In my recent game playing with Elden Ring (ER), I have beaten the first boss enemy in the castle above Limgrave, as well as a few other dungeon bosses, and I’ve died a lot more than I did in Dark Souls 3 (DS3). In DS3, I would kill bosses in no more than 5 or 6 tries, with many of them in only 2 to 3 tries. It took me almost two hours to defeat the horse boss in the starting here (with upgraded equipment).
The problem in my case is it simply that I’m not used to the combat system in this game, or is it that it’s more difficult? I was playing Sekiro & DS3 before ER came out, and I believe that was also easier since I could beat a boss after only a few tries. According to all of the reports, the game will be easier than the previous games in the series. Is it just me, or does it seem to be getting harder?
Personally, I’m finding it much more difficult. I’ve completed all three Dark Souls games multiple times, including challenge runs. So far in Elden Ring, I’ve defeated the horse boss, Margit the Fell Omen, and I’m very close to defeating Godrick (I’m sure I’ll finish it any minute now).
Margit and Godrick, in particular, appear to be far more difficult than any other DS3 bosses. Their attack patterns are much longer and have a wider range of timing.
I’ve noticed a variety of delayed attacks, where adversaries raise their weapons over one shoulder, ready to swing, and hold that stance for a full 3 seconds, frequently catching you when you dodge a little too early.
Godrick, on the other hand, has a charge attack in which he drags his axe down the ground, feints by stepping forward abruptly and then swing. Many attacks like that are designed to bait your roll and then punish you. Or combo strings that hit in fast succession, preventing your dodge from working.
The first Boss reminds me of the Nameless King from DS3. He wasn’t too bad once I got his feints down, but he feinted every attack. Godrick is a whirlwind of activity! He’s a lot tougher than Manus in DS1, with similar ling combinations but shorter attack windows.
By the way, I did beat him; he simply gave me a hard time.
How to make it easier to Defeat the enemies
In this game, I believe the combat demands more. All of the previous games let you hit, dodge, and hit again. This game expects you to perform charged heavy attacks, leap attacks, and block counters. War ashes might also be valuable.
That stuff is incredibly sly, and it definitely ups the challenge. There’s no way around it: you have to learn the patterns through trial and error.
Throughout Dark Souls 3, you may spam rolls from any threat in the game. And, while I’m not certain, it appears to be less dependable in Elden Ring, which is a good thing. So it’s a little more difficult, especially with the bosses. Common adversaries, on the other hand, are roughly the same.
Because there is no embering mechanic, the game is harder but less annoying. I may no longer be able to play DS3.
You can also make it easier to play Elden Ring with a variety of characters for your combat demand:
Prisoner
A prisoner wearing an iron mask. Prior to his imprisonment, he had studied glinstone sorcery and lived among the privileged.
Hero
Descended from a badlands chieftain, a stalwart hero at home with a battleaxe.
Vagabond
A wandering knight was exiled from their homeland. A strong, armored ancestor.
Warrior
A nomad warrior who battles with two blades at the same time. An ancestor of extraordinary technique.
Wretch
A poor, meaningless sod, as bare as the day they were born. They only have a good club.
Prophet
A seer was shunned because of unfavorable forecasts. Healing incantations are well-known to her.
Confessor
A church spy skilled at covert activities. They are as skilled with a sword as they are with incantations.
Samurai
A skilled fighter from the far-off Land of Reeds. Useful with katanas and longbows.
Astrologer
A sage who sees fate in the stars. Heir to the glintstone sorcery school.
Bandit
A perilous bandit who preys on vulnerable places. Bowfighting at a distance is something he excels at.
Conclusion
The answer to our query is yes, Elden Ring is more difficult than any Dark Souls or Bloodborne game.
The bosses (as well as many of the adversaries) are extremely aggressive, and their damage output is tremendous.
I was getting kicked in the shins by a mounted ghost knight boss. Then I gave up and moved to another location, and now I’m getting kicked in the a$$ by a wolf boss who kills me in two hits. I’d rather go up against Orphan or Gael.
Elden Ring is far more difficult, with numerous mini-bosses and ludicrous NPCs such as Preceptor Miriam. After whacking them with a magical claymore with about 50 Intel and 30 strength, I wasn’t even touching their health bar. I’ll return to them when I reach God’s level; Elden Ring is far more difficult, but it’s more versatile; you can go beat a million other bosses.
My personal Ranking for difficulties would be
DS2 < Sekiro < DS1 equal to DS3 < Elden ring