Dark Souls fans have resisted the addition of an easy mode for years. After all, the difficulty is an inherent part of the games’ design, and it’s a badge of honor to fight your way through them. However, with accessibility being a topic at the forefront of the industry, From Software is one of the few holdouts when it comes to providing an easy mode for its games. However, after playing Elden Ring, I think From Software has found a way to make both those who want an easier experience and those who don’t want difficulty modes to be added happy.
Will Elden Ring have an easy mode?
From what we know so far, Elden Ring will continue the Souls tradition of only having one difficulty mode in the game. Everyone plays at the same level, and everyone gets the same experience. However, some significant changes come with the game that make it the most accessible of From Software’s Souls (and Soulslikes) to date.
The biggest changes come with the environment and mobility. The Dark Souls games have branching paths, but each of those is typically narrow in construction. Cramped corridors are more common than open fields, and players can frequently get caught with no place to retreat (by design). Even open areas typically have some sort of catch to keep players from getting too comfortable. For example, the swamp in the Road of Sacrifices in Dark Souls 3 is filled with mucky patches that slow your speed considerably.
Souls games relish in catching players in their traps, and figuring out how to avoid or defeat these traps is part of what makes these games appealing. The tight environment is part of that gameplay element. Those skeletons are always going to be waiting around that corner. You have to go through there, and it’s up to you to figure out how to survive the encounter (sometimes with the assistance of a helpful message like “Shh, listen carefully skeleton”).
Elden Ring is different because it cheerfully allows you to escape from quite a few of these conundrums. The Lands Between are far more open than locations we visited in the Souls games. This, coupled with the added mobility you can gain from riding upon a Spectral Steed, makes the game far more approachable. Locations like the Gatefront Ruins still hold a cadre of powerful soldiers, but it’s much easier to retreat if you find yourself in a situation where you may lose.
Another aspect of having such a wide-open hub connecting each location is the ability to simply do something else if you’re having a hard time. For example, I explored the Groveside Cave in the network test, which contained an optional boss called the Beastman of Farum Azula. My first encounter with him led to my repeated demise as I just couldn’t keep up with his speedy assault. Luckily, I wasn’t forced to beat him to continue the game. Instead, I left after a few attempts and continued exploring The Lands Between. After leveling up a bit and grabbing some new gear and items for an hour or so, I returned and promptly destroyed the Wolfman.
One of the most discouraging parts of playing a Soulslike is bouncing off an enemy repeatedly with no other paths open to you. Just taking a breather and exploring another area tremendously lowered my frustration since I could still accomplish something in the game instead of just being stuck.
Will Elden Ring be as hard as Dark Souls?
However, longtime fans still have plenty to be happy about. From what we’ve seen of Elden Ring so far, it looks like the story areas will follow the classic Souls formula. Legacy Dungeons are large, more linear areas that are reminiscent of the environments in the Dark Souls games and contain enemies that the player is forced to defeat before moving onward.
We didn’t get the chance to check out a Legacy Dungeon in the Closed Network Test (there was one in it, but we wasted too much time exploring). However, we did get to face a foe that guards the entrance to one. Before you can enter Stormveil Castle, you have to fight Margit the Fell Omen, who was immediately reminiscent of a Souls boss. Fast, aggressive, and tanky, he’s the most brutal enemy in the Closed Network Test and was very challenging.
Even aside from bosses, the enemies haven’t been toned down from what we’ve seen in past games. Instead, the increased mobility and options are what make this game seem easier. However, as soon as you’re in the corridor of a cave or storming a castle gate, it becomes evident that From Software doesn’t intend to make this game any less of a struggle than its other titles.
The most important part about Elden Ring’s difficulty is that these increased options make the game more accessible. You get more room to find your niche and experiment with tactics. So, those that were previously intimidated by the reputation Soulslikes have might find this game the perfect way to ease into the genre. From there, they’ll hopefully branch out to other games and find they love the challenge and adventure that only these games can bring.
So, the Souls community shouldn’t worry too much about whether Elden Ring is harder or easier than previous games. It feels like there’s more balance, if anything, and newcomers and longtime From Software fans should have a blast when the game releases on February 25, 2022.
