Dark Souls III: 8 Niggling Concerns No Fan Wants To Admit

8. How Sustainable Is Difficulty As A Selling Point?

Dark Souls made its name through the championing of its self-proclaimed difficulty - something that has largely been lost in modern gaming. It was a throwback to the olden days of gaming, when checkpoints and hand-holding tutorials were abstract concepts that nobody had ever dreamed of using.

No, I'm not an idiot in suggesting that Dark Souls III needs to be easier, but I am a fan of the series who's concerned with how sustainable such a selling point is. 

We're at a point in the life cycle of the Souls series where sequels are being designed specifically for gamers that have already familiarised themselves with the ins and outs of how not to die in the resolve-destroying worlds of Boletaria, Lordran and Drangleic. 

The problem is over-familiarity. How exactly does one continually make a game like Dark Souls maintain its image of unforgiving difficulty when fans have already become accustomed to the challenges they're likely to face?

The rule of thumb is that whatever Souls game you played first is the hardest, due to not knowing what the hell you're doing or how to survive - each subsequent entry being easier.

I'm honestly not sure if its an issue that can be overcome without resorting to wiping the memory of anyone who's ever played a Souls game. Bloody muscle memory, it's all your fault.