Elden Ring (George RR Martin and From Software)

johnny_ultimate · 11-03-2022 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118768824#Comment_118768824

There are still some tricky boss runs in the legacy dungeon - the one before the Red Wolf (with a small army of sorcerers to get through first) was a classic Souls 'make a legger through the mobs to get to the fog gate' job 😅 They're definitely more generous with a few of the other bosses, mind you, and in the open world or small dungeons you're rarely far from a site of grace.

Penn · 11-03-2022 4:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118768851#Comment_118768851

I'm extremely grateful that in the catacombs at least, the door to the boss is usually near the site of grace, meaning once you open the door at the end of the catacomb you don't have to run through the area again if you die to the boss.

The tunnels/dungeons, there's been more leggings than a Zumba class...

11-03-2022 5:32pm

So finally made it to the steps of the capital, rode up and

was immediately spanked by a the pair of Tree Sentinels who are much more aggressive and powerful than their brother in the south.

Cordell · 11-03-2022 5:36pm

you can

lure one through the door so you don't have to fight them both at the same time.

11-03-2022 6:35pm

I poisoned them with arrows like a right coward from the safety of the walls 😃

johnny_ultimate · 11-03-2022 6:55pm

I agree with this article when it comes to taking on tricky foes with poison or other tricks:

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-03-09-theres-no-such-thing-as-an-elden-ring-cheese

Purists be damned: if you're working within the game rules and mechanics, I think players should use whatever damn tactic they want - no matter how 'cheesy' - to overcome the game's challenges. I'd go as far as saying this is the Souls game that seems designed specifically to encourage you to use every tool at your disposal - the very existence of the spirit summoning system reveals that particular design philosophy IMO. A poisoned Godrick died half an arena away from me because of a jellyfish sting. When life gives you a jellyfish, make poison 😉 If I can lure a giant a door they can't get through, sure why wouldn't I engage in a bit of handy sniping?

In other words: go nuts. If you find a way to tackle a boss or obstacle that works for you, just go for it. I mean, you'll probably hit a wall eventually if you try to cheese absolutely everything (you do need to understand the game's fundamentals to get anywhere fast), but used in moderation it's a perfectly acceptable approach to the game. Indeed, it's one of the ways to encourage more people to try this magnificent game anyway :)

Zero-Cool · 11-03-2022 7:10pm

Keep telling yourself that. Magic users, bow and arrows, anything other than being a naked wretch with a giant club at level 1 is cheesing :)

I do feel a bit for the reviewers, this would be one tough game to rush through and give an objective score. If i was given a strict timeline to blast through, it would definitely affect my enjoyment.

one armed dwarf · 11-03-2022 8:21pm

I'm currently trying to learn the hardest boss in the game solo, it's got some pretty interesting mechanics and also one extremely bullshit one. It's a secret boss, so avoidable, but it kinda pummels into your brain how important spacing is in this game and that shields and rolls aren't the only answers to resolving mechanics. In particular cause the roll recovery will just leave you locked down and trapped for the next hit even if you successfully dodge the first one. This was barely even a thing in other Souls games, more of a thing in Sekiro maybe. Combo string timings and hitbox area of effects are a big thing

If I beat this boss then I probably will just spam ridiculous nonsense at the endgame cast of bosses, cause how could they be worth the effort at that point, the weaklings

TitianGerm · 11-03-2022 8:52pm

For me no-one does bosses as well as From. So many memorable bosses, epic fights and WTF moments over all the games.

Zero-Cool · 11-03-2022 9:15pm

Even Agheel's entry. That had me running happily in, then turning around, running away with the camera still looking behind me. No idea where i was going but i had to get out of there pronto. I never got to try the network test so that was a complete new and unknown experience for me. No other game makes bosses with that kind of impact.

Retr0gamer · 11-03-2022 10:38pm

The issues with the PC version are dx12 related. Seems that it gives such low level access to the system that you have to code memory management yourself rather than let the API handle it. It means it can be incredibly fast but you also modern newbie coders have been spoiled with api's handling almost everything that coding memory managers is a lost art.

Basically from needs someone from ID or one of those crazy old British coders that's been working since the 80s!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118770039#Comment_118770039

This. Well maybe Capcom and Team Ninja.

But we lost Konami and Treasure and there's really only From and Capcom left that can do a good boss with old school design and mentality outside of the indie space (which thankfully has a lot of talent in that area).

11-03-2022 11:58pm

I don't know how long it's been since I've fought a main boss, I'd have likely met one had I actually proceeded into the capital once I'd got there, but no I headed out the top gate to the north west, found another place that likely has a story boss passed that and continued on my travels and I'm climbing ladders, lots of ladders.

johnny_ultimate · 12-03-2022 4:30am

Radahn down. Spent at least two hours on that. A brilliant fight in many ways but also features some - and this is the technical term - ‘absolute bullshit’.

The whole build up and beginning is great - even getting close to him in the first place is like a little puzzle to solve. First phase is really cool too - taking your chances where you can and the fight ramping up and up.

It’s the second phase that introduces some infuriating nonsense. The dramatic fall from the sky is cool - easily dodgable after the first time. But it’s the homing meteors that got me again and again - they’re one shot kill hits and the timing is really weird. Just a nightmare to dodge effectively. In a fight where you barely have room for a mistake anyway that was a step too far.

In the end I let the festival crew do a lot of the heavy lifting - fought like hell in the first phase, but then backed off in the second and made sure to keep summoning. Main challenge was staying alive and ensuring there was a hill between myself and Radhan whenever he had those damn floating meteors above him :)

Penn · 12-03-2022 9:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118771774#Comment_118771774

Yeah some of that was insanely difficult. I was lucky in that with a fortunately well-timed stagger, was able to get him to about 25% health before he went into 2nd phase, so didn't have to deal with that for as long.

Penn · 12-03-2022 9:50am

After a while, the catacombs all start to feel very familiar, and evolutions of the same formula/layouts.

I did one catacomb last night that thematically was so different from all the others. It was incredible. A nightmare, but incredible. And the concept of it ties so well into the narrative and its location that I don't even want to describe it or even give the name or location of it. Something to be experienced for sure.

Interested Observer · 12-03-2022 10:07am

Finished the Lucaria academy dungeon last night, overall didn't think it was as good as Stormveil, there felt like there was less to explore and I actually beat the boss on my first go.

Those Marionette summons I'm finding are really strong. Have leveled them up a good bit now, they're my go-to. Wolves are too susceptible to all getting hit at once by a bit AOE attack.

12-03-2022 11:50am

Best message I saw so far, looking out over lava "Try throwing Elden Ring". 😀

johnny_ultimate · 12-03-2022 11:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772092#Comment_118772092

Indeed, I think a certain amount of the fight boils down to luck - such as Radhan being distracted long enough for you to get a few hits in, or the meteors targeting someone else other than you - that it feels, dare I say it, a bit cheap. It didn’t feel like it was a lack of skill getting me killed.

At least the spectacle involved - including what happens when you finally win - makes the graft worth it.

Penn · 12-03-2022 12:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772481#Comment_118772481

Saw an image of it on Reddit

Penn · 12-03-2022 12:55pm

Also, the absolute joy in going back to the Sellia tunnels and town last night and absolutely wrecking everything, after my first visit went.... not so well.....

DeSelby83 · 12-03-2022 1:13pm

Got into Raya Academy last night.....didn't even make it up the stairs....time to go elsewhere for a while I think.

12-03-2022 1:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772819#Comment_118772819

If you haven't been down south try that, I only went there after the Academy and it was very easy at that point.

Zero-Cool · 12-03-2022 1:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772819#Comment_118772819

Same happened me. Ended up legging it up the stairs into the first room. Ah some normal looking enemies... wtf are they doing! Absolutely mangled! Gonna do the same, look around the lakes for dungeons.

shrewdness · 12-03-2022 2:54pm

Radahn had me banging my head against the wall for a while myself, hardest boss fight I've had so far.

Those meteors in the 2nd phase fucked me over many times, I just couldn't time the dodge. It eventually clicked and it helped that the meteors went after the summons the odd time, though that seemed random enough so there's an element of luck in that. He's just so big and aggressive, and has such range on his attacks. I watched a video after of someone beating him with magic, and they made it look easy!

Andrew76 · 12-03-2022 2:58pm

Went back to Stormveil to activate the great rune and popped a rune arc - pretty decent stats bump it gives! Spotted another area I had not been - down in the deep and managed to cheese that which lies in wait. Just ran to the back and jumped behind some melted face thing - was able to land hits without getting hit - first bit of propper cheese I've come across so far.

Also, does anyone know how to break that statue in the courtyard? I've ran around it for ages but the big fella doesn't smash it for me.

Zero-Cool · 12-03-2022 4:02pm

After Rodderick, should I pop the great rune asap or is it a one off use and gone when you die? I'm awful for using consumables, would rather horde them.

J. Marston · 12-03-2022 4:26pm

Anyone have experience with it running on a base PS4? What's it like?

Yes, yes. I'm a peasant.

noodler · 12-03-2022 4:39pm

Made an impulse ps5 purchase decision, almost disappointed to read how competently it plays on a PS4 haha.

Really enjoying. What a dungeon stormveil castle is.

Having an easier time with Godrick than I had with Margit (tho still haven't bested him)

shrewdness · 12-03-2022 4:50pm

The Great Rune itself isn't a once off, but you have to activate it by going to the big tower east of Stormveil. You can then equip or unequip a Great Rune at any grace point.

But you won't get the effects of it without using a Rune Arc, which is a consumable, and then the effects last until you die next.

TitianGerm · 12-03-2022 4:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118773754#Comment_118773754

Digital Foundry said it plays poorly on the original base consoles.

They said the best way to play was using the PS4 game on the PS5.

Elden Ring (George RR Martin and From Software)

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