Elden Ring’s messages make the game feel like a conversation

At times, Elden RingThis is a lonely sport. When I’m traversing the desolate plains of the Lands Between, or navigating a stony crevasse while dodging the slings and arrows of giants, I very much feel I’m the only person I can rely on.

However Elden Ring’s message system has made the game feel, at other times, more like a conversation between me and other players. These short dispatches are everywhere; they’re near enemy camps, scattered along terrain, and work as a breadcrumb trail through dungeons. The isolating, deadly experience of being in a dungeon becomes a harrowing one. Elden Ring into something much more friendly — and at times, even collaborative.

Image by FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

This is my first FromSoftware game. Due to my repetitive stress injuries, I’ve been hesitant about diving into these games. They rely on the player taking down a number of powerful foes via third-person action RPG combat. Elden Ring is the first game to convince me to take the plunge, and while I take regular breaks, I’m actually quite pleased with my progress. I’ve killed the bulky Tree Sentinel and used his glaive to down Margit, the Fell Omen. It’s great to be able to read the Enemy Felled messages and get new weapons or trinkets. The glowing white runes, which signify messages from other players or the ghostly image of someone from another dimension running through a dungeon and climbing over rocky terrain are what I love the most.

There are messages out there that may seem a bit redundant. We get it, guys. The vision of the rump. Do not touch the hole. Fort, night. All of these are done to death. But there are other times I’ve been genuinely surprised or pleased by these messages. Some of them are funny; a message reads “Try jumping” at the edge of a cliff, and it’s surrounded by the bloodstains of trusting players. Other times, they’re weirdly Zen.

FromSoftware games are known for their difficulty. As I left the starting cave and beheld the majesty of Limgrave, the game’s starting zone, I saw a few messages. One read, “Don’t give up.” Another: “First off, don’t think.” Weirdly, this was relaxing, and while my early hours were frustrating, I kept those messages in mind. While losing a thousand runes or getting murdered at the Gatefront was frustrating at times, I realized that it didn’t really matter. Don’t think. Don’t give up. Don’t give up.

This philosophy served me well as I took out the Tree Sentinel with the help of my trusty jellyfish and Torrent, and then rolled up to Stormveil Castle to kick Margit, the Fell Omen’s ass. A series of messages appeared ahead after his large barnacle-shaped body collapsed. One just read, “I did it!!” Another was an elaborate congratulations message, encouraging me to keep going but to stay wary. I didn’t pay attention to the second part of this message and was soon killed by birds carrying knives at my feet. (Who handed them the knives?)

Image by FromSoftware/Bandai Namco via Polygon

Many Elden RingIt feels as if the developer is deliberately fucking the player. After completing one difficult task, a group of wolves jump-bombs me from the air. My health points are sucked out by a woman I hug. Roundtable Hold has a place I can check. A man wearing two scythes enters and wrecks my game. This is only made worse by the message system. Sometimes the tormentors are there for a joke and they will encourage you forward. “No enemy ahead,” they promise, or “treasure chest here.” Sometimes there’s a treasure chest; sometimes there’s a giant armored knight who’s here to ruin your day.

Sometimes, even the most silly jokes can make it less stressful and downright depressing. It’s like having a tiny, not-terrible Twitch chat cheering you on sometimes.

Other times, it’s weirdly gentle. There’ll be appropriate advice — like “try stealth,” or “Fire ahead.” Or “Fight these guys one by one.” FromSoftware games are notoriously punishing, and the collected zeitgeist of their titles is that they’re very exacting. Not only will the player need to invest in practice and repetition, many new fans worry that the game’s most devoted fans will simply tell them to get good.

That’s certainly true in some places, for some people, but the messages in Elden Ring are revealing a much more sympathetic, helpful fan base. People who are familiar with FromSoftware traps and tricks can help new players not only navigate the challenges but also the mentality of laughing at those mistakes. For now, I’m enjoying my journey, and despite my countless deaths I’m not intimidated. I now get the way communities form around these games to pick them apart and decipher the secrets; there’s always someone there to lend a hand up. Or, if you’re unlucky, urge you off the edge of a cliff. Either way, it’s just another way to PlayIn these worlds.