Is Sekiro or Returnal Harder? A Deep Dive into Two Brutal Games
Determining whether Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or Returnal is the harder game is a complex question without a definitive answer, as difficulty is often subjective and depends on individual player strengths and preferences. However, based on the mechanics, player experiences, and available data, a compelling case can be made for each title. Sekiro, with its emphasis on precise parrying and posture breaking, poses a highly demanding challenge that relies on mastering its unique combat system. Returnal, on the other hand, leans into rogue-lite elements, bullet hell patterns, and a rigid structure that punishes mistakes heavily. While both games are incredibly challenging, Sekiro arguably presents a more consistent, skill-based difficulty, while Returnal’s difficulty fluctuates based on luck and procedural generation.
In Sekiro, the challenge lies in its unforgiving combat mechanics. Players must master the art of deflecting, a precise timing-based system that is crucial for both offense and defense. The game actively discourages button mashing and forces players to carefully study enemy attack patterns. The posture system, unique to Sekiro, requires players to break an enemy’s stance before delivering a killing blow, demanding a different approach compared to other action games. Many players find the learning curve very steep, and mastering these systems takes considerable time and practice.
In contrast, Returnal offers a different kind of difficulty. As a rogue-lite, it features procedurally generated levels and a permadeath mechanic. Each run is unique, and players must adapt to different item combinations and enemy encounters. The game throws waves of bullet hell projectiles at players, forcing them to be extremely agile and capable of aiming, moving, jumping, and dodging simultaneously. The challenge lies in making the most out of every run and adapting to the unpredictable nature of the game. While the core gameplay loop is easily grasped, mastering it while navigating the chaotic encounters is an entirely different challenge.
While Sekiro has a reputation for its punishing but consistent challenge once you’ve mastered the parry system, Returnal’s difficulty is more variable. Some runs will feel easy, while others will be brutally difficult depending on the item drops and level design. This element of luck can frustrate players.
Ultimately, both Sekiro and Returnal are exceptionally hard games, but they are challenging for different reasons. Sekiro demands precise timing and consistent skill, while Returnal requires adaptation, strategy, and a bit of luck. For the vast majority of players, Sekiro’s mechanics present a harder initial learning curve, but consistent improvement and eventual mastery makes it feel achievable. Returnal’s rogue-lite elements can make for a consistently hard challenge due to its unpredictable elements.
Comparing the Core Difficulties
Sekiro’s Core Challenge
- Mastering the Parry: The deflecting system is essential. Failure to execute it properly results in death. This is a very high-skill ceiling.
- Posture System: Players can’t just hack and slash; they must learn to break enemy defenses.
- Predictable Enemies: Enemy patterns can be learned. Once you understand each enemy, the difficulty decreases.
- Punishes Inaction: Dodging is far less important than parrying, forcing players to be actively engaged.
Returnal’s Core Challenge
- Rogue-lite Permadeath: Each death is a restart. Progression is slow, and loss is impactful.
- Procedural Generation: Levels are never the same, making it hard to rely on memorized layouts.
- Bullet Hell: The game is a mix of third-person shooting and bullet hell patterns, making movement and dodging absolutely crucial.
- Item Dependence: Players rely on item drops for success. Luck plays a big part in a run’s viability.
Player Experiences and Statistics
Player Perceptions
Many players consider Sekiro the harder game initially due to its unfamiliar combat system. However, once mastered, the game’s difficulty can feel far more manageable than Returnal’s. Returnal is often seen as a consistent gauntlet of unpredictability. Players who are willing to grind and learn will find Sekiro more fair, while others often describe Returnal as more unforgiving due to the permadeath and random elements.
Completion Rates
The low completion rates of both games demonstrate their difficulty. The trophy data shows that only around 10-21% of players have finished Returnal. While accurate completion rates for Sekiro are harder to pinpoint, it’s also known that it has a relatively low completion rate compared to other games. This data points towards both games presenting major obstacles.
Conclusion
Both Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Returnal are exceptionally hard games, but they present different types of challenges. Sekiro demands precise skill and mastery of its parry system, while Returnal requires adaptability, strategy, and the capacity to deal with unpredictable challenges. Sekiro, with its steep but consistent learning curve, is arguably the harder game to initially master, while Returnal’s rogue-lite elements and reliance on luck can make it a harder experience overall for some players. Ultimately, both games are designed for players seeking a significant challenge and are not for the faint of heart.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Returnal harder than Dark Souls?
Many players consider Returnal to be harder than the Dark Souls series. While Dark Souls is renowned for its difficulty, its consistent world structure and less emphasis on projectile-heavy encounters make it a different kind of challenge compared to Returnal’s chaotic, rogue-lite gameplay.
2. Is Sekiro really the hardest Souls game?
Yes, Sekiro is widely considered the hardest of the FromSoftware “Souls-like” games. Its combat system is a major departure from other FromSoftware titles, emphasizing parrying and posture breaking over traditional dodging and rolling, leading to a much steeper learning curve for many players.
3. What percentage of people beat Returnal?
Trophy data suggests that only around 10-21% of players have completed Returnal, indicating that it is a significantly challenging game that many players do not finish.
4. Can you finish Returnal without dying?
Yes, it is possible to beat Returnal without dying, but this requires immense skill and experience. You do have to beat the game multiple times for the “true ending”.
5. How long does a run in Returnal typically take?
An average run in Returnal can easily take upward of 45 minutes and must be completed in a single gameplay session.
6. Is Returnal good for casual gamers?
Returnal is not recommended for casual gamers. The game is very challenging and can be frustrating for those who do not enjoy difficult games. Players who enjoy the grind and replayability of rogue-lite games, however, will appreciate it.
7. Does Returnal have an easy mode?
No, Returnal does not have a traditional easy mode, but the developers have added save functionality to let players pause their runs mid-session. This doesn’t change the core difficulty but improves accessibility.
8. Is Bloodborne harder than Returnal?
Many players believe that Returnal is a harder game than Bloodborne. While Bloodborne is undoubtedly challenging, Returnal’s combination of bullet hell, rogue-lite mechanics, and permadeath makes for a unique type of difficult experience.
9. Why is Sekiro so hard?
Sekiro is hard due to its precise parrying system and focus on posture management. The game demands that players actively engage with enemy attacks rather than just relying on dodging or rolling.
10. Is Sekiro harder than Elden Ring?
Most players agree that Sekiro is harder than Elden Ring. While Elden Ring is a large and difficult open-world game, Sekiro’s combat mechanics are much more unforgiving and demanding.
11. Is Sekiro harder than Ghost of Tsushima?
Yes, Sekiro is significantly harder than Ghost of Tsushima. Ghost of Tsushima offers multiple difficulty settings and is generally more accessible, while Sekiro’s difficulty is fixed and extremely demanding.
12. What is the point of sleeping in Returnal?
Sleeping in the ship in Returnal restores a portion of Selene’s health. However, this is limited to one time per run after a patch.
13. Is Returnal a Souls-like game?
While Returnal shares some similarities with Souls-like games in terms of difficulty, it is primarily a rogue-lite game with third-person shooting and bullet hell elements.
14. What happens after you beat Returnal once?
After beating Returnal once, you unlock the second part of the game, and then you are able to obtain the “true ending”. The game will provide additional story content in the house sequences and through more playthroughs.
15. How many times can you sleep in Returnal per run?
Due to patches, Selene can now only sleep one time per cycle in Returnal.