FromSoftware's reputation for crafting challenging games didn't start with Dark Souls, but has been their philosophy since the beginning.
The company's obsession with difficulty has become the gold standard for gaming, but it was perfected in Demon's Souls and originated in the 1990s with King's Field, a first-person dark fantasy RPG.
expect players to learn, fail, and adapt
King's Field dared to do what few games of its time would, setting the stage for FromSoftware's future games, including Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
Author's summary: FromSoftware's difficulty obsession started early.