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[kyliethicc]

That's the charm about these games. They leave it mysterious, but just enough for the community to go on another form of meta with lore hunting, filling in the gaps, and the like.

I don't need every game to hold my hand and explain it to me like I am 5, essentially. Reminds me of the old school days of gaming before CDs and 3D in that regards.

 

[fermcr]

Impressive scores... but I'm not a Souls fan. Game isn't for me.

May other players have fun with the game.

 

[FirstOrderTrooper]

For someone that’s new to souls like genre would this be a good entry to give it a try? First one I am really interested in playing. Played original demon souls and first darks souls. Couldn’t get into the game at time of those games release and never got really interested again till elden ring.
But with being really into horizon FW and with Gran turismo 7 next week not sure I’ll have attention span for it.

 

[Punished Miku]

99% of games don't have a good story and we overlook it.

Souls games, at least, have unique stories that are tailored for gaming and not trying to be a different form of media.

One of the main elements of this new IP is the work of GRRM. But I've hardly heard anyone even mention it. At one point Miyazaki acted like the story will be more direct as well and told normally rather than through innuendo and lore. But that doesn't appear to be the case, or I havent seen it discussed here.

 

[kingpotato]

I doubt most DS fans can tell you the actual plot of the games beyond you fight to rekindle the fire or bring forth the dark ages.

Doubt most can tell you the story of Bloodborne either...

Well that depends... Do you want to hear the story of the hunter you play as? Because that is fairly straightforward as you say and can be taken at face value. Or do you want to hear the story of Yharnam, the source of the plague and the history of the factions that brought about the world? That takes effort and considerably more time.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Good news for me since I never understood fucking anything in those games.

 

[saintjules]

For people that want to look at an early comparison of all versions -



PS5 version runs the best in the 55-60fps range most of the time.
None of the modes are locked though, including the 30fps quality modes, which is pretty weird and shit really.. And even the best version in PS5 can be anywhere from 50-60fps. Series S hovers around 50fps, and XSX version sems to be in the 40-50fps range, and actually performs worse than the S version.

I dont really think any of the console versions are very good in any mode. I just hope my Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro luck keeps going and i can get a locked 60fps on my PC.

Not very impressive though from From, yet again.
The PS5 version is the one to get out of the consoles though.

That's quite rough.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I won't complain, since I also enjoy story driven games as well. His books also weren't the easiest of reads to a lot of people either.

Compared to how their games used to be, it is probably a night and day approach, but still probably not most other AAA story games in nature.

 

[Isa]

Damn, FromSoft doing doin' some serious work. Can't wait to dive into this game man! There will always be imitators, but its always something special to watch the master work. Plus a weather system! Hell yeah.

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

I won't complain. His books also weren't the easiest of reads to a lot of people either.

Compared to how their games used to be, it is probably a night and day approach, but still probably not most other AAA story games in nature.

I wonder if you will encounter an NPC who just sits there and describes their breakfast to you for 45 minutes

 

[Ulysses 31]

That's the charm about these games. They leave it mysterious, but just enough for the community to go on another form of meta with lore hunting, filling in the gaps, and the like.

I don't need every game to hold my hand and explain it to me like I am 5, essentially.

It works better for BB with its Lovecraftian themes(some things just can't be understood and there's forbidden knowledge that turns people insane etc.) but I don't think it's a good thing you have to resort to external sources to begin to understand what's going on.

And we don't need to resort to extremes where we're either treated as idiots or the game being too cryptic. I'm sure there's more options than those.

 

[009EspadaSageJay]

I feel like I'm in the Matrix, and the only person that's actually unplugged, but this game quite literally looks nowhere as good as what these scores suggest. I've watched hours and hours of footage trying to see what the fuss is all about, and I'm just not seeing it.

From the moment this game was shown everything about it seemed heavily manufactured even though I found the art style and visual direction to be great.

But yea, I'm not buying in at all. I await to see if someone can show me what makes this game so special because usually I'm quite good at feeling out games, and so far those instincts have come back with nothing.

im getting the game but dont feel bad iv played all of the souls games minus the remaster of demon souls and some of them are worth of praise Sekiro, Bloodborne and some of them are extremely over hyped there good for what they are but the combat in most of them minus Sekiro and bloodborne could be greatly improved.

 

[kingpotato]

One of the main elements of this new IP is the work of GRRM. But I've hardly heard anyone even mention it. At one point Miyazaki acted like the story will be more direct as well and told normally rather than through innuendo and lore. But that doesn't appear to be the case, or I havent seen it discussed here.

In interviews I'm pretty sure Miyazaki said he followed the same design process as with previous Souls titles and worked conceptual story/lore ideas in, but didn't make the game a strict narrative. I've avoided most media, but based on what I did see, I would expect it to be closer to Bloodborne/Dark/Demon's Souls than Sekiro. Can't wait to find out for myself.

 

[DeepEnigma]

It works better for BB with its Lovecraftian themes(some things just can't be understood and there's forbidden knowledge that turns people insane etc.) but I don't think it's a good thing you have to resort to external sources to begin to understand what's going on.

And we don't need to resort to extremes where we're either treated as idiots or the game being too cryptic. I'm sure there's more options than those.

This is true and I agree.

 

[0neAnd0nly]

So, I have never played a FROM game, and don't know if I will ever try Elden Ring... But I have found the hype intriguing. I like following the industry.

Just want to break something out here, for those who would find this interesting too.

Currently on MetaCritic - Elden Ring sits at a 97 aggregate score. That is with 44 critic reviews currently clocked.
That places it in a tie for 3rd place, and in the company of only 24 total games that have been rated a 97 - 99 ( the highest rated game of all time and lone 99 score is Ocarina of Time )

Breaking those stats down further:

• There are only 19 total games that have ever scored a 97, out of 24 total titles that gave scored a 97 or above to which this is currently in the mix of. Currently this game is tied at 97 with the likes of GTA 3 and 5, Halo, Breath of the Wild, Perfect Dark, Super Mario Galaxy and a few other major titles. That is already pretty elite company, however it gets even more interesting the deeper we dive.
  
  
• Of those 19 total games that scored a 97, only 7 were games from current (Current PC, PS5, Series X) or this last generation (PS4, One, PC within last 8 years).
  
  
• Expanding on this current or last gen ranking even farther and including all the top 24 games (rated from 99 overall to 97 overall), there are still only 7 titles (none of the current 98-99 rated games are from current or last gen), so it doesn't change that in the last decade barely more than a handful have achieved this.
  
  
• If you take out the repeat titles in this list of 24 (same game, different console) from the list - 6 titles; RDR2 ( appears twice ), , GTA IV ( appears twice ), GTA V ( appears four times ) , and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 ( appears twice ) and leave only their corresponding highest ranked entry so they are represented only 1 time, that means it actually falls in the top 18 titles of all time, and eliminating the repeating titles so only the highest rated version of one game is represented, is one of only 5 unique titles to score this high in the last 2 generations of consoles.

So yeah, enjoy this game all of those who are about to step in! It's definitely making a mark as one of the few elite titles of a generation and in gaming history. Maybe when things are a bit more normalized for me and my life again, I will pick it up and give it a go with you all.

 

[Negotiator101]

Finally we have a true masterpiece this generation!

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I've only played Demon Souls and DS3, but the lack of a story being spoon fed to me actually made the games more enjoyable IMO.

made reading the most random item descriptions feel important as it seemed to act as a piece to a much larger puzzle.

I also found it allowed me to role play and get into the character more easily.

the opposite would be something like Yakuza 0, where the story was phenomenal, easily one of the best stories I've ever encountered in a video game, but I ultimately felt like I was watching a movie.

both are good, but for the Souls game I find the lack of a straight forward linear story a positive.

 

[Ribi]

99% of games don't have a good story and we overlook it.

Souls games, at least, have unique stories that are tailored for gaming and not trying to be a different form of media.

So we are just overlooking a story and giving perfect scores

Humm... all Soulslike games have amazing story.
That is one of the strong points in Miyazaki.


Really? Bloodborne lore is fantastic.

Right..... Amazing...

 

[DeepEnigma]

I wonder if you will encounter an NPC who just sits there and describes their breakfast to you for 45 minutes

Please oh please let that be an Easter Egg.

 

[kingpotato]

I wonder if you will encounter an NPC who just sits there and describes their breakfast to you for 45 minutes

Sounds more like Tolkien than Martin

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

Sounds more like Tolkien than Martin

Did you read Game of Thrones?

 

[ethomaz]

It's intriguing but you likely won't understand what's really going on in a casual playthrough. You'll have to watch videos to get a better picture.

Or just read the items/weapons plus the game messages.

 

[Alebrije]

So... Does it even have a good story or we overlooking that?

It will have a good story compared to Souls, less ploholes and more information . But do not expect an easy one like Breath of the Wild or f
Final Fantasy

 

[Slothbeing1209]

Anime name pls?

 

[MiguelItUp]

This is likely what's fucking with me lol. As I'm watching more of skill up's review, I guess I'm learning to just see it as elder scrolls, but with better combat. But an Elder Scrolls with less of an explicit main story narrative, but a game where you just go out into the world, and it's as you play the game some element of a story is pieced together for you, and you will make of that story what you will, but they don't seem to attempt any traditional storytelling methods with specific characters or cutscenes or any of that by the looks of it? I love games where you discover and read up on lore that you find, and lore that you get from various adventures and quests, but I usually like there to be a main story to accompany all of that.

Honestly, it probably really is the reason. I understand some people want to put time into a game that gives them a full fledged and filled out reason/story. But a lot of the Souls games revolve around finding out what that reason really is, more about it, etc. Even then, it's not presented in a more obvious way.. Certain actions must be done to unfold more dialogue, items and weapons contain descriptions that give more details, etc. A lot of the time, people wrap the games with a grasp of everything, but then continue to read and research afterward to put more together, and sometimes play again. Or multiple times.

 

[Negotiator101]

Impressive scores... but I'm not a Souls fan. Game isn't for me.

May other players have fun with the game.

It's a new game don't miss out because you didn't like the developer's previous work.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Sounds more like Tolkien than Martin

Martin does this, and even Douglas Adams was able to craft describing of the most mundane things, whimsical.

 

[DenchDeckard]

For people that want to look at an early comparison of all versions -



PS5 version runs the best in the 55-60fps range most of the time.
None of the modes are locked though, including the 30fps quality modes, which is pretty weird and shit really.. And even the best version in PS5 can be anywhere from 50-60fps. Series S hovers around 50fps, and XSX version sems to be in the 40-50fps range, and actually performs worse than the S version.

I dont really think any of the console versions are very good in any mode. I just hope my Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro luck keeps going and i can get a locked 60fps on my PC.

Not very impressive though from From, yet again.
The PS5 version is the one to get out of the consoles though.

this is minging! does this include the latest patches?

 

[balls of snow]

These review quotes read like Half life 2's back in the day lol

 

[Ulysses 31]

Or just read the items/weapons plus the game messages.

A lot of those suffer from very cryptic translations from the original Japanese text.

Why do you think there's so many lore videos if these in-game messages/descriptions where clear enough?

 

[TintoConCasera]

So we are just overlooking a story and giving perfect scores

Yes.

Games need good level design, art design, music and gameplay mechanics.

Not every game needs a story tho.

 

[Fess]

Is it bad luck though? They are just two different games releasing at the same time. It’s not going to have an impact on the success of either title

This year is going to be jam packed with such releases

Come on you like HFW too you know what I mean, it’ll sell well but I was hoping GG could score a GOTY this time. I’m seriously considering putting HFW on pause and play Elden Ring instead, I’m blown away by some reviews.

 

[009EspadaSageJay]

What's blowing me away is Sekiro totally looked warranting of all the hype this game is getting. Sekiro is the one that to me looked like "holy shit, I've got to play this one." Sekiro is the one that when I didn't immediately get to it, it was always on my mind as one of those games I MUST play.

What's so different feeling about THIS particular game? It seems like it combines all of the usual gameplay stuff people have liked from their games, but just given the player a bigger world to explore and to discover things, which I can see being very attractive for many, but where is the story hook? Where is the thing making me want to care about what this world has to offer? Nothing I've received from anything released thus far tells me there is much of a properly presented story here. I'm sure a story is in there, but they can't tell us shit about it? Why can't they do what they did with Sekiro? Show me why I'm supposed to care besides moving around in an open world, seeing pretty sights and fighting large enemies.

Sekiro looked worthy of all the hype. This game seems like a lazier game than Sekiro was. Just keeping it real.

Sekiro combat was fire i enjoyed the entire full playthrough cant say that for many of the souls games dark souls 1 has way to many annoying environments to be considered fun.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Why do you think there's so many lore videos if these in-game messages/descriptions where clear enough?

There are like thousands of videos that break down MCU movies and TV shows for people.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Come on you like HFW too you know what I mean, it’ll sell well but I was hoping GG could score a GOTY this time. I’m seriously considering putting HFW on pause and play Elden Ring instead, I’m blown away by some reviews.

They were competing with GOW this year. They weren't going to win regardless

 

[Draugoth]

Not really sure about the statement. I thought Dark Souls was pretty easy. Once you learn what you are doing or you start abusing the mechanics to make OP builds, the game becomes relatively easy.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Not really sure about the statement. I thought Dark Souls was pretty easy. Once you learn what you are doing or you start abusing the mechanics to make OP builds, the game becomes relatively easy.

He’s referring to the story/lore, not gameplay.

 

[kingpotato]

Did you read Game of Thrones?

I read all of song of ice and fire that's been released plus the stories of Egg and Dunk. But it's been years.

I don't remember anyone waxing lyrically for too long. I do recall there being lots of description of everything which is why the books were so immersive up until the last couple. But that's not limited to just food... It includes the clothing architecture, furnishings, how people ride horses and use swords, etc.

 

[Danjin44]

Anime name pls?

 

[Draugoth]

He’s referring to the story/lore, not gameplay.

I'm gonna pick my glasses.

Lore Wise, From Software games works best when you are playing but doesnt understand what the fuck is going on, so you go to youtube and watch one 10 hour long deep lore dive videos.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Holy shit

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Honestly, it probably really is the reason. I understand some people want to put time into a game that gives them a full fledged and filled out reason/story. But a lot of the Souls games revolve around finding out what that reason really is, more about it, etc. Even then, it's not presented in a more obvious way.. Certain actions must be done to unfold more dialogue, items and weapons contain descriptions that give more details, etc. A lot of the time, people wrap the games with a grasp of everything, but then continue to read and research afterward to put more together, and sometimes play again. Or multiple times.

I officially "get" these games now. I finally understand why it wasn't connecting with me. I don't have a problem adjusting my expectations to make a game work for me. I've done this for many years and had tremendous enjoyment doing so. I once found guns in an RPG taboo as fuck. I needed to have it explained to me why a game like Mass Effect prior to release would be good with them using guns and cover based combat. I was like... "dude... should be swords, magic, what is this guns shit?" Also the same reason it took me till Xbox One X and the Fallout 4 update to ever seriously give Fallout franchise a chance, and now I love the series, and would go on to love Mass Effect. I also needed to buy the book that released before the game to get me into the universe and world. Funny enough, I also needed books to get me to like Halo. I use to also be turned off by that universe not seeing what everybody else was.

Now that I understand what these are about, and my expectations are properly aligned, I can now come around to understanding why so many people would be excited about the prospect of what this is, and it sounds like it might do what it does really well.

I've heard terrible things about the Series X version of this game. Seems performance is really bad. 43-48fps is what I'm hearing in 60fps mode whereas PS5 is rock solid, and quality mode is apparently pretty rough as well, in low 30s or something.

 

[Fess]

These review quotes read like Half life 2's back in the day lol

Lol I think they go even further, I can barely remember a time critics has been this synced about loving a game in my 40 years as a gamer. Maybe Ocarina of Time?
A coworker is an extreme Souls fan and built a monster rig for this game, he’s going to have an aching face tomorrow from all the grinning after reading these reviews

 

[ahtlas7]

Awesome scores! So happy for those who love this style game!

 

[Banjo64]

I wonder if you will encounter an NPC who just sits there and describes their breakfast to you for 45 minutes

GRRM isn’t Tolkien.

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

GRRM isn’t Tolkien.

Tolkien finished his series

 

[Banjo64]

Finally we have a true masterpiece this generation!

Much like Bloodborne ushered in the start of the last generation.

 

[Ulysses 31]

There are like thousands of videos that break down MCU movies and TV shows for people.

MCU draws from a big collection of comics and now spans over 20 movies and several series. Breakdowns of those make more sense since most viewers won't be familiar with all those entries or need a reminder of the important events.

Bloodborne is an original story with a lot of questions surrounding its story/lore.

 

[Banjo64]

Tolkien finished his series

GRRM should just publish a 3 page novel called The Winds of Winter;

Bran woke up and it was all a dream. He turned on his PS5 and played Elden Ring with the squad. The end.

 

[Captain Toad]

One of the main elements of this new IP is the work of GRRM. But I've hardly heard anyone even mention it. At one point Miyazaki acted like the story will be more direct as well and told normally rather than through innuendo and lore. But that doesn't appear to be the case, or I havent seen it discussed here.

I would hope not. That's the last thing Souls games need .