Usually: Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. Exact lists vary by fandom law, which is enforced passionately and without warning.
Elden Ring is the most accessible modern entry thanks to open exploration and flexible builds. If you prefer tighter progression, Dark Souls Remastered is also a solid start.
Commonly grouped in, yes. It shares core DNA, but plays very differently with a strong parry-first combat identity.
Depends on your strengths. Players weak at parrying fear Sekiro; players weak at spacing fear everyone else.
No. The games are designed to be playable without full lore context. Story depth is there if you want it, not required homework.
No new umbrella-series announcement exists. We track all relevant FromSoftware updates and major genre-adjacent releases here.