should i play dark souls before starting with this game?

[JolyJew СлаваУкраине]

i heard this game has some returning characters from dark souls games th that you can enjoy the game's story and dialogues better if you first played the dark souls series.

so should i start with the old ones or just skip them when it comes to elden ring?

[NisseDood]

Only returning character is Patches and hes more of the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ character they have in almost every game.
But he got no story significance to any older title and ER got no relation to any soulsborne game story wise.

[John Titor]

I suggest playing King's Field, then moving your way up the catalogue.

[Meow]

No you don't need to play them at all. But they are good games, so if you like Elden Ring you'll probably like them too.

[Sir Latrine de Bretagne]

Begin with Elden Ring If you want to benefit from the mp features. DS I II III servers are down, have been for like 6 months and there is no end in sight.

[Wolf]

The combat system are pretty much similar to one another. Essentially you don't need to play Dark souls 1, 2 and 3. You can do it the other way around instead. Elden Ring is just Dark souls 3 going open world. For that matter you can play the game in the order you want.

Lore wise, yeah, you will understand much better some parts of the game, and similarities on some NPCs. Specially Dark souls 1 and 3. Elden Ring for me seems to be the continuation of Dark Souls 3.

[JolyJew СлаваУкраине]

alright, thx for the advice, ill play the dark souls games first, but i guess ill have to wait for the servers to be back. this kind of games is only half-fun if there's no access to multiplayer

[Wolf]

All good, glad to help. Take care.

[stage]

Originally posted by Jolly Jew:

alright, thx for the advice, ill play the dark souls games first, but i guess ill have to wait for the servers to be back. this kind of games is only half-fun if there's no access to multiplayer

That is gonna be a looong wait tbh. My suggestion is start with either Dark Souls 3 (offline) or if you really want to play with all aspects, go Sekiro since there is no real time MP there. But Sekiro is quite different and not really close to the souls game in terms of combat.

Also not sure if you understand correctly, this are all Single-player games in nature, with a small online element. Do not perceive them to anything related to co-op as you know from other games.

[Gamer Buddy]

Originally posted by csand:

Originally posted by Jolly Jew:

alright, thx for the advice, ill play the dark souls games first, but i guess ill have to wait for the servers to be back. this kind of games is only half-fun if there's no access to multiplayer

Don't listen to the people who will tell you to skip dark souls 2 either. It's awesome

I have it on PS3, just cheesed dragonrider and played 2 times coop. The only bad thing across DS games is the matchmaking system, I think it's even more absurd in 2 because of the "soul memories" thing :(

[NisseDood]

Originally posted by Gamer Buddy:

Originally posted by csand:

Don't listen to the people who will tell you to skip dark souls 2 either. It's awesome

I have it on PS3, just cheesed dragonrider and played 2 times coop. The only bad thing across DS games is the matchmaking system, I think it's even more absurd in 2 because of the "soul memories" thing :(

Soul memory is quite annoying but it can be made less annoying.
Get to Lost Bastille as fast as possible.
Use a branch of yore on Straid.
Buy agape ring and only take it off on bosses and if you want to farm souls since it makes so you dont get souls from anything as long as its on.
Yes its a bandaid for a meh system but its something.
Bosses give such absurd amount of souls you dont need souls from normal mobs that much.
The early game is the harshest and that is what puts people off but once you get a few levels, a decent weapon, agape ring so soul memory (if that is ever an issue) isnt an issue it starts to shine.
Most of the bad parts of the game is at the start with some harsh stuff and Smelter demon fog gate run but after that the most annoying is over.

[Sabaithal]

It has ONE returning character. And that character seems to be a multidimensional traveller who cannot die. Or its just an easter egg.

Aside from that, no, no relation, you don't have to play any Dark Souls beforehand. The game and storytelling is structured similarly to DS, but it is not directly related in any non-speculative form. For all intents and purposes, two completely different worlds.