Feb
24th
2022
Thank You Very Much, GameSpot. · 3:06am Feb 24th, 2022
Elden Ring is undoubtedly difficult--much harder than any of From Software's previous games.
That's all I needed to read to not waste my valuable money and free time.
If you find that kind of overwhelming, punishing, under-rewarding gameplay satisfying with absolutely no accessibility options for other types of players, then more power to you.
I just know I'm going to be disgusted with all the publications screaming "GOTY!" for the next ten months.
Is Gamespot one of those gaming journalist types that demand an easy mode because it's filled with game reviewers who can't manage a game on normal difficulty?
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Here we have polar opposite viewpoints, with the sensible option somewhere in between.
I'm not talking easy mode. I'm saying accessibility options. Maybe, like, I don't know, selectable difficulty modes?
I'm saying I do not, and will not ever, understand the enjoyment that people get out of From Software's games where trial-and-error is the meal-of-the-day where one-hit-kills are inevitable unless you already know they're coming because you've been killed by it before.
Such game design should not be considered Game of the Year work.
Huh. I started to get it but decided to wait simply because I don't have time to pick up another game right now (in the middle of a kitchen renovation and my wife would shoot me if play games rather than getting the kitchen back together!
). But one reason I was considering it was that the blurbs I was seeing were mostly implying the opposite. Or at least that it was easier than other games in the series. One even called it a "gentle introduction" to the Souls games. But maybe it's all relative.
So I don't know what to believe. Since I decided to hold off anyway I'll see what more average gamers say rather than reviewers. I actually haven't played any of the Dark Souls games yet, partly at least due to their reputation for being brutal. So not in a rush to try this one.
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I played 20 minutes of Dark Souls 1, and immediately learned to stay far, far away from the Souls series.
Not my cup of tea. Not even in the same teahouse.
Weird, because literally every single other review I've heard for the last few months is that Elden Ring is the easiest one yet and infinitely more accommodating for newcomers.
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Were those in-progress pre-releases?
Because the review embargo for final release was just lifted tonight, and every review I've read was "this is a very difficult game".
I know what you mean, because I also remember the "Elden Ring will be easier than the other Souls games" headlines.
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You do realize that difficulty modes would include easy mode right?
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Network Test reviews and the embargo reviews that just came out all say it's much more forgiving, especially since they've added a mechanic where you can just respawn directly in front of the bosses themselves instead of your checkpoint zones.
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Yes. Easy Mode, Hard Mode, Very Hard Mode, and what Souls players seemingly keep nutting over, Fuck You Mode.
Yeah, sounds like a skip. I was sort of interested in 'souls game only good' but this sounds like 'souls game only worse'.
Personally, I’ve always been a souls fan due to the customization rather than difficulty, which imo gets heavily overhyped. Also it should be noted that hanging out in co-op with friends or strangers is generally the way to go if the game is overly difficult, sometimes you’ll get a guy who’s spent his life playing the game and no hits the entire boss honestly.
Also admittedly there are some parts of souls that are blatantly unfair, I can think of a few traps and puzzles that no sane person would ever complete, you’ve got me there. Also, a lot
Of people play dark souls 1, head straight to the graveyard hearing the game is hard, and don’t realize they put the endgame area right next to the actual starting area, leading to tons of unneeded frustration.
But hey, different strokes for different folks! It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure.
I'm with you there Miles...
Not my kinda game at all.
I've been a big fan since Dark Souls 1. The difficulty is largely overblown (except for Sekiro which will kick your ass). Once you get the hang of how the game plays you'd be surprised how little difficulty you end up having.
That said I've heard all over the place that this is the most accessible one yet. Mostly because it's open world so you have more options to go around and build up stats instead of getting your progress halted by any specific boss.
Someone got slammed by the boys in Anor Londo.