Elden Ring fans new to the Soulslike genre should check out the list of games coming to PlayStation Plus Extra in June. PlayStation has just revealed more games coming to the service, including two of FromSoftware's classic Soulslikes: Demon's Souls and Bloodborne.
Customers finally have a good idea of what games to expect from the revamped PS Plus, Sony's long-awaited response to Xbox Game Pass. What was once PlayStation Now will be integrated into PS Plus, and additional dedicated PS5 games that PS Now never saw will be joining the service as well. PS Plus Premium, the service's top tier, comes with a catalog of PS4 and PS5 games as well as a collection of classic titles across the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP consoles. However, FromSoftware fans won't need the most expensive tier to access the developer's own classic collection of Soulslikes, for both Demon's Souls and Bloodborne come with the less expensive PlayStation Plus Extra tier.
Demon's Souls, the genesis of the Soulslike genre, dates all the way back to the PS3 generation. While Hidetaka Miyazaki's first attempt with the Souls series does come with some missteps and unrefined ideas, it introduced the world to the unforgiving difficulty, recursive level design, and methodical combat that the genre is known for. Demon's Souls is a tightly packed fantasy adventure with atmospheric art direction and music that still rivals some of FromSoftware's best. Fans of Elden Ring can thank Demon's Souls for starting everything they've come to love in Elden Ring's massive open world.
PS Plus Extra grants subscribers the best way to experience Demon's Souls: a remake built from the ground up specifically for the PS5. Demon's Souls Remake fully utilizes the power of the PS5 to recreate jaw-dropping high fantasy locations that Elden Ring fans will surely appreciate. While the game may feel linear to newcomers who are used to Elden Ring's massive scale, its structure provides greater focus and polish with faster load times, DualSense support, and a rock-solid frame rate.
Bloodborne is another FromSoftware title that will appeal to Elden Ring fans. Launching after Dark Souls and Dark Souls II, Bloodborne is considered by many to be not only one of the best Soulslikes but also one of the best games of all time. For every element it adopted from Dark Souls, there is a new element implemented that shakes up the formula, making the game one of the more unique Soulslike experiences. Bloodborne transformed Demon's Souls and Dark Souls' bulky, slow pace into one that's fast, aggressive, and stylish.
Even though Bloodborne doesn't have the same visual upgrades on PS5 that Demon's Souls Remake has, Elden Ring fans who find Demon's Souls a bit too slow-paced might find more to enjoy with Bloodborne. Its fast-paced combat is a source of inspiration for Elden Ring and can be seen throughout the newer game's many grotesque boss fights. Bloodborne's world and aesthetic is so rich that it demands to be meticulously explored despite being a fraction of the size of Elden Ring's.
PlayStation Plus's new system aims to capitalize on Elden Ring's success by providing players with FromSoftware's back catalog of landmark titles. Demon's Souls and Bloodborne paved the way for Elden Ring and are definitely worth checking out. Elden Ring fans, in particular, should look back on these two fantastic games to appreciate the Soulslike genre's foundational roots and satiate their burning desire for similar titles.