Elden Ring (George RR Martin and From Software)

Yeah I feel ye, when I first started the game I was just winging it, say I was looking for the next NPC location based on what they said they could be anywhere in that area, could be searching for ages🥲

So at that point of start looking up locations.

I've completed the majority of the quests now , think I've touched on all the npc quests at some point. Like the dung eater and volcano manor were tough ones cause progressing something else can lock you out of certain outcomes so you needed to push into areas I felt quite under levelled for, shunning grounds comes to mind.

I feel like the quests are meant for multiple playthroughs. While it has been a pain doing all them on one character if I play through another character I'll be picking on choosing based on weather I want that ending or specific loot.

I do like the little tid bits of lore though so that's keeping me going doing them.

Saw the post here about the blasphemous blade and did the same. Absolutely rinsed the last two bosses first try. Don't think I even took damage from the first one.

In NG+ are the enemies still the same as they were at the start of the game? i.e. will I be starting at a level way higher relative to the enemies I'll be meeting or are the baddies scaled up?

OK right I can see why the hype about Malenia's difficulty, had four attempts at her last night and thought I got her but then.....i wont spoil it for anyone just incase 🤣

Spent the rest of the night clearing the capital when a friend summoned me and helped him get the mountain tops. Reckon Malenia will take a few goes. I'll have to try some stuff out.

I'm not gonna grind her though, I'll take goes here and there until I have no one left but her.

I've finished Millicents quest aswell which was nice, sided with her(seems a decent sort), got rotten winged sword talisman for it.

Nice boost for me with Eleonoras polearm and Godskin Peeler

Back to this a day or two ago after being away on hols. Shelved Malenia for now. In farm azula at the boss gate now. If I get a chance gonna try him(her?) out tonight.

Also made some decent progress on an alt. Str/faith build. 18hrs in have the 3 shard bearers in the south done and caria manor completed aswell. Gonna roll onto the capital next.

Amazing how much quicker it goes when ye have some clue of how the game works!

Well got through the boss of the farm last night. Combed the ash capital, finished a quest there for another ending too and I'm ready to make my way up to the top and see what's changed there.

Not sure how close I am to the end but the pacing seems to have definitely picked up.

Edit: The next two bosses are dead, im at duo fight now. Second stage down to about 75% first go, this is gonna be tough. Is this the last fight? I think it is😳😁

So got back to this, beat malenia yesterday and got the final bosses today. Went with the ranni ending, bit anti climactic but was always gonna be after the journey i reckon no matter what ending I chose.

Did get the Flame of frenzy but decided to cancel it last minute. Nice boss fight to do that though, very cinematic. So got the loot not the ending.

Absolutely amazing game for me, best ive ever played. Some very small gripes but not many.

I'll roll this character into ng+ soon I reckon but I've a faith strength character I wanna play with too.

Some mention of dlc anyday now would be nice too.

I think in a way, they don't have any sort of journal or quest log because ultimately its about your own journey through the game, like a lot of RPGs. The side quests can give different endings, but aren't required to complete the game. You can skip every single one of them and still complete the game. So you're rewarded with extra content by constantly exploring, paying attention to every line of dialogue, reading item descriptions etc, which can even lead to alternate endings, or "true" endings.

But there could definitely be a better balance to it, where it's not quite as obtuse or hidden, but also still challenges you to pay attention and have to put some effort in rather than just the quest log giving you step-by-step instructions.

Even a basic text log of NPC conversations would be nice.

You don't have to fight them, and each brazier stays lit even if you die. Sprint to the one at ground level and light it. If you die, then it doesn't matter as you have it lit. Then sprint to the ladders and once you're off the ground the assassin can't get you. Plot your route to get up onto the rooftops. Once up there you only have to worry about the archers, but some decent dodging or a 100% shield will get you through. Also use the roofs and buildings for cover from the other archers. You can attack the archers when you get close or at least just knock them off the roof if possible.

It's definitely a challenge, but it's not a fight. Even if you killed the assassin I think another one spawns. Don't try to fight, just sprint and get the braziers lit.

Tbh I didn't realize there was a torch to help with that area til after I was through it, would make it alot easier alright.

The fact you don't need to re-light braziers helps alot. On my first go, I lit one and then one of the assassins killed me. Then I found the other two before entering the evergaol to figure out how to get to them, and just legged it to both once I entered it.

I remember that bit being a pain but they are definitely beatable. I don't think I finished the game with 60 vigor. . .maybe 50 plus a soreseal (that what they were called?). I didn't think of just running by them. I think my battle mage build came good there. . .especially for the archers

Edit - pulled from youtube clip - there's my stats at Malenia - I really had no clue what I was at build-wise

Onto Journey 3 now, just need the Flame ending for the plat. Helped mate get through the last bits so he finished it for the first time.

We started the new journey at the same time last night.

Be my first ever plat, as well. And I've been playing games since before they were even a thing🤣

Normally I'd be the same. A lot of times I wouldn't even finish games once.

Just something about this game has captured my imagination, love trying out new weapons now and I'm very slowly building up some faith at this point which will unlock another bunch of weapons and we roll on.

I will be done after the 3rd playthrough though. I have alts but I'll leave them be, if dlc start point is a certain level i might use them for that.

I havent touched MP either other than to play with my mate. Not mad into PvP but wouldn't mind coop with randoms as in all the time I've put in I've never summoned anyone or invaded them

Co-op in this game doesn't really work as you just get constantly invaded so you can't actually make progress, you just end up fighting invaders and as soon as you kill one another invades. You can't be invaded while fighting a boss so co op for boss fights works ok but if you want to help someone clear Castle Sol or a dungeon or some other area like that it doesn't really work. They need to add an option to turn invasions off.

Platinum achieved, first ever platinum. Probably my last unless something else amazing comes along.

I'll be putting the game down now till there's dlc, what a great game👍