The Soulsborne series now boasts seven main titles, including Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring, as well as many amazing DLCs for said games. Featuring well over a hundred unique, beautiful, harrowing, and even otherworldly biomes, the areas of the Soulsborne series are, for the most part, a stand-out feature of these amazing games themselves. So while the task may be difficult, we have decided to sift through them comparatively and give you our opinion on which are the best of the best. This is our list of the top ten best areas in all of Soulsborne.
10. Crumbling Farum Azula
With such a stark visual contrast to anything else that had come before it in such an expansive game as Elden Ring, Crumbling Farum Azula immediately made its mark on first-time visitors as an experience that they would never forget. I was certain that this was probably the last area of the game when I first saw it, but I ended up being fairly wrong about that, especially since I didn't even know that the Haligtree existed at that time. It features two of my favorite boss fights in the entire series of games, with Placidusax and Maliketh, but it is also held back greatly by having one of the worst, in my opinion, the Godskin Duo. With a clear nod to the Archdragon Peak of Dark Souls 3, Crumbling Farum Azula stands out even in a world in which everything was designed to stand out.
9. Fountainhead Palace
None of the areas of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice are necessarily bad, but many of them suffer from being a bit similar and sometimes even disinteresting in their own right because the game is far more grounded in reality than its medieval fantasy cousins. But then comes along one of the most beautiful and breathtaking areas of any From Software game, and even the manner in which you arrive is vividly wild and unbelievable. Dropping players into such an amazing level and then immediately making them face a tough boss to gain true entry would probably be a bad idea for most games, but somehow for Sekiro, it felt perfect, and the challenge was immediately welcomed on my part. The reward for overcoming the True Corrupted Monk is this incredible level itself, and every second spent here is pure gaming wonder.
8. Cathedral Ward
While many of Bloodborne's areas could have easily made their way onto a list such as this, Cathedral Ward stands out as a classic example of the power of From Software's now well-known intricate level design. Shades of the original Dark Souls bleed through as paths wrap back on each other and branch out slowly, forcing the player to slow down as well and keep a sharp eye out for hidden secrets and enemies. Serving as a bit of a central hub to other key areas, Cathedral Ward also sees players return to it often, and the subtle changes in the area over time are a welcome surprise, especially to first-time hunters. Upper Cathedral Ward may also be the most well-crafted true "horror" area that I have seen in a Soulsborne game as well, and I always get a small pit in my stomach when reaching its gates, no matter how many times I have been there.
7. Majula
Dark Souls 2 famously has some of the worst level design in the entire series, featuring extremely linear paths and a few nonsensical terrain layouts that are even far-fetched for a Western RPG, such as a literal volcano castle found at the top of a rickety old windmill in a poison wasteland. With that being said, Dark Souls 2 does have my personal favorite main hub area of any Soulsborne title in Majula. The Sunset vista when you first arrive, paired with the now iconic theme music with simple yet beautiful high tones, results in maybe the most memorable part of the entire game, and you can experience it in less than half an hour. From the death count pillar, to the "make this hard game harder" pillar, to the giant mysterious hole in the ground, to the discovery of the world's toughest little pigs, Majula has enough to be interesting and unique, even given its small size. The Emerald Herald found here is also many players' favorite "Keeper" or leveling lady in the series, even if they skip all four lines of her dialogue every time they choose to interact with her.
6. Irithyll of the Boreal Valley
When I first arrived at the bridge leading into this jaw-dropping area of Dark Souls 3, I was one of the unfortunate few who had not bothered with any of the branching paths that would have allowed me entry. This also meant that I was one of the unfortunate few who experienced being cornered by everyone's least favorite guard dog as well and suffered a subsequent death at its hands. I am certainly glad, though, that I did not allow this initial experience to define the area for me, as it quickly became one of my favorites, and I am sure many of you probably agree. The cold and eerily empty streets mixed with the ghastly dancers and strange animated armors reminded me of a strange marriage of New Londo and Anor Londo, which is fitting considering the area's final form for those who are able to best Pontiff Sulyvahn. While the area is filled with many traps and "gotcha" moments, they are mostly of the fun and heart-racing variety and far less of the rage-inducing kind. Irithyll is iconic in both its art direction and its pacing, and definitely deserves a spot here on our list.
5. Leyndell
Elden Ring was stuffed to the brim with excellent art direction and level design, and so any particular area being better than others was tough to think through. Leyndell immediately came to my mind as a contender, though for a few striking reasons. Firstly, its introduction to players is nothing short of glorious as we are given a bird's eye view of a city that has clearly seen battle and hardship, yet still retains its Gods-touched glory and beauty. Secondly, the layout of the city's streets feels like how a real city would be set up for maybe the first time in the series, yet that does not detract from the fantasy of the area or the immersion of the experience in any way. Secondly, enemy placement is perfect in my opinion and has just the right level of risk versus reward situations, featuring numerous paths to get through the area in either a chaotic or efficient manner. The realization that the fallen dragon was more than just a background set piece and could be traversed was a jaw-dropping one for me and many gamers alike.
4. Firelink Shrine
Without a doubt, Firelink Shrine is the single most important area in all of the Soulsborne series as well as one of its very best, as it establishes not only From Software's signature looping level design, but also the mood, atmosphere, and tone for all of Dark Souls and really the series as a whole. The moments in the Northern Undead Asylum were certainly memorable, but arriving in Lordran for the very first time is burned into my mind as a gamer. If I had only known the years of amazing experiences that would come about because of it, I may have taken a little bit longer to breathe it in and enjoy those all-important first steps. Not allowing fast travel for the first half of a semi-open world game felt like a bad idea when I first learned of it, but returning to Firelink again and again in so many unexpected ways was a delight that I would have likely been robbed of otherwise.
3. Central Yharnam
There are certainly no better opening moments, and there is certainly no better opening level in all of the Souls series than Bloodborne's Central Yharnam. From the jump, it immediately establishes exactly what type of game you are in for and that while you bear the title "Hunter", you may just as easily find yourself "Hunted" if you are not cautious. Featuring a really good first boss to teach you to be aggressive and an outstanding second boss to teach you to mix in patience, Central Yharnam does very well in cultivating skills for players that will be used throughout their entire experience with the game. In retrospect, it seems that almost every section and encounter was designed to subtly teach players what to expect in the coming hours while at the same time beginning to pull the strands of the mystery that is the truth at the center of Bloodborne's over-arching narrative. Central Yharnam is a masterclass in world-building and level design, and should be used as a guide when it comes to developers wanting to learn how to start their game off the right way.
2. Siofra River Valley
One of the most memorable and vivid moments of any game that I have ever played was my first descent into the hauntingly beautiful area of Elden Ring known as the Siofra River Valley. While it certainly isn't perfect and can sometimes even be a little frustrating, especially when certain spectral archers get involved, the Siofra River Valley is full of amazing secrets, gorgeous vistas, and even a great view for those eagle-eyed players of another secretive area to come in the distant future. Realizing that the scope of Elden Ring was even greater than you imagined was such an amazing experience for new players that I wish I could erase my memory and play through this area all over again.
Honorable Mentions: Miquella's Haligtree, Hunter's Nightmare, and Volcano Manor.
1. Anor Londo
Has there ever been any greater gaming magic than that simple crest over a rocky outcropping to reveal the hidden splendor of the forgotten royal realm of the original Dark Souls? Up until this point in the game, almost every area and every enemy has been designed to slowly wear down on your will and cause you to take in the decay and ruin of the world as it is but in this one singular moment hope is again restored that there is still something in this world worth saving in the first place. The level design is incredible, the enemies are unforgettable, and aside from one certain archer segment that punishes cautious players yet gets much easier with subsequent playthroughs, it feels very tough yet fair. Add on top of that two of the best hidden secrets in the game and one of the best boss duos in all of gaming, and you have a recipe for a classic video game level that will keep players returning again and again.
