The myth of Dark Souls' difficulty
If you’ve ever heard someone say, “Dark Souls is easy if you take your time,” you may have wondered what they meant. It’s a meme that has emerged from the long history of the series, as players who have enjoyed the games tend to counter the perception of them being overly hard by suggesting that they’re actually not that bad if you don’t rush through them.
We’ve all heard the stories – Dark Souls is the most difficult game ever, and you can die from a single bee sting, etc. But if you take your time and learn the games’ mechanics, they’re actually not that bad. I’ve played both Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2, and while they are challenging, they’re also extremely rewarding. I’ve heard similar things from other players, and I know many who have played all of the series and love it.
The meme itself is funny, but it also speaks to a larger problem with how we talk about games. Too often, I see people talking about how a game is “so hard” or “impossible,” when really, they just don’t understand it. When we over-simplify things, it seems worse than it actually is.
“The difficulty can be there for people who want to prove themselves,” one user says, “but the lack of hand-holding and the punishment for mistakes can make it seem a lot harder than it actually is.” For me, I think it’s that the games require patience and an understanding of mechanics, which takes time to learn.
Some people also point out that other mainstream games can be harder than Dark Souls, which I think is true. Maybe the impact Dark Souls has had on gaming has led to other developers making their games more difficult on purpose, but I don’t think the perception is always accurate.
Personally, I haven’t played Elden Ring yet, but I have played Dark Souls and its sequel, and I have to say I’m not that worried about getting through the game. Sure, I know it’s difficult, but I’ve been through it before and know that it’s manageable as long as you learn enemy move sets.
Here are some of the best Dark Souls memes you can see on Twitter. This one is a little NSFW:
If you’ve played Dark Souls or any of its sequels, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the difficulty. Were you frustrated at first, but then learned to enjoy the experience? Or did you find it easy to overcome from the start?
I’m also nervous about buying Elden Ring, so if you’ve played it, and you’re on the fence about purchasing, maybe these Elden Ring memes will convince you. If not, maybe someone offering to help you with Elden Ring boss fights will do the trick.
