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How to Choose Your First Soulslike: A Beginner’s Guide

There is no universally easiest Soulslike. Match your first game to the kind of exploration, combat, or setting that will keep you learning.
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There is no universally easiest first Soulslike. Choose Elden Ring if you want room to explore and try different approaches, Another Crab’s Treasure if you want a game whose official description explicitly welcomes newer players, Dark Souls III for a more directed entry in the Dark Souls series, or Lies of P for its Pinocchio-inspired setting and weapon customization. Those are preference matches, not a tested difficulty ranking.

What Soulslike should you play first?

Start with the kind of challenge you are willing to learn, rather than searching for a guaranteed easy option. Soulslikes generally ask you to observe enemies, learn attack timing, evade deliberately, and adjust after a failed attempt. The four games below offer different reasons to begin, but the available official descriptions do not establish an objective easiest-to-hardest order.

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If you prefer… Consider… Why it may fit
Roaming, trying different routes, and choosing how to approach a hard encounter Elden Ring PlayStation emphasizes freedom in exploration and combat, while Bandai Namco describes assistance through in-game tools rather than a menu difficulty setting. PlayStation’s Elden Ring description and Bandai Namco’s overview.
A game that directly signals it is approachable to newer Soulslike players Another Crab’s Treasure Nintendo describes it as approachable for newer players while still challenging experienced ones. That is official positioning, not an independent difficulty measurement. Nintendo’s store listing.
A more directed Dark Souls-series experience with room to develop a combat style Dark Souls III Bandai Namco’s product page emphasizes varied combat styles and online interactions. Bandai Namco’s Dark Souls III page.
A distinctive fairy-tale setting and weapon experimentation Lies of P Its official page highlights the Pinocchio-inspired, Belle Époque world, weapon combinations, Legion Arms, and abilities. Those features do not establish a beginner difficulty rating. Lies of P’s official game page.

Is Elden Ring good for someone new to Souls games?

It can suit a newcomer who likes exploration and wants choices about how to approach obstacles. PlayStation describes freedom in exploration and combat. Bandai Namco says the game offers tools to assist players, but does not provide a conventional difficulty setting in the options menu. That distinction matters: flexibility and assistance are not the same as an easy mode.

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If you prefer a tightly directed path or want a selectable difficulty level, the available official descriptions do not establish Elden Ring as a match for that preference. Its strengths for a beginner are options in how to approach challenges, not a promise that the game will be easy.

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Which Soulslike is easiest for beginners?

No reliable universal ranking follows from the official descriptions here. Nintendo explicitly positions Another Crab’s Treasure as approachable for newer Soulslike players, but that is the publisher’s framing, not a comparative test. The other games are better selected for their described qualities: Elden Ring’s exploration and tools, Dark Souls III’s combat-style variety, or Lies of P’s setting and weapon customization.

Difficulty also depends on what you enjoy learning. A player who likes exploring for alternatives may prefer Elden Ring’s open approach; someone drawn to a particular setting or combat system may find that more motivating than a supposed difficulty label. Treat “easiest” as a personal fit question, not a settled fact.

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How to make your first Soulslike less frustrating

  1. Watch before committing. Pay attention to an enemy’s attack patterns and timing. Bandai Namco describes precise timing and evasion as important Souls-series skills.
  2. Change one tactic at a time. If an approach fails, adjust a single choice—such as when you evade or how you respond to an attack—so you can tell what changed.
  3. Use the world as information. Environments and enemies can teach you what a challenge demands; exploration may also reveal another route or useful resources. Bandai Namco discusses learning from enemies and environments in its Elden Ring discussion.
  4. Use the assistance the game actually offers. In Elden Ring, that means its in-game tools and options, not a difficulty slider. Do not assume assistance works identically across the games.

A failed attempt can show you which attack is causing trouble or when an opening appears. Treat that information as part of learning a fight, rather than proof that you cannot succeed.

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Check the platform and edition before buying

Availability and editions depend on platform and region. Official pages for one platform do not guarantee a current listing, physical edition, or identical release on another. Before purchasing, check the official platform or publisher listing for your region and confirm the exact game and edition you intend to play.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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