There's difficulty, then there's balancing issue. We expect difficulty, but not invalidating certain builds entirely.
Vanilla Elden Ring felt pretty good in that regard (granted it's been a while since I played it). As I recall between weapons, spells, Ashes of War and Spirit Ashes you had a lot of tool choices and were free to sort of make the game as difficult or easy for yourself as you liked.
Sounds like they lost that aspect in the DLC, which is a shame.
From Software's games and their toxic fanbase completely changed what a difficult game is. Their games aren't difficult, they're just punishing. And yes there's a huge difference.
I think I agree with you but I don't have the words for it. How would you describe a truely difficult game?
Okay, the boss now kills you in one hit and you need 30 perfect frame inputs to be able to dodge one combo.
Difficulty needs to take into account the playability of the game. There is difficulty, and there is plain bullshit. Sadly, the Souls series went on and on trying to "make it harder" in fear of people getting bored or something. In reality they ended up with a Malenia style bosses - who literally breaks established series-long rules.
Elden Ring is importantly not the Dark Souls series.
It is a FromSoftware game, which notably includes Bloodborne and Sekiro.
Elden Ring is closer to Dark Souls but it is hardcore influenced by Sekiro's resounding success and the developer's unrelenting love of Bloodborne.
Every annoyance I have with Elden Ring is me applying Dark Souls logic instead of going something like: 'oh. Sekiro.'
Buddy, it's a souls game through and through. You can be pedantic about it, but it's the same thing we have had since Demon Souls.
Guy, it isn't really pedantry to note that Elden Ring is not the fourth entry in an existing series to be considered breaking a perceived tradition or rule with its gameplay.
Guy, Dark Souls and Demon Souls are considered the "Souls" series despite Demon Souls being an entirely different series. So yeah, it is pedantry. Name it whatever you like, people know what I am talking about when saying "souls", and that it includes Bloodborne and Elden Ring. Because the gameplay loop is identical.
I won't be replying to you anymore. I don't like arguing with people that think like you do
Friend, I think the feeling is mutual because damn that right there's the pedantry. That's a hole you dug and jumped in yourself. So yeah, be quiet down there.
Isn't this the reason to have difficulty levels?
Nah. You just balance the encounter instead of going for bullshit
Bemoaning the difficulty?
...but that's the point.
There's difficulty, then there's balancing issue. We expect difficulty, but not invalidating certain builds entirely.
Vanilla Elden Ring felt pretty good in that regard (granted it's been a while since I played it). As I recall between weapons, spells, Ashes of War and Spirit Ashes you had a lot of tool choices and were free to sort of make the game as difficult or easy for yourself as you liked.
Sounds like they lost that aspect in the DLC, which is a shame.
From Software's games and their toxic fanbase completely changed what a difficult game is. Their games aren't difficult, they're just punishing. And yes there's a huge difference.
I think I agree with you but I don't have the words for it. How would you describe a truely difficult game?
Okay, the boss now kills you in one hit and you need 30 perfect frame inputs to be able to dodge one combo.
Difficulty needs to take into account the playability of the game. There is difficulty, and there is plain bullshit. Sadly, the Souls series went on and on trying to "make it harder" in fear of people getting bored or something. In reality they ended up with a Malenia style bosses - who literally breaks established series-long rules.
Elden Ring is importantly not the Dark Souls series.
It is a FromSoftware game, which notably includes Bloodborne and Sekiro.
Elden Ring is closer to Dark Souls but it is hardcore influenced by Sekiro's resounding success and the developer's unrelenting love of Bloodborne.
Every annoyance I have with Elden Ring is me applying Dark Souls logic instead of going something like: 'oh. Sekiro.'
Buddy, it's a souls game through and through. You can be pedantic about it, but it's the same thing we have had since Demon Souls.
Guy, it isn't really pedantry to note that Elden Ring is not the fourth entry in an existing series to be considered breaking a perceived tradition or rule with its gameplay.
Guy, Dark Souls and Demon Souls are considered the "Souls" series despite Demon Souls being an entirely different series. So yeah, it is pedantry. Name it whatever you like, people know what I am talking about when saying "souls", and that it includes Bloodborne and Elden Ring. Because the gameplay loop is identical.
I won't be replying to you anymore. I don't like arguing with people that think like you do
Friend, I think the feeling is mutual because damn that right there's the pedantry. That's a hole you dug and jumped in yourself. So yeah, be quiet down there.
Isn't this the reason to have difficulty levels?
Nah. You just balance the encounter instead of going for bullshit