Elden Ring (George RR Martin and From Software)

gimli2112

I had to google HLTB but now that I know what it is I can respond. I never understand these times. and am never anywhere near them. I hate games that hurry you along, even the big creep chasing you through Resident Evil 2 was something I didn't like. That's simply to explain I like taking my time yet paradoxically I do tend to rush to complete games when I'm near the end. So when I see a review saying it's an 8 hour campaign it means nothing to me as the likelihood is it'll take me 20.

Retr0gamer

I like to check it to see how long a game will take before I start it. Times can be way off though at times. I'm currently playing Maken X, a supposedly 4 hour game. Which it probably is when you aren't stuck for ages trying to figure out bosses.

gimli2112

Wasn't it Horizon that got into a storm over claiming their game would take 500 hours to complete and then had to roll back and say well if you were to do everything. A lot of games outstay their welcome, I always feel Days Gone particularly guilty of this but funnily enough I played through it several times and it was only on the first playthrough I felt this. Again that's my desire to complete something to see how it ends probably.

I'm having the same issue with Elden Ring - still love it but I kind of want to finish it and then start again.

shrewdness

Think it was Dying Light 2 that mentioned the 500 hours thing

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118982881#Comment_118982881

Sure that's been going on since FFVII, a 35-40 hour game, claimed to have 150 hours of content.

gimli2112

I feel like I've been playing FFVII all my adult life.

If you bred a Gold Chobocco you weren't getting much change out of 150 hours.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118983251#Comment_118983251

I've playing it numerous times and breed chocobos as well and it's never taken me over 45 hours. It's usually around the 30-40 hour mark. The game is a lot shorter than you remember, check your save games, you'll be surprised. Now I never went for the super bosses but that's just endless grinding and not gameplay.

Even HLTB agrees with another low ball: https://howlongtobeat.com/game?id=3521

J. Marston

I was killed 3 times by the Cemetery Shade boss on my second playthrough.

Stone Deaf 4evr

I will say, the game continues to impress in how it gives you options if you run into a brick wall.

I've been struggling on the fire giant, so decided to head back to Atlus plains and a few other spots, managed to find and kill some other bosses that I'd ran past or missed earlier in the quick hour I played, its very satisfying. Also realised that I'd acquired the infamous Rivers of blood, but I'd have to put 13 points into Arcane to be able to wield it. I'll persevere with Godskin peeler / Gargoyle twinblade dual wielding build for a bit longer, as I like the move set and it has served me well so far.

Retr0gamer

Just Respec at rennala. It's what I did. Threw 65 into arcane. Breezed through the game after that. It's a beast. Just make sure you load up on fp as well as you are going to be using the weapon art almost exclusively.

CptMonkey

Just arrived at the lake of rot. Wish I had some magic stats 😭 I’m just Str and dex with vigor really.

55 hours in and still it’s all I’m playing.

seraphimvc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989402#Comment_118989402

you need the Flame protect me for that godforsaken place, should be able to get 12 faint for it with a talisman. but not much to lose also if you didnt do that area now ha.

Interested Observer

It has been incredible but I think I've finally fallen out of love with Elden Ring. I've reached Mountaintop of the Giants, I've died a bunch of times well away from a site of grace, and I just don't really want to go back. Have played I think 70 or 80 hours, it's one of my favorites ever for sure, but think I'm going to leave it there for now. Maybe in future I'll come back and try again with a totally different build.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118990494#Comment_118990494

Take a break for a week and come back to it. I had to take a break numerous times to avoid burn out and also was away from my PC at weekends which probably helped me enjoy the game more.

gimli2112

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989402#Comment_118989402

you say that like 55 hours is a long time, I'm twice that and dying for the weekend to finish it, in my defence I get distracted a lot and wander around co-opping for runes.

CptMonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118991707#Comment_118991707

I normally only play online shooters so this is a long while for me on a single player game 😂

One good thing is that it has kept me from getting salty playing online shooters. I’m happier for having found Elden ring

chrislad

I keep on trying these games, and I keep on just not getting them. Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, and now this. I just either don't have a good understanding of the mechanics, and I don't have very much time to get good! I've given this about 4 hours - Got to level 40 (though I did use that Dragon to get a lot of the way there), and just getting my ass handed to me with every boss or major enemy.

Markitron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118993463#Comment_118993463

I'm not particularly good at these games either, but have managed to beat them all. Personally I overlevel my character and always summon help for bosses. Purists might get their knickers in a twist about it but that's how I have my fun with them.

gimli2112

Beat Hoarah Loux at lunch, wow he was annoying. It so true what they say about Fromsoft games they are very challenging. They force you to try and try again, slowly you improve and eventually if you go at it enough times you'll get lucky and fluke the boss. Another douche I'm glad to see the back of.

Retr0gamer

You are pretty much at the final boss now. Keep it up!

Penn

Have made it to Leyndell and a few other points, but going to abandon the Faith build. It's just not working for me. I like some of the incantations and buffs, but too many of the weapons and even the incantations are so slow and you end up taking too much damage during weapon arts.

Messed around with a quick respec to a strength build with Radahn's swords, but again, just feels slow and clunky. Have no respecced back to a dex/int build like my first playthrough. Will use Moonveil for a while til I get my mojo back, then going to try a full bleed build.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Today was a good day, after leaving castle sol for a hiatus / git gud endeavour, I started clearing out stuff I'd missed or overlooked.

In summary

Niall - dead, and went down in my second attempt, myself and the mimic got the ads in successive black flame tornados and he was relatively straightforward after that

Mohg - dead. , Good lord those red albinaurics are a great rune farm, went up about 6 levels just exploring.

Taltos

Busy all week and only grabbed a few hours yesterday, up at the Fire Giant.

Few hours and I just kept getting slammed. Eventually got him, but it took more attempts than I’d like to acknowledge. Mimic was useful but I had to limit the magics available as he kept firing strong spells all over the place. Thought I had the git at an early point but after rolling across me he set up the fire which I ignored thinking “just one more hit” didn’t make that mistake the next 6 attempts

gimli2112

yesterday, I was going to post "I've given up, the elden beast has defeated me" **** this game **** fromsoft, ultimate trolls letting me get to the end and then this............................ and .........then

gimli2112

5 minutes ago I was yelling "IAM THE ELDEN GOD I AM THE ELDEN GOD"

gimli2112

I don't know if I'm the greatest Elden Ring player of all time but feels good.

ng player (of all time) I probably am

Zero-Cool

**** Elden Ring. I was enjoying about 4 games in Jan, 3 new ones since then but i cannot stay playing a single game as i just have no interest playing them. I completely blame Elden Ring for making other games look shyte.

CptMonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119003661#Comment_119003661

Just shows you what a great single player game can do. Best game I have bought in the last few years. 65 hours in and haven’t played anything else in weeks. Guitar playing is suffering even

gimli2112

Can't get over how easy ng+ is, 1/2 way through Lucaria Acadamey, one death from a mis timed jump, smashing everything, bosses are embarrassingly easy and I'm loving it. They really ramp up the difficulty near the end

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119008234#Comment_119008234

That was part of my worry when trying to decide whether to do ng+ or start a fresh save. I was worried that as I already had top-tier weapons & talismans that all it would take is levelling up to make myself stronger and most enemies and bosses might be too easy.

I'm glad I went with a fresh save, although it's also very easy at the start due to familiarity. Though the beginning is also a slog as you have base-level stuff and have to build up your inventory again, including having to do all the tunnels and catacombs for the items and upgrades materials. Even just looking at the map screen and seeing most of it greyed out is jarring.

I'm coming up on the difficult areas now though. Snowfields, Haligtree, Lakes of Blood, Deeproot Depths and Faram Azula. Not huge areas, but damn there are a lot of bosses and enemies in these areas that I'm not looking forward to.

Have settled on using Wing of Astel as my main weapon. Loving the Nebula skill, especially against big and slow enemies. Will be interesting to see how it fares against Malenia and Radagon.