For those who want to skip straight to the 5 Beginner Tips, feel free to scroll past this next little bit of narrative. For anyone else who would like to enjoy a tad of self-deprecating humor, continue reading.
If I were to ask you to suggest a few games that are punishing in its gameplay, you might suggest that I try out Dark Souls or Bloodborne.
What do those two games have in common? That’s right, they are both made by FromSoftware Inc. Titles made by them that you may be familiar with include the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Demon’s Souls, and many more.
Let me back up a bit – my very first interaction with any of FromSoftware’s games was Enchanted Arms. That’s right, talk about throwback; that was my only interaction with their games during my high school years.
Fast forward about 12 years later and the first game from them that I played in my adult life was Dark Souls 3. My thoughts? Talk about a rude awakening – I mean, why in the world would anyone subject themselves to this level of self-torture?!
Let’s be honest though, I was honestly more into Fashion Souls a ton more than I was into survivability in the game – I refused to wear a top on my character as I continued my journey searching for the perfect pair of pants. Suffice to say – I never actually finished the game.
2022 finally rolls around and I find myself sitting on my PlayStation 4 having just pre-ordered Elden Ring and wondering what I was about to subjugate myself to.
Image from the Amazon product page
Elden Ring released on February 25, 2022 and is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
I first started the game in 2022, but it wasn’t until recently in 2023 that I picked the game back up and actually finished it. Can I also say how much more I have enjoyed my experience on PlayStation 5 compared to my PlayStation 4?? (I did, but won’t continue…)
Anyways, below are some lessons I have learned to find extremely valuable and hope to provide that to new players as well. Enjoy!
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Beginning your journey to the Lands Between…
While you are going through character creation, pay attention to the class you are picking. Whenever I have the freedom to choose how to build my character, I have a tendency to lean towards magic users who can tank and spank.
Image from the Elden Ring website. Game developed by FromSoftware Inc.
If you are a lot more comfortable with the dodge button than I am, definitely pick a class that starts you with a staff or sacred seal, and some spells. If you are like me and have difficulty dodging, you may want to consider picking a class that allows you to have more survivability then spec into magic a little later down the road once you get the hang of things.
If you are unsure of what each class it holding, there are numerous online sources that will tell you what each class starts out with.
Explore everything!
Image from the Elden Ring website. Game developed by FromSoftware Inc.
This may sound a bit nonsensical to say, but seriously… explore everything! Elden Ring has a humongous map and a lot treasures hidden around various POIs such as ruins, churches, and graveyards. Leave no stone unturned! But beware… your greed may lead you to unintended places where you will be running for your life!
Learn your play style and find an arsenal to support that…
Image from the Elden Ring website. Game developed by FromSoftware Inc.
To date, Elden Ring has 300+ weapons; of course you won’t have access to everything right away. With that said, there is a large variety to support different play styles. Try out different weapon types and see what works well with you. Try not to get tunnel vision and stick with one weapon type since a single type isn’t effective against every enemy in the game.
It’s all about that D—
Image from the Elden Ring website. Game developed by FromSoftware Inc.
You honestly really have 3 options in the game. You can dodge, defend, or die; preferably not the latter. Your gameplay will probably end up being a mix of dodging and defending. Both mechanics have different aspects with varying factors on them such as armor/load and stamina. Learning enemy attack patterns and what to dodge/block will go a long way in your survivability.
Leave to fight another day!
Image from the Elden Ring website. Game developed by FromSoftware Inc.
(See what I did there…? Made a small pun…) But seriously, learn to leave something that feels too difficult and come back to fight another day.
There is a ton to do and explore in the Lands Between. Take your time, go tackle some other objectives, then return once you have beefed up yourself and your arsenal a bit more. On your first play through, it is definitely possible to outlevel your objectives to make them a lot more manageable.
When your efforts have failed you, don’t be afraid to turn on that multiplayer and see who might be hanging around your objective and offering help!
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With all that said, I can definitely say that I hate myself a little less and am proud having finished Elden Ring once. I am also well on my way through a second playthrough! On top of that, I am extremely excited for the Elden Ring expansion that is in development – cannot wait until more news drops about that.
Have you had a chance to check out this Raging Wolf figure? I am absolutely in love with it and can’t wait for mine to arrive.
Image from the Amazon product page.
As always, we enjoy hearing from you. Let us know what your experiences with Elden Ring or other FromSoftware games have been like.
Until next time. Enjoy your journey, Tarnished.
Jayson Wyler began with Dragon Bloggers in 2021 at the invitation of Justin Germino. He started with gaming content on their Twitch channel and eventually product reviews.
After a media hiatus, Jayson has returned and hopes to bring his passion for gaming, tv/movie, and music industries through quality content.