. At the core ofElden Ring’s even greater success, one can still find elements that first caught players’ attention all the way back inDark Souls 1.
Said game is a bit harder to come by these days, as the originalDark Soulsrelease and the enhancedPrepare to Die Editionare locked on PS3and Xbox 360. Both versions have also been delisted, and as part of some recent emergency online patching, their multiplayer servers were permanently shut down. Fortunately,Dark Souls Remasteredand its servers are still alive and well after five years, and remain a great experience on most modern platforms. Whether aSoulsveteran wants to replay the game afterElden Ringor a newcomer wants to see how the smash-hit open-world title came to be,Dark Souls Remasteredis still a fountain of innovation and fresh fun on every playthrough.
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Dark Souls Remastered Was Vindicated By History
First released in Japan on July 04, 2025, and dropping worldwide a day later,Dark Souls Remasteredhad a rough initial reception. While it did include significant bug and performance fixes, a few issues remained, the revamped lighting was widely disliked, and the Switch port was inferior to every otherDark Soulsskew. Many also weren’t pleased byRemasteredreplacing the original game in digital stores, which made its lack of old mod compatibility even worse. Still, withDark Souls Remasteredoccupying a later generation of consoles, it eventually became the primary way to revisitDark Souls 1.
While not a perfect re-release, it’s thanks toDark Souls Remasteredthat the entireDark Soulstrilogy was able to become a single release on console for the first time. PC, PS4, and Xbox One players could easily jump between the three games, and nowadays,PS5 owners can experience FromSoftware’s entire Soulsborne catalog. Despite time gaps and technical issues,Dark Souls’ legacy has been preserved for many years to come, and its inspiring presence for many players and developers makes it something worth maintaining.
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How Dark Souls Remastered Remains Relevant
Plenty of reasons still exist to boot upDark Souls Remastered, and one of the biggest is appreciating how far Soulsborne design has come.Dark Souls 1made the leap from the multiple linear areas inDemon’s Soulsto an interconnected world that unfolds in multiple directions. While some prefer the breathtaking sights of Majula or the eerie tranquility of the Hunter’s Dream,Dark Souls 1’s Firelink Shrineexcels as a Metroidvania-esque hub thanks to how it connects many different areas. The gradual progression and rising difficulty are more appreciable now, especially since later games like the even more openElden Ringsubverted this by placing much tougher enemies in the player’s main path.
It is true that to anyone who’s made any progress in later Soulsborne titles,Dark Souls 1feels slower and relatively easy in comparison. That makes it more convenient to revisit, although the mid-game still ratchets up the challenge and the integratedDLC providesDark Souls 1with a proper endgamewhere the Kiln of the First Flame once disappointed. Anyone coming in late to the Soulsborne genre will find that the trendsetter still holds value, and with plenty of memorable NPCs, sidequests, and secrets that can even facilitate new paths,Dark Souls Remasteredis always ready for a fresh run.
Community Remains An Integral Part of Dark Souls Remastered
TheSoulsfanbase feels the same way about it. Some of the best reasons to revisit older FromSoftware titles likeDark Souls Remasteredis the active community, which players are able to interact with through online features. Playing in Online Mode on PC without proper precautions could lead to disaster, but the console ports still have enough messages, ghosts, bloodstains, and even cooperators to make the experience worthwhile. It helps thatDark Souls 1’s NPC Solaireemphasizes the game’s multiplayer component, fostering a supportive community that many games would kill to have.
And when the base game is no longer enough, fellow fans may once again step in to help.Dark Soulsmodding is popular for every entry, and while some mods have sadly been lost with thePrepare to Die Edition,Dark Souls Remasteredhas plenty. This includes anything from graphical overhauls and fixes for outstanding issues to major overhauls of the game, such as the brutally tough Daughters of Ash mod or the upcoming Nightfall fan sequel. It’s also hard to go wrong with more lighthearted jaunts likerandomizer mods, Floppy Souls, and Dark Souls Remasterer. The latter packs balance changes, secrets, and new multiplayer modes together withAmong UsandHalocrossovers, which will definitely give any seasoned player a jolt.
Through a combination of the merits ofDark Souls 1, the remaster’s wide availability, and the support of its fans,Dark Souls Remasteredcarries onthe legacy ofDark Soulsto this very day. Even after the franchise was wrapped up and FromSoftware moved on to bigger and better things, the torchDark Soulslit won’t easily go out. AsDark Souls Remasteredcelebrates its fifth anniversary and over a decade of harrowing adventures in Lordran, now is as good a time as ever to remember what madeDark Souls' early days so special.
Dark Souls Remasteredis available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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