Elden Ring finally made me understand Dark Souls

FromSoftware has been an odd fandom of mine.

As many others, I tried unsuccessfully to fight my way through the dark dungeons. Dark SoulsAnd Dark Souls IIFind a house before you buy it. Bloodborne’s gothic alleyways. Later, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice proved that my newfound FromSoftware love wasn’t just a fluke. However, I felt deeply divided. On one hand, FromSoftware’s one-offs are some of my favorite games ever made. On the other, I’ve never finished a game in the “Souls-like” genre’s namesake franchise.

The early hours of my morning with Elden Ring, From’s sprawling new epic, were reminiscent of my first tepid forays into Dark Souls. Now, sixty hours later Elden Ring, I think I finally get it — not just the thrill of Elden RingHowever, it also includes Dark Souls.

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for Elden Ring.]

Image via Polygon: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

I was initially apprehensive about my first encounter with Elden RingIts size was the main reason. FromSoftware’s past titles intentionally obfuscated where to go next, but at least you only had so many options. With Elden Ring’s open world, however, I was able to go in every direction from the start. Indecision was a constant struggle for me. Even the guiding lights on the Sites of Grace — which just pointed me toward a boss that I was too underleveled to take on — couldn’t help me. When I’d stumble into a catacomb, I’d eventually leave victorious, but annoyed that all I got was a bow I’ll never use.

As a player who typically doesn’t like the loose and free structure of modern open world games — even those filled with icons telling you what to do — I feared that I’d never click with Elden Ring. So I made the decision to keep it as simple as possible. With some decent FromSoftware experience under my belt, I felt confident enough in my skill level that I wouldn’t need to grind things out, and only looked for items that fell neatly into my pre-determined build.

Using flavor-of-the-week builds like the Moonveil katana and magic (which I’d heard were good), I pushed through Margit the Fell Omen, Stormveil Castle, and Godrick the Grafted. My horse was tiring and I felt frustrated. I finally pushed myself into Raya Lucaria Academy, Lake of Liurnia. However, I wasn’t playing to fulfill a recommendation or obligation. I tried desperately, stubbornly and unsuccessfully to make this experience similar to the FromSoftware games that I loved.

After 20 miserable hours, I killed Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, and started two new ventures: Respeccing my character and starting Ranni’s quest.

I wasn’t enjoying the Dexterity/Intellect build I was using, but it was working well enough that I was afraid of change. Still, I’d collected a “Colossal Sword” just called “Greatsword,” and was curious about it. Even though I was a Prisoner, which wasn’t originally designed to be used for Strength building, it inspired me to change things. I found myself suddenly rolling in heavy armor, armed with a sword twice my size.

Not immediately convinced by the new build, I started Ranni’s quest as a kind of test. After I began cleaving through Caria Manor’s hand-spiders, I realized this was my preferred playstyle. I used my toy to introduce myself to Starscourge Radahn. He was defeated and I unlocked the two huge swords. The armor was purchased by me.

This Radahn-enthusiast style of play inspired me to find a connection with the FromSoftware games I loved. I had to be aggressive against faster opponents because every battle was hard. If I wasn’t deliberate with my combos, and didn’t know their timing to the exact second, I would fail.

Two-dozen hours later, my joy was mine Elden Ring.

Image via Polygon: FromSoftware

I realized that the issues in my life were not with me. Elden Ring They were entirely my fault. Dark Souls was a game that I disliked because of the flexibility of its builds. Even though I was enjoying the game, and even playing aggressively without shields, it felt wrong. I didn’t play the game as I intended. Although it might not be important (and this is what excites most players), it stopped me from engaging.

Bloodborne, There were many options. But the purpose of my playstyle was clear. I was not allowed to choose between aggressive and defensive play. So whether I was using the Hunter Axe, the Threaded Cane, or eventually (and always) Ludwig’s Holy Blade, I was never playing defense. I also loved this. Sekiro Because it gave only one weapon. It was rigid, which made for a more crafted experience — This is the problem, and you have the tool to solve it. Now get to work.

Elden RingThis is a more Dark Souls-related issue than Dark Souls themselves. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available and it became almost unbearable. My thinking was changed when I discovered an intriguing weapon and modified my build. Playing in a certain way is fine. Elden RingDark Souls. FromSoftware offers players almost unlimited options and they all work. This is the beauty and history of these games. Bosses and basic enemies don’t always play fair (hitting you while you’re down, one-shotting you, etc.FromSoftware has many tools that can help level the playing field.

Don’t confuse my own hang-ups with Dark Souls as the insufferable gatekeeping of some Souls-like fans (I’m thrilled by Elden Ring’s more accessible format). Dark Souls frustrates me when I don’t accept the challenge. I can’t help but feel frustrated at Dark Souls, even though I really enjoy it. Demon’s Souls remake, I put it down shortly after using my bow to cheese the Armor Spider, feeling like I’d “cheated.” Elden Ring showed me that changing builds and items to fit the fight — or my mood — is not only intended, but a crucial key to success.

When I emerged from the linear path of Ranni’s quest — which let me focus on my new playstyle — I started exploring areas I’d previously skipped. Each dungeon contained an item I would use to build a new boss or get through a difficult boss battle. I stopped poo-pooing spells and weapons that didn’t fit my idea of success.

Image via Polygon: Fromsoftware

For the remainder of my playthrough, I decided to only use Spirit Ash summons and magical sparingly. This was purely because I had so much fun 1v1ing bosses using my huge gravity swords. Still, I went out of my way to grab cool spells and summons because it was always something I could see myself using later; and when I used a Spirit Ash to help me kill Malenia, it certainly didn’t feel like “cheating.”

With Elden RingNow I’m ready to return to Dark Souls. I expect I’ll still end up using a big-ass sword in my playthroughs, but I want to leave myself open to more possibilities. Maybe I’ll pick up some spells without feeling guilty, or take a victory where I can get it with some creative bow-sniping.

Elden Ring This helped me conquer my fears and gain success through creativity, not brute force. Although it may sound cliché, Elden RingIt was a reminder to me that there is no wrong way to have fun playing a game.