I’ve never played a FromSoftware game before. That’s partially a lie, I started 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dark Souls three or four times. I got past the Asylum Demon once, and made it to another demon - Taurus I’m told - which kicked my ass and I promptly quit for g♌ood. Or so I thought.
As a games journalist I’m acutely aware of FromSoftware games and their hold on so many of my peers and readers. I get it. They’re good, if punishing, experiences. But they’re not for me. One time in university, years before I had even an 𒈔inkling of entering games media, I sat with my housemate as he made his way through what I think was the first Dark Souls. There was a castle and it looked much the same whenever I looked up at the screen - albeit I only looked when he yelled a loud “fuck, shit, fuck” upon dying. He also pointed out to me a Mimic.
I’m a huge fantasy nut, and the grotesque creativity of Miyazaki has always called to me, but I’ve just never gelled with the games. They seemed difficult to a degree that made them not fun any more, so I steered well clear. However, with 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Elden Ring, something felt different. Maybe it’s the open world compared t🌳o Breath of the Wild, maybe it’s our reviewer giving it five stars, but I wanted in. Whatever the reasons, I’m enjoying my time in The Lands Between, taking everything at my own pace. And with that in mind, I t🌳hought I’d share my beginner tips, from one FromSoft noob to another, to help anyone else in my position get a good start in the game.
Follow Your Nose
The most fun I’ve had so far has been exploring The Lands Between. Getting a piece of map from the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Gatefront Ruins will help you keep your bearings, but my best experiences have been when I’ve sp🍸otted a cool tower on the horizon and just, well, walked there. It’s easy to get distracted en route, too, so I find myself on a three-hour detour through poison swamps and past giant crabs when all I wanted to do was slap some lad with a crossbow off the top of 💟a rampart.
Seriously, you don’t have to follow the impenetrable story if you don’t want, just do cool shit in this cool world. Sometimes the enemies will vastly overpower you, but that’s all a part𓄧 of the fun. Besides, you can always run away if things get too much.
Run Away
Elden Ring’s beautiful open world gives you an option that no Soulsborne has really done before: you can just run away from the big scaries. That massive 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Tree Sentinel who thwacks you to oblivion when you first enter Limgrave? Just walk around him. A boss kicking you🍰r ass? Come back later. Do something else. Too many guards blocking the way throuඣgh the castle gates? Summon your horse and ride straight through them. Don’t fight a single one. Fighting - well, defeating - enemies will help you level up, but there’s no shame in running away, around, or straight through any particularly bothersome opponent.
Graveyards Are OP
During your adventures you’ll come across plenty of graveyards, most of which have already been plenty desecrated. But the ones you’re looking for look like big stone coffins above g♑round. The lids are ajar, and welcome you to pick up a bag full of sparkly runes from each. Watch out for lurking enemies near these, but graveyards are an easy peasy way to stack up on runes, Elden Ring’s currency. Pop them just before you need to spend them so you don’t lose them i𒈔f you die, and then level up your Tarnished to your heart’s content.
What The Fuck Is That
This is less of a tip and more of a minor Miyazaki spoiler. If you’re new new to Soulsbornes, some of the freakish creatures might come as a bit of a shock to you. Early on you may just be facing knights and zombie-ish weirdos, but soon you’ll be facing🍰 corporeal jellyfish, flayed giants, and massive bastards with more hands than hair. From the spoilers I’ve seen on Twitter, things will only get weirder, so just like, make sure you’re prepared.
Cheese It
From my conversations with Souls veterans, there is no bad way to beat a boss - no matter what whiny pissbaby gatekeepers say. If you sit back and yeet magical bolts at it, great. If you learn how to parry and poke it with a spear, more power to you. If it glitches into a wall and you can stab it in the bum a hundred times for free, go for it. A win is a win. Whether you’re provoking members of a horde one by one, stealthing aroun💖d an encampment, or taking advantage of an exploit, don’t let anyone tell you that your way of playing is invalid.
Follow The Rule Of Cool
My final tip is arguably the most important. Whether you’re busy getting busy with the bosses or you’re min-maxing your way through The Lands Between, you need to look and feel cool while doing so. I’m currently running around shirtless (in the game) because the base Warrior armour looks a bit shit, and I’d recommend you do the same. I ditched my +4 Short Spear for an un-upgraded Partisan spear because it looks coo𝐆ler. I also spent an hour farming a Godrick Knight for it, only to be disappointed when its stats were a fair bit worse than my current weapon of choice. I have a big ass tortoise shell as a shield because why not, and I feel badass. I’ve committed to not wearing armour until I find some that looks cool because fashion is my Tarnished’s life.
Similarly, if you don’t care about how you lo𝄹ok, pick whatever has the best stats. That’s a rule of cool too. There’s no right way to play Elden Ring, so enjoy your time with it. I’m just getting started, but I sure as hell am going to destroy this old ring in the fires of Mordor or whatever it is we need to do.
