How Elden Ring's Difficulty Compares to Other Souls Games (2024)

High difficulty is a staple of the Soulslike genre. From the original Demon’s Souls, and arguably even further back in FromSoftware’s King’s Field series, Souls titles have been challenging players with difficult enemies and obtuse mechanics. It’s not a stretch to call this a feature at this point, as the average AAA game tends not to be very challenging on its critical path. With a focus on exploration and experimentation, as well as learning and overcoming any obstacle, Souls games have built up a large following that celebrates major Soulslike releases. These games are more surmountable than some would claim, but it's often the investment of time and effort that makes them so satisfying.

Enter Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s latest Souls game and the spiritual sequel to the developer’s famous Dark Souls trilogy. It draws elements from all of FromSoftware’s modern titles, and has drawn just as many comparisons because of it. As with any time a popular Souls game launches, the topic of difficulty often comes up around Elden Ring. This is partially a holdover from the same debates surrounding Dark Souls, but also stems from the unique way Elden Ring handles its difficulty. Comparing it to other Soulslike titles reveals a lot of design intricacies that would otherwise not come into focus, making Elden Ring all the more fascinating.

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Elden Ring is a More Advanced Form of Soulslike

The difficulty discussion pertaining to Elden Ring is as complex as the game’s many mechanics. The game takes after the enemy speed and complexity present in Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro, so one would assume it is more difficult than the oldest Souls titles. It is true that Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls both come off as much more straightforward than Elden Ring, with Demon’s Souls’ gimmick bosses and Dark Souls’ low speed presenting an easy time for returning players. The two titles are about as obtuse as any other FromSoftware title, and while their level design can be just as treacherous, they just don’t have the same sting that they once did.

With that said, neither does Elden Ring. FromSoftware’s boss design has improved significantly over the years, and the teams there are not as likely to make the same design mistakes that they once did. Unfair bosses like the Maneaters and Bed of Chaos have been ironed out of Elden Ring, even if some remaining fights can take just as long. Setting bosses aside, the classic Souls games may have a slight edge in their environmental treachery and the effectiveness of enemy groups, though some of Elden Ring’s dungeons are no slouch either. On a whole, both the player and their opponents are stronger in Elden Ring, which allows even veterans to have a similar first run to their initial playthroughs of the Soulslikes that started it all.

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Spirits Make Elden Ring’s Difficulty Tough to Nail Down

Dark Souls 2 runs into an exaggerated form of Dark Souls 1’s difficulty issues, with a lot of the game being quite easy for methodical newcomers and hasty but informed veterans. Certain dungeons can be especially mean, but even with the smarter invaders and massive mobs of Scholar of the First Sin, DS2 still isn’t that hard in a modern context. Where it begins contending with Elden Ring is its DLC, which some fans maintain is Dark Souls at its hardest.

Elden Ring does not have its DLC yet, but while fans wait for its presumed announcement, its optional areas suffice for comparison. Both are quite tough, and Elden Ring even takes some cues from the infamous co-op gauntlets DS2’s DLC introduced. Not every boss in Elden Ring can measure up to the Fume Knight, but then again, neither can any other DS2 boss besides Sir Alonne.

The question of superior difficulty becomes easier to answer when one begins to consider which of the games makes things smoother for the player, but that’s where one of Elden Ring’s controversial aspects rears its head. Spirit Ashes are beloved by inexperienced Elden Ring players for the chance to fight alongside an NPC ally that does not decrease the damage dealt to bosses, and are sometimes frowned upon for the same reason. The game becomes a lot easier for the player if they make good use of Spirits, but that doesn’t quite drop it beneath DS2’s difficulty. Dark Souls 2’s overall difficulty is still lower than Elden Ring’s thanks to its simple, slow enemies, and Elden Ring’s toughest fights take cues from the Fume Knight. Elden Ring remains at the front of the pack, but more modern Souls games are catching up.

Elden Ring’s Build Diversity Allows Difficulty to be Different for Each Player

Bloodborne marks a turning point in the speed and AI strength present in FromSoftware’s Soulslikes, with capability increasing on both sides. The player’s toolset also begins to grow with new movement options and Dark Souls 3’s introduction of weapon arts. Elden Ring’s difficulty when using all the tools it provides may actually dip a bit lower than these games and their DLC, but that’s with some assumptions in mind. No two Tarnished are likely to have the same journey, build, or strategy, even if both are committed to thoroughly exploring the Lands Between. An optimized Mimic Tear with a Bleed/Frost build and assorted buffs can tear through almost everything in Elden Ring, but that takes time and knowledge to set up. Elden Ring is potentially easier than Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne, but it isn’t a surefire thing anymore.

What remains is the various other Soulslikes, most of which are designed to be more forgiving. Elden Ring’s prolonged difficulty spike in its late-game and optional areas places it well over the likes of Ender Lilies, Code Vein, or Jedi: Fallen Order, but a few Soulslikes rise above the rest. FromSoftware’s own Sekiro demands mastery of its parrying system, making it handily more difficult than its defensively-diverse successor. Similarly, Hollow Knight’s campaign may be easier, but its DLC bosses require excellent execution with few breaks and fewer shortcuts. Nioh may be the closest to Elden Ring out of any Soulslikes, curbing occasionally abrasive difficulty with a lot of powerful options and a high skill ceiling. It’s arguable which game’s challenges give it the edge in difficulty, but that means they both have lots of features to keep players coming back for one more try.

Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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