“Foul Tarnished, in search of the Elden Ring. Emboldened by the flame of ambition. Someone must extinguish thy flame.” Margit the Fell Omen
Last year, I wrote about Bloodborne and what I learned from playing that game: I learned about persistence, skill, and dealing with frustration. This year, I’m writing about this year’s FromSoft game: Elden Ring. Unlike last year, I didn’t have to suffer through a console experience, and I was able to play the game on PC.
Not only is Elden Ring a big contender for game of the year, it’s also one of those games that people will be talking about for years to come. I have been obsessed with the game for the last two weeks. I spent a lot of my free time just slowly making my way through the game.
I completed the game a couple of days ago, and it was a lot of fun. I haven’t been this into a game for a while now. Unlike Bloodborne, which was was sometimes spooky and mostly dark and gritty, my experience in Elden Ring was a much more colourful experience. Now that my time with the game is over, I suspect I will finally be starting Dark Souls shortly.
The Most Accessible Game Yet
The beautiful thing about Elden Ring’s open world is that it allows people to play the game in a much more relaxed way than previous FromSoft games: you are not forced to bang your head against a wall initially since you can freely roam the world until you find yourself powerful enough to face the next boss.
I simply recommend that you pick this game up. It’s long: you’re looking at probably spending at least 70 hours on the game, but it’s immensely satisfying. Even if this isn’t your type of game, please consider playing it. It’s that good.
My Recommendations
If you want to try Elden Ring out, here’s a couple of recommendations I would give any new player:
- If you’re having issues with a boss, consider coming back later!
- If you’re getting destroyed by normal enemies, you may be in an area that requires you to be a higher level for a more even playing field. Consider leveling up first!
- If you are leveling up, invest in more Vigor. More health means you can make more mistakes during combat.
- Take your time and read the item descriptions, they provide information about the world’s lore and can give you tips.
- Use summons and friends if you’re stuck. There is no wrong way to play the game, after all.
- Take your time and enjoy the game. There’s a lot to see and love.