
The recent wave of mixed reviews overlooked: Souls-like games, were never designed for everyone. Their inherent challenge the punishing consequences of mistakes. While Elden Ring achieved widespread acclaim and recognition as game of the year, the Souls series' difficulty has always been a defining feature, and this inherent challenge is why it's not, and never was intended to be, a game for everyone. The current debate, therefore, isn't about the game's quality, but about its target audience and the expectations of players who may not fully appreciate its design philosophy.