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{"meta":{"keywords":"elden, ring, resurrected, pre-built, gaming, computer","description":"We can all agree that game design has become a tad condescending lately"},"active":true,"show_in_home":true,"show_as_recent":false,"show_as_popular":false,"_id":"6245bbb4444ac0fccb00d1eb","aid":"elden-ring","big_image_path":"elden-ring-big.jpg","date":"03/30/2022","elements":[{"content":"<br><br><p>Many titles today feel like a 20-hour tutorial that is constantly reinforcing our egos and showering us with praises every time we accomplish (or fail) even the most menial of tasks.</p><p><br></p><p>These entry level games have been dominating the conversation for quite a while now, and journos have been pouring metric tonnes of ink writing about how gorgeous and approachable they are. However, hardcore players are thirsting for the next title that puts their skills and wits to the test, and does not hold their hands through the whole experience.</p><p><br></p><p>However, there is a noticeable difference between not holding our hands throughout the game, and starting an adventure by getting kicked off a cliff, while being told to survive with nothing in your hands but an empty lighter and a bowl of petunias.</p><p><br></p><p>That's how many people out there feel about the Dark Souls series and other SoulsLike games. There are countless Quora and Reddit posts from people complaining about these titles not having an easy mode or calling their fans “pretentious elitists” (deservingly in many instances) when they ask for help online.</p><p><br></p><p>FromSoftware is the publisher behind this new trend, becoming infamous for its brutal and unforgiving game design.</p><p><br></p><p>For Dark Souls, the studio devised a combat system that makes fighting against any creature feel like performing brain surgery. They drop you in settings that are filled with traps that will make the most sadistic pen and paper Dungeon Master gasp in disapproval, and bosses that require hours of study before you can learn how not to get one-shotted.</p><p><br></p><p>It is no surprise that there are legions of gamers begging, no, demanding that the Dark Souls series include an easy mode so they can waltz their way across the beautiful, yet terrifying, setting, and the extremely puzzling lore without having to die several hundred times before they can turn the page.</p><p><br></p><p>And here is where the divide between hardcore game fans and mere initiates begins.</p><p><br></p><p>Most casual gamers don't realize that a vital part of game design is to nudge players to play in a certain way to overcome the challenges they so carefully create. There is no use in designing a cool mechanic that can make each session unique if the player is rewarded for ignoring it and mashing all buttons to victory.</p><p><br></p><p>Take Metroidvania games for example. Instead of just making it difficult for players to blast their way through the game by using one or two abilities, these titles force you to get familiar with new items and use them to overcome ingenious and complex puzzles if you want to enter new areas and advance through the game.</p><p><br></p><p>The same goes with different FPS titles. Some of them allow you to absorb a whole magazine without getting killed, making it fun to blast your way through a room full of baddies, while others will get you killed in seconds if you don't plan your moves carefully.</p><p><br></p><p>Geez, there are games like Darkest Dungeon that even take away your ability to save your game so you have to live with your mistakes, making it a valuable way to inform the player that they have to pay more attention to what they're doing and learn fast.</p><p><br></p><p>It does not mean that these games are inherently difficult. It just means that players need to understand what it is that the game expects them to do. In games where your character is a glass cannon like Hitman, you soon learn how to approach enemies from behind or devise clever ways to ambush them so you have more fun, while other titles like Borderlands almost force your hand to enter head first into heavily guarded lairs so you take full advantage of bonuses and abilities.</p><p><br></p><p>In this regard, FromSoftware has been very clear from the beginning. Their Soulslike games have all revolved around giving players the opportunity to overcome tremendous odds, so they can experience that elusive feeling of accomplishment most games seem to have foregone.</p><p><br></p><p>However, one of the ways the game has to teach the player how to overcome challenges is through death. Dying is so important for player progression that, according to Dark Souls game designer Hidetaka Miyazaki, the worst thing that could happen to a player during their playthrough is to never die.</p><p><br></p><p>Basically, every encounter teaches you how not to die. The player needs to experience death, and then face the same challenge with renewed wisdom. If you die again it is not because the game is difficult, rather because you resist learning. But once you apply the lessons the game tries to teach you, you suddenly experience that “aha!” moment everybody talks about when praising the series.</p><p><br></p><p>It does not mean there aren't ways to make the game easier for those who aren't complete masochists. Building a character that wields magic or is able to summon creatures will certainly make things a tad easier. However, that won't eliminate the sense of dread and the incredibly lopsided odds the world puts against you, or rob you from that feeling of accomplishment that accompanies you every time you beat a boss.</p><p><br></p><p>But nothing can be perfect. There is one problem with the Souls series and other SoulsLike games: the lore. No matter how much time I spend exploring their setting, I cannot help feeling the story and lore are pieces haphazardly put together ad-hoc to fit whatever the game needs the player to do.</p><p><br></p><p>Miyazaki has said that he did have a clear bird's eye view of the world and story, but he didn't want to impose it on fans.</p><p><br></p><p>In terms of storytelling, the game does a superb job of making some events important enough to keep the story going. But as soon as you try to put the pieces together, you start realizing that the writer didn't care much for world or mythos building. Of course, that hasn't stopped players from coming up with extensive theories about the cosmos of the Souls series, but none of these are considered canon or make perfect sense.</p><p><br></p><p>Now, don't get me wrong. This seemingly flawed aspect of the game has not prevented it from becoming a cultural phenomenon. The absurdly open interpretation players can have of the world has sparked infinite conversations among an ever-growing community. But a more carefully crafted mythos would have given the games a better chance to become a cultural phenomenon with the chance of transcending the videogame universe and seeping into other forms of entertainment.</p><p><br></p><p>With the recent release of Elden Ring, a Soulslike title set on a fictional world created in collaboration with the world-famous George R. R. Martin, creator of the immensely successful Song of Ice And Fire book series. He was commissioned to create the world´s universe and the rich lore that will serve as the foundation for the game's narrative. This will certainly be an improvement over past titles as it will give a more coherent storyline for players who enjoy the literary aspects of video games. Moreover, the publisher has announced plans to expand the IP into other markets beyond gaming.</p><p><br></p><p>However, do not expect the game to be linear or for it to reveal all of its secrets like an open book. Remember that one of the aspects that made the Dark Souls series so compelling was its particular storytelling mechanic. The title promises to keep a thick veil and mystery and continue to be extremely thought-provoking and rewarding. But George R. R. Martin´s expertise promises a world that will feel more complex yet accessible for other writers to fill in the blanks with airtight logic.</p><p><br></p><p>Elden ring has been out for quite a while now, and it has been hailed as one of the best games ever. However, this amazingly polished title requires a high-end gaming PC if you plan to experience it the way the devs intended. Get ready for the first installment of the Elden Ring saga by purchasing one of our prebuilt gaming PCs, or create a high-performance rig by visiting our <a href='https://www.clxgaming.com/gaming-pc' data-mce-href='https://www.clxgaming.com/gaming-pc'>CLX Gaming PC builder</a>.</p>","id":"p0","sort_index":0,"type":"paragraph"}],"mid_image_path":"elden-ring-mid.jpg","sid":"pc-gaming-esports-news","small_image_path":"elden-ring-small.jpg","sub_title":"We can all agree that game design has become a tad condescending lately","title":"Will 2022 Be The Year Of SoulsLike Games?"}
