So, Elden Ring’s main story clocks in around 59 hours, but to truly experience everything? We’re looking at a hefty 133 hours. That’s a serious time commitment, folks. Now, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC… That’s another beast entirely. 20 hours for the main questline, but expect to easily double that if you’re aiming for 100% completion – around 42 hours. That’s almost a full-sized game in its own right, seriously. Think of the sheer amount of new bosses, areas to explore, and lore to uncover! It’s not just tacked on; it’s a significant expansion adding considerable depth to the already expansive world. Consider this: Many players spent months in the base game. SotE is likely to keep you busy for another month or two, easily. It’s a testament to how much FromSoftware put into this DLC.
Key takeaway: Don’t underestimate the DLC’s length. It’s not just extra content; it’s a substantial addition that adds significant playtime.
Pro-tip: If you’re a completionist, prepare for a marathon gaming session. Budget your time accordingly! And be ready to die… a lot.
Does Elden Ring’s gameplay resemble Dark Souls’?
While Elden Ring shares a DNA with the Dark Souls series, the implementation of open-world design fundamentally alters the gameplay experience. The linearity and deliberate pacing of Dark Souls, characterized by interconnected but segmented levels, is replaced by Elden Ring’s sprawling, interconnected landscape. This shift impacts exploration, level design, and pacing significantly.
Exploration in Dark Souls is often a careful progression, with a strong emphasis on environmental storytelling and meticulously crafted level design encouraging repeated playthroughs to uncover secrets. Elden Ring, however, allows for a far greater degree of player agency, enabling the discovery of areas, bosses, and items in a non-linear fashion. This freedom allows for diverse player experiences, where some may choose a more methodical approach while others opt for a more chaotic, exploratory style.
Level Design reflects this difference. Dark Souls levels are tightly knit, with intricate level design often rewarding careful observation and strategic thinking. Elden Ring’s vast open world, conversely, utilizes a different design philosophy. While it contains highly detailed areas, the sheer scale necessitates a different approach, sometimes resulting in less densely packed areas, albeit with greater overall scope. This often means a trade-off between the intense, carefully-crafted encounters of Dark Souls and the broader, more varied encounters of Elden Ring.
Pacing is another crucial element. Dark Souls‘ deliberate pacing, built around overcoming difficult challenges and savoring the gradual accumulation of power, is contrasted by Elden Ring’s more flexible pacing. Players in Elden Ring can choose to tackle challenges in a less linear order, potentially leading to significantly different experiences based on their chosen path and level progression. This offers more flexibility, but also the potential for overwhelming difficulty if players are unprepared.
In short, while the core combat and difficulty remain consistent with the Souls formula, the open-world design of Elden Ring introduces substantial changes that fundamentally distinguish it from its predecessors. The impact extends beyond mere superficial differences; it reshapes the player experience from the ground up.
What’s wrong with Elden Ring?
Elden Ring’s primary flaw stems from its sheer scale and length. The ambition to create a massive, beautiful world unfortunately compromised content quality. While the game boasts a vast open world, consistent quality suffers due to the sheer volume of content. This manifests in several ways:
Repetitive Enemy Design: Many areas feature similar enemy types with minimal variation, leading to predictable combat encounters. While some bosses are memorable and challenging, many are forgettable and lack unique mechanics.
Uneven Quest Design: Some quests are well-written and rewarding, while others feel underdeveloped, unclear, or ultimately pointless. The lack of clear quest markers or guidance further exacerbates this issue, leaving many players feeling lost and frustrated.
World Design Inconsistencies: The massive scale leads to areas feeling sparsely populated or lacking purpose. Some locations feel like empty shells, merely existing to fill space, rather than contribute to the overall narrative or gameplay experience. This uneven distribution of high-quality and low-quality content contributes to a sense of emptiness in places.
Technical Issues: While patched significantly, performance issues such as frame rate drops and glitches persisted for many players, further impacting the overall enjoyment. The ambition clearly outweighed the technical capabilities in some respects.
In short, while the ambition behind Elden Ring is undeniable, the execution falters due to a lack of consistent quality across its vast content. The scale, while impressive, ultimately detracts from the overall player experience in many instances.
How are Elden Ring and Dark Souls connected?
Elden Ring and Dark Souls share a deep, albeit complex, connection. While not explicitly stated as a direct sequel, Elden Ring exists within a broader, shared universe or multiverse. The key lies in understanding the lore and the implications of certain in-game events. Specifically, the ability of a powerful antagonist to draw upon entities, potentially including the nameless King from Dark Souls, strongly suggests a fundamental interconnectedness. This isn’t just fan speculation; Elden Ring’s own canon implicitly acknowledges this relationship through its narrative. The shared thematic elements, such as the cyclical nature of age and death, further reinforce this connection. However, it’s vital to understand that this isn’t a simple linear continuation. Think of it as parallel universes within a larger cosmic framework, where characters and events from Dark Souls can, under specific circumstances, bleed over into the world of Elden Ring. This interconnectedness is subtly interwoven into the lore, requiring attentive players to piece together the subtle hints and clues scattered throughout both game worlds. Analyzing item descriptions, environmental details, and even character designs reveals subtle echoes and references that solidify this shared history.
This isn’t merely a matter of similar aesthetics or gameplay mechanics; the narrative itself actively points to a multiverse scenario where the events of one universe can affect another. Further research into the lore of both games, especially focusing on the implications of the Greater Will and the nature of the Elden Ring itself, will shed light on this intricate relationship. Key figures, items, and even architectural styles subtly connect the two worlds, offering further evidence for a shared, albeit multiversal, lineage. The games are distinct experiences, yet deeply intertwined within a larger cosmological framework.
Is Elden Ring the longest game?
Elden Ring’s length is a frequently debated topic. While not definitively the longest game ever created – that’s a subjective measure depending on play style and completion goals – its massive playtime is undeniable. HowLongToBeat, a crowdsourced database tracking game completion times, crowned it the longest game of 2025. This reflects its sprawling open world, intricate level design, and numerous optional bosses and areas. The statistic of 264 players ostensibly “retiring” from the game is anecdotal and likely reflects the game’s notoriously high difficulty; it’s a game that demands significant investment of time and patience. This attrition rate, however, is not unique to Elden Ring, but a common trait in challenging open-world RPGs that require a substantial commitment. Many players find the sheer scope overwhelming, resulting in burnout or a need for extended breaks. Its overall playtime, depending on completion percentage, ranges from a substantial number of hours to well over 100, making it a significant time commitment even for seasoned gamers. The game’s longevity speaks to its dense content, but it also highlights the inherent challenge in balancing engaging length with accessibility.
How many endings does Elden Ring have?
Six endings in Elden Ring? Amateur. There are six *main* endings, triggered at Marika’s corpse after you’ve curb-stomped Radagon and the Elden Beast – the Age of Fracture, Age of Order, Age of Duskborn, Age of Despair, Lord of Frenzied Flame, and Age of Stars. But let’s be real, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The true ending count hinges on your choices, your builds, and the subtle nuances of item interactions. Did you max out your arcane stat? Did you bother with Ranni’s questline? Or did you just skip it like some kind of scrub? These factors drastically affect the flavor and narrative implications of each ending, blurring the lines between them. Forget simple “six endings” – think of Elden Ring endings as a complex constellation of outcomes. You can play through those six main endings countless times with varying character builds and choices to obtain subtly different results and hidden dialogues. It’s not just about the final cutscene; it’s about the journey and the impact your choices have on the world. Each path to the final boss offers its own distinct challenges, rewards and insights, adding depth and complexity to what could have been a simple linear narrative. So six? Hah! That’s just for the casuals.
What to play after Dark Souls?
So you’ve conquered Lordran, huh? Ready for more soul-crushing difficulty and intricate world-building? Excellent. Let’s talk about what to play after Dark Souls. Forget the casual stuff; you deserve a challenge worthy of your newfound Ashen One status.
FromSoftware’s Legacy: Naturally, we start with the masters themselves. If you loved Dark Souls‘s brutal combat and cryptic storytelling, you have to experience:
- Elden Ring (2022): The open world expands everything Dark Souls established. Prepare for a vast, interconnected map, a deeper build crafting system, and even more frustrating (but rewarding) boss fights. Think Dark Souls but with the freedom of exploration found in games like Breath of the Wild. Pro-tip: Explore every nook and cranny – hidden dungeons are filled with valuable rewards and lore.
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019): A departure in style, but not in difficulty. This game emphasizes precise, high-octane combat with a focus on parrying and prosthetic tools. Forget rolling – you’ll be deflecting. The intricate level design and challenging combat remain hallmarks of FromSoftware’s craftsmanship. Pro-tip: Mastering the parry is crucial. It’s all about timing and anticipation.
Souls-like Experiences: Beyond FromSoftware, the “Souls-like” genre exploded. These titles capture the essence of the experience, offering unique twists:
- The Surge (2017) & The Surge 2 (2019): Sci-fi setting with a focus on limb-targeting combat. Chop off enemy limbs for loot and tactical advantages. Much faster paced than Dark Souls, but equally demanding. Pro-tip: Experiment with different weapon types to find your preferred playstyle.
- Nioh (2017) & Nioh 2 (2020): Set in feudal Japan, these games blend Souls-like combat with a deep, intricate combat system drawing inspiration from Japanese history and mythology. The stamina management is crucial. Pro-tip: Master the Ki Pulse system for devastating attacks and stamina recovery.
- Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (2023): Another strong contender, drawing from Chinese mythology. Expect fast-paced, strategic combat heavily emphasizing parrying and exploiting enemy weaknesses. Pro-tip: Spirit-based attacks are incredibly powerful, but use them wisely.
- Code Vein: While visually distinct, Code Vein provides a similar experience in terms of challenge and atmospheric presentation. It offers a more anime aesthetic and a focus on blood-code customization. Pro-tip: Experiment with different blood codes to find synergistic builds.
Important Note: These games are hard. Don’t be discouraged by death; embrace it as a learning experience. Patience, persistence, and a willingness to experiment are key to success.
Why does everyone in Elden Ring call you the Tarnished?
So, you’re asking why everyone calls you a Tarnished? It’s because you’re, well, tarnished. Basically, you’re one of the unfortunate souls who lost the Erdtree’s grace – that’s the giant golden tree that’s, like, the whole point of the Lands Between’s existence. Marika the Eternal, the Queen, booted you and all the other Tarnished out for lacking grace. Think of it as getting permanently de-buffed by the game’s equivalent of a god. It’s a pretty rough start, losing the Erdtree’s blessing. You’re essentially exiled, stripped of power, and tossed into a world of crazy bosses and even crazier NPCs. But hey, that’s what makes the game so challenging and rewarding!
Important Note: Losing the grace doesn’t just mean a cosmetic change. It significantly impacts your stats and abilities. You’ll be starting out weak and vulnerable, needing to regain your strength by finding Great Runes and taking down demigods. This whole “Tarnished” thing is basically the core mechanic of the game’s narrative. It’s why you’re on this crazy quest for the Elden Ring in the first place.
What’s the appeal of Elden Ring?
Elden Ring’s appeal lies in its sprawling open world, a “large open space” as Miyazaki himself puts it, ripe for exploration. Forget linear progression; this is about unfettered discovery. You’ll encounter a diverse range of challenging areas, from vast, interconnected landscapes to multi-layered castles with labyrinthine designs that will test your spatial reasoning and patience. The freedom to tackle these challenges in any order you choose is a huge part of its magic. This non-linearity, coupled with the notoriously difficult combat and cryptic storytelling, creates a uniquely rewarding experience. Prepare to die… a lot. But each death is a learning experience, pushing you to adapt your strategies and master the game’s complex combat system. The sense of accomplishment after overcoming a particularly brutal boss or navigating a tricky dungeon is unparalleled. Think Dark Souls, but with the freedom to explore a breathtakingly beautiful and dangerous world at your own pace.
What disease is in Elden Ring?
Scarlet Rot in Elden Ring? Think of it as the ultimate debuff, a game-breaking plague that’s wiping out the meta. This ain’t your grandma’s poison; it’s a relentless DoT (damage over time) that shreds your health and sanity. Forget lag spikes, this is a full-on server crash for your character. It’s a status effect so brutal, it’ll warp your build, turning you into a grotesque, barely functional monstrosity. We’re talking serious stat nerfs, massive HP drain, and crippling debuffs that make even the most skilled players look like newbies. Dodge it like you’d dodge a pro player’s perfectly timed parry; there’s no i-frames that’ll save you from this. The only counter is aggressive play – burn through it before it burns you out. Surviving scarlet rot is basically achieving a flawless victory, a legendary play that deserves a highlight reel.
Interestingly, it’s not just a raw damage dealer; it also affects your mind, causing madness buildup. Imagine having your ultimate ability locked down, your positioning all messed up, your brain fogged – that’s scarlet rot’s ultimate combo. It’s like fighting a boss AND battling a debilitating condition simultaneously, forcing you to adapt your playstyle on the fly. Pro players are already strategizing around it – think of it as a new, terrifying boss mechanic that requires specific builds and strategies to overcome. So if you see a red shimmer – RUN. Avoid that stuff like a cheater in ranked, because this affliction is truly game-ending.
Are Dark Souls and Elden Ring connected?
Let’s be clear: Elden Ring and Dark Souls share a lineage, a DNA of punishing combat and cryptic storytelling. FromSoftware’s signature difficulty is present, undeniably. But to call it “just another Dark Souls” is a disservice to both games. Elden Ring expands on the Souls formula, ditching the interconnected level design for a sprawling open world. This necessitates different strategies; forget tight corridors and predictable enemy placements. You’ll be facing a wider variety of enemies with unique attack patterns, requiring a more adaptable playstyle. The weapon arts system, while having echoes of Dark Souls’ weapon movesets, allows for far greater build diversity and tactical options. Forget the straightforward strength builds of the past; Elden Ring encourages experimentation with arcane, faith, and sorcery, creating a far more nuanced PvP meta. While many established Souls PvP techniques translate, the sheer scale of the world and the open-world combat necessitates a completely different approach to invasion strategies and ganks. Think less about predictable choke points and more about using the terrain and mounted combat to your advantage. The sheer number of spells and ashes of war adds another layer of complexity not seen in Dark Souls. So yes, the core combat loop is familiar, but Elden Ring is its own beast, a more evolved predator, demanding mastery of a vastly expanded moveset.
What does Dark Souls teach us?
Dark Souls isn’t just about perseverance; it’s a brutal education in adaptation. The game forces you to dissect your failures, not just accept them. It’s not enough to simply ‘learn from your mistakes’; you must understand why you died. Was it a poor read of your opponent’s intentions? A lapse in your own spacing? A miscalculation of damage output?
PvP in Dark Souls intensifies this learning curve exponentially. Every duel is a pressure cooker, refining your decision-making under immense stress. Forget blind aggression; successful players develop a nuanced understanding of:
- Spacing and positioning: Mastering the ebb and flow of the fight, controlling the engagement distance.
- Enemy reads: Anticipating your opponent’s attacks and reacting effectively, not just blocking but predicting and countering.
- Punish windows: Identifying and capitalizing on even the slightest openings in your opponent’s defense.
- Stamina management: The ultimate resource, critical to both offense and defense. Waste it, and you’re vulnerable.
- Adaptability: Every opponent is different. Rigid strategies rarely succeed. Learn to adjust on the fly.
Death, in Dark Souls PvP, is a constant teacher. Each loss should be meticulously analyzed. Review your own gameplay footage – identify your mistakes, dissect the opponent’s successful strategies. Don’t dwell on frustration; channel it into understanding and improvement. This iterative process – fail, analyze, adapt, repeat – is the core of Dark Souls mastery, especially in the PvP arena.
Forget simply surviving; strive for understanding. That’s where true skill lies. It’s a relentless pursuit of self-improvement fueled by the ashes of defeat. The game isn’t about winning every fight; it’s about becoming a more skilled and insightful player with every death.
How long does it take to 100% Elden Ring?
So, you wanna 100% Elden Ring? Sixty hours is a solid estimate if you’re laser-focused on the main story, just plowing through the bosses. Think “main quest only, minimal exploration” kind of run. But let’s be real, that’s not really experiencing Elden Ring.
To truly conquer the Lands Between and see everything – every boss, every item, every hidden area, every achievement – you’re looking at a much bigger commitment. I’m talking around 134 hours, minimum. That includes grinding for those elusive upgrade materials, finding all the legendary Talismans, and maybe even tackling some of the notoriously brutal optional areas like Crumbling Farum Azula.
Consider this: those extra hours aren’t just padding. They’re filled with incredible boss fights, lore discoveries, and build experimentation. You’ll unlock powerful weapons and spells you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. The replayability of this game is insane, so those additional hours are actually a significant part of the total experience. Don’t rush it! This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon through a breathtakingly beautiful and brutal world.
Pro-tip: don’t be afraid to respec your character. Experiment with different builds. You might discover your favorite playstyle much later than you think. And always explore! The best rewards are often hidden in the most unexpected places.
How many endings does Elden Ring have?
Elden Ring boasts six distinct endings: Age of Fracture, Age of Order, Age of Duskborn, Age of Despair, Lord of Frenzied Flame, and Age of Stars. All endings are triggered at Marika’s corpse on the platform you access after beating Radagon of the Golden Order and the final boss, which is usually the Elden Beast, but could be a different final boss depending on your choices.
Important Note: The final boss fight isn’t always the Elden Beast! Getting the Age of Stars ending, for example, requires a bit of a different path. It all depends on item acquisition and who you pledge your allegiance to throughout the game.
Here’s a quick breakdown to help you plan your journey towards your desired ending:
- Age of Fracture: The default ending if you simply defeat Radagon and the final boss without interfering too much with other major storylines. It’s a pretty straightforward “beat the game” ending.
- Age of Order: Requires completing a fairly lengthy questline related to Ranni the Witch. This is generally considered a “good” ending by many.
- Age of Duskborn: Tied to the Mohgwyn Dynasty storyline. This one’s a bit more challenging to unlock, as it involves a hidden area and completing certain events.
- Age of Despair: Probably one of the hardest to get. Involves siding with a particular character and navigating tricky choices along the way.
- Lord of Frenzied Flame: This is a chaotic and arguably “evil” ending, involving a very different path than the main narrative. Finding the related questline can be tricky.
- Age of Stars: Often considered the ‘secret’ ending, requiring precise actions and considerable exploration. It’s really cool, but requires a lot of prep and isn’t immediately obvious.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment! Many players make multiple playthroughs to experience all the different endings. Each ending offers a slightly different flavor of lore and narrative. Making multiple saves is a good idea before making decisions that are irreversible.
Who is easier to play Elden Ring as?
So, easiest class in Elden Ring? Hands down, Prisoner. The build is naturally geared towards a battlemage, allowing for a really versatile playstyle. You’ve got decent starting stats across the board, which means you can experiment and find your niche without feeling brutally punished early on. You can easily pump faith for some strong incantations or focus on intelligence for devastating sorceries. The starting equipment’s a nice bonus too, giving you a solid foundation before you start hunting down better gear.
Now, Wretch… that’s a different story. It’s *not* the easiest. It’s the *hardest* starting class, designed for masochists, for people who want the ultimate challenge. Everything is low. Seriously low. It forces you to adapt incredibly fast, rely on your skills, and learn enemy attack patterns early to survive. There’s no safety net; you have to earn every bit of progress. It’s a rewarding experience for veterans, but for newcomers it’s a guaranteed, frustrating, and potentially game-ending early experience. Pick Wretch if you want to test your mettle, want a hardcore Soulslike experience but be prepared to die A LOT. Prisoner, on the other hand, offers a smoother onboarding for those new to FromSoftware’s games.
Why didn’t Miyazaki make Dark Souls 2?
While Dark Souls II lacked the direct narrative and setting ties to previous FromSoftware titles, its development represents a fascinating case study in studio resource management. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, served only as a supervisor for Dark Souls II. This wasn’t due to a lack of commitment, but rather a strategic decision born from the simultaneous development of another, undisclosed project – likely a significant factor in the overall design and production timeline. The game still retains the core “DNA” of Demon’s Souls, particularly evident in its level design, which, though distinct from its predecessors, still exhibits that signature intricate interconnectedness and environmental storytelling FromSoftware is known for. This demonstrates a successful, albeit unconventional, approach to franchise expansion. The involvement of other talented developers on the main team, who likely brought their unique design philosophies, explains some of the stylistic differences; however, the oversight by Miyazaki ensured the preservation of certain fundamental design elements integral to the overall Souls experience. The resulting game, while different in certain aspects, ultimately represents a strategic move that allowed FromSoftware to grow while maintaining a high level of quality control through Miyazaki’s direction. This parallels the strategic roster management seen in professional esports teams, balancing established veterans with emerging talent to achieve consistent performance across multiple projects or seasons.
Is the game Dark Souls beneficial for your mental health?
Dark Souls isn’t just a game; it’s a brutal, yet rewarding, simulator of perseverance. It subtly, yet powerfully, teaches you that overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles is possible through sheer grit and determination. The relentless challenge forces you to adapt, learn from failure, and strategize, skills directly transferable to real-world problem-solving. This isn’t some fluffy feel-good narrative; it’s a hardcore mental workout, forging resilience under pressure. The sense of accomplishment after conquering a particularly difficult boss mirrors real-life victories, boosting self-esteem and confidence.
Beyond the gameplay, the lore and narrative offer therapeutic potential. The themes of overcoming adversity, finding strength in despair, and confronting your inner demons resonate deeply with many players. For instance, the narrative’s cyclical nature and the constant struggle against overwhelming odds can provide a unique framework for understanding and processing personal struggles. The game doesn’t shy away from depicting hardship and loss; instead, it uses these elements to highlight the importance of perseverance and the enduring human spirit. This indirect approach can be remarkably effective for some, serving as a sort of therapeutic metaphor for navigating life’s challenges. I’ve personally seen players use its thematic elements to cope with difficult life events, providing a structured outlet for dealing with trauma or addiction – similar to the Reddit user’s experience with alcohol.
However, it’s crucial to remember that Dark Souls is not a replacement for professional help. While its themes and mechanics can be beneficial for certain individuals, it shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all. The game’s intense difficulty can also be detrimental to some players, potentially leading to frustration and burnout. The key is moderation and self-awareness; recognizing your own mental state and using the game responsibly is paramount. Its value lies in its ability to foster resilience, not to solve complex mental health issues.
