The Soulsborne series — a portmanteau referring to the Dark Souls-styled games produced by FromSoftware — has received dozens of accolades across the 11 years of its franchise history. These punishing titles pioneered a unique hybrid of gameplay mechanics, from hack-and-slash to 3D Metroidvania, that continues to defy genre and has received consistent critical acclaim. Too frequently, however, the Dark Souls series and its Souls-like ilk have been overlooked for the unparalleled immersion that the games create for players.
Few games rise to the level of engrossing excellence in design exhibited by the Souls series. With director Hidetaka Miyazaki at the helm, however, there is a narrative purpose behind every detail in these dungeons, so players should be sure to stop and smell the Purple Moss Clumps on their next Soulsborne playthroughs.
Anor Londo
Anor Londo is practically an icon of the Dark Souls franchise. This sprawling, medieval-style city represents the location from which the deities of Lordran ruled their domain and concluded the horrific Age of Dragons. Home to some of the most challenging foes in the Dark Souls series, it's no surprise that Anor Londo is steeped in lore that constantly keeps players immersed. This memorable level also returns in 2017's Dark Souls 3 with updated graphics and a nighttime setting that enshrouds the Gothic towers with moonlight. For series veterans, it's a moving experience rife with nostalgia to once more tread the lofted, cathedral-like halls of this immersive location.
The Cathedral Of the Deep
The ruins of a labyrinthine church emerging from a vast forest, the Cathedral of the Deep is one of the most expansive and immersive locations in the Dark Souls series. Different from the Abyss, the Deep is difficult to describe even by franchise standards. It is a fundamentally hostile plane of existence that, though connected to the physical world, is most dangerous as a corrupting force within the mind. This otherworldly darkness practically oozes from the Cathedral of the Deep's shadowy and foreboding design, made particularly palpable in its undead-infested graveyard maze and harrowing, enemy-filled corridors lit only by torchlight. This level also contains the Deacons of the Deep, who meaningfully expands the game's lore, despite being one of the easiest bosses in the Dark Souls franchise.
The Painted World of Ariamis
Housed in a colossal enchanted painting within Anor Londo, the Painted World of Ariamis literally immerses the Chosen Undead by absorbing them into its snowy landscape. For most players, this will come as an enormous surprise, catapulting them into an icy dungeon that provides a sharp visual contrast to the other levels in Dark Souls. Once within, players are free to explore its extensive ruins at their own peril.
The Chosen Undead will encounter unique enemies along the way, including the Crow Demons that serve the goddess Velka and the grotesque Engorged Hollows. Most notable is the optional boss Crossbreed Priscilla, a human-dragon hybrid for whom the painted world serves as a prison. The lore surrounding this character not only creates depth to the level she inhabits, but it also fills meaningful gaps in the game's central story regarding the conflict between the ancient dragons and the old gods.
Yharnam
Yharnam, the central location for 2015's Bloodborne's numerous great side quests further build the game's immersion, placing the player in charge of the lives of Yharnam's citizenry and bringing life to the abandoned cathedrals and monster-ridden alleys.
Tomb of Giants
Just when it seems like the player can't venture deeper into Dark Souls 3's Catacombs, new ageways open to reveal an even older section of Lordran's underground: the Tomb of Giants. The tomb's most remarkable quality is its utter darkness. Without the aid of a torch or other luminous items, it is utterly impossible to see where the narrow stone causeways end and the many bottomless pits begin.
The negative space is overwhelming and makes for an authentically engrossing experience navigating the treacherous terrain. This is made all the more engrossing by a plethora of skeletal enemies capable of knocking the Chosen Undead to their doom. It is within these depths that players encounter two notable NPCs: Patches the Hyena and Rhea of Thorolund, the latter of which is present as part of one of Dark Souls' best side quests.
Fountainhead Palace
After reaching Fountainhead Palace in FromSoftware's 2019 hit Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it's easy to forget that the rest of the game exists. This mountaintop oasis introduces the player to a host of new and challenging enemies like nothing encountered in the game before, including an enormous possessed Koei and dragon-human hybrids that play kickball with lightning.
The many threads of lore driving Sekiro's story converge at these infected waters, and the payoff is well worth the challenge of getting there. Not only does Fountainhead Palace represent a stunning level design, but it also expands the game's narrative into the supernatural. This adds immersive depth to both the dungeon itself and the entire game when it's replayed.
Blighttown
Blighttown is divided into multiple sections, most notably an upper level and lower level. The higher areas are filled with rickety scaffolding where one false move can send players plummeting to their deaths. The safest way to traverse these treacherous platforms is via ladders that leave the Chosen Undead wide open for attacks by blowdart-shooting snipers hiding in the darkness. Blighttown's lower levels are toxic, filled with a poisonous swamp that inflicts vulnerable players with constant poison damage. This level also includes the lore-rich fan-favorite Dark Souls boss Chaos Witch Quelaag, making it a frustrating but wholly engrossing part of Soulsborne history.
Mount Kongo
With a narrative emphasis on the changing of seasons, Sekiro's "autumn" section of gameplay brings the eponymous shinobi to a cursed Buddhist monastery upon Mount Kongo. Brilliantly placed at the conclusion of an extensive underground section of gameplay, the vibrant colors and sweeping landscapes that comprise Senpou Temple mark a radical and invigorating departure from Sekiro's prior aesthetic. Not only does it look amazing, but it also features one of the most expansive designs in the game, with numerous side quests and secret lore to be uncovered by ascending the august mountain.
Firelink Shrine
In Dark Souls, Firelink Shrine is the first place the Chosen Undead visits after escaping the Undead Asylum. These ruins serve as a hub from which the player is able to travel to the many dungeons and locales within the game. This temple is revisited in Dark Souls 3, having been built up in the time between games to accommodate the Lords of Cinder and their thrones. It's a brilliant design choice that demonstrates the dynamic and ever-changing world of Lothric and Lordran.
The shrine's immersive nature is further bolstered by its iterative design. Players return to this spot throughout both games to level up, purchase helpful goods, or simply take a break from the onslaught of enemies beyond its walls. Along their journey, players will meet numerous NPCs at varying stages of their own journey, bringing unparalleled depth to the game's evolving narrative.
Archdragon Peak
Archdragon Peak in Dark Souls 3 is another immersive location that, despite its awe-inspiring design, is entirely optional. Players who reach these ruins from the Irithyll Dungeon are greeted with a sunny environment constructed of crumbling white stone, a stark contrast to the myriad dank and dark dungeons that characterize the series. Here, players experience a cinematic encounter with an Ancient Wyvern, which offers unparalleled immersion into the draconic world of Lothric. Archdragon Peak is also notable for its grueling boss fight with the dragon-riding Nameless King, widely considered the most difficult boss in Dark Souls 3. This dungeon is so nuanced that it could have been its own DLC, and it should not be missed in any playthrough of Dark Souls 3.