Dark Souls vs. Elden Ring: Which Game Reigns Supreme in Difficulty?

The age-old question for FromSoftware aficionados: Dark Souls or Elden Ring, which is more difficult? The answer, as with most things in the Souls-like universe, is nuanced. While Elden Ring presents a larger world and potentially more forgiving progression through grindable difficulty, the sheer aggression, complexity, and relentless nature of its late-game encounters often push it into a higher difficulty tier than any of the individual Dark Souls titles for many players. However, the open-world freedom of Elden Ring offers alternative paths and strategies unavailable in the more linear Dark Souls experience, potentially making it easier for some to overcome specific challenges. Ultimately, individual experiences vary wildly, influenced by playstyle, build choices, and prior experience with the genre.

Delving into the Difficulty: A Detailed Comparison

The Case for Elden Ring’s Superior Challenge

Elden Ring throws a multitude of challenges at the player, amplified by its open-world design. This isn’t just about tougher enemies (though there are plenty of those); it’s the density of threats, the scale of the world, and the intricate boss design that elevate the difficulty.

• Boss Aggression: The bosses in Elden Ring are notoriously aggressive. They boast longer, more unpredictable combos, and relentless pursuit. Margit, Malenia, and Maliketh are prime examples, consistently pressuring the player with little respite. This aggression demands near-perfect timing and spatial awareness, exceeding the demands of most Dark Souls bosses.
• Late-Game Spike: The difficulty curve in Elden Ring has a noticeable late-game spike. Areas like Crumbling Farum Azula and Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree are packed with powerful enemies that can quickly punish mistakes. This late-game onslaught can feel significantly more brutal than anything found in the Dark Souls series, especially for melee-focused builds.
• Open-World Traps: The vast open world, while providing freedom, also leads to encounters with enemies far exceeding the player’s level. Accidentally stumbling into a high-level zone can result in immediate death, which can be a frustrating experience.
• Complexity and Variety: Elden Ring introduces new mechanics like the Spirit Ashes, which offer powerful summons to aid in combat. While helpful, mastering these tools adds a layer of complexity. Furthermore, the sheer number of weapons, spells, and ashes of war can be overwhelming, requiring considerable experimentation to find effective combinations.

The Counter-Argument: Why Dark Souls Can Be More Punishing

Despite Elden Ring’s imposing challenges, Dark Souls presents unique difficulties that shouldn’t be dismissed.

• Linearity and Consequence: The more linear structure of Dark Souls means fewer options when facing a difficult area or boss. You’re often forced to confront a challenge head-on with limited opportunities to grind or explore alternative paths. This can lead to frustrating roadblocks for players struggling with specific encounters.
• Limited Fast Travel (Early Game): In the original Dark Souls, fast travel is only unlocked after reaching a significant portion of the game, adding an element of risk and resource management to backtracking and exploration. This contrasts with Elden Ring, where fast travel is available from the start.
• Estus Flask Management: While Elden Ring has the Flask of Crimson Tears (similar to Estus), the distribution and replenishment of these flasks often feel more restricted in certain Dark Souls areas, especially before reaching bonfires.
• Enemy Placement and Design: The original Dark Souls is infamous for its sometimes unfair enemy placement, particularly in areas like Blighttown. These areas can be incredibly punishing due to environmental hazards, tight corridors, and ambushes.
• Lack of Summons (In Some Cases): While summons are available in Dark Souls, they are often more restrictive than the Spirit Ashes in Elden Ring. Players might find themselves tackling challenging bosses solo more often.

The Grindable Difficulty Factor in Elden Ring

A key difference lies in the concept of grindable difficulty. In Elden Ring, players can overcome obstacles by exploring the world, leveling up their character, upgrading their weapons, and discovering powerful spells or ashes of war. This allows players to tailor their approach to the game, making it more accessible. In contrast, Dark Souls requires more mastery of combat mechanics and a deeper understanding of enemy patterns.

Impact of Playstyle and Build Choice

Ultimately, the perceived difficulty heavily depends on the player’s chosen playstyle and build. A player opting for a sorcery build in Elden Ring might find the game significantly easier than a player relying solely on melee. Similarly, a player familiar with Dark Souls combat mechanics will likely adapt to Elden Ring more easily.

The Psychological Aspect

Both games are mentally taxing. The constant threat of death, the need for vigilance, and the complex mechanics can be overwhelming. However, Elden Ring’s open world can be equally liberating and stressful, as players must constantly navigate and assess risks.

Conclusion: A Matter of Perspective

The “harder” game is subjective. Elden Ring presents a grander, more complex challenge with aggressive bosses and a vast world. Dark Souls demands precision and resourcefulness in a more linear, unforgiving environment. For players new to the genre, Elden Ring’s open-world freedom might make it slightly more approachable, while veterans might find its late-game more demanding. Regardless, both offer incredible experiences that test skill, patience, and determination.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Elden Ring easier than Dark Souls for beginners?

Potentially. Elden Ring’s open world allows beginners to explore, level up, and find powerful equipment before tackling challenging areas, offering more flexibility than the more linear Dark Souls.

2. Which Dark Souls game is the hardest?

This is debated. Many consider Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin to be the most difficult due to its enemy placement and mechanics, but it’s largely subjective.

3. Is Elden Ring too hard for casual gamers?

It can be intimidating. But with patience, exploration, and the use of summons, casual gamers can definitely beat Elden Ring. It requires a willingness to learn and adapt.

4. What is the easiest build in Elden Ring?

Dual-wielding bleed weapons, particularly the Cross-Naginata, are considered one of the easiest builds due to their high damage output and ability to inflict bleed status effect.

5. What level should I be to beat Elden Ring?

Most players beat Elden Ring around Rune Level 150, but it’s possible at lower levels with optimized builds and skilled play.

6. Is Dark Souls harder than Skyrim?

Yes, significantly. Dark Souls focuses on challenging combat, precise movement, and unforgiving mechanics, while Skyrim is more open-ended and forgiving.

7. Should I play Dark Souls before Elden Ring?

While not necessary, playing Dark Souls will familiarize you with FromSoftware’s design philosophy and combat mechanics, making the transition to Elden Ring smoother.

8. Why is Dark Souls considered so hard?

Dark Souls is hard because it doesn’t hold your hand, punishes mistakes severely, and demands mastery of its combat system.

9. What makes Elden Ring so difficult?

The aggressive bosses, vast open world filled with challenging enemies, and complex mechanics contribute to Elden Ring’s difficulty.

10. How many hours does it take to beat Elden Ring?

Around 58 hours for the main objectives and approximately 133 hours for 100% completion.

11. Will I like Elden Ring if I don’t like Souls games?

It’s possible. Elden Ring offers more freedom and accessibility than previous Souls games, but it still retains the challenging core gameplay.

12. Which Dark Souls game is easiest to 100%?

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition is generally considered the easiest to 100% due to less demanding farming requirements.

13. Is Bloodborne harder than Dark Souls?

Many consider Bloodborne harder due to its fast-paced combat and emphasis on aggressive play.

14. What should I play before Elden Ring if I want to understand the lore?

Playing all the previous Souls games in order (Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3, and Sekiro) would provide the most comprehensive understanding of FromSoftware’s storytelling style.

15. At what level does Elden Ring become easy?

Around level 300 or earlier, the challenge significantly decreases due to the massive stat increases. However, the game is designed to be challenging throughout, even at higher levels.