If you want a game like Elden Ring but easier, consider trying Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or Horizon Zero Dawn. These games offer similar exploration and combat mechanics, but with more forgiving difficulty curves and clearer quest guidance.
Okay, you love the sprawling landscapes and challenging combat of Elden Ring, but maybe you’re not so keen on repeatedly smashing your face against a boss for hours. You want a game like Elden Ring but easier, right?
There are plenty of fantastic titles that capture that feeling of adventure and accomplishment without the intense frustration. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Horizon Zero Dawn give you that open-world exploration and exciting battles, but they’re a bit more player-friendly. They provide a good introduction to the genre without the brutal difficulty.
Game Like Elden Ring But Easier
Elden Ring captivated players with its sprawling open world and challenging combat. However, its difficulty can be a major barrier for some.
Many gamers are searching for experiences that capture the essence of Elden Ring without the overwhelming frustration. They want the exploration, the character building, and the epic scale, but with a more forgiving learning curve.
Soulslike Alternatives with Reduced Difficulty
Several games offer a similar experience to Elden Ring, but with modifications that make them more accessible. These games often provide features like easier combat, more forgiving death mechanics, or clearer guidance.
Mortal Shell
Mortal Shell presents a grim and atmospheric world ripe for exploration. You inhabit the bodies of deceased warriors, each offering unique playstyles.
The game’s unique “hardening” mechanic allows you to turn to stone mid-attack, absorbing damage and creating tactical openings. This reduces the reliance on perfect dodging and parrying, making combat more forgiving.
Mortal Shell’s world is smaller than Elden Ring’s, but densely packed with secrets and challenging encounters. It offers a more focused and manageable Soulslike experience.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order immerses you in a galaxy far, far away as Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan on the run. The game combines lightsaber combat with Force powers and exploration.
Fallen Order offers multiple difficulty settings, allowing you to tailor the challenge to your preference. Even on higher difficulties, the game feels more forgiving than Elden Ring.
The story is linear but engaging, guiding you through a series of beautifully designed planets. You’ll face iconic Star Wars creatures and Imperial forces, honing your skills as a Jedi.
Code Vein
Code Vein is an anime-inspired action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players create their own Revenant, a vampire-like being with unique abilities.
Code Vein’s combat system relies on “Gifts,” special abilities that can be customized to create diverse builds. You always have an AI partner to fight alongside you, significantly reducing the difficulty compared to solo Soulslike experiences.
The game features a deep character customization system and a compelling story with memorable characters. The presence of a partner makes it a good entry point for those new to the genre.
Remnant: From the Ashes
Remnant: From the Ashes is a third-person shooter with Soulslike elements. It features a dynamic world overrun by monstrous creatures from another dimension.
The game’s focus on ranged combat provides a different feel from Elden Ring’s melee-heavy encounters. Co-op is a core element, allowing you to team up with friends to tackle challenging bosses and explore the procedurally generated levels.
Remnant’s difficulty can be adjusted through various settings, making it more accessible than some other Soulslike titles. The gunplay is satisfying, and the world is filled with secrets to discover.
Games that Mimic Elden Ring’s Open World Exploration (with caveats)
While replicating Elden Ring’s exact blend of open world and difficulty is hard, these games offer similar exploration aspects with varying levels of challenge. They might not be Soulslikes, but they have open-world adventure in abundance.
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West takes you to a post-apocalyptic America as Aloy, a skilled hunter. The game’s world is vast and beautiful, filled with robotic creatures and remnants of the old world.
Aloy is equipped with a variety of weapons and tools, allowing for strategic combat against the robotic beasts. The game offers a compelling story and stunning visuals.
Forbidden West’s difficulty is significantly lower than Elden Ring’s, focusing more on exploration and narrative. The combat is still engaging but more forgiving.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Immortals Fenyx Rising is an open-world action-adventure game inspired by Greek mythology. You play as Fenyx, a forgotten hero tasked with saving the gods from a deadly threat.
The game’s world is colorful and vibrant, filled with puzzles, challenges, and mythological creatures. The combat is fast-paced and acrobatic, with a focus on aerial maneuvers.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is less punishing than Elden Ring, offering a more lighthearted and accessible experience. It still provides a challenging gameplay for those looking for it, with various difficulty levels to choose from.
Addressing Core Elements That Influence Difficulty
Many factors contribute to a game’s perceived difficulty. These factors can be adjusted or designed in a way that makes the game more accessible.
Combat Mechanics and Timing
Precise timing and memorization of enemy attack patterns are hallmarks of Soulslike combat. Games targeting a wider audience might loosen the timing windows for dodges and parries.
Slower enemy attack animations also provide players with more time to react. This allows for more strategic decision-making and less reliance on split-second reflexes.
Death Penalties and Progression Systems
The severity of death penalties can significantly impact the player experience. Games with harsh penalties can be frustrating, while more forgiving systems encourage experimentation.
Elden Ring features the “Runes” system, which can be lost upon death and retrieved.
Alternatives to this include:
- Checkpoint Systems: More frequent and conveniently located checkpoints reduce the impact of death.
- Experience Retention: Minimizing or eliminating experience loss upon death makes progression less punishing.
- Easier Resource Acquisition: Making it easier to obtain healing items and other resources reduces the pressure during combat.
World Design and Exploration
The design of the world and the way players navigate it can affect difficulty. Elden Ring’s open world can be overwhelming, with little guidance on where to go next.
Games designed to be easier often:
- Provide Clearer Guidance: Quest markers, maps, and NPCs that provide clear directions make exploration less daunting.
- Offer Linear Paths: More linear level design can guide players through the game and prevent them from getting lost.
- Incorporate Difficulty Scaling: Adjusting enemy difficulty based on the player’s level or location ensures that challenges remain manageable.
Accessibility Options
Accessibility options are crucial for making games more inclusive. These options can address a wide range of needs, allowing players to customize the game to their individual preferences.
Common accessibility features include:
- Difficulty Settings: Allowing players to adjust the game’s overall difficulty is a fundamental accessibility option.
- Remappable Controls: Allowing players to customize the control scheme ensures that the game can be played comfortably with any input device.
- Visual Aids: Options such as colorblind mode, adjustable font sizes, and customizable HUD elements can improve visibility.
- Audio Cues: Providing clear audio cues for important events can help players who are visually impaired.
- Assist Mode: Features like auto-aim, reduced damage taken, or increased healing can make the game more accessible to players who struggle with combat.
Specific Games that Offer Adjustable Difficulty
These games directly address the challenge concern by including difficulty settings. Players can tailor the experience to be more manageable.
God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok
The God of War franchise offers a compelling story and challenging combat with adjustable difficulty levels. These range from “Story” mode, which prioritizes narrative, to “Give Me God of War,” which is incredibly punishing.
The ability to choose a difficulty level allows players to experience the game at their own pace. They can focus on the story or challenge themselves with tougher combat encounters.
Nioh 2
Nioh 2 is a Soulslike action RPG set in Sengoku-era Japan. The game features a complex combat system with a wide variety of weapons and skills.
While Nioh 2 is generally considered to be difficult, it offers various ways to customize the experience. Players can adjust the difficulty settings, use summons to call in allies, and farm for powerful gear to ease the challenge.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a Soulslike action RPG also set in ancient China. It borrows heavily from the Nioh series, but aims for a slightly more accessible design.
Wo Long includes mechanics that make it more accessible. The morale system allows you to increase your strength by defeating enemies and marking flags.
Mods to Reduce Difficulty in Elden Ring Itself
For players who love Elden Ring but struggle with its difficulty, mods can offer a solution. Mods can adjust various aspects of the game to make it more accessible.
Easy Mode Mods
These mods typically reduce enemy damage, increase player damage, and provide other benefits that make the game easier. They can be a good option for players who want to experience the story and world without the intense challenge.
Item and Resource Mods
These mods make it easier to acquire powerful items and resources. This can help players overcome challenging encounters and progress through the game more easily.
Cheat Engine
Cheat Engine is a powerful tool that allows players to modify various aspects of the game in real-time. This can be used to adjust stats, add items, and enable other cheats that make the game easier.
Important Note: Using mods and cheat tools can potentially lead to account bans in online games. Use caution and understand the risks involved.
Future of Soulslikes and Difficulty Customization
The Soulslike genre is evolving, and developers are increasingly recognizing the importance of accessibility. We can expect to see more games that offer adjustable difficulty settings, assist modes, and other features that cater to a wider audience.
As the genre matures, developers will likely find new and innovative ways to balance challenge and accessibility. This will ensure that more players can enjoy the unique experiences that Soulslike games offer.
Ultimately, the goal is to create games that are challenging but fair, rewarding but not frustrating. Games that respect the player’s time and effort, while still providing a sense of accomplishment.
12 Best Games Like Elden Ring
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, for players seeking a challenge without Elden Ring’s brutal difficulty, options exist. These titles provide engaging worlds and satisfying combat, easing the learning curve. You must consider your desired level of challenge when choosing.
Several games offer a similar experience with less punishment. This opens the door to exploration and enjoyment without constant frustration. They offer that ‘game like elden ring but easier’ feeling.
