I slammed souls like games on this forum time and time again. But playing Elden Ring…

[Everlasting_Cyclone]

This is one of the best games I've ever played. I adore hard games. But with Dark Souls Remastered, I had to slog through enemies I beat again on a long path just to fight the boss. I'm only an hour in to Elden Ring, and l believe there are some checkpoints right before the boss.

Plus the exploration aspects are so freeing and streamlined that it enables me to farm more and find things easier.

I fucking hate my job. The only thing getting me through it is my anticipation to build up my light mage/warrior/ scavenger build!

Already my goty

 

[JoJo'sDentCo]

You're only an hour in and coming to that conclusion?

Though, it's one of my favorite games ever too!

 

[Dest]

If you're coming to that conclusion an hour in, you're in for a fucking treat.

 

[Firmament1]

You're only an hour in and coming to that conclusion?

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Steam review moment

 

[Perkin_Warbeck]

Yeah, I don't know what the other bosses are going to be like, but there's a bonfire right next to the first one.

 

[Deleted member 61531]

Very curious to see how your opinion evolves over time.

 

[R dott B]

One hour.

I guess I can't say much because it took me 15 mins to figure out I didn't like it.

 

[TeenageFBI]

Subsequent Fromsoft games have been getting friendlier with bonfires near a boss. Sekiro and Elden Ring are especially nice about it. Even if there's a bit of a hike, you can usually find a way to run there without touching an enemy.

 

[Jaded Alyx]

One hour.

I guess I can't say much because it took me 15 mins to figure out I didn't like it.

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What did you see/experience/do in 15 minutes to come to that realisation?

 

[Mediking]

One hour.

I guess I can't say much because it took me 15 mins to figure out I didn't like it.

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You buy it from PS4? I'll buy it from you lol

 

[Mukrab]

You're only an hour in and coming to that conclusion?

Though, it's one of my favorite games ever too!

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I mean if his main complaint about dark souls was boss runs then it doesn't matter how long it took him to come to the conclusion that it is different in Elden Ring. He's not wrong.

Also OP, Maybe give DS3 a shot. Its not nearly as bad as DS1 with boss runs.

 

[Ashes of Dreams]

There's way too many graces/bonfires in this game. It was a problem already in Dark Souls 3 but this one is just silly sometimes. There's no reason the open world needs a grace literally a 30 second walk from each other. Major locations you will revisit makes sense to get them but the random ones in the field is way too much. Then you get to the legacy dungeons and like... there's a grace in a room, you do one big room that takes maybe two minutes to clear and you get another grace. You then walk down a single room with like three enemies in it and get a shortcut back to the previous grace? You then kill a boss a room over and get another grace? Walk forward, another grace? There's like four graces all within less than a minute of walking distance. lol

 

[Everlasting_Cyclone]

One hour.

I guess I can't say much because it took me 15 mins to figure out I didn't like it.

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Did you try the tutorial? It really helped me.

 

[JoJo'sDentCo]

I mean if his main complaint about dark souls was boss runs then it doesn't matter how long it took him to come to the conclusion that it is different in Elden Ring. He's not wrong.

Also OP, Maybe give DS3 a shot. Its not nearly as bad as DS1 with boss runs.

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Elden Ring still has some boss runs, to be fair.

 

[modiz]

Quite early to come into that conclusion.

BUT
I was in the same boat, I've tried many other from software games, failing to advance considerably at all at any of them as I found them insanely difficult.
I then played the network test for Elden ring, which again was extremely tough for me, took me cumulatively around 4 hours to defeat the first main boss. However as it turns out, this 4 hour fight seems to have done good for me.
I've sincestarted the real game, and suddenly… I felt like I've barely hit any walls. I've managed to step up to every challenge I have faced, at the same time I've found the exploration side of this game really calming. Something just clicked hard.
I am now around 40 hours into the game, defeated half of the required bosses to end the game, defeated many other optional bosses, explored vast regions of the map, and never felt like I was either overleveled or underleveled to the game.

I have had an incredible experience with the game so far, and if I will end up finishing it (sounds likely at this point, something that I didn't imagine I would be able to do just a month ago), I might even go back to all those other from software games I have "failed" on.

 

[Lobster Roll]

Same, OP. I've never cared for Miyazaki games and have been blown away and thoroughly impressed by Elden Ring. I'll probably replay this game dozens of times and never again touch the others.

 

[Mukrab]

Elden Ring still has some boss runs, to be fair.

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I guess a few. I played like 80h and cant really remember many. I guess Library had one. But there is a shortcut which makes it not that bad i think.

 

[Thera]

There's way too many graces/bonfires in this game. It was a problem already in Dark Souls 3 but this one is just silly sometimes. There's no reason the open world needs a grace literally a 30 second walk from each other. Major locations you will revisit makes sense to get them but the random ones in the field is way too much. Then you get to the legacy dungeons and like... there's a grace in a room, you do one big room that takes maybe two minutes to clear and you get another grace. You then walk down a single room with like three enemies in it and get a shortcut back to the previous grace? You then kill a boss a room over and get another grace? Walk forward, another grace? There's like four graces all within less than a minute of walking distance. lol

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And yet, you failed to explained why "there's way too many".
Like, what's the real problem here?

 

[Spring-Loaded]

After this thread gets locked and once you reach a certain river location, please make a new thread with your reaction—if you're only an hour in, you've likely seen nothing yet

 

[Mesoian]

This is one of the best games I've ever played. I adore hard games. But with Dark Souls Remastered, I had to slog through enemies I beat again on a long path just to fight the boss. I'm only an hour in to Elden Ring, and l believe there are some checkpoints right before the boss.

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Prepare to be disappointed. ER does a lot right, but long walks back and retreading ground is absolutely in the DNA of this game.

 

[Disco Infernal]

It only gets better. Especially if you like challenging games.

 

[FLUXCapacitor]

In defense of the OP, my first 1-2 hours was "holy shit this game is awesome so far". Now 85 hours in and my feelings are the same.

 

[HStallion]

There are certain parts where the game isn't nearly so accommodating so your opinion may change. It does however give you a myriad of tools to overcome the really challenging parts so I don't think things ever get too dire.

 

[julia crawford]

These are the same kinds of threads people were making about Dark Souls back in the day. About how they tried Demon's Souls and didn't like it but Dark Souls was their GOTY. It's like a cycle or something. Like we're going around and around.

 

[maximumzero]

Dang, so many Elden Ring threads.

This is one of those games that I wish had a demo, as I'd like to check it out, but not to the tune of $60.

Maybe someday I can get it in a humble bundle or something so there's much less financial risk.

 

[JoJo'sDentCo]

I guess a few. I played like 80h and cant really remember many. I guess Library had one. But there is a shortcut which makes it not that bad i think.

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Yeah most aren't bad. Would have preferred Statues of Marika next to all fog walls.

 

[JEH]

There's way too many graces/bonfires in this game. It was a problem already in Dark Souls 3 but this one is just silly sometimes. There's no reason the open world needs a grace literally a 30 second walk from each other. Major locations you will revisit makes sense to get them but the random ones in the field is way too much. Then you get to the legacy dungeons and like... there's a grace in a room, you do one big room that takes maybe two minutes to clear and you get another grace. You then walk down a single room with like three enemies in it and get a shortcut back to the previous grace? You then kill a boss a room over and get another grace? Walk forward, another grace? There's like four graces all within less than a minute of walking distance. lol

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This is not a problem it's an upgrade

 

[Omnipotent]

These are the same kinds of threads people were making about Dark Souls back in the day. About how they tried Demon's Souls and didn't like it but Dark Souls was their GOTY. It's like a cycle or something. Like we're going around and around.

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The Dark Sign is a ring
The Elden Ring is made up of rings
Rings are circles
Circles go round and round in cycles

 

[Mesoian]

There's way too many graces/bonfires in this game. It was a problem already in Dark Souls 3 but this one is just silly sometimes. There's no reason the open world needs a grace literally a 30 second walk from each other. Major locations you will revisit makes sense to get them but the random ones in the field is way too much. Then you get to the legacy dungeons and like... there's a grace in a room, you do one big room that takes maybe two minutes to clear and you get another grace. You then walk down a single room with like three enemies in it and get a shortcut back to the previous grace? You then kill a boss a room over and get another grace? Walk forward, another grace? There's like four graces all within less than a minute of walking distance. lol

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And there are certain parts of the game that are a 3 minute HORSE walk back.

I'd suspect that the abundance of graces is to mitigate the verticality of most of the environments. In the volcano biome, there's 4 that are basically on top of each other, but that's because you have to move vertically in a centrical fashion in order to get to the next one. There's certainly a lot of that in the cities.

I don't see any problem with it. The areas with the highest abundance of grace are the ones with midbosses just wandering around everywhere.

 

[Arn]

As a long-time Souls skeptic playing through Dark Souls Remastered right now it is incredibly tough going. I spent 30 minutes trying to get into Blighttown last night and kept falling off the big wheel I need to transport downwards. The game has a habit of needing precise character control and placement despite controlling like absolute shit, which remains part of its charm. It's the best shit game I've ever played.

 

[Mukrab]

There's way too many graces/bonfires in this game. It was a problem already in Dark Souls 3 but this one is just silly sometimes. There's no reason the open world needs a grace literally a 30 second walk from each other. Major locations you will revisit makes sense to get them but the random ones in the field is way too much. Then you get to the legacy dungeons and like... there's a grace in a room, you do one big room that takes maybe two minutes to clear and you get another grace. You then walk down a single room with like three enemies in it and get a shortcut back to the previous grace? You then kill a boss a room over and get another grace? Walk forward, another grace? There's like four graces all within less than a minute of walking distance. lol

Click to shrink...

I don't think this is comparable to dark souls 3 at all. i didnt like it there. In ER in the open world who cares? Its not like you will have to fight some enemies to go from A to B. It's just a waste of time for everyone involved to have to teleport to A every single time you want to go to B when there isn't even a risk involved in going there most of the time. In Ds3 finding a bonfire was a save point. In the open world it's not really one. it's mainly for travel.

I will say this tho. I hated them in Legacy dungeons to some extent. I kept unlocking shortcuts that were totally useless because there was a grace basically in the next room.

 

[Disco Infernal]

Same, OP. I've never cared for Miyazaki games and have been blown away and thoroughly impressed by Elden Ring. I'll probably replay this game dozens of times and never again touch the others.

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It would be hard to go back and play without Torrent and a jump button.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

Can't say I miss the obligatory Souls run-back to the boss mechanic. Maybe this is my perception being skewed but it does feel like most bosses or "hard" group encounters/set piece battles seem to be balanced around you essentially expending all of your resources. Between teleportation, stakes and the like the game can basically count on you having a full set of healing items for every boss. In previous souls games you kinda felt like you entered into a fight with too few or WAY too many resources and at least in the early game for Elden Ring where I'm at most of the time when I am winning I'm going down to the wire on health resources every time.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Dang, so many Elden Ring threads.

This is one of those games that I wish had a demo, as I'd like to check it out, but not to the tune of $60.

Maybe someday I can get it in a humble bundle or something so there's much less financial risk.

Click to shrink...

Dark Souls can kinda act as the demo.

Elden Ring is basically Dark Souls with a ridiculous open world that gives you seemingly infinite alternatives when stuck on a challenge.

 

[Chocobo Blade]

Are we at the "Elden Ring changed my life" stage yet?

 

[Clive]

I'm convinced that 90%+ of the people who thought older Souls games sucked while loving Elden Ring would love Dark Souls 3 if they went back to it afterwards. It's essentially the same thing, including hidden areas, secrets and a sense of discovery.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Are we at the "Elden Ring changed my life" stage yet?

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I'm at the "Elden Ring took my life" stage myself

 

[Soupman Prime]

Was surprised I was 12 hours in. It's a good game I'll finish no doubt but don't like it more than and of the other Souls games I've played. It's the open world for me, not sure about it yet.

 

[Gordon's Tulpa]

easy GOTY. Best game to come out since Bloodborne.

 

[Everlasting_Cyclone]

These are the same kinds of threads people were making about Dark Souls back in the day. About how they tried Demon's Souls and didn't like it but Dark Souls was their GOTY. It's like a cycle or something. Like we're going around and around.

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Then I gotta give it up to Fromsoft. Because it seems like they know how to improve with every entry!

 

[JudgmentJay]

Prepare to be disappointed. ER does a lot right, but long walks back and retreading ground is absolutely in the DNA of this game.

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Define long. With one exception (the one mentioned in post 17) most of the runbacks are extremely short. I doubt there's anywhere in the open world where you could die and not be back to your runes in under 30 seconds thanks to Torrent and/or stealth.

 

[Androidsleeps]

It only gets better from there. My mind is constantly blown by the amount of variety in everything, the aesthetic, the atmosphere and the exploration. It was a great decision putting a grace site right before the first main boss and filling Limgrave with things to do and bosses to attempt of different difficulties.

I loved what I played of Bloodborne, but I did find it easy to put aside. For example, the Gascoigne wall hits you quite early and running back to him got annoying that early in the game. Elden Ring does a better job at introducing you to the world and the map makes you want to go and touch every corner. I'm constantly distracted by things in the world and that's exactly what I want from an open world.

 

[Nameless]

As someone who has both Morrowind and Bloodborne in their top 10, Elden Ring has been nothing short of a dream. I'm 93 hours in with half of the legacy dungeons left, two large regions left unexplored, and still constantly find fresh discoveries out in the world. Easily one of the best games ever made. The sense of wonder & adventure here is off the charts.

 

[IIFloodyII]

It's definitely nice that the very vast majority of bosses don't have annoying run backs, one of the good things about Elden Ring's bosses Vs the other Souls games, with how hard some get a long run back would probably kill the game for me as they are some of the most frustrating bosses From have done.

 

[Sacul64]

And there are certain parts of the game that are a 3 minute HORSE walk back.

I'd suspect that the abundance of graces is to mitigate the verticality of most of the environments. In the volcano biome, there's 4 that are basically on top of each other, but that's because you have to move vertically in a centrical fashion in order to get to the next one. There's certainly a lot of that in the cities.

I don't see any problem with it. The areas with the highest abundance of grace are the ones with midbosses just wandering around everywhere.

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Not to mention that people miss things, great if you found all 4 another player may only find one of those.

 

[Karlinel]

I'm on the opposite camp, I loved the beginning and fucking hate it 31h in. Lvl 71 with 26 vig and every boss can 1 or 2 shot me, red npc too, can't get past fucking Radhan and can't even farm decently. Very very close to quitting, after platinum DeS, BB, DS1, 2 and Sekiro. It's just like the worst of DS3 multiplied by fucking open world.

Well, I guess not for me.

 

[Sacul64]

Dark Souls can kinda act as the demo.

Elden Ring is basically Dark Souls with a ridiculous open world that gives you seemingly infinite alternatives when stuck on a challenge.

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You saying this in a topic where the op is about not liking dark souls and eldin ring being goty.

 

[DrROBschiz]

Im upset that I don't have more time to play so I TOO can finish the game and finally avoid the mountain of spoilers in every nook and cranny of the internet

Game is awesome OP and glad you are having fun!

 

[JoJo'sDentCo]

I'm convinced that 90%+ of the people who thought older Souls games sucked while loving Elden Ring would love Dark Souls 3 if they went back to it afterwards. It's essentially the same thing, including hidden areas, secrets and a sense of discovery.

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Dark Souls 3 is much uglier. Can't go back to it.

 

[CountAntonio]

The open world is the game changer. If you hit a wall you just go explore somewhere else. Always something new to find or do. I have over 100 hours and I'm still on my first playthrough with parts of the map still unlocked.