which Souls/BB game should I get to jump back in to the series?

I havent played a Souls game since Demon Souls, and i still pop it in my old ps3 now and again. There isnt really a reason why I havent played Dark Souls 1/2, apart from the fact that I havent. Im looking at getting either Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne and... admittedly ill probably get both eventually.

But which game would players recommend over the other?

Why not dark souls for your ps3 it's certainly the cheapest option.

Get the OG Dark Souls for PS3. Its still really cheap

Depends if you want more of demon souls but on newer hardware than go ds3, if you want something a bit different go bb

Bloodborne is the best game in the series

Skip dark souls 2.

Honestly if you play bloodborne/dark souls 3, going back to dark souls 1 will make it look and play like crap, so really if you wantto enjoy dark souls, make sure you do it before 3 and bloodborne so you can have that unhealthy level of nostalgia for the game that makes it seem like the best. 2 is arguably bad.

But yes, go bloodborne.

Bloodborne is the best in the series.

Dark Souls 1 is overrated out of nostalgia

Dark Souls 2 is the worst

Dark Souls 3 is unappreciated

Also keep an eye on Nioh

All opinions but just going to state 'Complete crap'.

As much as I enjoy Bloodborne it has many flawed features. Terrible character building, useless element effects, and bad online multiplayer. PvP is a mess and can take ages to get matches 'bells suck'. And stats are inconsistent (Arcane is useless). And the less I write about the Chalice Dungeons the better_

DkSII is still a fun, very enjoyable game. And has a lot going for it, especially with the PvP. Yet seems to have lacked passion in the creation of the game, almost everything seems pretty generic and level design is pretty bad. From an RPG and PvP point of view? It's still better than BB, thanks to the depth of options. BB is just more glamorous with superior combat.

I feel DkS and DkSIII are the best Soul games however, as they're lacking the faults from the other two games.

DkS is a great choice if you are looking for the cheaper option. DkSIII if price isn't an issue. DkSIII isn't "unappreciated" either; not sure why you think that way. It's selling very well and the servers still have a high player count. Not to mention got mass acclaim.

DkS has arguably the best level design of the series and DkSIII closely follows, with far better weapon balance and overall variety. Both DkS and DkSIII are worth trying but you really can't go wrong with any@Khazrak134

As for Nioh. it's all a waiting game, but plays closer to Ninja Gaiden Black than DkS.

Any of them. (DS1 is a must-play)

Don't listen to these jokers who say skip DSII. What it lacked in level design it made up for in NG+ content and build variety. (Some of the levels are really cool, they are just tied together in a jankey way that makes little sense)

They're all good, but I think Dark Souls 1 is the best in the series. Bloodborne was good, but it was relatively short and had a lot less build variety than the other games.

I'm keeping an eye on Nioh, it looks like it has potential, it's kind of the reason why i want to get back in to the souls games

1) Terrible character building? Nope, it also has better combat to actually make that worthwhile.

2) Useless elemental effects? Are you kidding? I mean if you can beat the game without it then it's useless since you don't need it, however elements like fire and lightning massively improve the amount of damage you do and different monsters have different vulnerabilities.

3) PVP is a mess? It's the best in the souls series, however the problem lies with the fact that it's an exclusive and therefore it's a smaller community. What? You going to bring up healing or something? 1) People have an unspoken agreement not to do that. 2) Bullet into a healing opponent sets up a visceral attack. 3) Unlike in other games, less weapons but endlessly more diversity. Bloodborne is benefited by the fact that it has the best combat as far as pve and pvp are concerned. Bloodborne also has the best bosses. Chalice Dungeons are shit unless you like them, however the rest of the game is exceptional.

Dark Souls 3 is a poor man's bloodborne. Dark Souls 2 has horrible hit detection which ruins pvp. Um what? Did you just disregard as if it wasn't in an action game the quality of the combat in bloodborne? Also depth of options? See, I'm starting to think you never even touched bloodborne and are just reciting negatives you've heard from fanboys. The people who play bloodborne are the people who say it's one of the best games of all time, the ones who haven't insult it.

Honestly here is an hour and half video on why it's exceptional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC3OuLU5XCw&t=2s

Dark Souls 3 is the recent game in the series and only bloodborne has better graphics in the series (due to superior art design and being developed for one system), of coursepeople are going to play it, it's a popular series, people still consider it the worst game in the series quite often.

Nioh is a wait and see? There has been an alpha, a beta, and I believe a demo, each one actually fixed the issues with the previous ones and people already loved the closed alpha. The alpha was already a good game, it's a fucking great game now.

Anyway as far as bloodborne is concerned again, it has the best 2 bosses in the series. Ludwig and Lady Maria, they are objectively the best bosses in the entire series.

Bloodborne also literally teaches you how to play the other games, ie not hiding behind a shield, shield for anything but parry makes the game stress, without it, it's great. (well good)

I can't help but assume you've never played bloodborne, might not even own a ps4.

Dark souls

@putaspongeon: Before I start may I just state whatever Sony is paying you. It's not enough. So with that stated, let me break down your reply.

1) Character building and combat are two different aspects of my overall statement. If you don't understand the difference? I'll skip that and state; for overall slickness and animation cancels? BB is superior, for options and tactics BB is the worst.

2) I did PvP for over a year on BB, all elemental and the Arcane are crap. It's a fact. Waste points in that and you're handicapping yourself against players that soft/hardcap Bloodtinge.

3) Played all in the series like crazy, I don't play bias. Stating Bloodborne "has the best PvP" is delusional, but you are free to have your opinion. But it's wrong, it has nothing to do with being an exclusive game. The Bell system is simply flawed and frustrating.

4) Dark Souls III is an overall better game than Bloodborne. But both are fun games.

However better graphics mean little when it fails to surpass in the other (more important) areas. I've had a PS4 since launch, bought BB on launch, loved it and reached NG+ in less than a day. But I'm no console fanboi. I tell it how it is. And know no one who thinks DkSIII is the weakest entry. Bloodborne however, I've read a few wonder why it exists_

I don't need random opinions, I have my own and hitbox issues are not even DkSII only, BB itself has many HB issues and have even been recorded-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-ta-G4bYyk

So please refrain from that Fanboi BS, all FROM games have hitbox issues of somekind.

Anyway as far as bloodborne is concerned again, it has the best 2 bosses in the series. Ludwig and Lady Maria, they are objectively the best bosses in the entire series.

And in which place did you dig that assumption? Let's be real in that you could shout two handfuls from all FROMs Soulborne series that have the "best" bosses. Because the series does bosses so dam well-

Storm King, Grey Wolf Sif, Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough, Artorias The Abysswalker, Lost Sinner, DarkLurker, Blood-Starved Beast, First Hunter Gehrman, Abyss Watchers, Nameless King, and let's include the recent Sister Friede

I get that you clearly dig something about Bloodborne that you don't get in the core Soul games. But they're better RPGs. BB is closer to an action game with its shallow armor and weapon variety and stat relevance. It has more fluid and faster combat, at the cost of strategy and tactics.

DkSIII>>>>BB. It's not even close.

I can't help but assume you've never played bloodborne, might not even own a ps4.

Well now your bias makes sense. You'd assume wrong though, I even beat and scored Bloodborne before GS (gave it an 8). But nice try. It's a shame you're just another fanboi that views everything in black and white, and only favors exclusives. It's a sad world. I assume you've never played Dark Souls III.

The only option that dark souls has over bloodborne is that it has shield, yes there are more weapons/armor, however those are pretty much just stronger versions of prior weapons while all bloodborne weapons are viable throughout. Tactics? Unless you mean environmental tactics which is the same across the board, you could be talking about a few strategies that are in dark souls. 1) Hiding behind a shield and letting it up to get stamina back, 2) A weapon and shield style that revolves around heavily using the parry system. 3) There is the 2 handing style. 4) Magic 5) Archery? Not a viable style really.

Well I'll point out the flaw in your logic.

1) Yes it's a style that bloodborne doesn't have except weak shields, however it's purposeful, this is by far the least fun style of combat you can do, people do it out of fear and stress and it makes the whole souls series feel like a job and not a game. There are many videos out there that point out why this is a disgusting way to play the game.

2) This exists within Bloodborne in the form of weapon and gun, using the gun to parry

3) This exists within Bloodborne in the form of obviously trasnforming your trick weapon

4) This exists within Bloodborne in the form of Arcane builds

5) This exists within Bloodborne's dlc, however it's also visibile within the bloodtinge build

So outside of the style of combat they took out purposefully because it's shit, what more do you have?

Elementals are shit? Are you even playing the same game, they aren't supposed to sweep things but it does a lot more damage + can target certain weaknesses, for example beasts are very weak against fire.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Mqms3oah4

Arcane is very viable, however it doesn't really shine till you get later on.

It's delusional yet your opinions are logical? That's pure autism. Bloodborne has the best pvp, not the most popular pvp, however the best. Bell system isn't flawed and unlike in dark souls, you can actually call friends specifically.

Dark Souls 3 is significantly worse than Bloodborne.

Sister Friede is worse than Lady Maria and Ludwig.

The soulsborne series is an action game series that allows you to grind and change weapons/you image, that's as far as the roleplaying goes beyond simple things like choosing to hit an npc or deny requests. None of the souls series is a good rpg by rpg standards, they are action games and bloodborne is the best of all. See there you go again, ignorin the fact that instead of 1000 rapiers, bloodborne goes the route of simply making the weapons it has better. The weapons in bloodborne are better and the trick weapon aspect is by far better than simply 2 handing something. Sorry that you're taking 1000 rapiers as "weapon variety' when they have the same animations and are just stronger and weaker versions of each other.

@putaspongeon: I've since edited my comment, it's a bit tricky me translating the whole thing into English so I'd recommend going back one step.

If you prefer BB though, more power to you but you're not proving anything to me. I get the feeling you only rave for BB because it's an exclusive and no other reason. That's how strong your bias comes across.

Sister Friede is worse than Lady Maria and Ludwig.

This only proves my point, and learn to add spoiler blocks_

No, I hype iet since it's a good game in a pretty average series overall.

I'm getting upset not because of you insulting an exclusive, it's because you literally just went "I'm right, it's a worse game no matter what you say"

@putaspongeon: To phrase this correctly, I'm not here to praise or insult you. But fanbois and false information isn't something I value.

The only thing I think 'I'm right' about is PvP. Everything else has been hinted to be apples and oranges, despite correcting your information on various segments (stats, builds, etc). PvP in BB is awful, the Bell system is well hated without question. Go on a FROM dedicated forum and chat PvP and you'll get some detailed notes on why it's a mess.

The rest of my argument I've stated continuously, looking at the pros and cons. BB is a better 'Action game' but a worse 'RPG' I've stated in detail as of why but, what is ultimately 'best' is down to preference and what the individual enjoys.

Bloodborne stumbles a whole lot. However, what it does well is excellent and I've enjoyed my many hours in the game. Just not as much as DkS or DkSIII. Because they have the least flaws, though you could argue that they take the least risks as well_

Well then you should shush, you've said nothing but false information.

PvP you didn't justify anything, you also didn't correct any information, what I said is correct and what you're doing now is a bitch tactic where you essentially go "I'm right, you're wrong, lalalalalala". PvP is BB is exceptional, better than any dark souls game except for player base.

Dark Souls is a shitty rpg.

People put 3 as the worst in the series depending on who you ask and dark souls hype is purely nostalgia on everything but it's connected level design. If you ignore that aspect, it's just a bunch of horrible boss fights, 3 or so good ones (not amazing), and some of the worst levels in the series like lost izalith.

You might or might not be an anti sony fanboy (pc or xbox gamer), however you seem to be a dark souls fanboy. Dark Souls has a shit ton of flaws and so does Dark Souls 3, ignoring them is ignorance and idiocy.

It really depends what you're looking for, honestly. Given that you haven't played since Demon's Souls, I'd probably recommend diving in with Bloodborne. In my view, it is the absolute pinnacle of the "franchise" - especially if you include The Old Hunters, which is utterly sublime on many levels.

At least with Bloodborne, you can play a stand-alone game on a modern platform without worrying about what you're missing (if you play Dark Souls 3 without having played the first two, then a lot of the references won't make any sense to you - so perhaps your experience will not quite be as strong).

If you enjoy Bloodborne and The Old Hunters, then I'd suggest starting with Dark Souls and working your way up from there. Just make sure to get Scholar of the First Sin rather than the original Dark Souls 2.

I'd say dark souls, then 2, then 3 and bloodborne. Since 1 is very different to the others, just play that to get a feel for dark souls and how it works, compared to demons souls, make sure to get the prepare to die edition for dat juicy dlc. Then for ds2 get scholar of the first sin, and don't listen to the guys who say it's shit, because it really isn't. It's definitely not better than the first, but it is certainly a good game. ds3 is completely different to 1 and 2, and it plays like a different game all together, it's also much harder.

What I say is 1 is the most balanced, and hard. 2 is harder to get to the bosses, and most of the bosses are shit easy, but the normal enemies will actually cheap the **** out of you. 3 for parts it's easier to get to the boss and the boss is hard as **** to kill, then mostly its all as hard, had the game since launch still gotta kill the nameless king and the last guy. Also I ain't played bloodborne, so I ain't gonna say shit about it. But get it.

Bloodborne is the more attractive option, since it is a stand-alone game, like Demon's Souls. but im looking forward to doing the Dark Souls games from 1 to 3 as well.