The consensus often points to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as the hardest souls game due to its demanding parry-focused combat and limited build variety.
So, you’re ready to dive into the punishing world of FromSoftware, but you’re wondering, which souls game is the hardest? It’s a debate as old as the series itself, with passionate arguments for each title’s unique challenges.
Players often cite different aspects of difficulty, some struggle with specific boss encounters, while others face hurdles in navigating intricate level design. Ultimately, “hardest” is quite subjective, depending on the individual’s playstyle and tolerance for pain.
Which Souls Game is the Hardest?
Alright, let’s talk about the big question that’s been bugging every Souls fan out there: which game is the absolute hardest? It’s a tricky thing, because “hard” can mean different things to different people. Some might struggle with tricky traps, while others might get tripped up by speedy bosses. But we’re going to take a good look at a few key things that make a Souls game really tough and see which game stacks up to be the most challenging overall. Let’s get into it.
Understanding Souls Difficulty
Before we crown a champion, we need to know what makes a Souls game, well, a Souls game. It’s not just about button-mashing. These games are known for their deliberate combat, where you really have to think about your actions. It’s about knowing when to attack, when to dodge, and when to just back away and breathe for a second. Here are the main ingredients that make Souls games notoriously hard:
Punishing Combat
First off, we have combat that doesn’t hold back. Enemies are often strong, and they can really punish you for making mistakes. Unlike some action games, you can’t just run in and start swinging wildly. In Souls games, if you’re not careful, even the smallest enemy can quickly take you out. You have to learn the enemy’s attack patterns, and you can’t get impatient, because they will punish you if you do.
Tough Bosses
Every Souls game has those bosses that make your heart beat fast. These battles are not just about hitting the boss until its health runs out. They usually have different stages, each with new attacks to learn. They also have their own weaknesses that you have to find out and use to your advantage. These boss fights can take a lot of tries, and that’s part of what makes them so satisfying to finally win.
The Importance of Exploration
Souls games also reward exploration. You might find a hidden item or shortcut that makes your life easier, or you might stumble into a really tough area before you’re ready. So exploration plays a big part in getting better gear or finding new areas to help you progress further in the game. These hidden areas are very difficult, even more difficult than the usual areas, so be prepared before you go out to look for them.
Limited Healing
One of the core things in the game is limited healing. You can’t just heal whenever you want. You usually have a limited number of healing items, and they only refill when you rest at a checkpoint. This means every time you use one, you’re making a choice. Do you heal now, or do you save it for later? So, you have to play smartly and understand when you need to heal.
Learning from Death
Finally, death isn’t really a failure in Souls games, it’s a lesson. When you die, you lose any of the souls or other items you might be carrying, and you have to get back to where you died to pick them up. But, each death teaches you something new, so it’s important to learn from your mistakes. It’s a cycle of dying, learning, and trying again.
Contender 1: Demon’s Souls
Let’s start with the first Souls game, Demon’s Souls. This game laid the groundwork for everything that came after. Many people found it difficult because it was so new. There was a very different way of approaching enemies, so many players struggled with that.
Unique Level Design
Demon’s Souls has a very different kind of level design compared to other Souls games. Instead of one big world, it’s split into areas you choose from a central hub. This means that each level is a separate challenge, and you can’t freely wander from one to another. The Boletarian Palace is known for its challenging layouts and deadly surprises, while the Stonefang Tunnel is filled with tough enemies that hit hard and fast.
The World Tendency System
One thing that makes Demon’s Souls really different is the World Tendency system. This system can change how hard the game is. If you die a lot in an area, it goes towards “black tendency,” making enemies stronger and changing the world. If you do well in the area, you will go into the “white tendency” which makes the game easier. It’s very complicated, and it can make the game much more difficult if you don’t know about it.
Old School Feel
Because it was the first, Demon’s Souls has some things that feel clunkier or more difficult than later games. For example, the movement and rolling are not as smooth as in other games. Even though this game has some easier bosses, the overall old-school feel and the World Tendency system can make it feel very challenging for new players.
Contender 2: Dark Souls
Next, we have Dark Souls, which built upon what Demon’s Souls started. This is the game that really introduced the “Souls” formula to a wide audience. Many people find the world of Dark Souls to be very difficult.
Interconnected World
One thing that makes Dark Souls stand out is its interconnected world. Instead of choosing areas from a hub, you can explore the game’s world freely, discovering shortcuts and paths that connect different parts of the world. However, this also means that you can get into areas you might not be ready for, making exploration very challenging.
Iconic Bosses
Dark Souls also has some of the most iconic bosses in the series, like Ornstein and Smough, who are known for their teamwork. These boss fights can be extremely tough, and you need to learn their attacks carefully. The bosses in Dark Souls are very challenging and require a lot of time to learn their unique move sets.
The Difficulty Curve
The difficulty curve in Dark Souls can be very rough. The game doesn’t always tell you where you should go next, and you might accidentally wander into areas way above your current level. This can lead to a lot of frustrating deaths. It is very challenging to beat the game the first time since you don’t know what areas to go to first and you have to discover on your own.
Contender 3: Dark Souls II
Dark Souls II is often seen as a bit of an outlier in the series. While it keeps the core of Souls gameplay, it has some different changes that affect its difficulty. This game has a lot of challenging enemies and tricky level design.
Larger Enemy Groups
One big difference in Dark Souls II is how often you are surrounded by multiple enemies. This can make the battles very overwhelming, and you need to be more careful about not getting surrounded. It is not like other games where you can battle one on one and you need to be very smart when approaching multiple enemies.
Slower Pacing
The movement in Dark Souls II feels a bit slower and less responsive than other games, and some feel that it feels a bit clunky. This can make dodging attacks a bit more difficult, and you have to learn the timing to correctly dodge out of enemies attacks. The slow movement is a big reason for the difficulty of the game.
Adaptability Stat
The addition of the Adaptability stat is very important. This stat affects how fast you can use items and your invincibility frames when you dodge. This adds a new layer of complexity to character building, and if you don’t invest in this stat, the game will be much harder. This makes the game hard, as it forces players to invest more into character builds.
Contender 4: Dark Souls III
Dark Souls III is a return to form that many fans consider to be the best in the series. It’s known for its fast, fluid combat and challenging boss fights. This game is often considered one of the most difficult.
Faster Combat
Dark Souls III brought a faster pace to combat than other games. This means that both enemies and you can attack quickly. This makes boss battles more intense and challenging, and forces you to really pay attention to enemy attacks.
Aggressive Bosses
The bosses in Dark Souls III are very aggressive and have varied attacks. They don’t just stand around waiting to be hit. You have to be quick, and learn the patterns, and act fast. You need to be very good at the game to be able to win against the bosses.
Linear Level Design
While the areas in Dark Souls III are very well designed, they’re more linear than in the first Dark Souls. This means you have less room to explore and that you need to be careful about where you are going because there might be something challenging around the corner.
Contender 5: Bloodborne
Now, let’s talk about Bloodborne. This game is often described as a very difficult game and it has a different feel compared to other Souls games. It focuses on faster, more aggressive combat.
Regain System
One of the biggest changes in Bloodborne is the Regain system. This system lets you recover health by hitting enemies right after you’ve taken damage. This encourages you to be more aggressive, but it also means you can’t be too careful. The system is a gamble, but you have to go aggressive to heal yourself.
No Shields
Bloodborne also removes the focus on shields. You get guns instead. This changes the combat drastically. This means you must get good at dodging and attacking quickly. Players who depend on shields in the other Souls games will struggle to adapt.
Fast Paced Combat
The combat in Bloodborne is much faster than in other Souls games. This means that you must be very quick when dodging enemies. The combat is very fast paced and very engaging and requires you to really learn the game. This speed is a big reason that many people find the game very hard.
Contender 6: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is very different from other Souls games. While it still has some similarities, it brings some new ideas that change how you approach the game. This game really tests your skills in a different way.
Parrying and Posture
In Sekiro, parrying is more important than dodging. Instead of rolling away from attacks, you have to parry them. This fills up your enemies’ posture meter which can lead to instant kills when it’s completely full. This is very different than other Souls games and requires players to learn new skills.
No Stats
Sekiro also removes many stats from other Souls games. Instead, you get stronger by gaining new skills and upgrades. This makes it more about improving your skill as a player, rather than just improving your stats.
Verticality
Sekiro lets you jump and grapple around. This means that you can take advantage of height differences and explore areas in a new way. The new way of movement makes the game unique and very challenging.
Contender 7: Elden Ring
Finally, we have Elden Ring. This is the newest game from FromSoftware, and it is a very big open-world game that is very challenging. The sheer size and different types of enemies makes the game hard.
Open-World Design
The open-world design of Elden Ring is a big change from other games. It gives you more freedom to explore, but it also means that you can wander into areas that are way too hard for you. This can be frustrating for new players who get lost or attack an area that is too challenging for them.
Large Number of Bosses
Elden Ring has a huge number of bosses, some hidden, some mandatory. These bosses all vary in difficulty and can require different skills to beat. This makes the overall game a lot more challenging since you can be challenged at any moment by any boss.
More Freedom
Elden Ring gives you more freedom to build your character. But this can also make the game harder if you don’t have the right stats or gear. With so much freedom, it can become easy to get confused on what the best build would be and accidentally making your character weak.
So, Which Souls Game is the Hardest?
After looking at all of these games, it’s still really hard to say that there is a single hardest Souls game. It really does depend on what you find challenging. However, here’s a general idea of the challenges:
- For New Players: Dark Souls, with its interconnected world and brutal early game, can be very hard for new players. Dark Souls II, due to clunky combat and adaptability stat, can also be difficult to learn.
- For Players Who Like Aggression: Bloodborne and Dark Souls III can be very hard because of their speed and bosses.
- For Players Who Like to be Strategic: Sekiro can be very hard because of parrying system. Demon’s Souls can be hard because of world tendency.
- For Players Who Like Freedom: Elden Ring can be very hard because it has many areas that can be challenging to get through.
Ultimately, the “hardest” Souls game is the one that challenges you the most personally. They’re all designed to make you learn, adapt, and get better. No matter which one you choose, get ready for a really good challenge. Each game has its own unique way of testing your skills. So, the real winner is the experience you get from all of them.
Ranking Every Souls Game Easiest to Hardest (Including Elden Ring)
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the perceived difficulty varies among players. However, many consistently cite Dark Souls II as the most challenging entry. Its enemy placement and adaptability mechanic contribute to its higher difficulty.
While others may argue for Sekiro’s parry-focused combat, Dark Souls II’s overall design often makes it the most frustrating experience. This leads many to consider which souls game is the hardest and the answer often comes back to the second Dark Souls.
