Elden Ring (FromSoftware)

[01101010]

Rather shocked how good the prisoner is... now that I have played them all, the hero is just maddeningly fun.

I am also avoiding walk-thrus and tips, but man I can feel the need building for some of these things - so many times had a mob on the ropes only to bite it in the end. Normally I like facerolling stuff, but this game is making me time shit rather than mash all the things. I still find myself smashing buttons when I get low on health, but slowly realizing that just won't work here. Nice change of pace.

[Khaldun]

Yeah, at that ruin I got killed at the last smidgen of health by that stronger spear guy after I murder-hoboed the entire camp about I dunno five times which made me feel really stupid. But ok.

[Cyrrex]

Holy shit this game is great so far.  7 hours registered game time with a level 20 samurai.  Has the exploration feel of Breath of the Wild combined with the terror of enemies who will stab your face off if you screw up.  I am not great at these games by any means, but they do a good job of adding stuff in to make some of the boss fights doable. 

Masterpiece.

[Falconeer]

Masterpiece. Absolute masterpiece. Almost curious to hear contrarians desperately looking for ways to be wrong about perfect games.

[Ashamanchill]

Almost curious to hear contrarians desperately looking for ways to be wrong about perfect games.

[Khaldun]

It's pretty great so far at least. Nothing feels repetitive, I don't feel like I'm trapped in a gameplay loop, I keep coming across stuff that surprises me or that I have no idea what's going on with.

The wolves falling from the fucking sky are annoying me a bit. I can *see* the bats and the skeletons on nooses, but there's at least three places where wolves literally rain from open sky and there's absolutely no way to see them ahead of time.

Was very happy with myself for beating the giant who wanders near the starting place. Good practice.

[Rasix]

I'm on my third character. Tried the hybrid warrior/priest at the start. It was good for learning and getting some reps in. The dex based fighter just illustrated to me how shit I am at rolling and melee fighting. The mage is fun, but some mobs are too damage spongy (at this point), and I still blow at dodging.

I think this game is fascinating, but how bad I am at it, is a bit off putting. I've done the best with the mage, but that's also the tail end of how much I've played. I've only beat mini-dungeon bosses so far. Real bosses kind of kick my shit in. Dunno if I should try a bit armor tank next or just keep going with the mage at this point. I am getting better, it's just a slow bar inching every so slightly forward.

The stuttering on PC is kind of fucking annoying.

[Khaldun]

So what are the real bosses? I don't think I've tried one, unless the golden rider guy right at the start counts--he still kicks my ass. Right now I'm feeling increasingly good against most shit in the initial region (but there's always the proviso that if you treat trash like trash, you end up dead.

I haven't been able to beat the invader in the river gully by the bog...I never fully understood invasion/multiplayer mechanics in Souls games. Is that another player who is just, what, waiting for me to trigger the call?

[Trippy]

So what are the real bosses? I don't think I've tried one, unless the golden rider guy right at the start counts--he still kicks my ass. Right now I'm feeling increasingly good against most shit in the initial region (but there's always the proviso that if you treat trash like trash, you end up dead.

Anything with the full screen health bar is technically a boss but the game has three types of bosses. The "real" bosses are the Demigods or Lords. Then there are the "Field" bosses like the golden rider guy (Tree Sentinel) -- what I was calling a "miniboss" above. And the third type is whatever is not in the other two categories and which generally fall in between the Field and Demigods in terms of difficulty. Fextralife calls them "Greater" bosses" as the game labels them as "greater" enemies" but there isn't really any agreement among the sites I looked at what the boss types are called other than the Field bosses.

I haven't been able to beat the invader in the river gully by the bog...I never fully understood invasion/multiplayer mechanics in Souls games. Is that another player who is just, what, waiting for me to trigger the call?

If you were where I think you were that's an NPC invader -- not a real player.

[01101010]

I'm on my third character. Tried the hybrid warrior/priest at the start. It was good for learning and getting some reps in. The dex based fighter just illustrated to me how shit I am at rolling and melee fighting. The mage is fun, but some mobs are too damage spongy (at this point), and I still blow at dodging.

I think this game is fascinating, but how bad I am at it, is a bit off putting. I've done the best with the mage, but that's also the tail end of how much I've played. I've only beat mini-dungeon bosses so far. Real bosses kind of kick my shit in. Dunno if I should try a bit armor tank next or just keep going with the mage at this point. I am getting better, it's just a slow bar inching every so slightly forward.

The stuttering on PC is kind of fucking annoying.

So I have played pretyt much all the classes up to 20 now trying to figure out what I like. Unfortunately, I am now mixing stats with some of my favorite types and gathering smithing stones to up my preferred weapon - so I might have to play thru to 20 five more class/stat configurations.

That said, the more I play, the more I learn the mob patterns. The first ruins area with the spear and shield elite? Yeah, I got all those attacks and telegraphs down and even managing to learn the horseback greatsword guys down the road from there. It's all runes and learning for me. I haven't even attempted moving the story forward - though I have fought a few mini-bosses in the dungeons so far with mixed results. Still trying to figure out the best tempo for those guys as some chain 3-4 attacks in quick succession with no real attack windows so I get spanked when I try to fit in an ill-timed attack. Getting better at it, but when the boss is ultra aggressive, my smash-buttons instinct kicks in trying to roll and time the i-frames. I'll dodge 1 or 2, but seem to always get wrecked by the third or fourth attack in the chain as I am out of stamina by the second roll and blocking.

Summons help a bunch in that I can weave attacks in better and only have to dodge an attack or two, but man how folks can not use summons and go in and wreck face whie timing dodges perfectly is a thing to marvel from my perspective. The more I play, the more I learn when and where to dodge, but still haven't worked out how to counter in those moments.

Just keep swimming... keep swimming...

Overall though, this game is amazingly gorgeous and incredibly huge. I cheated a bit and went after the Meteorite staff for my astro and got to the next zone and was shocked how big the game is... even riding on horseback the game is massive.

[Khaldun]

Summoning ashes are pretty much how I've cheesed through fighting some minibosses in the little dungeons. Anything that takes the heat off me long enough.

[Falconeer]

I have my obsessions with the Souls games, and since Demon's Souls I force myself to play melee only, no magic, no miracles, no ranged whatsoever, and no summons. Also, starting with the Wretched class from level 1.
Make no mistakes, I am NOT good at this games, but I really enjoy the challenge a lot so I am more than willing to keep trying a boss 4 hours because, as Miyazaki says, the satisfaction of overcoming the difficulty in my own terms is huge. 4 hours it's exactly how long it took me to beat the first story boss, and 3.5 is what took me to beat the Ulcerated Tree, because I also force myself to fight them with whatever I have on my when I meet them (there have been exceptions...).

But this game is in many ways "easier" than most of the other Souls. Not just becasue it's an open world and it is impossible to be cockblocked. But because there are so many different summons to "cheat" almost every encounter. And then, a very generous amount of Stamina compared to previous titles that allows for almost infinite rolling. I am also pretty sure rolling gives more invulnerability frames than any of the previous games.

But this doesn't take any point away from what is a perfect 10/10 game. I would be more bothered by the lower difficulty if it were a more conventional *Souls, but in this context it's just awesome and possibly an improvement as the "difficulty" never hinders the exploration.

[Rasix]

I have my obsessions with the Souls games, and since Demon's Souls I force myself to play melee only, no magic, no miracles, no ranged whatsoever, and no summons. Also, starting with the Wretched class from level 1.
Make no mistakes, I am NOT good at this games, but I really enjoy the challenge a lot so I am more than willing to keep trying a boss 4 hours because, as Miyazaki says, the satisfaction of overcoming the difficulty in my own terms is huge. 4 hours it's exactly how long it took me to beat the first story boss, and 3.5 is what took me to beat the Ulcerated Tree, because I also force myself to fight them with whatever I have on my when I meet them (there have been exceptions...).

I don't have that kind of free time, bro. Yikes.

I'll be cheesing away where possible.

[Khaldun]

I am the king of fromage, hey? I get no pleasure from needing to be perfect.

I did try the boss up at the castle in the starting zone. Got him about halfway down? I think I probably need to get a bit stronger first.

I can't decide on a weapon. I tried a spear I got off a miniboss, didn't like it--you have to be straight on your enemy every time. So far I'm sticking with the greatsword I got at the camp full of soldiers and a turtle-shell shield.

[01101010]

I am the king of fromage, hey? I get no pleasure from needing to be perfect.

I did try the boss up at the castle in the starting zone. Got him about halfway down? I think I probably need to get a bit stronger first.

I can't decide on a weapon. I tried a spear I got off a miniboss, didn't like it--you have to be straight on your enemy every time. So far I'm sticking with the greatsword I got at the camp full of soldiers and a turtle-shell shield.

I thought the spear would be a great weapon out of the box, but it definitely has a learning curve to it. Sticking with 1h sword and board for now and switching to greatsword while on horseback - seems to be a great combo that works for me. Now to try killing that big ass dragon in the swamp by the starting area.

[Khaldun]

Also turns out the miniboss I got the spear from is somebody I maybe shouldn't have killed. Oh well.

I really hate the imps in dungeons--they're a pain.

[schild]

Also turns out the miniboss I got the spear from is somebody I maybe shouldn't have killed. Oh well.

uh oh

[schild]

big demon's souls energy lol

i regret nothing

[Falconeer]

A miniboss that you were not supposed to kill? Did they attack you first or not? If they did, and you were not supposed to kill them, it's quite fucked up.

[schild]

Nah, would be totally in line with how the world behaves. Just like how easy it is to remove your spell merchant from the game.

[01101010]

My hero character killed the NPC that gives out the jellyfish summon before I got thru the dialog to get the summon. Major sad face.

[Khaldun]

The miniboss attacks you, he's behind a yellow veil, but if you start really hammering him he offers to surrender, at which point he apparently becomes a merchant and sells you some dingus that makes it much easier to beat the major boss up in the castle. Oh well.

[Rasix]

I may have over done the cheese in beating the Tree Guardian knight guy. Oof.  Some of the open world boss encounters can have a lot of RNG issues due to terrain. That and Carrion Slicer does absurd damage. I'm overleveled by a bit.

Margit seems doable. Getting him to under half consistently, but I'm a bit of a glass cannon.

[Falconeer]

The amount of weapons is incredible. I know we can't say "starting zone" but I am roughly referring to the very large area south of the first story boss, and I have already found about 25 weapons, most of which unique and very powerful. I can't even imagine how much stuff they crammed into this.

[schild]

The amount of weapons is incredible. I know we can't say "starting zone" but I am roughly referring to the very large area south of the first story boss, and I have already found about 25 weapons, most of which unique and very powerful. I can't even imagine how much stuff they crammed into this.

West Limgrave, around Ellah's Church. I feel like there's absolutely a starting zone. Like, it's the area you start in lol.

[Falconeer]

You are right. I suppose I was including Sweeping Peninsula in it, but that would be a mistake. Anyway, it has weapons for years.

[schild]

Peninsula is high on weapons and low on everything else, well, besides an annoying spell merchant and goofy bosses.

[Khaldun]

I am kinda feeling like a hero melee might have been unintended hard mode. Which has been sort of true in other Souls games but feels a bit more that way now.

[Trippy]

I haven't played Hero yet except for checking out the starting equipment just now and it does seem like it can be a "trap" class for those who aren't familiar with Soulsbournering mechanics. The starting shield isn't 100% physical block damage (it's 76%) but keeping on all the starting armor puts you at medium encumbrance so it's like a mediocre middle ground where you don't get 100% physical block or light encumbrance without stripping down. In contrast Confessor also starts at medium encumbrance but they also start with a 100% physical block shield.

Since Hero has the highest starting strength it seems like the best way to play it at the start is to ditch the shield, strip off the head and arm pieces to get to light encumbrance and two hand the axe. But that's a more advanced playstyle compared to, say, Vagabond or Confessor who both start with 100% physical block shields.

Edit: middle

[Cyrrex]

I started with a Samurai chick, becuase she got a cool hat.

[Rasix]

I got the wireless xbox one controller for playing this. While it felt great to use, it kept disconnecting during gameplay.  I can't put my finger on whether it's steam being weird or the bluetooth connection on the desktop/controller being shit. It would work great for a while and then all of the sudden the only button that would work would be xbox system button. I guess I'll need to grab the dongle afterall.

Some fights are a bit silly with magic. Ranged bosses don't fare well. That eldtree avatar sure f'ing pasted me, however. I got nowhere with that one.

[Khaldun]

I started two handing the Bloodhand's Fang greatsword for most mobs and then pulling up the turtle shield for bosses that you just have got to block. Working pretty well. Still can't take down the golden knight near the start but I'm close; it's just a matter of technique.

The other Souls games are so relatively linear by comparison that usually by the time you can get to somebody you're capable of killing them, it's a matter of learning the fight and getting better on timing etc. Here you can definitely get into a situation that you're just not ready to deal with. The interesting gameplay challenge is sometimes to figure out which it is.

[schild]

80 hours in I'm comfortable saying it's the best action and best open world game ever made. It has displaced Demons Souls and firmly rests at #2 in my favorite games of all time. I'm already looking forward to starting a new character.

[Cyrrex]

80 hours in I'm comfortable saying it's the best action and best open world game ever made. It has displaced Demons Souls and firmly rests at #2 in my favorite games of all time. I'm already looking forward to starting a new character.

I have only played a measly 12 hours, but I am inclined to agree.  I just I wasn't so terrible.  I gave Margit a try the other day, and he absolutely packed my shit once I got him halfway down.  But!  The cool thing is that I can just fuck off and go do something else for hours and hours. Amazing.

[Falconeer]

It is the closest thing I've ever seen to the perfect video game.