Elden Ring - February 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES S/X)

[Andrei79]

I was traveling so I had to take a break for a while. Frankly, I thought I'd miss it more and be more excited to pick it back up. Something with the combat is still not clicking with me. I've still got to get the parrying down or to ditch a shield all together because as it stands now, I'm stealthing, guard countering, range attacking, or running in for a jumping attack and getting out. It's not very engaging for me. I'm quite surprised, too. I thought I'd hate the open world stuff and love the combat, but it's been almost the complete opposite so far.

This might be your answer then whether Dark Souls will appeal to you. The combat in Elden Ring is actually better and more varied.

 

[Kranix]

Finally beat Radahn. Big moment. I think fear of narrowing the gap is what prevented me from beating him sooner. You gotta stay with him to beat him.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Ah, like Hollow Knight, so it wouldn't be a new mechanic for me, thanks!

Yes but you need to get them back before you die again or else they're gone forever. Usually it's easy though, there's a big bright thing you just click a button over, you can even do it on the run.

 

[Emperoreddy]

New patch finished some of the unfinished NPC side quests, which is kind of unprecedented for a From Soft game to patch that in so quickly.

12 million in sales will do that I guess.

 

[aleshemsky83]

New patch finished some of the unfinished NPC side quests, which is kind of unprecedented for a From Soft game to patch that in so quickly.

12 million in sales will do that I guess.

I'm surprised they would launch with npc questlines that didn't work. That's literally one of the main things about their games

 

[blue425]

Just checking in. 80+ hours and I still have about 25% of the map to uncover. If the game has a flaw it might be that it is too big. Minor gripe.

Better game than Bloodborne? Yes. Do I like it more than BB? No. Yharnam is just so damn unique and the combat is still From's best imo.

 

[Beau Knows]

Just checking in. 80+ hours and I still have about 25% of the map to uncover. If the game has a flaw it might be that it is too big. Minor gripe.

Better game than Bloodborne? Yes. Do I like it more than BB? No. Yharnam is just so damn unique and the combat is still From's best imo.

I'm at 50 and I still haven't reached any of the demigods after Godrick.

 

[pistolpete11]

This might be your answer then whether Dark Souls will appeal to you. The combat in Elden Ring is actually better and more varied.

Yeah, I had this thought.

It's not that the combat isn't varied. It's just slow. The inputs are slow and I haven't been able to fight up close and personal because I get obliterated anytime I roll against a non-basic enemy. So it's a lot of backing off and waiting until the enemies attack so I can guard counter or run in and get a jumping attack in.

The more I think about it, though, the more I think it is my build/weapon choice. So I'm going to try some different stuff out. It would just suck if that's the problem because I've already sunk so much time, skill upgrades, and weapon upgrades into my current build and I might not even like it.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

There's items to respec though, I wouldn't stress too much on it. There's also plenty of different farms for runes, stones, and graveworts.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Just checking in. 80+ hours and I still have about 25% of the map to uncover. If the game has a flaw it might be that it is too big. Minor gripe.

Better game than Bloodborne? Yes. Do I like it more than BB? No. Yharnam is just so damn unique and the combat is still From's best imo.

I like Bloodborne a lot, but I think the combat here is a step up. More build variety, more enemies, way more weapons, magic being strong and plentiful, things like summons and ashes of war that can completely change weapons, mounted combat, etc. Again Bloodborne is great but the only major thing it has is trick weapons, which I wish were in elden ring.

 

[pistolpete11]

There's items to respec though, I wouldn't stress too much on it. There's also plenty of different farms for runes, stones, and graveworts.

Are stones item drops? I thought they were just found in the world and thus a limited resource?

 

[blue425]

I like Bloodborne a lot, but I think the combat here is a step up. More build variety, more enemies, way more weapons, magic being strong and plentiful, things like summons and ashes of war that can completely change weapons, mounted combat, etc. Again Bloodborne is great but the only major thing it has is trick weapons, which I wish were in elden ring.

The speed of BB's combat is what puts it over the top for me. Aggressive, but too aggressive will you get you killed. Quick stepping through attacks always feels amazing. Rolling? That's for pots and barrels. The quick step in ER is a step down - even the upgraded one. That said they're different. You can see some of BB's and Sekiro's DNA in ER in the new system.

I'm glad From exists: )

Are stones item drops? I thought they were just found in the world and thus a limited resource?

Yeah some enemies drop them occasionally, but I can't remember which.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

Loretta was a pain for me. Would get her down to one hit and then she’d crush me. Eventually got her and tea bagged her for good measure.

Just loving this game, but boy does it give me anxiety because I’m so used to a path in games and this one doesn’t give you one so I feel like I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. Some areas are pretty intimidating.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Are stones item drops? I thought they were just found in the world and thus a limited resource?

You can buy them from the merchant at the round table hold if you give them certain bell offerings or whatever they’re called.

 

[aleshemsky83]

Just checking in. 80+ hours and I still have about 25% of the map to uncover. If the game has a flaw it might be that it is too big. Minor gripe.

Better game than Bloodborne? Yes. Do I like it more than BB? No. Yharnam is just so damn unique and the combat is still From's best imo.

Having played bloodborne the first time in the dark with headphones on, it's basically a horror game in the first 5-6 hours. Adds such a different element especially with how the ambient screams in the distance are so much more noticeable.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Yeah, I had this thought.

It's not that the combat isn't varied. It's just slow. The inputs are slow and I haven't been able to fight up close and personal because I get obliterated anytime I roll against a non-basic enemy. So it's a lot of backing off and waiting until the enemies attack so I can guard counter or run in and get a jumping attack in.

The more I think about it, though, the more I think it is my build/weapon choice. So I'm going to try some different stuff out. It would just suck if that's the problem because I've already sunk so much time, skill upgrades, and weapon upgrades into my current build and I might not even like it.

My main beef with the combat at this point is how damn faulty the targeting is.

Just 1-2 enemies and it’s not a problem, but get more than three and you’re never targeting the guy you want and You Died.

…


I’m in Leyndell: Royal Capitol and despite being about level 130, I’ve been getting raped and murdered by the enemies there.

But no way in hell did I want to respec, again, like I did after Raya Lucaria (and that was just a soft respec to remove redundant points) so instead I switched it up.

Ever since I got the Sword of Night and Flame I’ve barely used my beloved Golden Halberd, so into the chest it goes and I’m traveling lighter.

The GH is an excellent early-mid game weapon, but once you hit Mt Gelmir or thereabouts its weaknesses start to glare: it’s strong as hell but weighs a ton, is slow and its weapon art won’t count for anything against even field enemies by that point, especially relative to boss weapons that weigh a little more but have devastating arts, like Radahn’s sword.

So I picked up the entire Radahn set and aside from looking awesome I got an instant 15-30% boost on all my defensive stats. 15-30% is really just an extra hit or maybe two from a boss level enemy but that can make all the difference.

SoN&F has a ridiculous weapon art, or a couple of them: the primary is a big AoE flame arc that dusts almost any humanoid enemies instantly, and the other is a single enemy attack that shoots beams of green light. The flame arc one-shots the Cemetery Shade, a quite difficult boss or so I’ve heard.

I then went and fought the Night’s Cavalry guy in Greyoll’s Dragonbarrow, and that fight was hard, even leading him through the poison traps I barely beat him after 15 tries.

He drops Bloodhound Step, which is the first LOL tier Ash of War I have found.

I bought a simple pike for the reach, upgraded it as much as I could (I have it at +17), put Bloodhound Step on it and I’m chopping across the battlefield like f***in’ Denis Savard, and because it’s a basic weapon I can apply grease to it, which is crucial.

Bloodhound Step does take a bit to get used to the timing and the angles, like just about everything else in the game, but damn does it feel good to have speed on your side.

Just for shiggles I did a grind for a few hours and put 4 more points in Vigor and two more in Endurance.

36, 29, 33, 42, 13, 25, 37, 20, SoN&F +5, Pike + 17 with Bloodhound Step, Godslayer Seal +12, Radahn Set, Pearldrake Talisman, Radagon’s Seal and the Red Knife that restores health with Crits and using Rykard’s Great Rune (felled enemies = HP).

I have a bow and several hundred arrows in my inventory that I can equip when I need to.

I haven’t gone through the Capitol yet but this shit is madness, like superyacht, supermodels and a European country’s annual GDP worth of cocaine on a Wednesday night madness.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Finally beat the tree monster under the tutorial area. Honestly it wasn't so bad once I figured his pattern out, but I did need a better weapon to get it done.

 

[pistolpete11]

My main beef with the combat at this point is how damn faulty the targeting is.

Just 1-2 enemies and it’s not a problem, but get more than three and you’re never targeting the guy you want and You Died.

Really? I mean, crowds are never welcomed in FromSoft games, but I can't say that targeting has ever been a major issue for me. It's easy enough to switch between them and if it has ever picked the wrong enemy, I don't know what they could have done to make it better.

 

[Kranix]

Leyndell is pretty crazy. I just ran for my life grabbing items as I went and got all the way to the boss. Went back into the sewers, terrifying maze down there.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Really? I mean, crowds are never welcomed in FromSoft games, but I can't say that targeting has ever been a major issue for me. It's easy enough to switch between them and if it has ever picked the wrong enemy, I don't know what they could have done to make it better.

Maybe because I’m playing on a PS4, but I’ve been finding when I enter an area and there’s 5-8 low level enemies I have to depress R3, then stealth a bit as I move it around to get the enemy closest to me.

I imagine it’s probably a bit more refined on XSX/PS5/PC. It has killed me more than a handful of times.

Although now, Night and Flame Stance helps a lot with crowds.

 

[pistolpete11]

Maybe because I’m playing on a PS4, but I’ve been finding when I enter an area and there’s 5-8 low level enemies I have to depress R3, then stealth a bit as I move it around to get the enemy closest to me.

I imagine it’s probably a bit more refined on XSX/PS5/PC. It has killed me more than a handful of times.

Although now, Night and Flame Stance helps a lot with crowds.

I'm not sure I understand your issue. If you are locked on, you can go left/right with the right stick and it cycles between the enemies. That doesn't work for you?

 

[Voodoo Child]

I'm not sure I understand your issue. If you are locked on, you can go left/right with the right stick and it cycles between the enemies. That doesn't work for you?

No I can and do - but I find when I lock on it rarely locks onto the guy closest to me, and I have to tap the stick to get where I need to get.

Although knowing this game, it could be intentional.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I can't even get past the f***ing wolves in the tutorial cave

Not the same thing but i feel i pretty much mastered BOTW's combat system so i now i have to be patient, time attacks, time parry, time dodge, etc...I've never been into Souls games but i'll give this one an honest effort. I have no idea what i'm doing so i'll be learning on the fly. I don't want to spend hours watching YT vids unless i'm completely stuck on something

 

[Oogie Boogie]

 

[Voodoo Child]

I can't even get past the f***ing wolves in the tutorial cave

Not the same thing but i feel i pretty much mastered BOTW's combat system so i now i have to be patient, time attacks, time parry, time dodge, etc...I've never been into Souls games but i'll give this one an honest effort. I have no idea what i'm doing so i'll be learning on the fly. I don't want to spend hours watching YT vids unless i'm completely stuck on something

When you get your early game grind on, and you’ll need to, do yourself a favor and place the bulk of your points into the stats you want to build around, don’t spread them out. Try to be everything to everyone and you’ll end up nothing to nobody and dead a lot (also vigor and endurance, don’t neglect).

I’m loving this new configuration I set up last night. I just did the Shaded Castle and aside from the Cleanrot Knights killing me twice, I rolled Elemer of the Briar up and smoked his ass - Mimic Tear + Night and Flame Stance + Bloodhound Step.

And I only had two Crimson Potions left heading in, yet he had no shot.