Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Announced

[David Kenny]

Well, after a couple of hundred hours I am ready to move on, albeit sadly. The Platinum is achieved, I've beaten every creature I know of and competed all the NPC quests I could figure out. Upgraded multiple weapons and ashes as high as they would go, and explored every nook and cranny of the Lands Between as far as is humanly possible. At least by this human.

 

Elden Ring is such a rare and special achievement. Obviously it is exceptional mechanically; the level design, the pacing, the subtle and not so subtle guiding of the player, the combat and it's variability, and the difficulty are all brilliantly implemented. It allows the player to approach the game in so many different ways, with so many combinations of weapons and skills and incantations, but somehow always presents a challenge. Importantly that challenge that never feels impossible.

 

What really sets it apart from me though was the way it told its story, the depiction of the world they'd created, and the atmosphere that infused every element of it.  I found myself thinking about the game often when not playing it, but not the combat or the bosses, but some strange ruin, or a pool beneath a cliff, or a shack perched on a ledge, or an avenue of statues lining an overgrown thoroughfare, crumbling and decayed. I saw references in Elden Ring to things that are almost certainly not related to it, and I found myself being reminded of Elden Ring when reading or watching or listening to things from years or centuries before Elden Ring existed. For example I re-read T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland when its centenary came around and when I read the verse starting "Unreal City, Under the brown fog of a winter dawn..." All I could see in my mind were the Capital Outskirts and Leyndell itself. And the verse beginning:

 

"The Chair she sat in, like a burnished throne,

Glowed on the marble, where the glass

Held up by standards wrought with fruited vines..."

 

brought to mind Raya Lucaria. Similarly I was reading The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers and the oblique references to the fictional "King in Yellow" within that book, with it's talk of Hastur, and the shores of Carcossa and the eponymous god-king himself, was really reminiscent of the way Elden Ring tells its story. All suggestion, and implication, never spelling anything out.

 

In the same way I was listening to Purcell's King Arthur and the aria commonly called the Cold Song felt like it could be describing events in Elden Ring. Although musically it's not similar to the music from the game.

 

 

Obviously there's no direct link to Elden Ring in any of these things. But my brain is so completely suffused with it that everything seems related. I can't think of another game that has dominated my thoughts in this way. (Maybe Tetris but that manifested itself in a completely different way).

 

The issue now of course is how do you pick up another game, to follow what will almost certainly be recognised as one of the greatest games of all time. To the Elden Ring Survivors thread I go!

 

 

 

[Flanders]

I love how familiar I’ve gotten with this world so far. It’s just brilliant the way way you can so often see such huge chunks of it from a distance and know how to get there. Did an evergaol in Altus Plateau last night and then luxuriated in the view - there’s the Liurnia Tower, there’s the Limgrave tower, there’s the Caelid one, there’s Stormveil, there’s Raya Lucaria. It’s exhilarating that you can still see places you’ve conquered hours and hours after you left them. 
 

It’s something that Rockstar are also absolute masters at - they push you to traverse their maps in a way that influences you to learn them inside and out. I could find my way around Vice City without a map even now. Elden Ring is one of the few other open worlds that captures this feeling. 

[Chadruharazzeb]

I'm currently sodding about on NG+++ (yes) and for some reason the bell-bearing hunters aren't spawning in their usual spots. I go there, wait til night then rest again like used to but they just aren't showing up. Any ideas? 

[Alan Stock]

It seems that night-appearing bosses are not guaranteed, especially the ball bearing hunters. I only found one thanks to player messages but I had to rest till nightfall multiple times to make him appear on each attempt at him. It is slightly randomised. Fortunately in this case there was an NPC in the location, so if he didn't appear I knew the Hunter would spawn and could stop my resting cycle.

[Minion]

3 hours ago, Chadruharazzeb said:

I'm currently sodding about on NG+++ (yes) and for some reason the bell-bearing hunters aren't spawning in their usual spots. I go there, wait til night then rest again like used to but they just aren't showing up. Any ideas? 

 

Have you killed all the bosses? Maybe not invading if you've killed all the bosses in the area.

[Anne Summers]

I gave Nepheli Selvus's potion on my NG+ run-through, and was expecting to be able to buy her puppet ashes from Selvus. I've got to the end of Selvus's quest now, though and 

Spoiler

Selvus has been killed by Ranni (as have I myself, lol) and I don't see any way to buy her ashes. Anyone know if I've done something wrong or if my game has glitched? The wiki seems to suggest that her ashes should be in Selvus's secret underground laboratory (the one behind the illusionary floor) but I can't see/find it.

 

[John0]

14 hours ago, Chadruharazzeb said:

I'm currently sodding about on NG+++ (yes) and for some reason the bell-bearing hunters aren't spawning in their usual spots. I go there, wait til night then rest again like used to but they just aren't showing up. Any ideas? 

 

I believe you have to...
 

Spoiler

...buy at least one thing from each merchant before the invader appears in each area.

 

[macosx]

I’m now going back in helping my mate with some jolly coop, he’s a mere 50% in and his first souls game. It’s now his GOTY after getting over the hurdle of the first few days. and also some advice on fine cheese  Bub bye Juno Hounslow.

Also love the screen share on PS5. I’m mostly an Xbox player but the social stuff on PS is great now. 

[Qazimod]

On 05/06/2022 at 22:45, Qazimod said:

I got into the capital with my Dexterity character today. It turns out that the Draconic TS roaming around outside is much harder when his AI hasn't broken. Trying to get in and be more aggressive got me killed, but a hit-and-run approach was a little better. I'm still not a fan of the lightning move, but I at least got better at fireball dodging - and I can claim an honest victory now!

 

Finally dealt with MtOK recently. Not sure why it was such a sticking point this time - I just ended up getting tagged a bunch - but eventually I got bleed pops at all the right moments.  I've reached the Mountaintops, but I took a massive detour for upgrades; my bow, hookclaws and flail are now all +18 because I can't settle on one  

[Mogster]

I had the last boss down to such a tiny amount of health tonight I couldn't see a spec of red in its health bar. Then it did its annoying grab I haven't figured out how to avoid and demolished me. 

 

I'm so close now though!

[Mogster]

I bloody did it! 

 

It only took three attempts today, the second of which saw me dying to the first stage due to what can only be described as a string of total bullshit.

 

Things went very differently on my third attempt, leading to my mimic tear surviving for ages and soaking up a couple of big attacks from the boss. I also managed to dodge a grab somehow, and it seemed everything was just going my way. I'm glad my wife wasn't home as I might have shouted at the screen a little bit. 

[englishbob]

On 07/06/2022 at 14:03, David Kenny said:

Well, after a couple of hundred hours I am ready to move on, albeit sadly. The Platinum is achieved, I've beaten every creature I know of and competed all the NPC quests I could figure out. Upgraded multiple weapons and ashes as high as they would go, and explored every nook and cranny of the Lands Between as far as is humanly possible. At least by this human.

 

Elden Ring is such a rare and special achievement. Obviously it is exceptional mechanically; the level design, the pacing, the subtle and not so subtle guiding of the player, the combat and it's variability, and the difficulty are all brilliantly implemented. It allows the player to approach the game in so many different ways, with so many combinations of weapons and skills and incantations, but somehow always presents a challenge. Importantly that challenge that never feels impossible.

 

What really sets it apart from me though was the way it told its story, the depiction of the world they'd created, and the atmosphere that infused every element of it.  I found myself thinking about the game often when not playing it, but not the combat or the bosses, but some strange ruin, or a pool beneath a cliff, or a shack perched on a ledge, or an avenue of statues lining an overgrown thoroughfare, crumbling and decayed. I saw references in Elden Ring to things that are almost certainly not related to it, and I found myself being reminded of Elden Ring when reading or watching or listening to things from years or centuries before Elden Ring existed. For example I re-read T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland when its centenary came around and when I read the verse starting "Unreal City, Under the brown fog of a winter dawn..." All I could see in my mind were the Capital Outskirts and Leyndell itself. And the verse beginning:

 

"The Chair she sat in, like a burnished throne,

Glowed on the marble, where the glass

Held up by standards wrought with fruited vines..."

 

brought to mind Raya Lucaria. Similarly I was reading The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers and the oblique references to the fictional "King in Yellow" within that book, with it's talk of Hastur, and the shores of Carcossa and the eponymous god-king himself, was really reminiscent of the way Elden Ring tells its story. All suggestion, and implication, never spelling anything out.

 

In the same way I was listening to Purcell's King Arthur and the aria commonly called the Cold Song felt like it could be describing events in Elden Ring. Although musically it's not similar to the music from the game.

 

 

Obviously there's no direct link to Elden Ring in any of these things. But my brain is so completely suffused with it that everything seems related. I can't think of another game that has dominated my thoughts in this way. (Maybe Tetris but that manifested itself in a completely different way).

 

The issue now of course is how do you pick up another game, to follow what will almost certainly be recognised as one of the greatest games of all time. To the Elden Ring Survivors thread I go!

 

 

 

 

I'd definitely class myself as someone that isn't well read in the fiction department, I just can't get into the vast majority of fiction - and games are no exception. 10 minutes after turning a game off I've instantly forgotten the name of the boss, character or location I've just been playing. This is also true of Elden Ring. 

 

What I love about Fromsoft's games though is that the story doesn't really matter if you don't want it to, and other than the Zelda series there aren't many around like this. Everything else has huge expositions, cut scenes to watch and pay attention to, and endless dialogue trees and within 20 minutes I'm bored of it, but Fromsoft have a knack of just getting stuck straight in and I love that.

 

 

[Qazimod]

Got to FG with my Longbow character - the boss that made me want to try a ranged build in the first place.

 

Initial impressions video:

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Anne Summers]

On 08/06/2022 at 09:17, Anne Summers said:

I gave Nepheli Selvus's potion on my NG+ run-through, and was expecting to be able to buy her puppet ashes from Selvus. I've got to the end of Selvus's quest now, though and 

  Reveal hidden contents

Selvus has been killed by Ranni (as have I myself, lol) and I don't see any way to buy her ashes. Anyone know if I've done something wrong or if my game has glitched? The wiki seems to suggest that her ashes should be in Selvus's secret underground laboratory (the one behind the illusionary floor) but I can't see/find it.

 

I worked this out by myself in the end as none of you useless gits were any help.

 

For some reason Nepheli's ashes are on a other NPC, the Carian Manor merchant that you can only reach by dropping down cliffs from the Ranni area after you've beaten the manor boss. 

 

The NPC storylines and the interplay between the different characters is leagues ahead of the other Square games in this. 

 

 

[Exit Chamber]

5 hours ago, Anne Summers said:

I worked this out by myself in the end as none of you useless gits were any help.

 

Clearly none of us are monstrous enough to give her the creepy fucker's potion!

[Anne Summers]

1 hour ago, Blunted said:

 

Clearly none of us are monstrous enough to give her the creepy fucker's potion!

Actually I didn't really want to - even though I am on my NG+ playthrough which traditionally for me is the "evil" playthrough when games offer me the option. 

My goal was actually to get the chance to give the potion to the Loathsome Dung Eater, who I thought would make a great puppet. I assumed it would be another mission for Selvus, after I'd completed the Nepheli mission, but apparently not.

 

Spoiler

Looks like you have to ignore Selvus's request and just give the potion to Dungy off your own initiative

 

So I fucked that up, basically, and it's one for NG++ now.

[Exit Chamber]

@Anne Summers I didn't realise you could even do that! 

[jonamok]

Not seen it mentioned yet, but the Future Press strategy books (yes books) are up for preorder (on Amazon for the moment) by the way.

https://www.future-press.com/books/elden-ring-vol1/
 

Preordered in a heartbeat.

[Uncle Nasty]

Cheers for that!

[Capwn]

Finished this recently, about 156 hours. First completed Souls game.

 

- Main thing, I've said this before but making this open world really disguised the 'grinding' aspect of souls games as well as opening up so many more options when stuck. Instead of going back to similar areas again and again to level up it seemed to happen naturally for the most part. Only towards the very end did I need to use a farming trick, not to level up loads but if I really needed an item or to go up a level or two to access a certain spell/weapon etc. I have no interest in returning to linear souls games.

 

- The sense of exploration is quite unique, I've seen big games before, but to have you learn, remember and care about locations is a really difficult thing to do. They have that whole thing here of subtle direction leading by placing unique/interesting visual interest in certain places. BOTW did this well and it's evident here too. I just don't see this in other games.

 

- The balance is the meat and potatoes of it, just constantly re-ordering things around and the sense of progression. I can't believe I played this for 156 hours, I'm just not that type of gamer. I was nauseated with Horizon Forbidden West after 40 hours. Even BOTW, after 60 hours I was so done with it. I was genuinely never bored, it was only during the closing sections where I really got stuck on the final bosses where it started to feel tedious. I don't know how they managed to keep me engaged in that world for so long. 

 

- I love the weird old-dated things they have in the game where any other developer would streamline them or make it more intuitive. Had that right at the end where I finally figured out you can step on lifts and jump off to send them back up, so that if you restart you don't have to pull the lever again. Any other game would streamline that so it just resets but apparently this is a 'thing' in the souls games. It's not as intuitive but it kind of makes sense. The game is full of stuff like this, like how you can collect rune stones to activate later but it doesn't tell you how many each stone gives you. There were times when I was doing calculations to try and work out how many 5 of a certain stone would give me etc. Of course one of the bigger aspects of this is that not only does it not tell you if you have completed something on the map, you have the option to put down markers but even the markers are not clearly labeled. It got to a point where I was like 'I need a sword key for this area, is there a marker with a key on it? no. I guess in my world a bell is like a key? ok so bell markers are areas I need keys". It's absurd but I admire the audacity of it.

 

- I never summoned a human but I did read guides. I mean honestly, I don't know how you do some of this stuff without. Not just the fights but getting around the place. Some of the progression through the map is so abstract and would take ages to figure out. In a game that's already insanely long. I also had someone to constantly chat to who is well versed in Souls games and that was essential for getting me through it and understanding it's systems that are not well explained. 

 

- My favorite AAA gaming adventure in years, as annoying as it was at times 

 

 

[Qazimod]

6 hours ago, Capwn said:

you have the option to put down markers but even the markers are not clearly labeled. It got to a point where I was like 'I need a sword key for this area, is there a marker with a key on it? no. I guess in my world a bell is like a key? ok so bell markers are areas I need keys". It's absurd but I admire the audacity of it.

The random code people devise for themselves is great. (Clearly “walking man” is the marker to use as it’s potential access to the unexplored.  ) That said, I’m someone who plays games with a pen and paper just so that I’m not totally lost when I pick the game up again (kind of like a do-it-yourself FAQ…)

[Jamie John]

12 hours ago, jonamok said:

Not seen it mentioned yet, but the Future Press strategy books (yes books) are up for preorder by the way.

https://www.future-press.com/books/elden-ring-vol1/
 

Preordered in a heartbeat.

 

I've been waiting for these! How do you actually preorder them? I can't see a link on the info page.

 

Edit: Amazon have them, but they don't seem to be listed in Future Press' own shop. I'd prefer to get them from there.

[Lorfarius]

So I'm just starting out and dropped down into the starter pit to do a mini boss which has all worked out fine but

 

Spoiler

once I wonder out in the wider world (man it looks amazing) I see a knight on a horse which is a really difficult fight. Been killed a few times but I guess its part of learning to play. There is a summon pool right before this and I did stick a finger down to do some co-op but no one replied, is it required?

 

[El Spatula]

 

Spoiler

Come back for him later. Totally optional and will slaughter you for a while yet

 

[JPL]

@Lorfarius You’re in for the journey of your life.

[robdood]

1 hour ago, Lorfarius said:

So I'm just starting out and dropped down into the starter pit to do a mini boss which has all worked out fine but

 

  Hide contents

once I wonder out in the wider world (man it looks amazing) I see a knight on a horse which is a really difficult fight. Been killed a few times but I guess its part of learning to play. There is a summon pool right before this and I did stick a finger down to do some co-op but no one replied, is it required?

 

He's there to say to you "Dude, if something's too hard, go off somewhere else and come back later" 

 

Keep notes, there's gonna a bunch of stuff you come back to, haha. 

[Exit Chamber]

Drop a marker on the map to remind you to come back to him @Lorfarius. I suggest the skull for stuff that needs a good stabbin' when you are a bit tougher.

[Lorfarius]

1 hour ago, Blunted said:

Drop a marker on the map to remind you to come back to him @Lorfarius. I suggest the skull for stuff that needs a good stabbin' when you are a bit tougher.

 

Spoiler

I found a map marker a bit further up the road in a bandit camp. Really tough enemies in there but was able to single them out and win a few fights. Found some massive Greatsword that says its way beyond my level but can be used in two hands. Been using that to mop up some smaller foes til I get better.

 

[Exit Chamber]

11 minutes ago, Lorfarius said:

 

  Hide contents

I found a map marker a bit further up the road in a bandit camp. Really tough enemies in there but was able to single them out and win a few fights. Found some massive Greatsword that says its way beyond my level but can be used in two hands. Been using that to mop up some smaller foes til I get better.

 

 

You can drop your own markers too, there are a few different symbols. I'd highly recommend getting into the habit of using them for stuff you might want to return to later when you are levelled up a bit.

[Anne Summers]

15 minutes ago, Lorfarius said:

 

  Hide contents

I found a map marker a bit further up the road in a bandit camp. Really tough enemies in there but was able to single them out and win a few fights. Found some massive Greatsword that says its way beyond my level but can be used in two hands. Been using that to mop up some smaller foes til I get better.

 

So funny to hear someone describe those bandits as really tough. One of the great things about these games is that when you've got 100 hours under your belt you will just go through them like butter. And not in a Final Fantasy sort of way, by levelling yourself up until your stats make the damage they do meaningless. Or because you've found a weapon that one-shots them. But because your skill at the game and expertise with your weapon of choice will mean you won't take a hit from them, and all of your own blows will be lethally administered. That's the beauty of this game. Well one of the many beauties, anyway!