I've been playing Elden Ring for a while now, and like many of you, it's a bit of a divisive game. Some say it's the best Souls game, while others say it's the most unforgiving of them all. In a recent Reddit thread, one player recounts their Elden Ring experience, and it's definitely an interesting read.
Elden Ring: The Unforgiving Game That Turns Friends into Enemies
“Elden Ring: The Unforgiving Game That Turns Friends into Enemies” is the subtitle of the Reddit post, which tells the story of a person playing the game and their friend, who kept telling them that Elden Ring was “harder than the Souls games”.
“I started playing Elden Ring with a friend and he kept saying how difficult it was. I was a bit skeptical because I felt I was good at the Souls games, so I thought it would be a cakewalk. He kept saying that the bosses were unforgiving and that I’d be stuck on one, but I figured I’d prove him wrong by beating it and continuing on.”
Most of the comments on the post agree that Elden Ring is a bit harder than other Souls games, but not to the point where it’s frustrating. There are options for grinding, and you can summon help if you’re struggling. While there are some tough enemies, the bosses are generally more challenging than those in earlier games.
“The community has already given names to some of the enemies, like ‘Wormface’, which is a tall character with worms coming out of their face,” the post continues. “The species hasn’t been officially named yet, but ‘Wormface’ is widely accepted as the name for this enemy type.”
Certainly, I’ve seen players refer to ‘Wormface’ in comments and videos before, so it’s definitely a thing. The unnamed player continues, “My friend created a ‘hitlist’ of enemies and put their names and their deaths. I found it quite amusing. He listed Wormface, and Ancestor Spirit [a boss] but also things like ‘Death Bird’, which I didn’t find very funny because I hate that boss.”
I have to say, I laughed at that one too, because I also hate the Death Bird. Someone else says, “I hate the Death Bird,” and someone else replies, “I hate the Death Bird.” Another person says, “It’s very easy, actually,” and someone else says, “It’s very easy, actually, if you have a bow and arrow.”
“My friend actually finished the game,” the original poster continues. “Not only did he beat every enemy that killed him, he even went after the ones that I killed. I was out of the country at the time, so while I was away he played a lot and finished the game. I came back to find the credits rolling. I was a bit confused, but I deleted the game.
“When I realized what was happening, I decided to boot up the game again. This time I was more careful about leaving the game running, and when I came back, I found that the game was still running, but instead of the game, I was seeing the credits. I deleted the game again and left it running, and when I came back, I saw the death screen, so I knew that he killed himself.”
That’s dedication.
The original poster goes on to say that they still play Elden Ring, and that while it is a difficult game, they find it a “rewarding experience”.
“I still play, but I tend to play more casually now. I finished my first playthrough and am doing a blind playthrough,” they say. “I still find it challenging but in a good way. I think Elden Ring is a very good game for people who love a challenge and are looking for a game that will last them a long time.”
I think that’s a fair assessment of the game. In my own experience, it’s certainly a lot harder than the other Souls games, but it’s also more accessible.
