Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck OK)
Buy it from: Amazon | Best Buy | Humble Bundle
Current goal: Conceptualize what my build is going to look like
Back in May, I gave Elden Ring yet another shot. It didn’t work.
I purchased a copy of it when it launched in 2022, and sunk around 10 hours into it to mixed results. I definitely clicked with it here and there, but when it got tougher…I wasn’t here for it. Or, rather, other things in life grabbed my attention instead. Sure, I could see the appeal of mastering a tough challenge, but I already have my fair share of challenges in other hobbies and, well, life itself. So it drifted. I’d try it every now and then, including a few months ago, and just couldn’t get into it in a sustainable way.
Read More: Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn: The Kotaku Review
And then I played, and reviewed, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. Like many soulslikes, it’s got its work cut out for it trying to make it in a genre with fans that have very discriminating, and often developer-specific, tastes. Flintlock is a much easier take on the Souls format though, and that really helped me cut to the chase a bit more, find the joy of more intentional combat and the dopamine drip that results from steadily moving through a world, one tough battle at a time. It was a nice set of training wheels for me and provided some joy on its own merits as well. And around halfway through that game, I felt a confident and excited urge to jump into one of FromSoftware’s masterpieces with the intention of finishing it.
That game turned out to be Elden Ring. I considered others, but the open, wandering spaces of Elden Ring feel a bit more inviting. I spun up a new character and have since sunk six hours into this fresh, new attempt. Having just gotten through a fight that literally took me around an hour and a half to complete, accompanied by a dear friend who’s willing to help me unpack the game’s cryptic systems and provide me with some encouragement, I think I’ve cracked it. I’ve got some good momentum. I understand this genre and this game better now.
Also, this playthrough of Elden Ring is coming at a time where I’m facing some steep personal challenges, unexpected failures, pains, and regrets. Yet, there’s opportunity and an uncertain future full of trials and struggles where I can easily see myself coming out intact and stronger. In getting sent to “You Died” screens constantly, with the courage to get up and do it again, I’m wondering if Elden Ring’s gonna have more to offer than just a fun, if not challenging, way to pass the time. — Claire Jackson
