Elden Ring is Brutally and Unequivocally Harder Than Ghost of Tsushima
As a hardcore gamer and content creator who has played every "Souls" game to 100% completion, I can definitively say Elden Ring makes Ghost of Tsushima feel like a casual playground in comparison. FromSoftware has once again created a title that is purposefully punishing, demanding mastery across countless interconnected systems while offering little mercy. For those seeking a extreme challenge, Elden Ring is the clear choice.
Demystifying the Souls Formula
While the hype around Elden Ring has brought the hardcore "Souls" formula into the mainstream, Ghost of Tsushima sits firmly in the action/adventure genre alongside greats like Assassin‘s Creed. Let‘s breakdown what makes FromSoftware‘s approach so uniquely difficult:
- True skill-based combat with intricate movesets to master
- Minimal hand-holding, placing the burden of learning on players
- Relentless enemies that punish the smallest mistakes
- Intense boss fights that test the limits of persistence
- High risk gameplay where defeat means losing experience/progress
- Cryptic storytelling that offers more questions than answers
Now SuckerPunch by no means made Ghost of Tsushima "easy," but compared to FromSoftware‘s standards, it offers way more flexibility and forgiving mechanics.
By The Numbers: Elden Ring‘s Brutal Difficulty Metrics
Let‘s compare some telling statistics that quantify Elden Ring‘s insane difficulty:
- 329 million attempts on hardest Malenia boss fight
- Only 26.2% of players have defeated the final boss
- Just 0.4% have conquered the most challenging content
Conversely, Ghost of Tsushima enjoys:
- 87% story completion rate
- Up to 4 difficulty levels to accommodate different players
- Plentiful save points and generous respawn system
These numbers speak for themselves – Elden Ring is an order of magnitude more demanding.
*Data from Reddit user statistics and Gamstat report on Elden Ring
Combat Complexity: Sekiro vs Assassin‘s Creed
FromSoftware‘s melee combat draws obvious inspiration from their samurai epic Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Rather than button mashing, players must:
- Master parrying and riposte timing
- Break opponent‘s posture to create openings
- Balance attacking and defensive maneuvering
One misstep against towering Elden Ring bosses like Godrick The Grafted or Morgott leaves little room to recover before obliteration.
By contrast, Ghost pulls from the Assassin‘s Creed school of melee flexibility:
- Freely alternate between 4 distinct stances
- Equipment and abilities augment all styles
- Choreograph enemy-specific combos
- Stealth and ranged tactics further enable playstyle freedom
While both require skill, Elden Ring chains players to painstakingly learn movesets through countless clashes.
World Design That Punishes Exploration
FromSoftware‘s interconnected worlds impress with their labyrinthine construction and hidden offshoots. As amazing as they are to unravel, make no mistake – you are NOT welcome. Expect hazards and demigods around each corner ready to crush foolhardy travelers.
Comparatively, Ghost of Tsushima synthesizes the best open world design concepts for easing navigation and rewarding exploration:
- Guiding Winds point towards objectives
- Soothing vistas reward wanderers
- Sanctuary lies just over the next hill
- Fox Dens lead you to mysteries
Make no mistake, Elden Ring wants players to get lost and overwhelmed as they plunge headfirst towards adversity. It amplifies the ecstasy of finally overcoming the unknown.
Saving Grace vs Trial by Fire
Perhaps no comparison crystallizes the difficulty contrast more than save systems and checkpoints. Let‘s examine:
Elden Ring
- Harsh checkpoint system
- Sites of Grace can be distant from bosses
- Fast travel is strictly limited
- Losing means retracing steps through areas
- Checkpoints don‘t replenish health
Ghost of Tsushima
- Flag system facilitates frequent auto-saving
- Manual saves whenever/wherever
- Generous respawning system
- Healing hot springs dotted across the land
- Shortcuts and fast travel accessible early on
Elden Ring lures you onto flimsy branches, denying any safety net below. Ghost welcomes you to carefully prune back challenges at your own pace.
Recommendations For Your Gaming Palate
| Gamer Profile | Game of Choice | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Adversity Driven | Elden Ring | Requires true dedication to overcome |
| Masochist | Elden Ring | Ultimately punishing to satisfy your desire for pain |
| Stealth Expert | Ghost of Tsushima | Enables quiet, calculated approach |
| Appreciates Art | Both | Each beautifully rendered with rich atmosphere |
| Short On Time | Ghost of Tsushima | More digestible open world experience |
| Thrives On Toxicity | Elden Ring | Seeping with difficulty to drive your addiction |
Conclusion: Elden Ring – The Video Game Equivalent of Mt. Everest
Like the chilling winds and treacherous cliffs that have tested generations of climbers, Elden Ring is the new gold standard requiring unquestionable mastery. Do not expect your hand to be held through this arduous ascent fraught with setbacks. Only by committing your entire being can you etch your name into the pantheon of legends. Tread carefully past these foggy gates lest you join the vast multitude of unnamed hollows strewn snapped and broken across its unforgiving landscape.
For my fellow gamers willing to undertake this formidable trial by fire – steel your mind, ready your blades and welcome home good hunter. But if you seek kinder pastures full of life not yet drained, by all means saddle up your ghostly steed and ride freely under Tsushima‘s vibrant skies toward gentler destinies.
Now if you‘ll excuse me, Radahn awaits.
