Games you didn't know were made by FromSoftware

FromSoftware is now a household name. The success of the Dark Souls games is unmatched, leading many to believe that FromSoftware appeared out of nowhere. Quite the opposite, as the company has been in the gaming business since 1986.

Although Dark Souls came to prominence in 2011, there's a treasure trove of games FromSoftware has made before it, many of them equally clunky, experimental, and completely unexpected. Here's a sampling of just a few that you might not even know existed.

Highlights

• FromSoftware has an extensive history of games before Dark Souls, including unique titles like Eternal Ring.
• Otogi: Myth Of Demons and Metal Wolf Chaos showcase FromSoftware's diverse game library beyond Dark Souls.
• FromSoftware's diverse range of games includes horror games featuring Kuon and an unexpected entry in the Monster Hunter series.

10 Eternal Ring

Does this sound familiar? A piece of jewelry that you are wearing, and a rather old piece at that? It must be your imagination, because nothing can compare to the legendary FromSoftware title Eternal Ring. A once in a lifetime experience.

Eternal Ring was actually a launch title for the PS2 in North America and Japan and revolved around crafting rings to give yourself new powers. It bears no real resemblance to Elden Ring, although the striking similarity in the name is very funny.

9 Otogi: Myth of the Demons

Otogi: Myth Of Demons was released in 2002 exclusively for the original Xbox and was a standout amongst FromSoftware's titles at the time. Aside from the big hits like Armored Core, many of them received rather mediocre reviews. Not so with Otogi, where many of its more challenging gameplay elements were a welcome addition.

Set in Japan and based on the historical figure Minamoto no Yorimitsu, the game features many of the aspects that would later define Dark Souls: weapon variety, changing stats, and even a system designed to balance the use of magic against reduced health.

Of course, many of us have heard of Armored Core by now, especially after its triumphant return with the sixth installment. They were FromSoftware's bread and butter before the Souls games. Of course, they weren't the only mech games they made either.

Metal Wolf Chaos is, well, a very American game, even though it was initially only released in Japan. You are the President of the United States and you must create your own special robot to save your country from the Vice President's coup that wants to overthrow you. That's what a true patriot does.

The game was later re-released on modern platforms by Devolver Digital.

7 Enchanted Arms

Released in 2006, Enchanted Arms is a turn-based game that stands in contrast to most of FromSoftware's library. In it, you take on the role of Atsuma, a sorcerer in training who can draw energy into his arm to create elemental powers.

The name is quite literal in this regard, as Atsuma even swallows enemies in his arm to harvest their powers. Although it received only mediocre reviews at the time, it gained cult status in the years that followed.

6 Shadow Tower Abyss

Shadow Tower was an early successor to King's Field. It was a dungeon crawler game, but it had a much darker aesthetic than King's Field, both literally and figuratively. In response to many criticisms of the original game, Shadow Tower Abyss followed in 2003.

The sequel, Shadow Tower Abyss, devoted a lot of time to the intelligence of the enemies. They can be dismembered, changing their attack patterns. When their health is low, they will flee from you, and otherwise just try to live their lives. Unfortunately, the English localization of the game was canceled before release.

5 Evergrace

Released the same year as Eternal Ring, Evergrace was also a North American launch title, but it took a decidedly different approach. You control two characters, Darius and Sharline, both with their own unique gameplay elements and storylines.

The game also focuses more on your equipment rather than your own stats, which give you more power, effectively allowing you to build more freely. The game was later continued with a sequel, Forever Kingdom.

Despite the different name in English, it was simply known as Evergrace 2 in Japan.

4 The Adventures of Cookie and Cream

Many would attribute the dark style of FromSoftware games to Hidetaka Miyazaki, although their style clearly has older origins. The true hallmark of FromSoftware's changing design styles should instead be The Adventures Of Cookie And Cream, because that's the darkest thing you can get.

The Adventures Of Cookie And Cream is a fairly simple puzzle platformer. You (and a friend, if you have one) each take on the roles of the duo and guide them to their goal. There's even a versus mode where you can see who gets the most points first if you want to put the bonds of friendship to the test.

It was later ported to the DS in 2007.

3 Kuon

When it comes to horror games, we expect them only from the big guys. Capcom, Bloober Team, and so on. Still, FromSoftware should definitely give it another try, because Kuon is a great example of a horror game in a style that is rarely matched these days.

The game lets you play as three different characters, and each of them navigates differently. Different weapons are better at fighting certain monsters, some items are restricted to certain characters, and so on. It also uses a fixed camera perspective, which is something modern horror games would really benefit from.

2 Monster Hunter Diary

You might find it odd to see a Monster Hunter game here. “But surely nobody at Capcom makes Monster Hunter games!” you're probably thinking. That's mostly true, although the odd off-site game pops up every now and then, and FromSoftware's Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village is one of them.

The first thing you'll notice about the game is that it's adorable. The second is that it's not really about monster hunting. Instead, you guide the various Felynes around the village and complete tasks. It's a very rewarding adventure. Of course, it was later re-released with a G version, followed by a DX version on the 3DS in 2015.

1 Ninja Blade

Ninja Blade is perhaps FromSoftware's most unintentionally funny game. The game is aimed at an American audience and is heavily influenced by the style of Hollywood action films. At times it feels like you're watching a Michael Bay film. Explosions everywhere.

It's also astonishingly flawed. There's a spark of a good character action game here that borrows heavily from Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, though it never managed to find a large audience. A shame considering it was internally referred to as Otogi 3, a much better received series.