It’s probably one of the most difficult (but fair) games I’ve ever played so with these elements gone I can imagine it would be far, far, far more accessible for your average player but without them I don’t know if it would have the same atmosphere. The dread and wonder of being a second away from instant death made the world come alive for me and complemented the aesthetic.

The survival mechanics were the real bastards though and required backtracking, farming and stuff I wouldn’t really put up with in any other game but worked in this. As you get deeper you wouldn’t find any food or next to none, but why would you when you’re in a desolate cave in the ground? Stuff like that. Presumably you won’t get sort of vibe from it.

Permanent checkpoints will remove some of the Dark Souls from it (and this mechanic where you can lay down one warp for your next run) but I’d expect most people hate the mechanic where you always start at the beginning of the game. Some of the shortcuts take ages to traverse (all the while your hunger and thirst meters are ticking down) but give it a sense of place. Running back to collect your gear after a death with your starting gear and food was always a challenge and so on.

Basically, all the stuff that made the game insanely difficult sounds like it’s been removed for that mode so it’s going to be infinitely easier than the standard mode which is the hardest thing ever devised. It might have a negative effect on the atmosphere is my take. As to how much, I’m trying to imagine Dark Souls with an easy mode. I wouldn’t like it but I bet loads would.

So yeah, go for it!