Is 'Dark Souls III' too hard to be fun?

This isn’t a review, it’s a reality check. "Dark Souls III" is a visually striking, well designed game. However, it will infuriate many players who pick it up without knowing how punishing it is to play. If anything you read below makes you think, “That’s not for me,” then listen to yourself. It’s probably not for you.

[ShadowKnight]

Man up, this game is designed to be hard.

[Bahamut]

Git Gud

[mechlord]

Ditto.

There isn't a single enemy in this game that doesn't over-telegraph their moves. unless you're spamming attacks, you can survive hella easy most of the times. The majority of deaths you will experience will fall into two categories:
a) you didn't know what was about to happen
b) you got cocky and instead of saving that last bit of stamina to roll or block, you attacked.

How can such a game be "too hard to be fun" ?

[Kingthrash360]

The game isn't hard...it's difficult.
People just need to take the tume to learn how to play it.
Stop playing it like devil may cry.
Play more like madden...use a strategy, take your time and strike, defense wins every time. Play like devil may cry going full offense and you'd get you ass handed to you.

[nitus10]

I have not played it yet since I am still playing Bloodborne and when I finish that I want to get back to The Witcher 3 on "Death March" (about 1/5th the way through).

If Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Bloodborne are anything to go by then Dark Souls 3 will be tough but fair. Basically, you need to "git gud" 😉, develop a positive attitude and don't wimp out when the going gets tough. It also helps if you don't look at the walkthroughs or how-to's unless you are really stuck.

I am well and truly aware of all the spoilers that are available on the Internet but games like Souls and Bloodborne are much more fun if you let yourself be surprised since this adds to the immersion of the game. This is why I refuse to look at these spoilers.

[700p]

It's a matter of opinion. Most casuals for the most part can't finish dark souls or consider it fun.

[Majister-Ludi]

That's fine in theory but they are losing tons of sales to casual gamers. It's foolish business honestly. They simply need to make the enemies cause less damage or you cause more damage. The game would then be THE game to have in that genre. Since it's so difficult it doesn't get the notoriety it deserves. All you idiots screaming get gud are children who wouldn't know business if it bit them in the ass. Once again an easier difficulty would be the smartest decision but it won't happen.

[UltraNova]

You and other like minded people don't get it. In fact DS3 should have been more challenging, at least equal to its predecessors.

That said it broke all of Namco Bandai's launch sales records, what more could they want?

What From created here is not Fallout nor Elder Scroll (widely appealing RPGs) they wanted to create something unique, something challenging and rewarding not another pop-culture aimlessly running around- boring-fetch fest of a game.

Lets face the truth, not everything has to or can be for everyone. If you cant play it because its hard, then don't, simple! But don't go demanding to downgrade something that already works and is adored by many just because you cant or don't want to make the effort to get good at it.

[Bleucrunch]

It sounds like their are some folks who just want things to be easy for them. Decide what kind of character you want, learn how to create such a character, then proceed to build and learn how that character plays because that is the kind of character you want. The game is not hard, you probably are just ill prepared!

[EddieNX]

The difficulty made it one of the most intense and enjoyable gaming experiences i've ever had!

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

I don't think Miyasaki senpai did this series with fun in mind. However, it gets pretty fun when you git gut.

And when you beat that hard boss that has killed you several times, it feels like havinf an orgasm lol

[DEAD-DEVIL-DISCO]

Lol.._.Souls has made me scream in joy.._and scaring my family shitless

[UltraNova]

Hehe

I was frustrated only with the Nameless King boss (the rest were quite easy) as I wanted to kill him solo. I died or rather got severely destroyed like 4-5 times before I tried coop....what a mistake that was, not only did he get far stronger but his attack patterns where unpredictable now that he had to decide which one of us to target.

Second time coop my summon died on phase one by the first dragon breath...I was left alone with a significantly stronger super boss...suffice to say i was disappointed and ready for a nasty spanking, of which I would be on the receiving end...

Then something lit in side me (maybe it was the ember burbs?) and I went ape shit on him until the final hit.

I was ecstatic! Nearly as much as I was when i beat Smough and Ornstein .

Dark Souls bosses...gotta love em all!

[Vegamyster]

I like the challenge and beat the game but i didn't like how some of the bosses & enemies were super spammy compared to the previous entries and the camera is still bad on larger guys.

[DEAD-DEVIL-DISCO]

Wanna know whats even frikin harder? Play fallout now in survival mode,,, start a new campaign ,,,, and try and beat the first dang mission when meeting the minute men getting the armour and that bastard claw hits you once. Souls is easier. But the soul series has changed me forever. Every game i play ._.I ramp to hardest difficulty. Good times. Reminds me of oldschool gaming.

[SamPao]

that is also the reason why monster hunter for example is so enjoyable. You have to know what you are doing at every moment.

[seanpitt23]

To be honest I didn't think it was crazy hard but Iam a veteran who has played all these games apart from demon souls. The only thing I thought was difficult was 3 bosses in the game (a certain one took me hours to defeat) and I think a lot of people will know which ones but apart from that it was a very enjoyable experience better than the previous games.

I would say it was better than bloodborne only because it had way more content and collectibles if bloodborne had more content then it would of been a different story but it lacked variety in weapons etc.. But these games need to be hard or it wouldn't work as a game.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Let me guess, Pointif Sulleyvan, Dragon Slayer Armour, and the one with yhe little sister on his back.

These bosses were teh only ones that killed multiple times. The latter in particular, took me a whole morning to beat, and I ended up beying him like at 4 PM.

Also to point out what you say about both games, I thibk BB went for quality and quantity. Most of the weapons in DS3 are recycled from previous games and pretty generic. The only good ones are the ones yiu exchange for Twisted Souls

[Herpofderpopol]

Little sister lol. Worst for me was soul of cinder, sulahvyn and the abyss watchers.

[Spurg]

"I thibk BB went for quality and quantity."
Went for both eh...or do you mean quality over quantity.
Yeah like the threaded cane was used by everyone...BB weapons were a little too gimmicky...most players either used Ludwig's Holy Blade or the hunters axe. Even Miyazaki himself admitted there wasn't enough variety in the way you play...lack of magic and special upgrades played a huge part as well.

"Most of the weapons in DS3 are recycled from previous games and pretty generic. The only good ones are the ones yiu exchange for Twisted Souls"

Well, you pretty much shot yourself in the foot there with that quote.....Dark souls is another beast when it comes to gameplay variety.You have a variety of weapons including different types of katana, curved swords, rapiers spears, and greatswords. On top of that, you can infuse weapons with different elements and make a weapon scale with your different stats. Magic, faith and pyro builds is a true testament to a number of different play styles you can have in Dark souls 3(Didn't even have time to mention bows).These are things missing from BB and you're saying its more quality over Dark souls

[SpinalRemains138]

Aldrich killed me a good 30 times. Threw my joystick and everything.

I cannot stress enough my disdain for bosses that run away into the floor. Man up and stand in there!

[SpinalRemains138]

Soul of Cinder was hilarious. I got him all the way down and did a gesture. I had no idea he wasn't dead yet. He swatted me 30 feet away. Truly hilarious.

[luckytrouble]

Dragon Slayer Armor was so easy. I'm not even that good at these games, and I took him out in one shot. I would argue the three hardest bosses in the game are:

1) Prince Lothric and his brother
2) Nameless King
3) Pontiff Sulyvahn

[thekhurg]

Nameless King. Only boss that took a few tries.

[Herpofderpopol]

The games are weird like that ive noticed. Well not weird, but Im the one who introduced these games to a few of my friends, and im always the one whos bought them and after i beat them I harass my friends to so we can share in the soulsy wonders. With every game me and my friends would have a hard time on different bosses, I would beat one in one try while a friend would have a hard time, and vise versa for other bosses. People pick up on certain strategies better I guess, or get lucky.

[GL0STiCKS]

The ones that gave me the hardest times are the abyss watchers, twins, and Klin of the first flame. The others weren't too terrible. But the giant fucked me up at first because I didn't realize you could just special him to death lol

[wsoutlaw87]

pontiff? you think? I beat him my first try, but i might have been lucky.

[Pongwater]

@Spurg - Don't pretend like all those DS3 weapons are useful. I went through the entire game with my starting weapon because I never needed to change. What I see in PvP and co-op shows me most people aren't using most weapons.

BB has more quality to it's bosses, which are tougher, it's environments, which are more varied and open, it's overall atmosphere, which nails the HP Lovecraft influence that all these games have, and it's story, which has more lore and again nails the Lovecraft influence. BB's weapons, though fewer, are more interesting imo because they aren't the same ones we've used in 4 Souls games and because they transform.

[RedDeadLB]

I guess you guys didn't find Archdragon's Peak.
The Nameless King is easily more difficult than any other boss in the game. Kudos to the Abyss Watchers though, they pissed me off on my first playthrough. Died 5-6 times.

[StockpileTom]

@Pongwater https://www.youtube.com/wat...
Yes, BB Boss quality...

[nucky64]

the variety of weapons and such is overrated - I used around 7 or 8 weapons in ds3 - but, really I used only 4 most of the time. I liked bloodborne (more than dark souls 3) for the atomosphere/locations - but this last "dark" game was still fun!

[mechlord]

Lol. I used just two: the uchi and the washing pole when i got it. destroyed everything in my path. On top of that, i used the shield of want (for that quick access to weapon art) and played the entire game like a proper samurai.

[Nivekki]

'the variety of weapons and such is overrated'

By you. That doesn't mean much.

'I used around 7 or 8 weapons in ds3'

Ok, so? Every weapon on DS3 can be used, and they do have pros and cons. Variety is not overrated, it gives you a lot of decisions to make. There are so many weapons in DS3 that can be used effectively, people are coming up with new methods all the time because they're not restricted to a few weapons. Bloodborne PVP is near enough non existent because of the lack of variety.

Variety is overrated, lol.

Look at this video and see how many viable builds there are, the only limit is your skill - https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[nucky64]

spurg - can you give me the link to the article which miyazaki "admits not enough variety in bloodborne" .......I googled your quote and can't find anything anywhere in which he says that.

[joab777]

When the BB GotY edition or whatever comes, with all dlc and weapons, it will be a complete package.

And honestly, the twin princes gave me the hardest time. Died like 10x b4 beating them.

[Nivekki]

There already is a BB Goty edition.

[bloodybutcher]

no. it's not. i played all of them, from Demon's Souls to BB and now DS3 and, though the games punish you for overconfidence, they are not too hard. or, if they are for someone, then i have only one thing to say...
you all know what is coming...
GIT GUD, FILTHY CASUL

[Herpofderpopol]

Perhaps its just not hard because you HAVE played them all? The games are similar enough to still be experienced in the next one just from playing the last.

[admiralvic]

"Perhaps its just not hard because you HAVE played them all?"

Objectively speaking, from my experience with Demon's Souls anyway, the games are designed in such a way that they anticipate what you're going to do and then punish you for doing it.

There were a lot of times when I would too hastily go down a path and get killed by a rock trap, have a dragon burn me or something else. This is why people often say the game feels like you made a mistake instead of it being unfair. In terms of actual combat, difficulty and so forth, enemies were typically in small numbers, fairly slow and so forth.

Sure someone with experience will find them easier, as you're aware of the games tricks, but they're not hard, as in there is a legitimate skill barrier preventing you from progressing, like you'd find in Vanquish's tactical challenge 6, Ninja Gaiden and things of the like.

[Herpofderpopol]

Ya I suppose you right. For the most part, id say it takes knowledge for PvE, and skill is needed for PvP, other than certain situations here and there

[bloodybutcher]

that is not what i meant. i wrote, that none of them was too hard, it's simply a learning process. sure, the Demon's Souls Flamelurker nearly gave me a heart attack, but still you just had to come to the fight prepared. as admiral has said, when you're trying to go hastily, the game is likely to punish you.

[Pongwater]

It's the easiest of the series (+Bloodborne) imo so if this one's too hard you might as well forget about the others.

[jambola]

hardest or easiest game is subjective, you might find it the easiest, some might consider it the hardest, just like whichever one you think it the hardest, they might find the easiest.

[Nivekki]

I thought BB was easier tbh.

[cyberwaffles]

I played the first Demon Souls a long time ago and got midway through before I got tired of constantly backtracking and losing all my souls. I liked the combat and stoic world but it did start getting frustrating. It was still fun though, especially when you did finally take down a hard enemy and got some cool reward for it. I want to try to the Dark Souls and Bloodborne games but I'll admit Demon Souls can get pretty irritating. Kind of reminds me of the Ninja Gaiden games. Fun to play and the combat is amazing but all the cheap deaths used to make me rage quit.

[Herpofderpopol]

Which cheap deaths though? There werent any unavoidable attacks or obstacles as far as i remember.

@franwex I honestly cant think of them, thats what Ive always enjoyed about the games, and also why I asked about specific parts.

[franwex]

Cmon man, let's be honest, there's a ton of cheap deaths in those games. Not saying the games are bad, but to deny it is fanboy status.

[Hoffmann]

That question. Lol.

[magiciandude]

Actually it is too fun to be hard!

[ILikeGamesYeah]

Dark souls is an experience to me. Saying dark souls isn't fun is like saying Schindler's list didn't have enough laughs.

Not to say it isn't enjoyable but there can be many different aspects of fun in games. Take heavy rain, rocket league and diablo 3. In my eyes each one a great game but you you could easily say getting immersed in heavy rain isn't fun as playing rocket league with mates. Or grinding on diablo I could do for hours but difficult to describe it as fun, even though I enjoy it in my own way.

Dark souls is a game which you can get such a unique experience precisely because it doesn't compromise. Imagine if in dark souls secret areas and enemies would be almost impossible to miss as it would be unfair if everyone didn't get a chance to see everything in one playthrough. Maybe you could even have a navigation arrow in the top of your character so you don't get lost and don't have to explore the beautiful world that's been created. If this happened you wouldn't have dark souls, you'd have another generic rpg.

[holtzy]

no this game is how games were back in the day, this game is built to be hard all you little cry babies are the issue not the game

[trywizardo]

easier than NIOH , that shit was crazy hard

[q8kik]

It's not hard! Ninja Gaiden Black is hard, Punch out is hard, Contra is hard, Tekken, Kof, and Guilty Gear are hard.
The Souls games are a walk in the park compared to ACTUAL HARD GAMES. Stop saying that they're hard cuz they're not.

[Herpofderpopol]

And yet, many people struggle with it, hmmmm.

[q8kik]

Then the games that I mentioned and many more are completely unplayable to them.
Which is sad because many of these are extremely good games.

[Herpofderpopol]

Ya but, couldnt certain ppl say the same thing about those games? At what point do we say a game is or isnt hard? If people can overcome the challenges in NG Black, couldnt they just say its easy? My measure would be how many people say its hard, and if I personally found it easy I would still acknowledge that many others find it difficult, and that its probably a hard game. The thing with dark souls like I said above is that PvE takes knowledge(of the game) and PvP takes more skill, other than certain situations like dodging or blocking timing in PvE or just having a smart and effective plan of attack in PvP.

@below Ya but is there a stamina bar to manage? How is the ability to dodge? Are there any special op moves an opponent cant cancel? Theyre hard for different reasons.

[q8kik]

I'm just saying that on paper games like NG and KoF are mechanically more demanding, and require much much faster and harder execution. You simply can't compare reacting to a 15 frame attack in NG or KoF to the very slow(generally speaking) enemy attacks in DS which are most likely 30 frames and above.
Compared to a bunch of games mentioned above.....and im going to be blunt
Souls frame data is laughable
Parrying is easy
Dodging is easy
If you nail the timing for the invincibility frames the game becomes that much easier.
Mechanically it's an easy game. Numbers are numbers, that's why I'm only mentioning the technical mechanics, frame data and execution.

[q8kik]

"Theyre hard for different reasons."
For what reasons?

[jambola]

shhh shh, he is the arbiter of what is hard,

[admiralvic]

"At what point do we say a game is or isnt hard? "

The issue with calling the Souls series easy or hard is that hard never seemed like the right term to describe it. It's very similar to the issues people had with Bungie calling the raid challenges, well, challenges, since the general belief was that they weren't difficult (Oryx I believe was thought to be easiest under CM conditions). However, similar to how Destiny's use of the term was different than the general belief (it was challenge, as in I challenge you to do something, not that doing said thing is a challenge), the Souls series is a different kind of hard.

There is no denying that the Souls series can be difficult to play. It is designed around punishing you, there aren't a lot of resources, going about things the wrong way can and often will cause you to fail and every failures a massive set back. As annoying as these things are, I think what makes the Souls series so popular is that, despite its similarities are the critically unsuccessful Spelunker HD, it's also very accessible, unlike Spelunker HD.

As Q8kik was, I believe anyway, trying to get at, the Souls series doesn't have massive skill barriers. In Spelunker HD there were a number of jumps that required near pixel perfect execution or deep understanding of the mechanics while dealing with random variables and a time limit. So, no matter what you say, think or believe, if you can't make said jump, then you'll never progress. You'll just constantly be stuck in a loop trying to get past a seemingly impossible task.

The Souls series offers challenge, but there are often multiple different ways to approach a problem, plenty of ways to react to it, unlimited time (generally speaking) to deal with it and so forth. So, no matter how difficult the series might be, nothing in it is impossible for the average person to accomplish. A point often proven by looking at the trophies. None of the platinums are absurdly rare, with tasks like beating the game being surprisingly high. To put it another way, according to PSNProfiles, Dark Souls III has a higher average trophy percent than Destiny, with a little under twice as many platinum achievers.

You'd think of the game was so hard it would have a much lower percent, but it simply doesn't.

[hirobrotagonist]

Ninja gaiden black is not harder than dark souls...and yes. I beat that game multiple times

[q8kik]

I meant the Fiend challenges, Not the campaign. Especially the last three.

[jambola]

while i haven't played most of them games, i have played all the tekken games, so unless you are actually comparing the hardest difficulty and challenge modes in games to the main game of dark souls.

[q8kik]

To make things easier and simpler( because of the different genres) I'm going to suggest comparing things that both games have.
Go ahead and compare the PVP in both games and tell me with a straight face that Tekken is easier.

[mechlord]

Contra is hard?

[Psychotica]

I love the difficulty but hate the glitches. For example the clipping where the enemy can hit you through a stone column or wall.

[hirobrotagonist]

Hit them back through the same wall. I do agree that they should patch more of the bugs. They haven't fixed any of the broken quest issues

[madmonkey01]

probably the easiest of all the souls games +bloodborne

[Xavior_Reigns]

Dark Souls 2 still owns that IMO.

[Snakefist30]

Its True though DS3 and Bloodborne is easy compare to previous souls game

[garrettbobbyferguson]

The difficulty is what makes it fun. What should be criticized is how the difficulty is applied sometimes. In Dark Souls 2 instead of making bosses that challenge your skill, they would just challenge your ability to destroy pawns quickly enough to not die to their overpowered attacks. Not exactly fun or difficult, just tedious.

[SaveFerris]

There is something very rewarding about learning a strategy to defeat a boss after losing several times. Unless it is a visual novel, video games are meant to be challenging. You are meant to learn timing your jump to cross onto another platform, or reading the moves of the AI opponent etc. There is no fun without a challenge imo.

[Bennibop]

If you play the game correctly it is not hard.

[TheBeguiler]

No. Next Question?

[hirobrotagonist]

I'm level 130 on new game+ and it's fun for me.

[kevnb]

No. A lot of games are easy just to hide how clunky the gameplay actually is, the souls games have excellent gameplay which makes the challenge welcome.

[darren_poolies]

People need to get a grip. The game is no where near as hard as it's made out to be. Gaming media is the reason more people don't play the Souls games. Stop making out like it's the hardest thing in the world.

[nub_cakes101]

No

[Fin_The_Human]

They should include an easier mode or a skip certain bosses mode for people like me who aren't as good but still enjoy the game.

Honestly I love the art style and game play but some bosses jiet make me stop and never pick up the game again.

[Herpofderpopol]

Co op bruh. Easy mode right there. Also there are a bunch of optional bosses you could avoid.

[Xavior_Reigns]

Its like you're asking to get burnt... but you're unfit of even becoming ash. Git Gud.

[jambola]

They should also have an invincibility mode, for people who never want to die

[assdan]

Let me respond with an equally well thought out counter argument. Git gud gut gud git gud git gud.

[Xavior_Reigns]

Get good.

[LuisAlmeida]

Is very hard, yeah, and if the frustration is bigger than pacience, then the game is not fun for that person. Simple. On the other hand, people with pacience will probably like Dark Souls e the game will be fun for that player.

[NewZealander]

I have a pretty short attention span, so for me when it comes to the souls games I'm quick to give up and just play something fun that's not a total chore, I only play an hour or so a night, I don't want to spend it trying to beat one freaking boss, I actually hate these games with a passion

[nitus10]

If you have a short attention span or get frustrated easily then games like this are not for you, however, remember that in real life there is no reset or save button, walk-through, how too and especially no easy mode.

[S-Word]

If anything it's too easy to be fun. I don't think a game being too hard will get rid of its fun factor.

[Gardenia]

Is it just me or is DS3 the easiest in the series? Maybe after years of Souls games I know how you're suppose to play the game

[InTheLab]

Aside from those cheap enemies in discount Latria, the game is fair....which means over time you'll figure out a safe route to the next bonfire and the best tactic against that tough boss.

As for fun....the fun comes with accomplishment....

[Dowie]

I'm as casual as they come...I get destroyed in games like DMC or ninja gaiden but have beaten every game in the souls series. No, they're not hard. They're really overhyped for difficulty which adds in this placebo effect that makes people think they're too difficult.

But they're really not...They're very enjoyable games. I loved just exploring finding all the weapons, spells etc. The bosses are incredibly fun to fight and even some of the enemies offer a unique experience on combat. Sure if you go all in smashing the attack button then you'll get destroyed but if you approach it more methodical and calculated you'll find this game is just about average on difficult. Thats some that i've always found with these games. Outside of PVP its rarely about skill its about decision making, keeping calm and observing the situation/surroundings.

Heck if you're really struggling just summon some people. Most people will just carry you through the hard parts of the game.

[jambola]

so what,? they are as hard as you say they are? not as hard as anyone else says?

[SouljAx360]

I gotta start by saying I haven't played Dark Souls 3. I've played 1, 2, and currently playing Bloodborne.
But the games aren't as hard as people make them out to be. The From Software fanbase is pretty toxic with their "git gud" attitude, hyping the games up as an accomplishment to beat, and that some people just aren't good enough. But there are some old Nintendo games that make these games seem like a cake walk.
They are just hard enough to be challenging, while not being impossible at all. You just have to learn the enemies, try to be patient and calm, and accept that dying is something that will happen. The secret to happily playing Souls/BB, is to let it go. Just let it go, who cares. I'm also referring to your precious souls and echoes. Don't worry about them, quit focusing on leveling up your character and worry about learning the mechanics better instead. Once you make that change of mind the game becomes more fun and the challenge drives you to keep playing it until you git gud enough to win. Even if you're SL 1 you can still win if you know what to do. And whatever you do, if you have a strategy that's working, don't get extra aggressive when their health is low. Just stick to the plan, even play safer if you need to it's not a race.

[jambola]

Difficulty is subjective you know? you can't just say "no, everyone else is wrong, it's as hard as i say"
why do so many people do that?

[q8kik]

Because Numbers are numbers.
Invincibilty frames.
Frame data.
Parry windows.
How many moves you have
How many moves the enemy has
All of these are nothing more than numbers. There are games that require faster reaction, much harder inputs/ execution and require more memory muscle than the souls series.

[Lastlivingsoul]

The Souls games are my all-time favorite games. I've beaten all of them at least once. They are hard for me...beaten about half the bosses in the series on my own, the rest I needed another person's help. I am terrible at PVP...more so in DS3 than any others for some reason. The point is I've beaten all of them, yet I am technically not good enough to have done that. Difficulty is not a barrier for Dark Souls. Disinterest or an unwillingness to learn the game is the real barrier.

Ninja Gaiden, nearly everything from SNES/Genesis era, a lot of modern Roguelikes, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter online...that is true difficulty to me.

I will say that since Dark Souls 1, I immediately crank up the difficulty to max for virtually every game I play. To me, in general, it makes games more fun and rewarding.

[GrubsterBeater]

Git Gud.

The Souls games are meant to be "difficult", and if you can't adapt to the gameplay, then it's definitely not for you.

Me, personally, find myself having more fun playing Dark Souls/Bloodborne than most other games out there. Wish I had more time to be able to play. Currently at 40 hours with Dark Souls III.

[GrimDragon]

I dunno....I've seen people do amazing things with this game. Things like beating the first boss with their bare hands. One guy literally killed pontiff Sullivan with one swing of his sword. I mean the stuff I've seen done in this game makes me feel really stupid for how much iam struggling with it. Right now iam stuck on abyss watchers for the second day and iam ready to just call it quits. Iam a "fading veteran" my reflexes ain't what they use to be and my pattern recognition is lacking. So I have a lot going against me. I love this fucking game but iam afraid I won't ever see the end of it. It's funny I did beat bloodborne and midway through the dlc iam not sure if it's because it was easier or I was more into it or both. What I do know is that these games require a certain level of skill and dedication to be exciting. For players like myself aging and not as sharp as we use to be it's a humbling experience that makes you feel like it's time to hang up the controllers.

These games are different levels of difficult to different people. I can't say dark souls is an inviting game or a game who's meaning of "fun" means the same to everyone. Some love the feeling of overcoming a boss after hours of trying and that's "fun" others love just taking in the world it's lore and it's secrets maybe that's "fun" others might prefer everything this game has but in one that's more forgiving like elder scrolls. Personally I don't like the trial and error routine of this game and less so when I can't beat a boss for the 20th time because iam not fast enough. The bottom line for me is I just don't have the patience or the skill needed to beat this game I can't "get gud" because iam too dam old for this game and it's not good for my arthritis lol. Oh well at least I have bloodborne looks like it was made just right for aging veteran gamers like myself......but I'll still look over to dark souls and always wish I was just a few years younger so I can slap the living shit out that fucking abyss watcher! But it's cool no really it's all good. Gonna go stab something with my Ludwig sword to make up for it.

[zelent]

Personally, I felt this game was way too easy for a Souls game.

[DarXyde]

It really isn't too hard. It is brutal, but "too hard" suggests it can't be done alone. In all of these titles, I always play through all of the games the first time without summoning any phantoms to help. I've beaten every boss in Dark Souls III, which in my opinion was harder than Bloodborne by a commendable margin. I've even beaten that jerk of an optional boss that you face in the sky.

I'm an average gamer at best with very average skill.I really enjoyed Dark Souls III. If I can beat it and feel the game is fun, so can any of you. You just need to apply yourselves. This is not a mindless game. You have to be very aware of attacks coming, tells, patterns, and strategies you can use.

Perhaps if you don't enjoy thinking through your games, it is too hard to be fun. Otherwise, plenty of great fun to be had.

[quent]

The game also teaches us to go beyond the rage and just say f**k it, I'll keep coming at yah till ye die, you can't kill the undead,..*correction*,unkindle d.

[GL0STiCKS]

This is the first DS game I've played. It sucked at first. I was getting dominated. But now I've got the hang of things I'm pretty good. It was and still is kind of frusterating, but hey. I'm glad it's not one of those easy games you blow by. But good god. The twins... Or Klin of the first flame.....

[Herpofderpopol]

The thing is its a different kind of difficult than most games, some come down to time limits, sometimes its enemies with high health and damage or unpredictable and erratic enemies. This game has a lot to it that can be a main issue for peoples progression, including simply not being aware of certain mechanics, and most people dont have the time or interest to learn a game with as much depth and variety of a souls game. It rewards patience and exploration( not just of the world, the mechanics too ) the most unlike most games.

[franwex]

I was contemplating this notion today. It's not fun in a "Mario Kart" type of way. It's more like getting an A in a math test way. You studied for hours and it payed off-type of fun.

[Get_A_Job_Foxtrot]

Why is this so hard to understand: if you don't like challenging games, then DON'T buy them. Read a review you halfway illiterate fools. If you don't have the patience to research a game before buying it, then you certainly lack the patience for a game of this calibur.

Don't buy it, and you won't have to worry. Simple.

[Tankbusta40]

Easiest soulsbourne game ever made... One boss is tough and he is optional.

[joab777]

It's not even that hard. Seriously. It isnt. It can be as easy or hard as you make it. You can outlevel everything if you want to. And of you slow down and take your time. Also, you can co-op or use a bow and make the game laughably easy.

[sullynathan]

currently playing the game. It isn't too hard.

[XtaZ]

DS3 is literally the easiest game in the Souls series and they really dumbed it down to sell it to a wider audience. I still loved it though but I hope the DLCs bring harder boss fights so I actually have to spend more than 30 minutes max before I down a boss for the first time.

[fungusar]

Ha ha, i gave up on Dark Souls 1... too hard for me

[SuperFly456]

Started my journey with the Dark Souls franchise about 6 months ago. Here is how it went: Bought Dark Souls 1. Had no clue what was going on. Spent around 8 hours grinding for souls at the bonfire before the Taurus demon. Wasn't about to be him after about 50 tries and gave up. Decided to give Dark Souls 2 a try. Ended up beating 4-5 bosses and then just kind of stopped playing. Fast forward to Dark Souls 3 and I was able to beat the game a few days ago. Beaten all the bosses except for the Nameless King. Since then, I've went back to the previous two games and have seen some massive progress. Beat the Taurus demon my first try. Took on a few more bosses in the second game and beat them fairly easily.

When I first started these games, I heard they were crazy hard and treated them as such. I now personally think that they simply punish impatience and stupidity. As far as this game being too hard to be fun, I wouldn't say that at all. Just takes time and effort. You'll get better as you play these games more.

[Vanfernal]

I actually found it to be the easiest in the series... It's much more accessible and forgiving than the other games.

[Mr Marvel]

The difficulty is very over-exaggerated.
I have the Platinum trophy and finished the game on NG++... difficulty was just right imo.

[aquaticDonut]

I'm enjoying my time with DS3, but no game is for everyone and some people look for different things in games. Anyone who likes challenge will love this game, but some people like my friend who plays games just to relax probably wouldn't. I guess I get the writer's point in a sense.

[rezzah]

https://www.kickstarter.com...

A fun way to continue the enjoyment of the series among friends.

[RedSoakedSponge]

click bait article if ever i saw one. GTFO

[N0vasphere]

Dark souls 101 : git gud, son

[Braxmapoutras]

Well despite all the things being said I believe that ds3 is the easiest among all the souls games....
From most difficult to easiest.

1: Dark Souls 2 Scholar of the first sin
2: Dark souls 1
3: Bloodborne
4: Dark Souls 3

I hope they ramp up the difficulty in the dlcs like they did with scholars of the first sin in dark souls 2

[mechlord]

It's not even that hard.....this is the most accessible game of the souls series yet. Talk about whiners :s

Besides, with all that has been said about these games everywhere, how can someone pick this without knowing? Do people just stroll in stores and buy games based on the cover?

GIT GUD!

[jambola]

yes, believe it or not, not everybody does research every time they want to buy anything

[PyroMessiah86]

Too hard to be fun?! Challenge is fun. Regardless of challenge Dark Souls is a really fun series and very playable.

I love the series because of the gameplay, art direction, sound and many other reasons. So yes....to me it's a fun series. I've finished all 3 almost and it's my fave series of games in many years.

[CoNn3r_B]

I'm finding it to be the easiest Dark Souls for me so far, DS 1 was the hardest with Bloodborne coming in second. I'm not sure if it's by design or if I've just gotten much better at it.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

For many people the extreme challenge is part of the fun. I personally don't care for all the stress, but I'm glad there's still a ton of hardcore gamers out there.

[ContinuePlay]

If anything, it's the easiest game in the series.

[asadachi]

And today's whiny loser is.... Rick Dakan. Crap writing Rick, way to go.

[jznrpg]

Every Souls game, same article.

[jambola]

No

[blawren4]

Many devs are trying to maximize sales and the only way to do this is to widen their audience and make the game totally accessible( ie. easier). In reality, the goal is not to maximize, but satisfice, which means that sales are good enough that they are content. This is certainly OK.

[Gatsu]

Games used to be more hard in the past and Souls games returned to show us, that they still can be while being mindblowing also. Not every game need to feel easy and the pleasure you get from surpassing obstacles that seems impossible is quite satisfying in the end.

It can be hard but it sure is fun.

[PixelGateUk]

no

[MilkMan]

This game is not for everyone and personally I like Lords of the Fallen better.
I dont mind dying and working for your victories but at least in Lords you get to feel like a bad ass.
Thats very important for me.
I put in the work and I see benefit. The game gets harder as I progress but unlike Souls games, when I revisit older areas I can kick their butts by breathing on them, even if the rewards are poultry (rightfully so).

Also I personally lie the graphical style and the attention to detail in Lords, its just more appealing than the Gothic setting.

One last thing. The story and the game mechanics are nowhere near as confusing as Souls games.

[Nathan_Hale53]

Short answer, no.

[SirBradders]

It's fun and rewarding, you get a sense of being part of a elite club that's faced up to it. With all that said and done I'm stuck on nameless king before the final boss.

[Cartman55125]

I thought it was fun, so no

[esmittystud101]

I have seen so many of these articles in the past few months. From Software isn't changing anything up. With the past absenence of Hidetaka Miyazaki on Dark Souls II, because Sony asked him to work on Bloodborne at the time, he had to leave the production of Dark Souls II. We Souls players know this but I thought I would throw it in for the people that don't know. So when they are making Dark Souls II, they end up changing the game. It didn't really sit well with the fan base. I can't say for myself. I'm getting ready to finish Dark Souls and then I'm playing Dark Souls II. So I know whats coming, but I'm still going to play it and fully finish it.

Dark Souls is perfect really. You get a little over half way through the game and then you get an item that lets you warp around the map. I'm glad I didn't have this right off the bat. You really get the hang of the map and all the shortcuts when you are forced to run through all of them instead of warping. I like warping, but not until I'm a little over half way through the game that way I get the area down pat.

I have a feeling when I start DS II, I'm not going to memorize areas as well because warping is given to you right off the bat. Plus the enemies in some areas if not most do not spawn back in after they have been killed a set number of times. Unless you wana NG+ the area I guess. Something I think Miyazaki would have axed in a heartbeat along with the instant warp at the start of the game. I heard that the map in DS II isn't like Bloodborne, or Dark Souls, or DS III for that matter. I'm sure I will still like the game and all but its going to take some hours to get used to that.

Can't wait. I'm 115 hours into Dark Souls and still have a large amount of the game to finish, I think. LOL. I've been playing it real smart though. When I found The Great Hollow for instance I was worried, "Am I even going to be able to climb out of here?" So I made sure I had enough stats to take Homeward Miracle, even though I have Homeward Bones, I don't like to use them if I can just use Homeward Miracle instead. Might need those Homeward Bones for the times I don't have Homeward Miracle with me at the time. So I get to the bottom and then I find Ash Lake and I forgot and lite the Bonfire right at the start. I thought I was screwed for a minute but relized I have the Lord Vessel now and I warped out of there when I needed to after speaking to the (taleless) Dragon so I wouldn't have a headache climbing back up the tree again and only having to go back through Blightown.

I'm thankful for the Lord Vessel, but way into the game, not at the start.

[DVAcme]

Pffft, if anything, this is the easiest and most accessible entry to the series so far. Pre-patch Dark Souls 1, THAT was f***ing hard.

[noksucow73]

I think the difficulty of the series is what makes the series so popular. Can't just fly through it. That being said,im stuck on Bloodborne like a mug! Want to finish it before getting DS3. At this rate I may not be getting DS3 til 2018. Lol

[Gitgud]

If it's too hard for you, git gud or die trying.

[LAWSON72]

No me and 3 friends beat it solo (one was actually new to the series), while giving advice and talking about epic moments. It was a damn good experience especially when most games these days hold your hand and anyone could beat mindlessly.

[CoDsuperstar]

this game is easier than most games that have a brutal difficulty level.

[rataranian]

Its not hard if you take your time and are able to read attack patterns.
However after demons souls, 2 other dark souls, and blood born Im retiring from these games. 3 didnt even interest me enough to buy it. More of the same just made me lose interest.
I guess they said theyre done with Souls games tho. I dont buy into that though.