Is ‘Easy Mode’ Possible In Dark Souls?

Smoothing out the difficulty curve isn’t about making the game easier, it’s about giving players the tools to be better.

[uth11]

If they made them easier, it would enable people to rush through them and they would turn around and complain the game is too short.

From found a formula that works well, and it's hard to see how they could make it much easier without harming a piece of what makes the games work well. A big part of that is psychological- make the player feel a sense of dread, or make the next enemy appear tougher than it is.

Anyway, it's a moot debate as From said they aren't working on more Souls games.

[Macka1080]

Agreed, and that's why a theoretical Easy mode wouldn't be about making the game easier, but rather training the player in how to manage the threats of the Souls worlds. It would be the in-game version of the instructive YouTube videos and strategy guides that already exist.

[jholden3249]

I don't want an easier difficulty. Neither do I want easy mode for Monster Hunter.

However, I recognize the value in having an easy mode. Not all players are the same, not all can attain the same level of skill, and all should not be treated with a single cookie cutter formula.

They could easily implement an easy mode where damage taken is slightly less, i-frames are slightly more, perhaps one extra Estus flask, etc.

That's not going to magically win the game for people, but it can be the difference between new players giving up and succeeding enough to stick with it.

And if the franchise base is to grow, they MUST make it more welcoming for new players and the less skilled. Easy mode would be completely optional and would not affect anyone who did not desire to play that mode. And I don't think an extra Estes flask and slightly less damage is going to suddenly make the game too short to where people complain and even if they did you could just easily rebut and see them play the normal mode now that you've broken your skills in a little bit.

Monster Hunter Generations made huge strides toward shortening that gap between veterans and noobs without compromising the challenge experienced players seek out. And Dark Souls needs to do the same. The exclusive 'git gud' mentality, and not just from players but the devs themselves, is hurting the franchise. And while I respect From's decisions as it is their game, that doesn't mean I necessarily agree with every decision they make.

[ziggurcat]

No. Either learn the mechanics or summon help.

[Movefasta1993]

It's hilarious when people who coop the dark souls games claim it's easy.No shit it's an easy game when you coop it or spam spells.

[nitus10]

Spamming spells in Dark Souls is a great way to die. Most spells are fairly slow to initiate and within that timeframe the spellcaster can easily be overwhelmed by a fighter with fairly mediocre weapons. The hand flame spell of the Pyromancer is fairly fast and when leveled up and can be devastating against pretty much anyone but there still is a delay of about half a second and a good weapons fighter can use that opening to their advantage.

In Bloodborne, you can also use spells that require bullets which can be used very effectively and can even be a one hit kill (you need to be level 18 or more to do this) on some creatures. Of course, nothing beats visceral attacks.

The easy mode in all Souls games and Bloodborne is to request and accept coop whether it be with NPC's or player assist and most bosses actually go for your coop partner first and if they kill them guess who is now in the firing line.

[KilKarazy]

It's really well balanced now but if they wanted to make an easy mode I think reducing the cost of upgrades and boosting the starting stats would probably be enough

[quent]

The game isn't for everyone, take away the challenge to a appeal to more gamers and the game loses its identity and what makes it so satisfying to overcome, I think people the need more patients and really get out of their comfort zone and rise to the challenge, its what defines the souls series, these games improve the gamers themselves more then any ingame stats and difficulty settings ever can.

[jholden3249]

I get what you're saying, and I stand by what you say about taking away what makes it so satisfying.

But that's for us. Think about others who aren't as skilled, and never will be. People who, if the difficulty was just toned down even 5% they would be able to push through and enjoy the game. The great thing about difficulty options is that they are options so it doesn't actually take anything away from the game at all. It only adds to the game by providing enjoyment to those who cannot find enjoyment in the standard difficulty.

I think we have a culture of looking down on and shunning the less skilled, and I don't think it's right. I used to do time trial runs in DKC Tropical Freeze, which is one of the most difficult and hard core speed runs you can do, and I would look at times of the best in the world, and just get frustrated when I couldn't even break the top hundred. And I would think to myself "I am an above average gamer when it comes to skill level, but I can never attain that kind of skill that they have". And that's when I realized what it must feel like for the less skilled, who just don't have what it takes to play games like this. And I don't necessarily think they should miss out on such a great game when all it would take is an optional mode tailored to them which could bring them into the fold.

[nitus10]

If you like competing against the world try the challenges in Gravity Rush although this may not be the type of game you like. There is nothing like pulling off a gold medal in a timed trial and coming in about 40,000 in the world and the top players can actually do that same trial in half the time. Even worse is when you get 6,000 plus for a kill streak and come in about 15,000 in the world with the top players getting well over 200,000. Still, I had a great time attempting those challenges. Will I be able to get to number one? I very much doubt it but I know my limitations and as long as I can enjoy the game I am better for it.

Not everyone can be a top player or athlete but everyone should at least try their best. Games like the Souls series and Bloodborne are tough and are designed to be so but you always have the means to compleat the game be it higher levels, better weapon and armour or even player assist from NPC's and online players.

I have always found that the people who complain the most about the Souls games or Bloodborne are casuals who usually end up saying that they don't have the time to learn how to "Git Gud". When those games take well over 40 hours to compleat (speed runs aside) how can anyone say that they don't have the time. It's no wonder that players who are willing to "Git Bttr" have a tendency to look down on these "princesses".

[Crakface]

Get your casual A## away from my dark souls. Go play tiddly winks you girl.

[BassMan125]

Yes. Git gud.

[nitus10]

It's not a matter of "Git Gud" it's also a matter of "Git Bttr". 😉

[SSjDomon]

There's no good reason not to have standard difficulty modes available. Any argument to the contrary is subjective, but objectively there's just no reason not to have Easy, Normal, and Hard modes in most games.

[quent]

wasn't my intent to sound elitist in anyway, I'm talking as someone who once started out new (hard mode)"trying" to play dark souls 1, after loathing and hating the experience after probably struggling between 10-20hrs, I just lost it and drop the game probably for 6 months, and in between those 6 months I kept hearing great things about dark souls, completely confused to why?, so I went back and just said F%#K it and said to myself I'll keep at it till get it right, I find what people found that made it something special, so eventually it just clicked, there's no other word for, don't know when it happened, but when it did I fell in love with the game(in my top3) , so I'm speaking as gamer who went through the same experiences as new players to the souls series, you don't want an easy mode, you just don't know it yet.