Is Elden Ring the hardest game ever?

Elden Ring’s difficulty is a complex issue. While it’s undeniably challenging, claiming it’s the hardest game ever is subjective and depends heavily on individual player experience and skill sets. The game’s difficulty stems from its unforgiving combat system, demanding precise timing and strategic thinking rather than button-mashing. The interconnected open world throws numerous powerful enemies at the player without a clear hand-holding progression, encouraging exploration and experimentation but also leading to frustrating deaths. However, its difficulty is cleverly designed; mastering mechanics leads to satisfying victories, and numerous options exist for overcoming obstacles, such as summoning other players or strategically using items. Comparing it to other notoriously difficult games like Battletoads or Dark Souls reveals that while Elden Ring presents a steep learning curve and consistent challenges, it offers more freedom and agency, mitigating the frustration for many players who appreciate a high skill ceiling. The Soulsborne series, of which Elden Ring is a part, has a reputation for its challenging yet rewarding gameplay; Elden Ring’s vast scope simply expands this established difficulty, making it arguably one of the most challenging games in the genre, but not necessarily the hardest ever made.

Its placement on a list of hardest games ever depends on the criteria used – whether it’s raw difficulty, lack of hand-holding, frustration induced, or even the subjective challenge players themselves encounter.

Is Elden Ring exactly like Dark Souls?

Elden Ring shares a deep lore connection with the Souls series, expanding on its mythology with a richer narrative experience. Think of it as the same intricate world, but with more stories woven throughout.

Combat remains familiar to Souls veterans, featuring the same deliberate, high-risk/high-reward style. However, Elden Ring’s combat balance is frequently debated, with some players finding it less refined than previous entries. Expect challenging boss fights and demanding enemy encounters that require careful strategy and precise timing.

Character progression mirrors the Souls system, exchanging Souls for Runes to upgrade stats. This familiar leveling system allows for diverse builds, catering to various playstyles. However, the vast open world allows for more experimentation with build variety, encouraging players to deviate from typical character archetypes.

While the core mechanics are rooted in the Souls formula, Elden Ring’s open world drastically changes the pacing and exploration. The sense of discovery and the sheer scale of the map are significant departures from the more linear structure of previous games.

What is the hardest game to run right now?

Determining the single “hardest” game to run is tricky, as performance depends heavily on your specific hardware. However, several titles consistently push systems to their limits. Red Dead Redemption 2, with its vast, detailed world and sophisticated physics engine, remains a significant challenge. Cyberpunk 2077, notorious for its initial performance issues, still demands considerable processing power, especially at higher settings with ray tracing enabled. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen update boasts impressive visual fidelity, leading to higher system requirements. A Plague Tale: Requiem showcases stunning visuals and detailed environments, demanding a powerful GPU. Finally, Forspoken, with its open world and magical effects, is another contender for top spot in demanding games.

For truly extreme performance testing, consider games specifically designed to benchmark hardware like those used by HYPERPC. These titles often go beyond realistic visual fidelity, pushing the boundaries of what’s currently possible and offering a useful means to compare different hardware setups. Remember to check the minimum and recommended system requirements before purchasing any of these titles to avoid disappointment. Factors like resolution, graphical settings (including ray tracing), and the use of mods significantly impact performance.

Is Elden Ring more accessible than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s accessibility compared to Dark Souls is a hot topic, and rightfully so. The difference is significant, especially for newcomers to the genre. The core gameplay loop remains challenging, but Elden Ring throws you fewer curveballs early on.

Sites of Grace are the key. They’re like checkpoints, but way more plentiful. In Dark Souls, death often meant a brutal trek back to your last bonfire, potentially facing multiple difficult enemies along the way. This punishing loop could be incredibly frustrating. Elden Ring significantly reduces this frustration.

Frequency: Sites of Grace are far more frequent in Elden Ring, often placed strategically before challenging encounters or sprawling areas.
Spirit Ashes & Summons: Elden Ring allows for more extensive use of Spirit Ashes (summoned allies), making boss fights noticeably easier, especially for solo players accustomed to Dark Souls’ more unforgiving difficulty.
Open World Design: The open world itself contributes to accessibility. You’re not forced down a linear path. Getting lost is possible, but it’s also possible to explore, level up, and find easier areas to gain experience and improve your build before tackling something too difficult. Dark Souls’ linearity made this kind of strategic exploration less viable.

However, it’s important to note that Elden Ring’s difficulty is still substantial. While it offers more opportunities to overcome challenges, mastering the combat and understanding enemy attack patterns remains crucial for success. It’s more accessible, but not necessarily *easy*.

Build Variety: The sheer number of builds and playstyles available in Elden Ring can significantly impact difficulty. Experimentation is encouraged, and finding a build that suits your playstyle is a major factor in overcoming challenges.
Exploration Rewards: Exploring the open world rewards the player with plenty of opportunities to level up and find better equipment. This isn’t as straightforward in Dark Souls, where progression is generally more linear.

In short: Elden Ring streamlines the experience, offering more forgiving checkpoints and providing more options to circumvent difficult areas, making it a gentler introduction to FromSoftware’s notoriously difficult games for newcomers, while still retaining a significant challenge.

What is considered the hardest game of all time?

Defining the “hardest game” is subjective, but several consistently rank high in difficulty. This isn’t about unbeatable games, but rather those demanding exceptional skill, patience, and strategic thinking.

Key Factors Determining Difficulty: Difficulty isn’t just about high damage output or frequent death. It’s a multifaceted design choice involving:

Precision-Based Gameplay: Games like Geometry Dash demand pixel-perfect timing and reflexes. Mastering the rhythm is key, highlighting the importance of practice and muscle memory over brute force.
Intense Challenge Curves: Titles such as Dark Souls and Nioh feature brutal difficulty spikes, forcing players to adapt strategies constantly. Learning enemy attack patterns and exploiting weaknesses is crucial.
Unforgiving Punishment: Ghosts ‘n Goblins is notorious for its relentless punishment, often requiring multiple playthroughs to succeed. This design choice teaches persistence and meticulous planning.
Unique and Innovative Mechanics: Games like Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy leverage unconventional controls to create frustration and intense focus. It’s a testament to the power of simple mechanics executed brilliantly (and brutally).

A Look at Some Contenders:

Dark Souls (2011): Known for its unforgiving combat, environmental storytelling, and rewarding sense of accomplishment.
Nioh (2017): Blends Souls-like combat with fast-paced action and a deep, intricate system of skills and buffs.
Lies of P (2023): A newer entry, inheriting the challenging nature of Souls-like games with a Pinocchio twist.
Ghosts ‘n Goblins (1985): A classic example of unforgiving difficulty, demanding precise platforming and skillful combat.
Battletoads (2020): Known for its brutal difficulty, demanding precise platforming and reflexes. The new version retains the challenging spirit of its predecessor.
Geometry Dash (2013): Requires impeccable timing, rhythm, and precision; a test of pure skill.
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy (2017): A unique and frustrating experience, relying on unconventional controls and demanding patience.
A Difficult Game About Climbing (2024): A more recent title building upon the increasingly popular “difficult” genre.

Beyond the List: Remember, the “hardest game” is subjective. Factors like personal skill, experience, and tolerance for frustration heavily influence perception. What one player considers brutally difficult, another may find manageable with enough practice.

Is Elden Ring really worth it?

Elden Ring’s value proposition is undeniable. Its open world, brimming with secrets and challenging but rewarding combat, offers hundreds of hours of gameplay. While you might find copies on the secondary market, be aware that prices often exceed the MSRP. This shouldn’t deter you, however. The sheer breadth and depth of its systems – from character builds and weapon variety to intricate boss fights and compelling lore – make it a masterpiece of game design. For players willing to invest the time and effort required to master its mechanics, the experience is unparalleled. Its difficulty, often cited as a drawback, is integral to the rewarding feeling of overcoming its numerous challenges. Mastering Elden Ring isn’t just about winning; it’s about understanding its systems and evolving your strategies. The sense of accomplishment achieved is profoundly satisfying, justifying the cost and time investment. This makes the question, “Is Elden Ring worth it?”, a resounding yes.

Consider this: countless guides and tutorials exist online, covering everything from basic combat to advanced strategies and hidden areas. These resources significantly aid progression and deepen understanding of the game’s mechanics. These supplementary materials enhance the already rich gameplay experience, making it even more rewarding for dedicated players. Therefore, the price of entry, regardless of where you purchase the game, is a small price to pay for the profound and unforgettable gaming journey Elden Ring offers.

Did Elden Ring sell better than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s sales figures, exceeding 28.6 million units, significantly surpass the combined sales of the entire Dark Souls franchise. This represents a monumental achievement, not only for FromSoftware but also for the broader action RPG genre. The game’s success can be attributed to several factors, including its open-world design, which broadened the appeal beyond the Dark Souls fanbase, its accessible yet challenging gameplay, and the widespread positive critical reception. While precise sales figures for the Dark Souls franchise are difficult to pinpoint due to variations in reporting across different platforms and regions over time, Elden Ring’s success undeniably establishes it as a major landmark in the series’ legacy. The exponential sales growth highlights a successful expansion of the core formula, attracting a substantially larger player base while retaining the series’ defining characteristics. This achievement underscores the effectiveness of strategic game design choices in maximizing market reach and achieving exceptional commercial performance within the competitive landscape of the gaming industry.

What is the easiest Souls game?

Yo, what’s up, fellow gamers? So, easiest Souls game, huh? People always debate this, but honestly, the Demon’s Souls remake is a strong contender. Yeah, it has that new “Fractured Mode” that’s totally bonkers – flips everything horizontally! It’s a wild challenge, but even with that, the overall improvements make it surprisingly accessible.

Why? The level design is more linear than other Souls games, making exploration less daunting. The enemy placement feels a bit more forgiving, and the boss fights, while still challenging, often have more straightforward patterns. The improved graphics and updated mechanics also help. Seriously, the fluidity of combat is a huge step up. You’re gonna be dodging and rolling like a pro in no time.

But, don’t get me wrong, it’s still a Souls game. You’ll die. A lot. But compared to, say, Dark Souls 1 with its obtuse level design and brutal enemy placement… Demon’s Souls is a significantly smoother entry point. It’s perfect for dipping your toes into this amazing series if you’re a newbie.

Pro tip: Don’t sleep on the magic builds in this game. They can really melt bosses, especially early on. Makes things a whole lot easier if you’re struggling.

Is Elden Ring hard for beginners?

Elden Ring’s difficulty is legendary, and rightfully so. It’s brutally hard, especially for newcomers. Forget hand-holding; this game throws you into the deep end and expects you to swim. That’s part of its charm, though.

What makes it so tough? Several things:

Brutal enemy placement: Ambushes are common. You’ll constantly be facing multiple enemies at once, often with vastly different attack patterns.
Relentless bosses: Prepare for epic, multi-phased boss fights that demand precise timing, strategic thinking, and often, multiple attempts.
Open world design: The freedom is amazing, but it also means you can easily stumble into areas far beyond your current capability. Don’t be afraid to explore, but know your limits.
Limited guidance: The game gives you the bare minimum in terms of tutorials. Figuring things out is part of the experience. Embrace the struggle.

But don’t let this discourage you. The challenge is part of the reward. Here’s how to approach it:

Explore thoroughly: Hidden items, upgrade materials, and Spirit Ashes (summonable allies) are everywhere. Finding these will drastically improve your odds.
Experiment with builds: Elden Ring offers a huge variety of weapons, spells, and armor. Find a playstyle that fits you and adapt it as you progress.
Level up strategically: Don’t just focus on increasing your Vigor (health). Consider upgrading your stats based on your chosen weapons and playstyle.
Master the parry and dodge mechanics: These are crucial for survival, especially against tougher enemies and bosses.
Use Spirit Ashes strategically: Summoning allies is incredibly helpful during challenging encounters, but learn their limitations.
Don’t be afraid to summon for help: If you’re truly stuck, use the multiplayer features to summon other players for assistance.

Remember, dying is part of the learning process. Every death is a lesson. You’re not a terrible player if you struggle; you’re just playing a brutally difficult, but ultimately rewarding, game. Persistence is key!

Is Elden Ring any easier than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s “easy” reputation is laughable. While it offers more options and arguably a less punishing initial learning curve compared to the original Dark Souls, claiming it’s easier is misleading. Its open world, while offering respite and alternative routes, also throws significantly more enemies and challenging encounters at you than any previous FromSoftware title, often in relentless waves. The sheer density and variety of enemy placements necessitates a more adaptable and versatile playstyle than the linear structure of Dark Souls. Consider the sheer number of Legacy Dungeons – each one a brutal gauntlet in its own right, rivaling or exceeding the difficulty of entire Dark Souls games. Furthermore, the faster pace, often cited as a factor in its perceived ease, simply means mistakes are punished more swiftly and brutally. The boss fights, while occasionally less intricate than those in Dark Souls 3, often demand perfect execution and punish even minor errors. The overwhelming number of powerful bosses, many optional, significantly increases the overall challenge. In short, Elden Ring provides a different kind of challenge – more about resource management, exploration savvy, and adaptability than pure rote memorization. It’s arguably harder because of its sheer scale and unforgiving nature, even if the initial experience might be less overtly punishing for new players.

What class is easiest to beat Elden?

For Elden Ring newcomers aiming for an easier playthrough, a robust character build prioritizing survivability is key. While several classes offer viable starting points, the Vagabond stands out due to its superior balance. Its 15 Vitality provides a significant health pool, crucial for mitigating early-game challenges. The 14 Strength, second only to the Hero class, allows for effective weapon use without over-specialization. This well-rounded stat distribution avoids early-game bottlenecks, permitting flexibility in build progression and weapon choices. Unlike classes heavily reliant on specific stats, the Vagabond’s balanced attributes allow for experimentation with different playstyles without significant re-investment. This mitigates the learning curve for players unfamiliar with the game’s intricate combat systems and enemy variety. Its inherent defensive capabilities minimize reliance on intricate strategies or precise timing often required by more specialized classes. This makes the Vagabond an excellent starting point for grasping Elden Ring’s core mechanics before delving into more nuanced builds later in the game. The early game survivability offered by the Vagabond significantly reduces frustration, allowing players to focus on learning the game’s intricate world and enemy design. Consider the Vagabond as the ultimate foundational class for your Elden Ring journey.

How long does it take to beat Elden Ring?

60 hours? That’s for casuals. Main story? Pfft. I blazed through that in under 40, but I knew exactly what I was doing. No wasted time exploring dead ends. Optimal routes, perfect builds from the get-go. No respecs. I don’t *need* to learn from my mistakes, I *know* better.

134 hours for 100%? Amateur hour. My first 100% run took closer to 80, highly optimized. That includes all achievements, all bosses (including Let Me Solo Her, naturally, I one-shot her on my third attempt), all dungeons, every single item, even the most obscure hidden stuff. I know the map like the back of my hand – every single hidden cave, every single illusory wall.

The real challenge isn’t the playtime, it’s the mastery. Knowing which builds are truly meta. Understanding the subtle mechanics of the game that most players miss. Knowing which weapons scale best with which stats, when to use which ashes of war, the exact timing on every boss attack. That’s where the true skill lies. And finding that perfect, broken build that melts everything in seconds -that’s the real endgame.

60 hours to 134 hours? That’s just a starting point. True mastery takes far longer, and the number itself is irrelevant. It’s about the relentless optimization, the pursuit of perfection, the constant pushing of boundaries. The time invested is just a byproduct of the journey itself.

Which map is bigger, Skyrim or Elden Ring?

Skyrim’s map size is often thrown around, but let’s be real: it’s significantly smaller than Elden Ring’s. We’re talking a solid 79 square kilometers for Elden Ring versus Skyrim’s comparatively paltry size. That’s a considerable difference, folks. While some might point to Skyrim’s verticality, the sheer density of Elden Ring’s explorable content—think dungeons, caves, Legacy Dungeons, and numerous points of interest— makes up for any perceived lack of overall square mileage. The raw number doesn’t tell the whole story; Elden Ring’s map is more effectively utilized. It’s a masterclass in level design, maximizing player engagement per square kilometer, unlike some other open-world games that just spread things thinly across a vast, empty landscape. Don’t let the numbers fool you; Elden Ring delivers a far more substantial playtime experience thanks to its efficient design.

Key takeaway: While raw square kilometer comparison favors Elden Ring, the real win is in its superior density and design, offering significantly more engaging content within its map.

What’s the hardest video game?

Defining the “hardest” is subjective, but some titles consistently earn that title. Dark Souls, while iconic, is more about deliberate, methodical challenge; its difficulty is less about frustrating RNG and more about mastering its systems. Nioh, similarly, demands precision and a deep understanding of its combat mechanics, but offers rewarding build diversity. Lies of P, a newer entry, presents a brutal but fair challenge, though the difficulty spike might be jarring for some.

The old-school titles like Ghosts ‘n Goblins and Battletoads represent a different breed of difficulty – often punishing and reliant on memorization and precise timing, more frustrating than challenging in the modern sense. Geometry Dash demands impeccable reflexes and spatial awareness, its difficulty stemming from its unforgiving precision platforming. Getting Over It, with its unique control scheme and relentlessly frustrating physics, is a testament to patience and perseverance. A Difficult Game About Climbing, as the name suggests, takes this frustration to a near-masochistic level.

These games aren’t just difficult; they demand different skills. Dark Souls rewards patience and strategic thinking, while Battletoads tests reflexes and memorization. The key is understanding *why* a game is difficult. Is it fair, challenging gameplay? Or is it simply obtuse and frustrating design masked as difficulty? That’s the real question when discussing challenging games.

Is Dark Souls easier after playing Elden Ring?

Returning to Dark Souls after Elden Ring reveals a stark simplicity. Elden Ring’s expansive open world and faster-paced combat, while demanding, force players to master fundamental FromSoftware combat mechanics at a higher speed. This mastery translates directly to Dark Souls, where the more deliberate pacing feels almost forgiving by comparison. Think of it like this: Elden Ring is like learning to play a complex musical piece at a rapid tempo; Dark Souls is then like playing a simpler piece at a slower one—the underlying skills are the same, but the speed difference makes the latter feel dramatically easier. You’ve honed your reflexes, your timing, your ability to read enemy attack patterns and punish openings – all crucial in both games, but the decreased speed in Dark Souls allows you to leverage this accrued expertise more readily. Specifically, you’ll find improved enemy prediction, more effective use of stamina management, and a heightened awareness of attack windows far easier to exploit. The sense of overwhelming challenge is diminished, not because Dark Souls has become inherently easier, but because your skill ceiling has significantly increased.

Consider the differences in boss encounters. Elden Ring’s bosses often have larger attack ranges and more varied move-sets, demanding more precise timing and movement. In contrast, Dark Souls’ bosses, while still challenging, are generally more predictable and have more easily exploited weaknesses once you’ve learned their patterns. This predictive advantage is directly correlated to the accelerated learning curve of Elden Ring.

Furthermore, the more fluid and forgiving combat in Elden Ring, owing to its various spirit summons and more readily accessible healing, allows players to experiment with strategies and build diversity. This experimental approach inevitably leads to a deeper understanding of core combat principles, directly benefiting the player in the comparatively less forgiving environments of Dark Souls.

Do people still play Elden Ring in 2025?

Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed action RPG and a collaboration with George R.R. Martin, continues to maintain a dedicated player base in 2025. While its peak concurrent player count has naturally decreased to 83,919 as of January 2025 (a common trend for most games after release), this still represents a significant number of active players. The game’s enduring popularity stems from its challenging yet rewarding gameplay, expansive open world, and rich lore. The persistent community engagement, fueled by ongoing discussions, fan theories, and unofficial content creation (like speedruns, builds, and Let’s Plays), keeps Elden Ring relevant. Despite the decrease in concurrent players, a substantial player base remains engaged with the game through various avenues, including PvP combat, cooperative playthroughs, and exploration of its vast and mysterious Lands Between. The decline in concurrent players is a normal part of the lifecycle of a game, not necessarily indicative of a diminished player base or community.

Factors contributing to continued play include the game’s high replayability, offering diverse builds and approaches. The depth of the lore invites multiple playthroughs for deeper understanding. Regular community events and discussions also contribute to sustained interest. The availability of DLC could also significantly impact future player counts, potentially leading to renewed interest and a resurgence in concurrent players.

In short: Yes, many people still play Elden Ring in 2025. While the peak concurrent player numbers have decreased, a large and active community continues to engage with the game through various means, ensuring its continued legacy.

What is the highest grossing FromSoftware game?

Determining the highest-grossing FromSoftware title requires careful consideration of sales figures across various platforms and regions, and unfortunately, precise, universally agreed-upon numbers are hard to come by. However, based on available data and general critical consensus, Elden Ring overwhelmingly takes the top spot.

While precise sales figures remain elusive, Elden Ring’s phenomenal launch and sustained popularity across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms undeniably place it far ahead of its predecessors. Its massive open world, accessible yet challenging gameplay, and compelling narrative resonated with a significantly broader audience than previous FromSoftware titles, leading to record-breaking sales.

The next contenders would be the Dark Souls trilogy. While individual sales figures for each aren’t always definitively comparable across different releases and platforms, a general ranking based on overall impact and sales estimates would likely look something like this:

Dark Souls III: Benefited from the established popularity of the series, boasting refined gameplay and a strong narrative conclusion.
Dark Souls: The original that defined the Soulslike genre, its legacy is immense, even if initial sales were lower than its successors.
Dark Souls II: While a solid entry in the series, it generally receives less critical acclaim and therefore likely had lower overall sales than its predecessors and Elden Ring.

It’s important to note that other FromSoftware games, like Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, while critically acclaimed and commercially successful, haven’t reached the sales heights of Elden Ring or the combined impact of the Dark Souls trilogy.