The Besties: Spoiling the Heck Out of Elden Ring
April 15, 2022 1:38 AM - Subscribe

Look, we told you we'd be talking about Elden Ring for a very long time, and here we are, doing just that. We're going to be talking about the game's first half, and then, after a brief interlude, the second half! And then we're gonna talk about it less in the future, probably! Other media discussed: Sonic 2, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Old Enough, Perfect Tides, Minx

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posted by lazaruslong (8 comments total)
 
I want to play Elden Ring SO BAD but I don't have a system for it right now. I think I might splurge and get a next gen console next month, though. I've been threatening to do it forever and I'll actually have something to celebrate and the cash to indulge next month...
posted by lazaruslong at 3:56 AM on April 15, 2022


I haven't played this, and don't know if/when I ever will, but I caught a story on Kotaku that was kind of charming: there's a boss that's so tough that players will request help from another player called Let Me Solo Her, and by gum that's exactly what he does, double-wielding katanas and wearing nothing but a loincloth and what looks like a chamber pot on his head.
posted by Halloween Jack at 2:54 PM on April 15, 2022 [3 favorites]


I have been playing this for about 60 hours and I'm coming down the home stretch.

I have played all the Souls/adjacent games (except Demon Souls) and I think this has been my favorite experience.

I have loved the other games but Elden Ring builds and breaks tension in such a way that doesn't feel inescapably oppressive like they other ones do. If a particular legacy dungeon feels too intense I can fuck off and go explore somewhere else for a while and come back when I've become stronger or feel up to the challenge. That single change has made this far and away my favorite of the series, which is saying quite a lot since DS1 and Bloodborne are two of my favorite games of all time.

I had honestly ignored the development of ER because the open world concept seemed at cross purposes with what these games try to do and I'm glad I was proven wrong. The open world doesn't feel like a gimmick or tacked on (looking at you Halo Infinite) and is a joy to explore.

I could talk about this game for ages but so much has been said already. After I finish I'll let it marinate and come back with some Final Thoughts.
posted by Tevin at 4:26 PM on April 15, 2022 [2 favorites]


I have been playing this for about 60 hours and I'm coming down the home stretch.

Just out of curiosity, not a zinger or anything: did you listen to this episode of the podcast? Or do you have other benchmark sources for how far through you are? Even though it’s the comments of a spoilerriffic episode, I’m trying to talk around it a little so:

The question about “how far through” comes up a lot in this episode, with the hosts in retrospect saying that they were always dead wrong when they made this kind of estimate.


Either way, your comments echo a lot of what they said here.
posted by supercres at 9:07 AM on April 17, 2022


Just out of curiosity, not a zinger or anything: did you listen to this episode of the podcast? Or do you have other benchmark sources for how far through you are?

I looked up the ending because I didn't want to reach it and get dumped directly into NG+ (like BB, for example). But there was at least one point where I was like "oh shit here's the final boss" but nope, not even close.

Which is a fun feeling! The world kept expanding in ways I didn't anticipate. I am not shy about looking things up if I get stuck and even with seeking things out in that way I was constantly surprised.

The phrase from Chronicles of Narnia "further up and further in" keeps coming to mind when describing The Lands Between (without the Christian allegory [or maybe not??]).

I haven't listened to the episode yet but I will tomorrow and compare my experience if there's anything of note.
posted by Tevin at 3:09 PM on April 17, 2022 [2 favorites]


Rad. Definitely a distribution on completion times, but I was comparing your 60 to Plante’s 80 and only halfway through and was wondering 🤪
posted by supercres at 5:24 PM on April 17, 2022 [1 favorite]


I really enjoyed this ep as a person who will never ever play this game because it does not play to my video game strength of "panicking and spamming buttons". Souls and Souls-likes are not for me, but boy they sound weird and interesting!
posted by joelhunt at 9:01 AM on April 19, 2022


Alright, just put a wrap on the game at 60 hours.

This is probably on the shorter end for most people but I was just ready to put the game down for a bit. I'm sure I'll be back to explore some more but I was ready.

I will say that the end of the game is kind of an inversion of what I described as the earlier parts: rather than ever expanding it condenses further and further and focuses the player to one, inevitable road. It was great.

As far discussing the actual podcast, I disagree with Russ about trying bosses without summons first. It's ridiculous - I mean, if you want to say that way that's fine but these fights are designed with another body being on the arena in mind. Especially some of the late fights! Play how you want to play and don't think you're missing out.

Aside from that this one of my favorite gaming experiences of the last five years. Just one great experience after another. Can't wait for the DLC
posted by Tevin at 10:58 AM on April 19, 2022


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