Elden Ring

[Wodanaz]

I feel like Elden Ring's "lore" and so called plot are a lot weaker than previous fromsoft titles. There's a lot of moving parts, but it just boils down to a struggle for power, which is exactly the same as the original Dark Souls. I don't know how to properly articulate it, but I felt this way ever since it was revealed that le fat shitting american would be working on the plot. It feels fake in a way that previous games did not. There's no creativity that makes me think they wanted to express something profound or thought provoking, like seeking the cure to a mysterious illness, only to be drawn into an ever increasingly bizarre and horrific nightmare.

I recently started reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, and I dropped the series at around book 4 because there was just nothing for me to sink my teeth into, and it was amateurish in prose and style. There's 9000 named characters and only three or four of them receive enough development to warrant a name. It's kind of like that. Not that I want to lay the blame entirely on the fat man for this, but you can clearly see him taking influence from Tolkien with the Numen(oreans) being literal ubermensch who come from a distant land and have the right to rule in their noble blood. I even liked DS2 more. It felt like someone at least cared about telling an interesting story and not a by-the-numbers fromsoft story. It's like how suda51 became known as "the crazy guy" so now suda51 games are just expected to be le crazy because suda51.

 

[BananaSplit²]

 

[Tepes Thot]

just like every other goddamn Formsoft DLC

At least the other DLCs typically tie into the main story, and don’t sever off important parts and contain them within dumb, 103dgy for me plot-pockets.

Imagine if the Artorias DLC revealed his story wasn’t a half-truth/manipulation of history through time travel and a lying, but well-meaning, Mushroom, but Gwyndolin wanting to fuck his dad’s best knight, getting rejected, sending him on a suicide mission, and pulling a First Born Son on him.
Then several character’s journeys and your own journey would mean far less, or even nothing at all.

There’s a lot I don’t like about some of the story additions of the DS3 dlc for example, but they do more to close the story circle and add to what’s there than separate. DS2 moved its story forward with its DLCs (though 3 squandered that). Bloodborne DLC also closed its story circle, making it complete.

—————
Also, I now have to face the cope I’m never getting the kusarigama weapon that one enemy has without using a mod.

How is Messmer’s spear?

 

[Amaranthy]

At least the other DLCs typically tie into the main story, and don’t sever off important parts and contain them within dumb, 103dgy for me plot-pockets.

Imagine if the Artorias DLC revealed his story wasn’t a half-truth/manipulation of history through time travel and a lying, but well-meaning, Mushroom, but Gwyndolin wanting to fuck his dad’s best knight, getting rejected, sending him on a suicide mission, and pulling a First Born Son on him.
Then several character’s journeys and your own journey would mean far less, or even nothing at all.

There’s a lot I don’t like about some of the story additions of the DS3 dlc for example, but they do more to close the story circle and add to what’s there than separate. DS2 moved its story forward with its DLCs (though 3 squandered that). Bloodborne DLC also closed its story circle, making it complete.

—————
Also, I now have to face the cope I’m never getting the kusarigama weapon that one enemy has without using a mod.

How is Messmer’s spear?

Messmer's spear is prob one of the best throwing weapons, it explodes on contact when fully charged and the weapon art is a better waterfowl, the r1 is complete dogshit tho

 

[Mega Black]

Yeah the stories fucked. But the real reason to play is all the neat new weapons

This guy gets it.

Story-wise, I like a lot of the DLC and how it expanded upon Marika. Her character makes a lot more sense now that we see where she came from and what her people were subjected to. Messmer and his relationship with her is also compelling and feels like the kind of familial drama George is good at making.

Miquella being evil was something I expected, in the sense that it was very easy to assume his apparent altruism and the way he compelled people to do his bidding was for ulterior motives. I like to assume that he wasn't entirely evil, but in casting away his physical form and his St. Trina personality he literally detached himself from his own sense of morality.

I wanted to talk to him though. I wish From wasn't so scared of letting us speak with bosses and build more of a rapport with them before we slap them around.

I feel like Elden Ring's "lore" and so called plot are a lot weaker than previous fromsoft titles

I think it's overall a lot stronger, if a bit more messy. Dark Souls 1 is the only game of theirs with a mostly cohesive plot you can piece together, all the others are usually a mess of dropped or unfinished plot points, lore that doesn't align, and last minute changes.

Sekiro also I guess but that's less of a souls game than the others.

Elden Ring has a lot more moving parts but the plot is overall more engaging and the characters more layered and compelling.

There’s a lot I don’t like about some of the story additions of the DS3 dlc for example, but they do more to close the story circle and add to what’s there than separate.

See, I really hate Ringed City and Painted World's random bullshit aside about new worlds and random Gwyn daughter that has no reason to exist when it just being the Gwyn's breeding sow would have made infinitely more sense. Those DLCs are so nonsensical that they even have Patches show up to literally tell you not to think too hard about it.

People mad that the Gloam Eyed Queen and Godwyn aren't in this? Imagine how mad people were when the fucking serpents played no role in either of 3's DLCs.

All in all I would say the DLC further expands on some things, doesn't really ruin anything unless you really wanted Miquella to be a dindu nuffin or you gave a fuck about Redditdahn. I'd have preferred it be Godwyn, it should have been Godwyn, but there is a decent reason for why he isn't and can't reappear. His soul being permakilled at least keeps the weight of his death as the inciting incident of the whole game intact.

That being said, why they couldnt have had Mohg or, hell, just Miquella puppeteering his body for the sake of a fight I don't know.

In cut content news, St. Trina apparently has a cut scene meant to be seen after you beat the final boss thanking you, and the Putrescent Knight is referred to in the files as The Gloam Eyed Knight. She was apparently going to be important somehow but got cut.

I also have seen a couple of YouTube comments of people saying that Melina does have new dialogue referring to Messmer if she is alive when you enter the DLC or something like that but I haven't found video evidence and don't have her alive to check.

 

[Nobunaga]

Sekiro 2 or an expansion died for this dogshit

 

[Tepes Thot]

All in all I would say the DLC further expands on some things, doesn't really ruin anything unless you really wanted Miquella to be a dindu nuffin or you gave a fuck about Redditdahn.

That’s the thing though, I don’t care that Miquella is evil because I don’t care about Miquella at all. I don’t think he was a relevant enough character to warrant encompassing this much of the DLC, or to attach the motivations of two characters who did matter to his nonsense. It’s funny because the story feels like Reddit.

And I hate the additions that are useless in DS3 dlc too, but they were attempting to clear up mysteries from the beginning of the series at the end of it, and I can appreciate that. They don’t add something that’s the equivalent of this like:
“Oh this is Gwyn’s daughter conceived by raping Manus, and then he hid her away which is the REAL reason Manus went wild and destroyed Oolacile, and Gwyn feared the dark”

Elden Ring’s story has so much convoluted bullshit, and 100 characters/factions a mile, that the first and last DLC should’ve encompassed more of them, as opposed to shrinking in on itself and moving the relevancy of important characters to a side issue.

Messmer's spear is prob one of the best throwing weapons, it explodes on contact when fully charged and the weapon art is a better waterfowl, the r1 is complete dogshit tho

That sucks. Is it worth having offhand for the charged attack?

 

[X Prime]

“Oh this is Gwyn’s daughter conceived by raping Manus, and then he hid her away which is the REAL reason Manus went wild and destroyed Oolacile”

Delete this immediately you fool, don't give them ideas for Dark Souls 4! What have you done?!

Actually no, what they would do is say that the Pendant is actually Manus' daughter's who was kidnapped and raped by Gwyn. Gotta tie that thing in.

 

[Amaranthy]

That’s the thing though, I don’t care that Miquella is evil because I don’t care about Miquella at all. I don’t think he was a relevant enough character to warrant encompassing this much of the DLC, or to attach the motivations of two characters who did matter to his nonsense. It’s funny because the story feels like Reddit.

And I hate the additions that are useless in DS3 dlc too, but they were attempting to clear up mysteries from the beginning of the series at the end of it, and I can appreciate that. They don’t add something that’s the equivalent of this like:
“Oh this is Gwyn’s daughter conceived by raping Manus, and then he hid her away which is the REAL reason Manus went wild and destroyed Oolacile, and Gwyn feared the dark”

Elden Ring’s story has so much convoluted bullshit, and 100 characters/factions a mile, that the first and last DLC should’ve encompassed more of them, as opposed to shrinking in on itself and moving the relevancy of important characters to a side issue.



That sucks. Is it worth having offhand for the charged attack?

the charged throwing is its r2, so no,

 

[Tenshi Eating A Corn Dog!]

Sekiro 2 or an expansion died for this dogshit

More likely that it's being used to fund that. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Miyazaki in less director roles (we alread have), so the studio feel like it's being split between two new directors: Yui Tanimura and Masaru Yamamura.
Tanimura seems like he's going to be in charge of a lot of the larger projects considering his work on Dark Souls 2 and Elden Ring. Part of me wonders if his saving of DS2's really egregious development cycle to even get a game shipped in the first place is the reason for this.
Yamamura was lead designer for Bloodborne, Sekiro and director for Armored Core VI. If you're looking for smaller and more focused experiences, I'd look for his name on any of From's next projects.

Edit: SoTE was confirmed to have 5 million sold yesterday. Here's to more Sekiros funded !

 

[Asian tech support]

I wouldn't be surprised if we see Miyazaki in less director roles (we alread have), so the studio feel like it's being split between two new directors: Yui Tanimura and Masaru Yamamura.

He's the president of the company now. Unless he pulls a pilestedt (the helldivers guy who stepped down to take a more active role in the face of incompetent staff), it makes sense to expect to see less of him.

 

[Mega Black]

don’t care that Miquella is evil because I don’t care about Miquella at all. I don’t think he was a relevant enough character to warrant encompassing this much of the DLC

Eh, thats mostly subjective. Personally, taking Elden Ring as a base, I would have been very disappointed if we did not see Miquella play an important role in the DLC as he was still very much alive and doing important shit throughout the main thrust of the central story's conflict.

Should he have been the main villain? Should he have been in homolust with Radahn? That's debatable but I'm glad his plot got wrapped up somehow other than eggification.

I wouldn't mind the way things shook out this time since questions were answered and things were expanded if I knew a sequel or further DLC was likely to wrap things up but with Miyazaki being allergic to sequels of any kind I highly doubt it.

 

[Coldgrip]

Finally beat Pride Month Radahn and obtained the Holy Fent Needle. Now I have to decide if I want to track down and kill Bayle and Metyr or if I should just finish the main game and go to new game+ with all my new goodies.

On a serious note, thank you to the kiwi that mentioned cheesing Radahn with a greatshield and blood Antspur. He's a wretched boss and I just wanted it done. Sincerely fren, thank you for the idea.

Should he have been the main villain?

Either him or Mesmer. Feels like From squandered two good ideas for DLC by combining them.

 

[Tepes Thot]

Delete this immediately you fool, don't give them ideas for Dark Souls 4! What have you done?!

Actually no, what they would do is say that the Pendant is actually Manus' daughter's who was kidnapped and raped by Gwyn. Gotta tie that thing in.

I might be willing to let them have it for a fee, my ‘tism doesn’t work for free!
But I forgot the pendant. Ok, Gwyn had The Witch of Izalith turn the daughter into a pendant so she couldn’t tell on Gwyn.
Dark Souls 4: Me Too-dran.

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

Marika is a Crystal Gem from Steven Universe

Will every new media from here on will be some sort of ripoff of Steven Universe?

"Your honor, that thirteen-year-old boy was raping ME, not the other way around! Just look at his hypnotic eyes!"

I heard that in the Vaati video and was amazed they did it. It was a poignant tragedy that while Malenia fought Radahn Miquella was kidnapped by rape uncle, instead it's all a super gay ACCORDING AS PLANNED.

There's a lot of moving parts, but it just boils down to a struggle for power, which is exactly the same as the original Dark Souls. I don't know how to properly articulate it, but I felt this way ever since it was revealed that le fat shitting american would be working on the plot. It feels fake in a way that previous games did not. There's no creativity that makes me think they wanted to express something profound or thought provoking, like seeking the cure to a mysterious illness, only to be drawn into an ever increasingly bizarre and horrific nightmare.

Elden Ring really seems to be made for the Reddit crowd and besides a belief that More Content=Better Game, it also thinks that More Lore=Deeper Story, when it's usually the opposite. You didn't need the whole deep lore of the pantheon of DS and how the gods fucked around after the dying of the first flame, you just need to see Gwyn looking old as fuck next to a tiny bonfire to realize how things are fucked. The whole giant civil war on who could put his cock in Miquella's Elden Ring doesn't add anything, all the rules seems to be made up according to what sounds cool rather than what is thematic and has a point.

 

[Tablet County]

Elden Ring really seems to be made for the Reddit crowd

Why is reddit always everyone's explanation for why something is bloated and self-indulgent? It feels like such an internet-brained answer.
Is it too much to accept that From has always had a tendency to be overambitious, and now that they have a lot of money and are extremely popular and everybody's sucking their collective dick they feel emboldened by the flame of ambition that putting out something mediocre won't sink them? Is reddit in the room with us right now?

How is Messmer’s spear?

I dig it. As a man who makes no use of ranged weapons having a throwing spear is based. The weapon art helps to stunlock bad guys or deal with groups of low-level scum.

 

[LOWERCASE LETTERS]

I made a retarded dual rotten greataxe build with both of them having poison infusion. I added on the new scarlet rot rider kick ash, which is basically poison moth flight but on any weapon.

It's a dumb gimmick but it makes big numbers since you can do the usual boost from having mushroom crown + exultation.

 

[Nobunaga]

Why is reddit always everyone's explanation for why something is bloated and self-indulgent? It feels like such an internet-brained answer.
Is it too much to accept that From has always had a tendency to be overambitious, and now that they have a lot of money and are extremely popular and everybody's sucking their collective dick they feel emboldened by the flame of ambition that putting out something mediocre won't sink them? Is reddit in the room with us right now?

Because it was never a problem until reddit souls 3 shat all over the franchise by answering shit no one really gave a fuck about while also pulling the every plothole this shit gamr creates is a result of le end of the world so stop asking questions :^)
Coincidentally it was also the game where they started doubling down on the zanzibart won't forgive me mystery box bs

 

[Tablet County]

Dark Souls 1 is the only game of theirs with a mostly cohesive plot you can piece together,

Not true, I think Bloodborne probably has the most straightforward and easy to follow plot of all the Souls games. The only real point of confusion is what the fuck the Moon Presence is.
Though I do wonder if I only think that because it's cosmic horror and unanswered questions are part and parcel of the genre.

 

[Local FloRida-man]

I enjoy that Miquella not being perfect queer Jesus has upset so many on pride month. SotE is truly fromsoft's best dlc for that alone.

And now that it sold so well they can finally get to work on that tenchu reboot.