Some of the best content in FromSoftware’s genre-defining action RPGs, Bloodborne and the Dark Souls franchise, have come post-launch in the form of story-based DLCs that introduce all-new areas to explore, weapons to find, and bosses by whom to be totally destroyed. While all of the Soulsborne games stand on their own as some of the best-in-class RPGs from this past decade, FromSoftware has spoiled fans with monstrous DLCs that often add 10+ hours of gameplay.
All of the Soulsborne DLCs have been met with praise from critics and fans alike, but some have gained legendary status in the community and are among the best DLCs released for any game based on their quality of content and bang-for-your-buck. With FromSoftware crushing fans’ dreams by confirming there won’t be a story-based Sekiro DLC and with the Demon’s Souls remake on the horizon—new DLC, please?—there’s no better time to look back at the best of the Soulsborne DLCs.
7 Crown Of The Sunken King
The first DLC for Dark Souls 2, FromSoftware’s polarizing middle child in the Dark Souls series, was also its most underwhelming. Crown of the Sunken King is accessible from the depths of Black Gulch, where players take on The Rotten. The highlight of Sunken King is its sprawling introductory location, Shulva, Sanctum City. Built around a slumbering, poison-spewing dragon, Sinh, the city of Shulva is full of unique contraptions leading to countless hidden pathways for adventurers to explore.
Where Sunken King mainly falls short relative to other Soulsborne DLCs is the boss fights. The main boss of the DLC, Elana, the Squalid Queen, is mostly just a beefed-up rehash of Nashandra, the final boss of vanilla Dark Souls 2. FromSoftware has never totally nailed the feeling of a dragon boss fight, making the fight with Sinh less than stellar, and the hidden fight with the Graverobber, Varg, and Cerah—affectionately known as the “Gank Squad” by the community—just feels like a glorified hard-mode PvP invasion.
6 Ashes Of Ariandel
Ashes of Ariandel, the first of Dark Souls 3‘s 2 DLCs, takes place in the second Painted World in the Souls series, the titular Painted World of Ariandel. Players are brought there by the NPC Slave Knight Gael—more on him later—in the Cathedral of the Deep. The Painted World of Ariandel is fairly sparse and mostly consists of a snowy open-field setting, making it relatively mundane by Soulsborne standards and easily the worst among the DLCs.
What gives this DLC the slightest edge over Sunken King is the brilliant, epic boss fight with Sister Friede and Father Ariandel. The first true “three-phase” boss fight in the Souls series, Sister Friede is arguably one of the most difficult fights in the Souls series due to its length and the number of different ways she tests players’ skill, but it’s also one of the fairest and most satisfying fights. The only other boss fight in this DLC, the Champion’s Gravetender and his Greatwolf, is among the most uninspired that the DLCs have to offer.
5 Crown Of The Ivory King
The finale of the Crown trilogy, Crown of the Ivory King was a fitting coda for Dark Souls 2. After accessing this DLC through an altar in the Shrine of Winter, players will find themselves in the icy temple of Frozen Eleum Loyce, former home of the Ivory King. The highlight of the Ivory King DLC is its two main boss fights, which both require preparation and full exploration of the surrounding area. Aava, the King’s Pet, is only visible to players if they find a unique item first. Finding and recruiting the uncorrupted, non-charred Loyce Knights throughout Eleum Loyce helps immensely in the Burnt Ivory King battle, which feels like the first true “battle” in Dark Souls, with two armies going at it in the background.
Where Ivory King loses points is with its hidden location and boss fight. The blizzard and Frozen Reindeer in Frigid Outskirts aren’t much fun to navigate through, and having no Bonfire between the beginning of the area and the incredibly difficult fight with the King’s other pets, Lud and Zallen, was a poor design choice that discouraged exploration.
4 Crown Of The Old Iron King
Thankfully, FromSoftware avoided the sophomore slump with their second DLC in Dark Souls 2, Crown of the Old Iron King. The setting of Old Iron King, Brume Tower, is easily one of the most unique locations in all Soulsborne games with its vertical design. Players have to constantly watch their step as they descend the Tower on their way to fighting the Fume Knight, one of the best and toughest boss fights that FromSoftware has come up with—and, thankfully, there’s a Bonfire right outside his door!
Memory of the Old Iron King is the best of the optional areas in the Dark Souls 2 DLCs, and the Sir Alonne fight is vintage Souls. Old Iron King loses some points thanks to its Smelter Demon rehash—the slightly delayed attacks still feel cheap—and relatively mundane Iron Passage location.
3 Artorias Of The Abyss
FromSoftware set expectations high with their first DLC, Artorias of the Abyss. Players must discover the entrance to this DLC through a relatively obscure hidden questline that many players are bound to miss on their first playthrough—or without a guide. After navigating through Oolacile Township, players are rewarded with facing the daunting Father of the Abyss, Manus, in the suffocating Chasm of the Abyss.
This DLC hit all the main high notes with quality boss fights and memorable locations. The sprawling town of Oolacile still stands as one of the series’ best locations, especially for PvP players, and the fight with Knight Artorias the Abysswalker understandably became one of the most influential and most commonly mimicked fights in the Souls series. Black Dragon Kalameet was the first of the notoriously hard and polarizing dragon boss fights in the Souls series, while Sanctuary Guardian had a unique design but was relatively straightforward compared to some other DLC fights.
2 The Ringed City
A fitting end to the Dark Souls trilogy, The Ringed City wraps up the story started in Ariandel. Post-Angels nerf, the Dreg Heap is one of the most fun Souls locations to explore, and players are bound to require multiple playthroughs with the number of different paths to take, which gives it an open-world feel.
After defeating the three Demons far below the Dreg Heap, players will gain entrance to the titular Ringed City. One of the most diverse locations in all of the Souls series, The Ringed City holds plenty of challenges for players all the way through to the end with the fight with Slave Knight Gael, who players find has now been corrupted by the Dark Soul. Darkeater Midir is arguably the best dragon boss that Souls has to offer, and the Spears of the Church covenant was a pleasantly surprising addition, providing plenty of post-story content.
1 The Old Hunters
The only non-Souls DLC on this list, Bloodborne‘s The Old Hunters, is also its best. One thing that the top three entries on this list all have in common is that they’re tied for most boss fights in a Soulsborne DLC with four apiece—just pretend the aptly-named Living Failures fight never existed. If a list were made of the best boss fights in all of the Soulsborne games, The Old Hunters could easily have four of their fights within the top 10. Ludwig, Laurence, and Orphan of Kos put up incredibly fun and frustrating fights, and Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower would probably top the list of most badass bosses. Not to mention that all of the levels in The Old Hunters are top-notch and fit seamlessly together, immersing the players in the Hunter’s Nightmare.
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