Quick Verdict: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the better pick if you want the purest, most technical skill-based combat FromSoftware has made, with no build to lean on. Elden Ring is the better pick if you want a sprawling open world with deep build variety and more flexible difficulty. Both cost $59.99 on Steam, and both already have their own “how to get it free” guide linked below.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Elden Ring are both FromSoftware games built around punishing, deliberate combat, but they represent opposite ends of the studio’s design philosophy. One strips everything down to pure reflexes and timing. The other hands you an entire open world and a deep well of build options to tackle it however you want. This guide breaks down where each one wins.
Sekiro vs Elden Ring at a Glance
| Category | Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | Elden Ring |
| Release Date | March 21, 2019 | February 25, 2022 |
| Price on Steam | $59.99 | $59.99 |
| Developer | FromSoftware | FromSoftware |
| Publisher | Activision (outside Japan and Asia), FromSoftware (Japan) | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Metacritic Score | 88 | Mid-90s |
| Steam Reviews | 93 percent positive, “Very Positive” (85,000+ reviews) | 94 percent positive, “Very Positive” (425,000+ English reviews) |
| Awards | Game of the Year, The Game Awards 2019; Best Action Game, IGN 2019 | Game of the Year, The Game Awards 2022; Golden Joystick Ultimate Game of the Year |
| Best For | Players who want pure, high-precision skill-based combat | Players who want open-world exploration with deep build variety |
Setting and Structure
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is set in a semi-linear late 1500s Sengoku Japan, with tightly designed levels built around vertical traversal via a grappling hook. Elden Ring hands you the sprawling, largely non-linear Lands Between, a world co-created with author George R.R. Martin, letting you choose which regions to tackle in almost any order. Edge: Elden Ring, for the sheer scale and freedom of its open-world structure.
Combat System
Sekiro strips combat down to posture-breaking through deflection and precise strikes, with a one-time resurrection mechanic that adds real risk-reward tension to every fight. Elden Ring keeps the series’ stamina-based combat but adds deep weapon, spell, and Ashes of War customization, letting players approach fights very differently depending on their build. Edge: Sekiro, for the purest, most technical skill-based combat system in FromSoftware’s catalog.
Progression and Build Variety
Elden Ring offers extensive build variety through weapons, spells, Ashes of War, and summonable spirit ashes, letting players respec their approach to nearly any fight. Sekiro has no stat builds or gear loadouts at all, mastery of technique is the only real form of progression. Edge: Elden Ring, for players who want RPG-style build experimentation.
Difficulty and Approachability
Sekiro is widely considered one of FromSoftware’s hardest games, since there’s no way to out-level or out-gear a boss, only genuine skill improvement gets you through. Elden Ring lets players level up, upgrade gear, summon spirit allies, or explore elsewhere to come back stronger, giving it more flexible difficulty overall. Edge: Elden Ring, for offering more paths through tough encounters, making it the more approachable entry point for a wider range of players.
Critical and Community Reception
Sekiro holds an 88 Metacritic score and a 93 percent positive Steam rating from over 85,000 reviews. Elden Ring sits in the mid-90s on Metacritic and holds a 94 percent positive Steam rating from over 425,000 English-language reviews, a far larger sample backing an equally strong consensus. Edge: Elden Ring, for the stronger overall critical reception and dramatically larger player base.
Scope and Length
Sekiro delivers a tighter, more focused campaign built around mastering its combat system rather than exploring a huge map. Elden Ring’s main story commonly runs 45 to 60 hours, with full exploration frequently exceeding 100 hours, and the 2024 Shadow of the Erdtree expansion added roughly 30 more hours of well-reviewed content on top of that. Edge: Elden Ring, for significantly more content and replay value for the same price.
Which One Should You Play First?
- Want pure precision combat mastery with no build to lean on: start with Sekiro. Its posture system rewards technique over stat optimization.
- Want a sprawling open world with build variety and cooperative play: start with Elden Ring. Its scale and flexibility suit players who want options.
- New to FromSoftware games and want the more approachable entry point: start with Elden Ring, since its flexible difficulty gives newcomers more ways through tough fights.
- Already finished Dark Souls or Elden Ring and want the hardest possible test: start with Sekiro, widely regarded as the studio’s toughest game.
Overall Verdict
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Elden Ring both represent FromSoftware at its best, but they ask very different things of a player. Sekiro rewards pure skill and technique with no safety net of stat builds or over-leveling. Elden Ring trades that focus for scale, giving players a massive open world and deep build variety to approach however they like, backed by the stronger overall critical consensus and a much larger review base. If you want the toughest, most technical FromSoftware experience, start with Sekiro. If you want scope, flexibility, and the more approachable entry point, start with Elden Ring.
Get Both For Less
Both games already have their own dedicated guide on this site covering legitimate ways to get them below full Steam price. Read How To Get Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Free and How To Get Elden Ring Free for the full breakdown of both routes.
FAQ
Which is better, Sekiro or Elden Ring?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the better pick for pure, technical skill-based combat with no build to fall back on. Elden Ring is the better pick for open-world scale, build variety, and a more flexible difficulty curve. Neither is objectively better, they suit different playstyles.
Is Sekiro harder than Elden Ring?
Generally, yes. Sekiro offers no way to out-level or out-gear a boss, so success depends entirely on skill, while Elden Ring lets players level up, upgrade gear, or summon help to get through tough fights.
Does Sekiro have build customization like Elden Ring?
No. Sekiro has no stat builds or gear loadouts, mastery of its posture-based combat system is the only form of progression. Elden Ring offers extensive weapon, spell, and Ashes of War customization instead.
Which game has better reviews, Sekiro or Elden Ring?
Elden Ring holds the stronger consensus, sitting in the mid-90s on Metacritic with a 94 percent positive Steam rating from over 425,000 reviews, compared to Sekiro’s 88 Metacritic score and 93 percent positive rating from over 85,000 reviews.
Are Sekiro and Elden Ring both made by FromSoftware?
Yes. Both were developed by FromSoftware. Sekiro was published by Activision outside Japan and Asia, while Elden Ring was published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
