Despite trailers for the game teasing an intriguing dark fantasy world, there is one core aspect of the design that may have novice players concerned about accessibility: the difficulty. Elden Ring is expected to be a highly demanding experience considering the studio’s track record for creating some of the most relentless, unforgiving video games in recent memory - such as Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Fortunately, there are ways by which less experienced players can better their skills before diving into Elden Ring.
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Playing Older FromSoftware Titles Before Elden Ring
Going back and getting a feel for other FromSoftware games is the best way for the uninitiated to prepare themselves for what’s to come in Elden Ring. Following the mentality of “sink or swim,” no other games provide the same experience as those made by FromSoftware. Cryptic information, intense combat, and a lack of guidance is present in every FromSoftware game; something which will likely to be no different in Elden Ring.
The fact that Elden Ring takes this harsh gameplay loop and adapts it into an open-world environment only makes it more of a daunting idea for players. The tight corridors and creepy caverns seen in games like Dark Souls are already stressful to navigate, but dropping players into a sandbox where almost everything wants to kill them increases the threat level. Because of this, players shouldn’t dive right in to Elden Ring as a first timer. Gradually building from Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls and so on provides a more natural sense of progression to get a feel for what these games are all about.
Adjusting In-Game Difficulty Settings
Prior to the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009, Hidetaka Miyazaki felt video games were becoming too easy. Big budget yearly franchises seemed to quite literally hold the hands of players, guiding them to the finish line with as little resistance as possible. For this reason, Miyazaki wanted to bring things back to an old-school philosophy, more akin to the challenging heyday of gaming with titles like Castlevania on the NES. This is why Demon’s Souls seemed like the antithesis to game design at the time, with no formal tutorials, limited guidance, and brutal combat encounters that truly tested the mettle of players.
There is nothing wrong with preferring a more casual experience and not wanting to die repeatedly. But for players more used to a casual gaming experience who are now interested in checking out Elden Ring, they may be in for a rude awakening. If these people are not inclined to check out prior FromSoftware titles as a means of getting ready, there are alternative methods likely available in most games.
Simply going into the settings and adjusting the difficulty higher is a great way to add a new layer of challenge to a familair experience. Most games tend to have this option, and it would be helpful to try this out with fast-paced action games like Doom Eternal in order to better one’s reflexes due to the relentless and unforgiving battles in FromSoftware games.
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Play Without a Map in Open-World Games
Adding an extra layer of challenge to open-world games is another good way to prepare for Elden Ring. The open-world genre is hugely popular, with nearly every major franchise adopting the trend in recent years - from Metal Gear Solid to The Legend of Zelda. Wanting a piece of the pie, FromSoftware will be adapting its style of gameplay into a vast and open environment, an idea which has many excited.
FromSoftware isnt usually focused on guiding players toward a destination, allowing for a more free sense of discovery. While fast travel mechanics and uncovering fragments of the overworld map have been confirmed for Elden Ring, this landscape is likely still going to be a treacherous place to travel. Gameplay footage has teased different areas in Elden Ring, with varied weather effects and designs to keep the experience fresh.
To better prepare for exploring a cryptic world with danger around every corner, gamers would be wise to revisit other open-world games and intentionally choose to ignore any navigation assistance. This includes waypoint icons, guided paths on mini-maps, and just opening the larger map in general. Keeping the usage of these tools to a minmum helps boost the sense of mystery and discovery in travelling around an open world, adding that more satisfaction upon locating something.
It remains to be seen just how difficult Elden Ring will be compared to other FromSoftware titles, but newer gamers to the style should try out these tips and more to be better prepared.
Elden Ring releases January 21, 2022, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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