Before elden ringI had played less than two hours of any other FromSoftware title. Comfortable in the world of FPS, the mechanics of Dark Souls or Bloodborne were too specific and too unforgiving for my often nervous reactions. the promise that Elden Ring would be more accessible than the Dark Souls games that scared me (thanks to its open world and flexible fast travel system) was the only thing that convinced me to give FromSoftware’s latest game a try.
I’ve now logged almost 75 hours of playtime with Elden Ring, and I’m taking my time to walk through The Lands Between. I have written about how I’m using summons to get through the game with the help of friends and strangers alike, and I’ve created a build so focused on magic that I can beat almost every encounter. But what does it look like when an Elden Ring player tries another FromSoftware title? Have I really learned anything to help me get over a franchise I’ve thrown tantrums about? It turns out that Elden Ring has gently turned me into (pause for effect) a fan of FromSoftware.
Become an Elden Lord
I tried Souls games before Elden Ring, and I was stupid enough to try them on Twitch when I used to stream. For several sessions in a row, my scant audience was forced to watch me curse, moan, scream, and act like a little kid denied candy while trying and failing to get out of the Undead Burg from Dark Soul 1. Since I’m so fast To the frustration and (at the time) completely unaware of FromSoftware’s enemy AI, I couldn’t figure out their attack patterns and kept getting caught in a barrage of undead hounds or pinned by a crossbow all the way through a courtyard. After a few attempts at my stream that felt nothing short of Sisyphean, I quit Dark Souls and vowed never to touch it again.
But Elden Ring promised to be different from other FromSoftware titles, and the studio delivered. The game offers a variety of paths to follow to improve your skills, find better weapons and practice your combat skills; in short, to better equip you for the tough battles you will undoubtedly face. When I first set foot in The Lands Between, I almost walked into the infamous hard Elden Ring Tree Sentinel but I was scared by its sheer size, so I turned on my heel and urged Torrent towards an area that seemed less intimidating. Hours and hours of gameplay later, and long after the anti-Tree Sentinel sentiment had spread across the internet, I realized that I still hadn’t beaten the bastard. I went back to the opening area, and with my magic collection, I removed all of his HP bar in three hits.
With dozens of hours under my belt, an impressive amount of great enemies taken down, and a solid understanding of swordsmanship, I felt ready to tackle another FromSoftware title. Defeating bosses I’d normally chicken out on helped me realize that I can handle tough battles if I’m properly prepared for them. So I booted up Dark Souls Remastered and jumped back into the Undead Burg.
darkest souls
That was my first mistake. I’ve since learned that FromSoftware games don’t end because players get stuck in particularly difficult areas, take a break from the game, then come back and once again feel deflated by the difficulty of that area. As soon as I load my Dark Souls save, an undead attack dog immediately kills me. I spawn at a bonfire and cringe as I remember that this is the frustrating path to the Capra Demon that had me curse my entire audience almost a year ago.
My second mistake was a complete lack of preparation. Elden Ring has taught me many things, but it is clear that I am underpowered and using the wrong settings. My original build of Dark Souls from months ago focused solely on strength, while my Elden Ring build is all about dexterity and intelligence, offering high physical damage and the ability to cast spells quickly. I’ve become a certain kind of FromSoftware player now, and sticking with an old version clearly won’t work. I make several heroic efforts to get through the area, including a flame-breathing dragon, more attack dogs, and fast-moving thieves harassing you on your way to the Capra Demon boss battle. I only get to the boss once – along the way I get knocked out twice by dragon fire, three times by dogs, eight times by thieves, and twice I fall off a ledge. When I finally cross the misty threshold and come face to face with the demon, he defeats me in two hits. I left Dark Souls again.
That’s when I remember the advice of Joe Donnelly of GamesRadar, who assured me that “once you get into pyromancy in Dark Souls, you can get OP pretty quickly.” Instead of starting from scratch with a pyromancy-focused remake, I stupidly tried to attack the game from an angle I’m not comfortable with. So, still smarting from the dog bites in Dark Souls, I decide to try Dark Souls 3 instead. This time I start with a Pyromancer build, and once I get the hang of throwing fireballs, I easily take out the first boss Ludex Gundyr, laughing maniacally as he falls to the ground. From there, I quickly make my way through the first area of Lothric, threading my way past foot soldiers, thieves, and knights alike.
When it comes time to fight Dark Souls 3’s second (and most difficult) boss, I’m certainly worried. Will my dependence on pyromancy be my downfall? Will I be forced to try to use my lesser sword skill? Turns out my IRL Luck stats are pretty high, as Vordt of the Boreal Valley is an ice based boss that takes a lot of damage from fire attacks. I make sure my team charge is low enough to feel flexible and agile, and I spend the fight dancing away from his mace attack and throwing fireballs in his path. I take down Vordt on my first try and emerge into the next area with all the confidence of a veteran FromSoftware player. Because thanks to Elden Ring, now I am.
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