With Elden Ring’s saga coming to a close with the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, we can close the book on one of the most anticipated expansions in recent times. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot to do in the Land of Shadow and tons of lore still out there to find. But it does feel like we have reached the end of the road of our Elden Ring experience.
One particular discussion that has cropped up since the release of the DLC has been the difficulty scaling. Now, FromSoftware is synonymous with challenging, and the studio gave birth to the Souslike genre. The recent patch for Elden Ring further amplifies this notion among the masses, but it’s one I find to be a bit misleading. Yes, you’ll die a lot in a FromSoftware game. Yes, you may get frustrated. But, while the first is by design, the second is a choice.
Not Everyone Can Just “Git Gud”
When thinking of playing a FromSoftware title, the wise words of the jogging baboon from Bojack Horseman come to mind:
It gets easier. Every day, it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day — that’s the hard part. But it does get easier.
After all, the more you practice, the better you get, and the easier the experience becomes.
But what if you aren’t able to play every day? Or even every other day? The lack of consistency can mean being trapped in a spiral of deaths and restarts until you get so frustrated that you give up on the game or look online to help you find the best way to overcome your present challenge. Miyazaki knows that many of his games, even Elden Ring, often push players to seek out guides.
However, he has explicitly stated that is not the focus of his gameplay. While FromSoftware prefers players to enjoy an organic experience, the creator also understands why people seek help. That’s also why the team has included features meant to help the players in all of their games.
From Demon’s Souls to Elden Ring Players Have Always Had a Choice
The great thing about FromSoftware titles is that they are only as hard as you make them! This might seem strange, especially given the lack of a difficulty option in all of the studio’s games, but it leads to a much more customizable experience. FromSoftware games allow players to over-level their characters so they can melt bosses, use summons for aid during fights, or just cheese the fight.
While some purists state these are taboo and not the “right way” to play a game, the fact is all of these are very well within the game’s boundaries. Summons are an intended feature, meant to be utilized if the player so wishes. If FromSoftware felt it wasn’t right for the experience it wanted to deliver, the feature would have never made it into a game!
That’s why the recent patch for Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is a well-balanced update. The purists may cry that it is too much handholding for a FromSoftware title, but it is an entirely optional decision. Not only can players opt out of the upgraded Scadutree and Revered Ash Blessings, but they can also choose just how much they want them to affect their time in Shadow of the Ertdree.
Effort Is Needed Even With Taboo Methods
Those who state using a particular item or over-leveling to the point of being OP are the low-effort ways out of a bind and are not seeing the whole picture. Yes, it helps to get over the challenge more easily. But acquiring OP weapons and armor, grinding for runes, and even finding cheese spots require an investment of time and defeating some enemies along the way.
Looking at the game as a whole, using summons or items such as Sleep Pots in Elden Ring is using what the game gives you to help you through its challenges. FromSoftware has included these features to give players a choice – tough it out or use the in-game mechanics to overcome challenges.
What do you think of the discourse on using certain items and strategies that a section of the Soulsborne community disavows? Let us know in the comments below!
