The difficulty of Souls games has been a source of debate for years, but by Elden Ring these are even larger due to the hype. While many Souls fans like the game’s harshness, others see it as a hurdle that some gamers simply shut out. What do you say?
What is the problem with Elden Ring? The bosses in Elden Ring are difficult, sometimes even really difficult. Even one of the best Souls players was already desperate for 14 hours on just one boss.
This led to discussions in the community, because not everyone thinks that Elden Ring should be that difficult. Some gamers feel left out of a game that many reviewers call a “masterpiece.”
Some players are therefore demanding an easy mode for more accessibility. But not all fans of the Souls games like this idea.
High level of difficulty prevents inclusion
What do the players who are demanding an easier difficulty say? Elden Ring earned a 94 on PC and a 96 on PS5 from reviewers on Metacritic. This makes it one of the best rated games ever.
But many players have no chance to get into the game because they fail due to the high difficulty. Some don’t even get through the first bosses due to physical disabilities.
One of the proponents of an easier level of difficulty is Austrian Pia “Shurjoka” Stolz. She says on Twitter that she’s a huge fan of hard games, but Elden Ring and other games should still have an easy difficulty setting to bring all gamers together.
According to Shurjoka, there are already enough barriers in the world that such barriers don’t have to exist in gaming. In their opinion, everyone should be able to have fun with a game, no matter what the difficulty level.
Souls games have a reputation and flair that is otherwise lost
What do players who are against an easier mode say? Souls games have always been, and will always be, hard. This is one of the main arguments of Elden Ring fans against an easy mode.
For them, high difficulty is a feature that sets the series apart from other RPGs in the world.
Our colleague Julius Busch from GameStar says, for example, that it’s a special feeling to play through a difficult game. However, that feeling would be lacking if it were just a matter of completing a higher difficulty setting.
He is not against inclusion in gaming, but sees the special phenomenon of the Souls games in the high degree of difficulty. Because the players had to adapt to the game, not the other way around. This is something that many modern games have lost.
He sees inclusion in other areas of the game, such as alternative display and input options, rather than adjusting the level of difficulty.
How do you see the difficulty of Elden Ring?
We’ve created a poll with six options for you to choose from. Voting is irreversible, so think carefully about how you vote:
We also invite you to discuss it factually with us in the comments. How do you see the difficulty of Elden Ring? And would an easy mode help or take away the specialness of the game?
We’ve noticed that many Elden Ring players present themselves as good players, but the truth is that only 54% even beat the first boss:
Everyone claims they’re great at Elden Ring – but Steam reveals just how bad many really are