It’s Elden Ringmas, the one year anniversary of our GOTY 2022 (opens in new tab)it’s launch, and I’m here to tell you it’s time for a replay. Wake up Tarnished, we’ve got an Erdtree to burn, these 107 unique bosses (opens in new tab) won’t beat themselves!
My first Elden Ring character is one of my favorite guys I’ve ever made in an RPG – I started with the Samurai class and opted for a sort of Sekiro shinobi look with dual katanas (including my beloved Moonveil) and the surprisingly stylish altered Preceptor Robes. When I finally finished the game after 100 hours, all I wanted was to continue with this same guy on New Game Plus, but therein lies a problem: the supposed expansion pack.
The Lonesome DLCwatch (opens in new tab) continues, an echo of the long wait for news from Elden after that first cinematic trailer in 2019. FromSoft’s expansions are often the best parts of their respective games, the studio has let the leash loose to create something wild and surprising in a context they’ve already are familiar with. When the best part of Elden Ring finally arrives (and I think it still is, even a year later), I want my #1 best boy to be ready to experience it on day one, not with poisoned megahard NG+ versions of all your enemies.
So time to make some new faces, and I think that was a blessing in disguise. Even with overpowered outliers like Comet Azur, Blasphemous Blade or, I can’t deny it, Moonveil hogging all the spotlight, there are so many viable ways to play Elden Ring. Requires experimentation with alternate builds and playstyles.
This is masterfully demonstrated by YouTuber Ongbal (opens in new tab), who made a series of videos showcasing an almost virtuous playstyle switching between disparate weapons mid-fight in the confines of NG+7. Just a month after release, I’ve ripped most of it off again with an adjacent strength-building guy – Bernahl’s Beast Champion Armor is a great fit, and Blaidd’s Royal Greatsword is one of Fromsoft’s best interpretations of his “big ol’ sword Guts” weapon category.
However, I’m having more fun with my third run, thanks to a weapon: Eleonora’s Rod Blade. The Darth Maul wannabe Twinblade weapon category was an inspired addition to Dark Souls 2, and like so many ideas from that game, it reached its full potential in Elden Ring. As much as I love the idea of using General Grievous complete with dual twin blades, I think a single weapon, two hands is the way to go – it’s a phenomenally satisfying moveset and the wacky art of the Jedi flip gun is tough of timing correctly, but so satisfying when you take it off.
And after nearly 200 hours into this game, I’m still finding things I missed: Stillwater Cave, Sainted Hero’s Grave, Tombsward Catacombs, and I’m sure even more areas flew under my radar the first time around. Paradoxically, I couldn’t help but stumble across the Three Fingers Frenzied Flame side quest on that first playthrough, and the path to Elden Ring’s hidden madman, crazy evil the ending is worth seeing if you haven’t already. So too is its possible reversal with Miquella’s Needle, an obscure side quest that ties together disparate plotlines ranging from Milicent’s story to Farum Azula’s story.
So join me in returning to the Midlands, I don’t think you’ll regret it. There is likely to be something you missed or an alternate path for you to take. You won’t catch me picking anything other than the Age of Stars ending – no one can convince me that it’s not the only truly happy ending and it seems most other players would agree (opens in new tab). I just got the others on YouTube – that Frenzied Flame ending is a disappointment.