Elden Ring vs. Dark Souls 3: Which Soulslike Demands More From You?
The age-old question plagues Soulsborne fans: Which is harder, Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3? The answer, as with most things in life, is nuanced and depends heavily on your play style and prior experience. However, a comprehensive analysis suggests that while Elden Ring presents a higher potential difficulty, Dark Souls 3 offers a more consistently challenging experience throughout. Let’s dive into the reasons why.
Elden Ring: Scalable Difficulty and Open-World Freedom
Elden Ring’s sprawling open world is a double-edged sword when it comes to difficulty. On one hand, it provides unparalleled freedom to over-level your character, discover powerful items, and summon Spirit Ashes to aid in combat. This allows players to circumvent challenging encounters by simply becoming stronger or employing tactical advantages.
The sheer volume of optional bosses and areas in Elden Ring also contributes to this scalability. You can choose to engage with only the necessary content, making a beeline for the main story, or delve into every nook and cranny, facing a gauntlet of increasingly difficult challenges. This freedom to choose your path is both a blessing and a potential curse, as it can lead to players becoming over-reliant on specific strategies and neglecting fundamental skills.
However, Elden Ring’s later-game bosses, especially the infamous Malenia, Blade of Miquella, and the final boss series, are undeniably among the most challenging encounters in FromSoftware’s history. These fights demand mastery of the game’s mechanics and a deep understanding of enemy attack patterns.
Dark Souls 3: A Consistent Gauntlet of Challenges
Dark Souls 3, in contrast to Elden Ring, presents a more linear and deliberately crafted experience. The game’s progression is more structured, and while there are optional areas and bosses, the overall path is relatively straightforward. This tighter design means that players are consistently challenged throughout the game, with each area and boss designed to test their skills and knowledge.
Dark Souls 3’s combat system is also arguably more demanding than Elden Ring’s. While Elden Ring’s open world and Spirit Ashes can alleviate the pressure in combat, Dark Souls 3 forces players to rely on their own skill and reflexes. The game’s faster pace and more aggressive enemies require precise timing and a keen understanding of enemy attack patterns.
Furthermore, Dark Souls 3’s boss encounters are generally considered to be more consistently challenging than Elden Ring’s. While Elden Ring has a few stand-out difficult bosses, Dark Souls 3’s boss roster is filled with formidable opponents that demand careful planning and execution. Bosses like the Nameless King, Soul of Cinder, and Sister Friede are notoriously difficult and require players to master the game’s mechanics to overcome them.
The Verdict: A Matter of Perspective
Ultimately, the question of which game is harder depends on individual preferences and play styles. Elden Ring’s open world and customizable difficulty make it potentially easier for some players, while Dark Souls 3’s consistent challenge and demanding combat system make it more difficult for others.
If you prefer a more linear and focused experience with a consistently high level of difficulty, Dark Souls 3 might be the better choice. If you prefer a more open and customizable experience with the potential for both extreme difficulty and relative ease, Elden Ring might be more your style.
Regardless of which game you choose, both Elden Ring and Dark Souls 3 offer a rewarding and challenging experience that will test your skills and push you to your limits. They are both masterpieces of the Soulslike genre, and well worth exploring for any fan of challenging action RPGs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Elden Ring easier for newcomers to the Soulsborne genre?
Yes, Elden Ring is generally considered more accessible for newcomers due to its open world, which allows players to explore and level up at their own pace. The inclusion of Spirit Ashes also provides a helpful assist in combat.
2. Is Dark Souls 3 easier after playing Elden Ring?
It depends. While Elden Ring may teach you some fundamental Soulsborne skills, Dark Souls 3’s faster combat and more linear structure can still present a significant challenge. The experience gained in Elden Ring will likely help, but don’t expect an easy ride.
3. Which game has harder bosses overall?
While Elden Ring has a few exceptionally difficult bosses, Dark Souls 3’s boss roster is generally considered to be more consistently challenging. Every boss presents a unique challenge and requires mastery of the game’s mechanics.
4. Does Elden Ring have more build variety than Dark Souls 3?
Yes, Elden Ring offers significantly more build variety due to its larger world, greater selection of weapons and armor, and the inclusion of Ashes of War, which allow players to customize their weapons with different skills and abilities.
5. Is co-op easier in Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3?
Co-op is generally considered to be more streamlined and accessible in Elden Ring due to its open-world structure and the ability to summon players in a wider range of locations.
6. Which game has a better story?
Both games have compelling stories, but they are told in different ways. Dark Souls 3’s story is more focused and linear, while Elden Ring’s story is more fragmented and open to interpretation. It ultimately comes down to personal preference. The Games Learning Society would likely agree that narrative engagement is a key factor.
7. Is Dark Souls 3 harder to 100% complete?
100% completing Dark Souls 3 can be tedious, requiring multiple playthroughs to collect all rings, spells, and weapons. Elden Ring’s 100% completion is more time-consuming due to the sheer size of the world and the number of optional areas and bosses, but not necessarily harder.
8. Which game has a more punishing early game?
Dark Souls 3 arguably has a more punishing early game due to its limited resources and aggressive enemies. Elden Ring’s open world allows players to avoid difficult encounters and explore easier areas to level up before tackling challenging content.
9. Does Elden Ring’s open world make it inherently easier?
Not necessarily. While the open world provides more opportunities to over-level and find powerful items, it also introduces new challenges, such as navigating vast landscapes and dealing with unexpected encounters.
10. Is magic more effective in Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3?
Magic is generally considered to be more effective in Elden Ring due to the abundance of powerful spells and the ability to easily respec your character.
11. Which game has better level design?
Dark Souls 3 has more intricate and interconnected level design due to its linear structure. Elden Ring’s open world is vast and sprawling, but its level design is less focused and interconnected.
12. Is Dark Souls 3’s combat more demanding?
Yes, Dark Souls 3’s combat is generally considered to be more demanding due to its faster pace and more aggressive enemies. It requires precise timing and a deep understanding of enemy attack patterns.
13. Which game is more rewarding to overcome?
Both games are incredibly rewarding to overcome, but in different ways. Elden Ring’s sense of accomplishment comes from conquering a vast and challenging world, while Dark Souls 3’s satisfaction comes from mastering its intricate combat system and defeating its formidable bosses.
14. How long does it take to beat each game?
Elden Ring typically takes longer to beat due to its larger size and more open-ended structure. A playthrough focused on the main story can take around 50-60 hours, while a completionist run can take over 100 hours. Dark Souls 3 typically takes around 30-40 hours for a main story playthrough and 70-80 hours for a completionist run.
15. Should I play Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3 first?
If you’re new to the Soulsborne genre, Elden Ring is generally recommended as a starting point due to its more accessible open world and customizable difficulty. However, both games are excellent and offer a rewarding experience for fans of challenging action RPGs. Don’t forget to check out GamesLearningSociety.org for more insights on game design and learning!