FromSoftware's history is tumultuous and interesting. Ranking the games by Metacritic shows their trajectory from a niche studio releasing action RPGs and the Armored Core franchise to one of the most influential developers of the past fifteen years under the direction of Hidetaka Miyazaki.
Because of the company's age, not every game has a score on the website, but the data goes back to the early aughts, presenting a solid idea of their history. Their story goes to show; one can never tell which studio will create the next big gaming phenomenon. It could be one toiling away in obscurity right now. Additionally, multi-platform games are shown with the highest score they received from the consoles they came out on.
37 2012: Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor (38)
While releasing after the Dark Souls games started, few Kinect titles had a worthwhile reception, and Steel Battalion was no exception.
36 2008: Shadow Assault -Tenchu- (46)
This downloadable game was more puzzle-oriented than the series' standard fare. The overhead gameplay feels like a mix between Bomberman and the old Metal Gear games.
35 2002: Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit (48)
Give the Xbox's small Japanese install base, one should not expect strong sales from this exclusive title. It didn't help that it received lackluster reviews upon release, either.
34 2005: Armored Core: Nine Breaker (57)
The removal of any story mode proved controversial, something reflected in the lukewarm critical response. Without a developing narrative, the gameplay loop quickly grows tiresome.
33 2004: Kuon (57)
The quirky gameplay of this survival horror title found favor with some gamers. The developer always had a tinge of horror in their games, but this one makes terrifying gamers its ultimate goal.
32 2000: Evergrace (59)
Evergrace isn't as fondly remembered as other PS2 launch titles.
Its unique features couldn't make people forget its repetitive and uninteresting combat.
31 2006: Armored Core: Last Raven (59)
The last Armored Core on the PS2 did not reach impressive critical highs. Complaints were lobbied at its extreme difficulty and reliance on trial and error.
30 2004: Echo Night Beyond (60)
Some of FromSoftware's output is strange, and the Echo Night series proves this reputation. A science-fiction ghost story following two newlyweds sounds more like a mad libs session than a game concept.
29 2002: King's Field: The Ancient City (60)
One sees some DNA from King's Field in the Souls genre, only this series was in first-person and extremely slow-paced. It has compelling ideas, but the combat is sluggish and uninteresting.
28 2000: Eternal Ring (62)
Another first-person RPG and PS2 launch title, Eternal Ring failed to impress thanks to some jank from what some reviewers perceived as a rushed development.
27 2008: Armored Core: For Answer (64)
The thirteenth game in the series received complaints upon release for its online component. Reviewers found it difficult to even find a game or opponents.
26 2002: Forever Kingdom (64)
The prequel to Evergrace received a slightly better reception than its predecessor, but still nothing to garner any mainstream attention.
25 2019: Metal Wolf Chaos XD (65)
A game which can best be described as awesomely ridiculous, the Japan only Xbox exclusive recently was re-released on consoles. Its gameplay is unrefined, but some can look past it to have the opportunity to play as the president of the USA in a mech.
24 2006: Armored Core 4 (65)
The title impressed with its visuals and improvements to accessibility for the notoriously difficult series, but some still decried its online component and difficulty. It wouldn't be niche if everybody loved it, right?
23 2013: Armored Core: Verdict Day (66)
Few games in the series received scores over seventy. Even after the studio's popularity with Dark Souls, not everything they released turned out a hit.
22 2005: Armored Core: Formula Front (66)
The hook of this PSP launch title was the player building a robot which would then fight independently of the player's control. The North American version let players fight as the mech, however.
21 2012: Armored Core V (68)
This title hearkens back to the series' old days, where tact took precedent over reflexes. Like most of its peers, the barrier for entry is high for newcomers.
20 2009: Ninja Blade (68)
This action game takes cues from Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, featuring boss finishers and quick time events, elements notable absent from the studio's legendary titles.
19 2002: Lost Kingdoms II (68)
The sequel retained the same gameplay of its predecessor, but some of the sheen must have worn off, giving it a slightly lower average score.
18 2018: Deracine (68)
A departure for director Hidetaka Miyazaki, Deracine is a laid back VR fantasy game about fairies. It certainly was not what fans were expecting, though it is hard to say if that contributed to the less than stellar reviews.