LogFAQs > #937233548

No. It's an action game with some rpg mechanics. It doesn't have the narrative to really make it an RPG. And before you go like "oh but the narrative is in like the environment and atmosphere" give me a break. Dark Souls has a lot of lore packed into the game but its actual story telling is a piece of garbage.

Skyrim, while not having the same depth of combat that an action game like Dark Souls has, manages to pack the atmosphere, lore, narrative, and presents it in a form that is pretty unmistakable for an rpg.

A game like Zelda 2 (one that dark souls is commonly compared to), leans more to the rpg spectrum because the narrative is a bit better (although maybe not strong enough to call it like an rpg. If zelda 2 had Zelda 3 and onwards story it would fall more firmly into that camp).