Elden Ring and other FromSoftware titles have a large community of fans who battle through the dangerous worlds and monstrous creatures in the games. In particular, one group can find that the games offer more than just the typical “get good”. They contain many themes that can appeal to female fans. Even MeinMMO editor Caro can agree with this.
The titles from FromSoftware like Dark Souls or Bloodborne and Elden Ring are mainly known for their dark worlds and the tough yet rewarding combat that players must face in the games. The games are often accompanied by a dark, almost melancholic atmosphere, marked by decay and corruption, but also by the unexpected beauty that they harbor.
Due to the challenging gameplay that allows players to continually test their skills, much of the community has focused on becoming particularly skilled, understanding opponents, and overcoming the toughest battles purely through skill.
This may be intimidating for curious players (who have not yet dared to try FromSoftware due to the prevalent notion that this type of gameplay does not fall within the realm of the stereotypically “more feminine” games). It is common for female players to be devalued if they prefer more relaxing games, or to be labeled as “fake” if they do enjoy these “atypical” games. Terms like “women’s games” and “men’s games” are thrown around, which only serves to make new experiences less appealing to people.
FromSoftware games are neither one nor the other but rather magnificent RPG experiences that female players should definitely give a chance.
The atmosphere and themes from FromSoftware titles are omnipresent if you look closely. And these prove: FromSoftware games should definitely be discovered by more female players.
FromSoftware is not only brutal but also has a lot of depth
In addition to the gameplay, which players quickly understand at the beginning, FromSoftware titles offer subtle yet omnipresent storytelling that transformed them from a monster-fighting simulator into the masterpieces they are known as today.
This storytelling surprisingly includes many themes that can be understood universally regardless of gender, but especially resonate with female players as they are often confronted with these themes simply due to their existence: oppressive power structures, the significance of femininity and gender, and the escape from a predetermined fate. All this serves not as a means to an end but is treated with importance and provides a basis that determines the entire worlds of the games.
This is evident not only through the world-building but also through the characters that inhabit these worlds.
Femininity in FromSoftware games is unvarnished and at the same time empowering
Bloodborne can be interpreted in many ways regarding the theme of (lacking) female autonomy, whether concerning their will or their own body. The game, as well as the femininity of many women, is not always beautiful, but brutal, dirty, angry, and tragic.
Maternity and the emotional and physical component play a significant role in Bloodborne. It deals with unwanted pregnancies featuring divine offspring, the loss of one’s child, and the horrors that arise from these intense feelings.
It is an unpleasant but honest engagement with the darker sides of femininity that prompts reflection.
But there are also themes in Elden Ring that particularly occupy female players. Ranni the Witch is a central character in Elden Ring, whose story is not only crucial to the events of the game but also a sign of rebellion against a power structure that controlled her and her fate.
Ranni despised the idea of becoming part of the ruling Golden Order, as it was meant for her. And thus, she decided to take her fate into her own hands. To escape her role as the greater will, she was willing to tragically sacrifice herself but simultaneously drag another demigod to death, thus nullifying the will of the Golden Order.
Her still-living soul found a home in her famous blue doll body, with which she wanders through the Lands Between as a simple witch and made a magic tower her stronghold.
The female characters from FromSoftware titles are never sexualized, even though they encompass deeply physical themes. One example is Malenia, known as one of the most famous and challenging bosses in gaming.
Her body is completely naked in the second phase of her boss fight, except for the golden prosthetics. And yet, it is not a provocative image but rather a nearly painterly beauty that is particularly intimidating due to her combat skills. Elden Ring manages to make even a completely naked woman appear less sexualized than many dressed characters in other games.
Melancholy instead of hardness
Another argument is simple yet effective – the games are incredibly aesthetic. Yes, they are dark, but they contain many passages that invite players to stop and linger due to their environments, architecture, and vistas.
These moments encourage players to take the games slowly and truly absorb them, rather than just rushing from boss to boss. Moreover, in these moments of calm, it becomes clear how the brutality in FromSoftware games is expressed not only through violence and combat but also through decay and loss.
Cutscenes often start very quietly, slowly, and are almost poetic. And when some bosses are finally defeated – of course, it’s euphoric when you finally succeed after the 40th attempt – it is still almost a release.
The darkness and gloom in FromSoftware games are multi-faceted and fans of gothic and fantasy stories, quiet heroines, and the struggle against the rest of the world will resonate with this greatly.
If you are female gamers yourselves but have not yet dared to try FromSoftware titles like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Elden Ring, we would like to sincerely recommend giving these games a chance. They are considered absolute masterpieces and will surely surprise you. If you want to learn more about getting started in Elden Ring, we have summarized all our guides for you here on MeinMMO that will help you: Elden Ring: All guides, builds, and beginner tips in overview
