Fromsoftware Sucks At Designing Games

From Software is peerless when it comes to Enemy Design in my opinion

Thread starter Toriko
Start date Mar 3, 2018

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I cannot think of a single developer today that does enemy design quite like From Software. Their enemies are often varied yet cohesive.The designs often invoke a sense of dread and fear but yet underneath that surface they often look extremely cool and bad ass. I do not know how they manage to do that on such a consistent basis. i must also add that From Software seems to put so much of love and care towards nailing the smaller details that can make enemies stand out - From the name of the enemy to the music that accompanies a fight - all of these little details add up to enhance the already wonderful core enemy design.

I am often disappointed how mediocre the enemy design is in most of the other games across genres in comparison. When I look at Zelda, Witcher etc the enemy designs seem soo plain... They look fine as concept art but somehow in the actual game the enemy design in most of these games seem lacking.

The last Non -From Software game that really awed me in terms of enemy design is Resident Evil 4 and maybe some enemies in Silent Hill 2 and 3. Does anyone else agree? If not who do you think is cream of the crop in terms of enemy design?

Still want to try Evil Within though as I have heard really good things about the enemy designs in that game.

Here are some of my favorite designs by From

Blood Starved Beast

Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower

Ludwig

Nameless King

Just too many amazing ones to list

Most certainly, when I saw the title the first thing I thought was Silent Hill, but obviously that's not currently happening.

It's funny how familiar I feel those franchises are actually. A lot of the lore of Silent Hill is buried in item descriptions and the context of the world itself, rather than didactic cutscenes. I know Ico was a huge influence on Demon's Souls, but someone heavily involved in the series has to be obsessed with SH2/3.

More like Kentaro Miura is peerles at From Software's enemy design ;D What would From Software do without him?

Part of why their games are gems

AuthenticM

Makes cold threads? I guess? Here's a tag.

Having just played them recently the Bayonetta games have absolutely amazing enemy design. Some examples in Neiteio's recent thread.

The Wonderful 101 also had a lot of great designs.

Well, From games does have great enemy design, but all of them is pretty related in soulsverse.

Funny thing to forget From before Demons Souls.

I liked Armored Core but the enemies were uninspired. Don't think as a whole they're so great.

Most certainly, when I saw the title the first thing I thought was Silent Hill, but obviously that's not currently happening.
It's funny how familiar I feel those franchises are actually. A lot of the lore of Silent Hill is buried in item descriptions and the context of the world itself, rather than didactic cutscenes. I know Ico was a huge influence on Demon's Souls, but someone heavily involved in the series has to be obsessed with SH2/3.

Yup the influence is so apparent although I do think From does a worse job at environmental storytelling and world building compared to any of Ueda's games or even Silent Hill 2 and 3.

Artistically or mechanically? For the latter there are several that are on their level.

Anyway I agree that they're pretty great.

How about Final Fantasy enemies?

A lot more variety than Souls enemies.

That's because the enemies have dignity.

Artistically or mechanically? For the latter there are several that are on their level.
Anyway I agree that they're pretty great.

Artistically. Though I would argue that mechanically there are not several. Maybe a few...

: Oct 25, 2017

: 12,018

: Seoul

For the Souls games yeah, nothing in Armored core is that interesting looking

I bought DS, knowing nothing about it or DeS, solely based on seeing an image of the Gaping Dragon.

Bloodborne in particular is bliss for someone who loves monsters and things that should not exist.

I don't think there's a single thing that I'd change about the enemies in Bloodborne.

They are very good yes, peerless I think not, Final Fantasy has a lot of good designs imo, I guess it comes down to what you prefer though

Yep the variety and uniqueness to be found in each new area is amazing.

The enemy design can even be great for setting the tone and telling the story, Bloodborne is especially great for this.

When I found the Celestial Emissaries in the Forbidden Woods I was shocked to find something so out of place in the game, then all the cosmic horror elements come to be revealed.

That's because the enemies have dignity.

Yeah that is a good point. That seems to be a common theme in all of their games. I am not sure why I feel that way though.. Cant put a finger on it.

Yep the variety and uniqueness to be found in each new area is amazing.
The enemy design can even be great for setting the tone and telling the story, Bloodborne is especially great for this.

When I found the Celestial Emissaries in the Forbidden Woods I was shocked to find something so out of place in the game, then all the cosmic horror elements come to be revealed.

Yup that part was sooo good. I was like wtf when I saw it for the first time.

Final Fantasy was pretty top notch for awhile. I think it's not as solid anymore though.

FROM is definitely on a level of their own right now though.

Artistically. Though I would argue that mechanically there are not several. Maybe a few...

I'd say there are plenty. Capcom, Platinum, Team Ninja, id, to name a few. That's without discussing individual dev teams. I'd say the Souls team(s) are more consistent, though.

Anyway artistically yeah there are few if any that do it as well.

FROM are peerless when it comes to grotesque beauty in video games. As others have said, there are a few other developers that are just as "artistic", but it just depends on your preference.

I would argue that the enemies in Doom 2016 are leagues better. Each are so differentiated in their appearance, mannerisms, ai, physics and, movemement that it gives them a lot of physical personality.

They are great. If these games were out when I was a kid I would've definitely been drawing these in my books.

Final Fantasy XV has some of the best enemy designs in any game ever. Many of the designs are now my definitive version of the classic FF monsters.

I'd say there are plenty. Capcom, Platinum, Team Ninja, id, to name a few. That's without discussing individual dev teams. I'd say the Souls team(s) are more consistent, though.
Anyway artistically yeah there are few if any that do it as well.

Thats why I said few :) Only Capcom, Team Ninja and Platinum. I cannot think of too many others..

From software is the best game makers in the business. Period.

Who is the art director of the series?

Love the Pursuer in DS2. Totally a nod towards Armored Core

Pokemon is maybe the most solid and referenced enemy designed game, I don't see how you can top Silent Hill 1 to 4, Bioshock is emblematic, I love Odin Sphere's designs, just last year Horizon had incredible enemy design...

I love Souls games but saying From Software are "peerless" is an incredibly weird and dumb blanket statement to make

I love God of War enemies design.

I lowkey thought Dark Souls 3 wouldn't be very surprising in this regard.......I was uh...very wrong. ;-;

Yeah the group of people currently involved in creature designs over at Fromsoft are far and away the best in the business since Team Silent's SH. Arguably even better.

No arguments from me. They are nearly peerless in environmental design as well.

I do love From's enemy designs. I don't think they are peerless though. Just played through Bayonetta 1 and I love the designs of the angels, love how beneath all their shiny and golden armor they are actually pretty grotesque monsters. Mechanically they are very varied too, as expected from Platinum. I also love how each new enemy gets a little introduction scene.

Another series with great enemy design is Shin Megami Tensei. Kaneko the GOAT.

Absolutely agree.

Anyone saying Bayonetta is crazy though. The angels all look a bit too similar for me

It's not just the art design of their enemies that impress me, it's the amount of variety in enemy design. In most games you get maybe 4-5 different enemy types, but with Dark Souls each area typically has a new type of enemy that you have to learn. This is what makes the game constantly feel fresh, just as you get the hang of one type of enemy, they throw some crazy hopping monster at you a minute later. There is that fear every time you enter a new area because you have no idea what a particular enemy can do, so you play it safe, trying to figure out what their moveset is like. Honestly, I don't know how they do it and it makes every game lesser now because of FROM's amazing enemy variety. By the end of every other game your mowing down the same 4 or 5 different enemies and nothing is a surprise to you, I hate it.

It's not just the art design of their enemies that impress me, it's the amount of variety in enemy design. In most games you get maybe 4-5 different enemy types, but with Dark Souls each area typically has a new type of enemy that you have to learn. This is what makes the game constantly feel fresh, just as you get the hang of one type of enemy, they throw some crazy hopping monster at you a minute later. There is that fear every time you enter a new area because you have no idea what a particular enemy can do, so you play it safe, trying to figure out what their moveset is like. Honestly, I don't know how they do it and it makes every game lesser now because of FROM's amazing enemy variety. By the end of every other game your mowing down the same 4 or 5 different enemies and nothing is a surprise to you, I hate it.

I agree, this is why Nioh felt lacking to me even though it is a decent game. You're seeing way too many of the same enemies you've encountered at the start, compare that to say Cainhurst from Bloodborne where you see the ghost enemies and servants that only appear in that location.

I dunno about that. They look really good, but they're quite often over-designed, and often verge on nonsensical if analysed at anything closer than the full image.

Most certaintly.

Want to see more about Horizon tho, machines design there is is quite good.

The new Armored Core will be interesting to see, I hope they go all out crazy with it.

Yes. I agree OP.

From regular enemies to bosses, the Souls games are unmatched.

For example, Nioh which is a similar game, doesn't have bad enemy design but there are just a handful of enemy types.

As far as dark/horror fantasy goes, they are the best. I also like to mention Dragon's Dogma as usual. It's more "generic" in it's setting but I absolutely love the design of the Dragons and monsters. Especially Bitterblack Island has some truly terrifying foes.

Kentaro Miura is peerless in enemy design.

Definitely have some of the best. Bloodborne and Dark Souls.

On the jolly side of things monster design in Dragon Quest is rad. A lot of personality there.

Besides looking totally awesome in a creepy uneasy way, the dancer moves at a pace so different from the rest of the enemies that it throws you off. That's good design.

EDIT: The Dancer of Boreal Valley is the last picture.