For the uninitiated, every Soulslike feels like a steep learning curve defines it, but those in the know are well aware that there’s a wide spectrum of Soulslike difficulty. Some of the most difficult can give even diehard fans a lot of trouble. More than “git gud,” these games demand expertise.
Whether it’s a host of interlocking game systems that require careful attention and planning or rhythm-game-like precision that requires absolute perfection, some Soulslikes just hit differently when it comes to their massive learning curves.
Though in many waysElden Ring,may be one of the most welcoming Soulslike games to newcomers, the sheer scale of the game is absolutely daunting. For Soulslike fans, its systems are pretty familiar, but for newcomers, it’s overwhelming.
New players need to learn not just about items, but also about talismans, weapons, the control scheme, the open-world mechanics, the levelling builds, the weapon styles, damage types, thevast boss list, and countless other considerations. It demands a lot from the uninitiated.
The world ofDead Cellsseems like a pretty cut-and-dry 2D soulslike at first, but its difficulty becomes clear pretty fast. Mixing the roguelike with the Soulslike,Dead Cellsdemands mastery of its combat, navigation, and RPG systems if a newcomer has any chance of succeeding.
The difficulty comes not just from mastering those systems, but figuring out how to survive the game’s brutal combat difficulty. A single mistake inDead Cellscan mean hours of progress lost, so the player’s knowledge of builds, items, abilities, and map knowledge need to be perfect. This one’s demanding, but a lot of fun once the difficulty curve is surmounted.
As one of the first attempts to take the soulslike formula into the space of the 2D platformer,Salt and Sanctuarydeserves credit for figuring out the tricky details of translating the brutal combat soulslikes are known for. However, it’s not easier in the 2D world, and is instead perhaps even more difficult.
While the game’s systems aren’t too hard to parse,Salt and Sanctuarynever holds back when it comes to difficulty. Players need to have lightning-fast reaction times, a good understanding of their build, and the ability to stay calm under pressure as the oppressive world of the game bears down.
Granted, for seasoned Soulslike fans, the learning curve of the originalDark Soulsisn’t too steep these days. But imagine what it was like for the original players and the level of obliqueness in every aspect of the game’s design and the many mechanics that aren’t tutorialized. It’s tough.
To get throughDark Souls, a newcomer either needs determination far greater than most, or a guide to help them along and answer the many inevitable questions that will arise. After all, evenunderstanding the class systemout of the gate is pretty challenging with no previous experience of a FromSoftware game. However, by surmounting that hurdle, players have a chance to play one of the greatest games ever made.
Despite its unique aesthetic,Lies of Pwas released in an environment where high-budget Soulslikes were emerging fast, with big competition from the likes ofThe Surge. Lies of Pemerged from a relatively unknown studio, raising eyebrows further. Despite all that,Lies of Pbecame a smash hit and showed just how much pull the Soulslike genre has outside of FromSoftware.
The game design ofLies of Pis inspired by the fast, aggressive combat ofBloodborne,where being defensive means timing tight parry windows, with no credible armor or shields that can tank more than a few hits from the game’sfearsome roster of bosses. Learning means getting better at parries and dodges, which can be a tough mountain to surmount.
The originalNiohwas one of the first big releases in the soulslike genre, and it showed just how credible competitors could be to FromSoftware.Nioh 2cemented that reputation. It’s perhaps no surprise that Team Ninja, the folks behind the infamously difficultNinja Gaiden, were the ones to do it.
InNioh 2, players not only have to worry about parries, dodges, defensive, and attack patterns, but also a massive laundry list of stances, weapons, abilities, and more, each of which needs to be employed carefully in time-sensitive situations with hyper-aggressive enemies. It’s a tough road, but a great and underplayed competitor to its FromSoftware brethren.
As FromSoftware’s clout began to rise in the 2010s, many wondered whether the Souls formula would survive theDark Soulsfranchise itself. FromSoftware was miles ahead of the speculation. With the release ofBloodbornein 2015, it demonstrated thatDark Soulswas no accident, and that the formula could be iterated into ever more punishing forms.
That’s becauseBloodborneactively attempted to move away from the defensive playstyle defined by a big suit of armor and a shield encouraged inDark Souls. Instead, unmitigated aggression againstthe game’s horrific bossesis the path to success inBloodborne, which takes a long time to dial in just right, resulting in some of the hardest bosses FromSoftware has ever made.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis the undeniable black sheep of the FromSoftware output post-Demon’sSouls. While it still iterates on the central formula,Sekirois much more restrictive regarding how to play it well. If the player can’t master the parry system, they’re going to be in a lot of trouble, and eventhe game’s combat artscan’t help.
There is no flexibility afforded to players here. Either a player figures out how to do the parry timings fast, or they will be stuck at an early gating boss for the foreseeable future. For some, that’s exactly what makes the game so great, because its design is incredibly intentional, but it’s hard to deny that the learning curve is incredibly steep.
