Elden Ring: Final Thoughts

Anyone who follows me on Twitter probably knows I struggle more with FromSoft games than most. I’m fairly new to their RPG subgenre, having only played four of their games. I was introduced to Sekiro when it won Game of the Year. I hadn’t heard much about it and decided to check it out. It’s a game I want to enjoy but am so terrible at the result was a nasty rage quit–the only one I’ve ever had. So to finish any From Software game, for me, is a feat. But to receive the platinum trophy seems like an impossibility.

I should note I had a tremendous amount of help achieving the platinum trophy for Elden Ring. There’s no way I would have received that alone. The boss fights are difficult despite the narrative I keep seeing that the game is easy. It seems a bit easier than Sekiro. But I found Elden Ring just as difficult overall as Dark Souls 3. I am by no means an authority on the subject. I struggled through nearly every boss encounter (and many randoms throughout the open world), killing a few through sheer luck or after grinding for hours just to get a slight edge that probably didn’t really matter. I suck at these games. If it weren’t for a guy I work with doing most of the heavy lifting I wouldn’t have finished it let alone picked up the platinum trophy.

I considered starting over on a NG+ (or whatever it’s called). I still may. The news about George RR Martin consulting with From Software for the world-building of Elden Ring is, honestly, the only reason I decided to play. I have read some of his novels and his mind intrigues me. Discussions of game of Thrones often devolve into HBO’s final few seasons or the show’s series finale. It’s a sad statement considering the masterful work he put into that world. The idea he would be contributing to a video game for my attention. I could see his influences throughout and I find myself wanting more. But for now I’m stepping back.

I am interested in seeing what the PC modding community comes up with. I suspect Elden Ring will be a game supported by dedicated players long into the future. Maybe someone will even come up with some kind of blasphemous casual/easy mode. That’s something that could convince me to buy it again for PC. I don’t think I would survive a more difficult NG+.

Elden Ring : My Love/Hate Relationship

Elden Ring is a game I have to play in shorter intervals than most. If you spend much time online reading the reviews of critics or comments by other players you will find near-endless praise. Many people whom I enjoy talking about games with regard Elden Ring as a masterpiece and some even crowned it the best game they have ever played. I enjoy it to a degree but you won’t find that kind of praise here.

It has been difficult for me to find the best approach for this post because there’s so much Elden Ring does well but so much I also find frustrating. For every topic, I find myself in a love/hate relationship. I also noticed my Twitter follower counts usually drop a little when I voice those frustrations. That’s fine. Overall, my frustrations are well-received by others with many trying to offer up some constructive counterpoints and suggestions of ways to make the game more enjoyable. The From Software gaming community is a very welcoming group, at least in the Twitterverse. They changed the overly negative perception I had from prior experiences with various Facebook groups.

Some background

Elden Ring isn’t the first From Software game I played. I’m not new to their game design. Sekiro was my first, though I didn’t finish it. Bloodborne was my second. It didn’t click so I stopped playing. I tried again as a litmus test when deciding if I wanted to invest the time in Elden Ring. I quit Bloodborne again and moved to Dark Souls 3 on the suggestion it might be closer in aesthetic and gameplay mechanics to Elden Ring. Dark Souls 3 was a frustrating ordeal but I finished it.

My quest to become Elden Lord

With Elden Ring I went with the samauri class because the style of combat is close to how I played Dark Souls 3. Gameplay was familiar. I went through Elden Ring’s opening bits until I was dropped into the main game world and things slowly began to unwind little by little.

Most of the praise I see for Elden Ring comes from its approach to the open world. It reminds me of the days of Morrowind when I was dropped onto a map with a general idea of where to go and expected to figure it out. Unfortunately my patience isn’t what it was back then. This is a “me problem.” It’s not a criticism of Elden Ring but it greatly affects my enjoyment.

I respect developers’ artistic vision when it comes to these games. Whether I like a game or not, I’m not usually one to be overly critical of design choices. From Software clearly had a vision for Elden Ring. It’s a game I really try to enjoy. My enjoyment is often stamped out by frustration. I die. A lot. Everyone does, right? That’s part of the charm of these games. From talking to people, that’s an accepted part of the game. My problem is if I don’t make progress it stops being fun. I’ve taken a handful of breaks. My last break was two weeks.

In recent days I have thrown myself back into Elden Ring. I spent some time watching a handful of build videos, reading articles with suggested boss orders and recommended levels, and pulled maps to help determine where to go. The lack of direction and focus on exploration is an idea I really want to love. Back in my twenties I would have thrown hundreds of hours into searching out everything I could just to see what was there. If Elden Ring has taught me anything it’s those days are over. But with the help of a bunch of open web tabs in a second monitor, I may actually have a chance at success.