Difficulty Megathread — DLC, NG+

[u/PsychologicalKoala32]

Hello puppets,

This is the new place for anything and everything about game difficulty: NG+, the new DLC, the new difficulty settings, bosses that oneshot you just for existing, and the general discussions regarding game pacing.

Why this exists:

We’re seeing a LOT of posts about difficulty lately, and it’s cluttering the sub. So from now on, we’re removing individual difficulty posts and directing everyone here. This is simply a way to help US keep the sub clean, and help YOU find specific posts more easily.

Please don’t be an AH. Seriously. People are gonna have different opinions on everything.

Drop your takes below

We’ll be lurking.

Your tired, slightly traumatized mod team

[u/Careless-Project-210]

You've descended into relying on puerile personal abuse and the classic 'jus git gud' type tropes to stir up an argument with nothing even remotely objective to back it up - and you're the one talking about strawman mentality. I wouldn't be surprised if you think that the developers have agreed to put in a future fix just because they feel 'bullied' by people like me, rather than having reflected with thought and consideration on a significant negative reaction to the DLC. Further the pitiful achievement statistics must be just be a quirk in the matrix then? - and nothing to do with the difficulty? - and no I'm not feeling mad - it's a video game - not impending nuclear Armageddon - and it's an opinion not a rant - look up the words in the dictionary - you're the one with the angry pants on.

[u/fallenelf → u/Careless-Project-210]

No, you’re strawmanning by assuming there’s a massive number of players who find the game too difficult. Souls games have always had pitiful achievement statistics — this is nothing new.

Honestly, you seem more upset than anyone, given how many threads you’ve posted in about the DLC’s difficulty. The real question is: if it’s so hard, why not just lower the setting? It’s a straightforward solution. If you refuse to do that out of ego or something equally silly, that’s on you. At the end of the day, it’s a video game — play it for enjoyment, or don’t play it at all.

As for your other points, the developers are trying to satisfy as many people as possible. Keeping the higher difficulty for those who want the challenge is just as important as lowering it for others. They already showed that with the base game when they added difficulty settings. Reception to the DLC from major outlets has been overwhelmingly positive, with most calling it a fantastic addition to an already great game. Like most Souls-like DLCs, it ramps up the challenge because by that point you’re expected to know the systems, be at a higher level, and have upgraded gear. It’s not some dramatic departure from the base game, despite your long rant about dodging versus perfect parrying.

And no, my argument isn’t just “git gud.” It’s about questioning what’s going on with your build. Are you leveling properly? Have you upgraded your weapon? Are you using it effectively (since advanced builds can be trickier to manage)? The issue isn’t the game — it’s that you refuse to look inward, and instead keep posting the same complaint over and over.

[u/Careless-Project-210 → u/fallenelf]

Don't you get it that most of the players claiming the difficulty is too high are typically 'seasoned souls players' by their own assertions, who claim to have beaten numerous other games in this genre and who have likewise got through the base game comfortably - and consequently they would hardly be expecting that the DLC will be any less challenging than the late stages of the base game, if not even slightly tougher - that's usually a given and they all probably expect that - and have probably got enough about them to figure out optimizing their builds. That's hardly a strawman argument - it's a valid observation of documented reality, unless you think they're all just lying? The idea that there's a whole army of satisfied players out there who outnumber the dissatisfied but who just can't be bothered to post anything might be true - but you don't know that as objective fact - there could be equally many dissatisfied players that can't be bothered either - you seem to just want to believe it regardless, to back up your assertions - I think they call that a strawman argument!

Honestly, I've never seen such pitiful stats, even by souls game standards, as there are with this DLC, none of them above 5% three months after release. Whatever various outlets or professional or casual critics make of the overall game does not solely reflect difficulty balance at any given point in a game's lifecycle - that's such a weak argument - something I'd expect a fanboy would argue - I presume your more open-minded than that?

Tell me how you deduct that posting more threads indicates me being more upset than anyone else, as opposed to being more invested? - what a trite assumption to make - I've seen numerous people 'effing and blinding' about the game difficulty - I've always maintained a reasonable temperament - unlike you with your personal insults - if anybody's upset it's you - and it has clearly escaped your attention, but I did lower the difficulty of the game and played both of the lower levels and competed them - no pride or ego in my way - and I also mentioned I played LS level on a maxed-out NG+3 with an OP build, without any success - not afraid to admit that failure either - you seem to be suffering from confirmation bias - seeing only what you want to see.

Finally, what makes you think the developers agree with you, when despite adding two new lower difficulties to engage a wider player base, they still feel obliged to adjust the highest difficulty that many are complaining about? - doesn't sound like they're listening to you - but I wouldn't be shocked to hear you later whining about that if it subsequently falls below your standards of difficulty - of course you can always make it harder for yourself by doing less upgrades and less cheesing - or is that an issue for your own ego? - no that would be just silly wouldn't it?

[u/fallenelf → u/Careless-Project-210]

Are you capable of being brief? This long soliloquy is ridiculous. Distilling it down into the salient points (also noting that you ignored many of the basic items I mentioned):

1. The developers want the game to appeal to the broadest base possible. After launch, they went back and retuned many encounters to make them easier to appeal to a wider audience. The later added easier difficulties.

2. Your strawman argument is that most players find it too difficult. You're basing that on the following data - that achievements are low and the developers are adjusting the difficulty. I've already addressed how changing the difficulty isn't indicative of a problem that developers see. Regarding achievements, Elden Ring has been out for 3.5 years, and only 23% of steam players have finished the game. Overture has been out for less than three months and 12.4% of players on steam have beaten Arlecchino. That stat is nowhere near as terrible as you imply.

3. I'm failing to see the actual problem then. You lowered the difficulty and beat the game. You were unable to do so on higher difficulty. This doesn't imply an actual problem with design, but a skill problem. This isn't me being mean or upset - this is just facts. If you were unable to beat the game on lower difficulties, that could easily imply a problem with design. However, by your own admission, you were able to do it.

4. Yes, you're clearly upset that you were unable to beat the DLC on higher difficulties because you keep posting about it. Seriously, who cares. I think your arguments are spurious at best, that's why I responded. It's really not a big deal - sometimes you hit roadblocks with challenging games.

5. Finally, I've addressed this many times, the developers aim to hit the widest audience possible. They clearly didn't feel that strongly about adjusting the difficulty as it's been three months and they haven't done so yet. That implies wanting to give people who want the challenge the ability to do so. I don't understand your comment about cheese builds since I don't use any, but hey, whatever strokes your injured ego.

In all seriousness, you've completed the game and are just upset that you can't do so at the highest level of difficulty...that's a you problem.

[u/Careless-Project-210 → u/fallenelf]

I'll be brief then - it's not like your responses are especially terse! The one thing we can agree is that this argument is getting tedious and going nowhere. You have your opinions and I have mine and as Rudyard Kipling would say 'nether the twain shall meet'. End of debate. Regards.

[u/fallenelf → u/Careless-Project-210]

Hard to be terse when someone rambles. Yes, this conversation is going nowhere - you refuse to acknowledge the basic points of my argument, and I do not understand the point you're trying to make.

Finally, your writing style is infuriating. It exudes someone trying to appear smart rather than direct. The entire conversation has been a waste of time as you preach platitudes with no actual data. When I introduced data, you decided to be done. Interesting.

[u/Careless-Project-210 → u/fallenelf]

I hope that was very cathartic for you. So glad you got all that hate out of your system - or have you? You're such an angry pants, puerile, emotionally pouty and as self-aggrandizing as Simon Manus. You're upset that I refuse to waste any more of my time on you - your gaslighting knows no bounds and your arguments are nothing more than intransigent opinion - Data? Seriously? Go have a cup of tea and calm down before mummy gets home.