There’s a reason why the Dark Souls name has become synonymous with difficulty. The regular stages alone can be absolutely terrifying nightmare-gauntlets, with great, slavering abominations that FromSoftware call bosses typically waiting at the end. These games are no cakewalk, in short.

Which is the hardest in the series? That’s difficult, as every player will have their own struggles. Some will find a certain section or boss deviously difficult and easily pass through another, while the reverse will be true for others. It’s all very subjective, but here’s one potential ranking (including all DLC, Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice).

13 Bloodborne

While every pick on this list will prove controversial for some, this one may even be more so. It’s only natural that Bloodborne would be compared to the core series, but how does it fare with regards to difficulty?

Those who hadn’t played a FromSoftware game before (and the hype around Bloodborne attracted legions of new fans) were certainly in for a rude awakening and a very stiff challenge. With the Rally mechanic, heightened emphasis on evasion and some (emphasis on some) disappointingly easy bosses, though, old hands may have found Bloodborne more accessible.

12 Dark Souls III

In a similar sense, it stands to reason that, for many players, Dark Souls III wasn’t their first rodeo. Those who jumped in most eagerly tended to be seasoned gamers who were desperate to see the conclusion to the trilogy.

After years of refinement and quality of life changes (more of which were added by players themselves in the likes of the Cinders mod), this entry was rather more polished than what came before. Combat and bosses were still relentless, but its more logical and linear structure made the action a little easier to follow.

11 Dark Souls II

The second entry in the series certainly didn’t take it easy on the player. Mechanically, it just ‘feels’ different to any other series entry, with the timing of rolls, the durability of weapons and awkward invincibility frames being a real challenge to adjust to.

Even with all of that in mind, players just can’t decide on the difficulty of the adventure itself. For some, the bosses just aren’t up to the caliber of the most difficult in Souls (outside of the three DLC packs) and the areas themselves aren’t as cheap and unforgiving.

10 Demon’s Souls

Another source of great debate in the Dark Souls community is the matter of Demon’s Souls. Where does this title fit in with the series? Is it easier or harder? A lot of that depends on the criteria.

Demon’s Souls presented a lot of boss encounters which were, while certainly creative, a little predictable and easy to overcome given a little patience and observation on the player’s part. In contrast, the stages themselves were more difficult to traverse, with enemy placement and few-and-far-between bonfires seemingly calculated to work against the player.

9 Dark Souls

Is the first true Dark Souls title the most difficult? As with every position on this list, this will vary a lot from player to player. Those who played this title first will probably remember having a nightmare of a time with it.

Without foreknowledge of a particular build and the stats to raise to most effectively use a particular weapon, it’s easy to inadvertently make the experience more difficult for yourself. When still getting to grips with progression, the ebb and flow of combat and the freeform nature of progress, it can be a rough ride.

8 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a very familiar yet very different FromSoftware adventure. While the game’s Sengoku period setting and combat mechanics are completely distinct from Dark Souls, the influence of the series can be seen in everything from the grim aesthetic to the brutal difficulty.

Is it FromSoftware’s hardest title to date? Possibly. While Wolf is far more agile and evasive than Dark Souls protagonists, with movement options they can only dream of, combat is very technical and unforgiving. Boss battles can be very drawn out and unpredictable and that revive might not count for very much in the grand scheme of things.

7 Dark Souls: Artorias Of The Abyss

As is Dark Souls tradition, each game’s respective DLC tends to represent a significant leap in difficulty from the base game’s content. This is to be expected, of course, as it’s generally intended to be a late- or post-game experience.

Really, there’s no ‘easy’ content here, but on balance, Dark Souls’ Artorias of the Abyss expansion could be considered the least punishing (in comparison to the main game). Those accustomed to the main game, who have a solid character build and aren’t jumping in too early, often find the enemies and bosses here a natural step up.

6 Dark Souls II: Crown Of The Old Sunken King

Dark Souls II offered a trio of DLC packs for players to test their mettle against. As always, opinions will differ as to their order of difficulty, but Crown Of The Old Sunken King is a popular pick for the most ‘forgiving’ of the three.

While this expansion has some rather deviously designed areas, the progression from boss to boss is relatively convenient and less complex. Those bosses aren’t kidding around, but at least the enemies here are somewhat manageable.

5 Dark Souls III: Ashes Of Ariandel

The Ashes of Ariandel DLC is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s home to those dastardly Corvian Knights, some of the most infuriating and deadly mobs the series has to offer. Sister Friede has also been considered among the series’ toughest bosses.

What holds Ashes of Ariandel back from climbing any higher? Aside from standout foes, it’s (again, relatively) somewhat manageable for an Ashen One who is appropriately levelled. It’s very brief too.

4 Dark Souls II: Crown Of The Old Iron King

Meanwhile, back in Dark Souls II, the Old Iron King is making a nuisance of himself. This DLC is certainly a cut above the main game, featuring another of the hardest bosses in the series in the Fume Knight. In fact, IGN reported in 2014 that FromSoftware data showed that players lost almost 93% of battles against this bruiser!

Boss encounters aside, though, progression in The Old Iron King is rather easier to follow and the most difficult parts are certain limited setpieces (such as that infamous room).

3 Dark Souls II: Crown Of The Ivory King

None of Dark Souls II’s DLC gives gamers an easy ride, but it’s arguable that Crown of the Ivory King is the most challenging when considering the package as a whole.

The Burnt Ivory King is a heck of a boss, with an additional layer of complexity added by the requirement to find the knights of Frozen Eleum Loyce for help. Couple that with the many darn phantom invasions the player will endure and the sheer size of the expansion, and there’s a lot players can miss, get confused by and horribly destroyed by.

2 Dark Souls III: The Ringed City

Dark Souls III isn’t the most infamous experience in the series, but the Ringed City expansion is home to the titular area, widely regarded as one of the greatest yet hardest in series history.

Ringed City Streets is a zone where players adapt to managing onslaughts from multiple enemies at a time or fail repeatedly trying. It’s utterly exhilarating and very challenging. Top that with infamous bosses of Darkeater Midir’s caliber and it’s really only the comparatively welcoming first zone that keeps this DLC from the top spot here.

1 Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

Controversial as it may be to deem Bloodborne’s DLC the hardest content in Dark Souls history, there’s a case for it being a contender. The notorious boss battles against Ludwig The Accursed/Ludwig The Holy Blade and the Orphan of Kos are just the beginning of things.

This content is available immediately after defeating Vicar Amelia, but players who dive in at that point will struggle. The difficulty spike is absolutely immense for unprepared players, with brand-new kinds of enemies that can destroy the player in seconds and complex, winding areas. Good luck!

NEXT: The 10 Creepiest Monsters In Bloodborne, Ranked