Game Scoop! 665: Did Elden Ring Win Us Over?

[@justinsvs]

I totally love Elden Ring, but hearing Daemon's verdict on the game made me laugh out loud! "Fool me six times...." haha!

[@realrobrose]

Lmao DAMN. After however many years, hearing Daemon drop a passionate F bomb on his show was shocking lol

[@jacobpro_]

Ever listen to Knockin Boots? He’d swear all the time on that podcast 🤣😂

[@typeraver]

I thought i was alone, was a shock, an unnecessary one too.

[@ERoBB1]

lol wooof. Hearing Daemon ask for basically every Ubisoft open world modern convenience in a Souls game is one of the biggest “this game might not be for you” but then to hear that opinion extrapolated for like thirty minutes with no one on the panel to interject or rebut or even engage with it was a rough listen.

[@lilfuzzballa]

Lol ikr. Its just everyone agreeing with each other and not critically thinking or even at the very least playing devil's advocate.

[@burtwonk]

Yeah this embarrassing. Doesn’t want to figure out anything for himself or learn any skills, just wants everything to be cinematic and easy and calls it a bad game. I loved horizon but it isn’t even on the same playing field as ER.

[@ERoBB1]

@@burtwonk He complained about being 30 hours in and cant beat the first boss, while REFUSING to play online and summon help. Justin's like "I beat him on the fourth try" and that's not a "How?" moment for Daemon, he just keeps going "This game is unfair!"

[@burtwonk]

Lol yup he sounds so bitter, like the game maliciously wasted his precious time that he could have spent clearing bandit camps in Assassins Creed instead lmao

[@pievancl5457]

I think people feel shame when they try and fail at these games. They’ve gotten the reputation of being for “elite gamers.” Which is dumb because before I started playing my first soulsborne game (Bloodborne) I hadn’t played another video game since my childhood. Instead of self examination of what they’re doing wrong, it’s easier to just blame the game and the fans instead of seeking the answer to the question- why do people love these games? I don’t think these games are above criticism, but I do think that the criticisms that come from people who don’t play these games or fail are just bad criticisms. Daemon takes issue with the fact that this game is different from any other game out right now- and that’s precisely why it’s having so much success

[@jameswalt1]

Daemon's take on Elden Ring made me laugh out loud - "fuuuuuuuck no". Love you brother.

[@ikamts2]

The saddest part is that people who hate souls games hate them because they focus way too much on doing well in the game and focusing on combat and completely ignore everything else about it. The reason those games are enjoyable once you are good is not because you play better, its because your attention can be devoted to focusing on exploration and world building

[@allen604]

I love the Juxtaposition 21:10 Daemon: "Thank god that's over, I don't ever want to do that again." At the same moment on screen: "10 MASTERPIECE"

[@rickybobbyroode9814]

Just goes to show you that these guys aren’t paid off like some people like to assume. They all just have different taste.

[@pacellichapa]

Not gonna lie, was feeling anxious not seeing a new Gamescoop on Friday and refreshing a lot haha

[@superbadisfunny]

That's me every week 😂

[@ARIXANDRE]

Yeah! I was going crazy and even got worried if something had happened!

[@mickael486]

How is this show not more popular than so many shitty shows... cult classics.

[@mrdarlok]

Yep, sadly not hearing the episode on friday cost me $60, as i ended up getting elden ring and hate it. i 100% agree with crew on this game. There is nothing compelling me to continue.

[@tazafraz9551]

The gameplay, exploration, sense of discovery, progression, and satisfaction at overcoming tough enemies in Elden Ring is absolutely unparalleled by a lot of games. 35 hours in and it's in the running to be one of my favorite games of all time, though definitely not without its flaws. It's wild hearing such radically different perspectives on this game. As someone that has never played any Souls games outside of maybe beating half of Bloodborne, Elden Ring is such a refreshing experience. Just before playing Elden Ring I played some Dying Light 2. It's a fun game and all, but you get bombarded with tutorials and boring dialogue and, like most other modern open world games, I just feel like I'm checking off points on a map and not actually exploring, unlike in Elden Ring. If you decide to play Elden Ring, don't be afraid to get some help online. I'll say I agree the game could offer some more explanations for certain items or concepts, but a major thing is, don't use a guide to immediately go to an area to start grinding levels or beeline to a powerful weapon early on, it takes all the fun out of discovery for yourself. 35 hours in and having beat the first main boss and dozens of other side bosses, I have not once found myself in need of grinding levels. Just naturally exploring the world and actually challenging some enemies you see will level you sufficiently to best the first couple bosses. And if you run across an area with high level enemies or a boss you can't take yet, you do not have to grind to beat it, it's an open world with few limits, go somewhere else and explore in the meantime. In exploring you'll also find other items to help like summons, items that upgrade how many times you can heal, and so much more. It's all in exploration, you're rewarded constantly.

[@michaelmcardle906]

Listening to Sam and Daemon bitch was hilarious. Well said above. Let the haters play Horizon. I will be playing Elden Ring for 6 + months.

[@tazafraz9551]

@@nohomers100 Nothing wrong with preferring one game over another for any reason, but when I heard that I almost thought they were joking. 2 totally different types of games and design philosophies in each.

[@pablojimenez7356]

@@tazafraz9551 Yeah. Them comparing Horizon to Elden Ring just because both are “open world” is laughable.

[@OfficialCrowMauler]

@@daksans6764 _”How to catch an L in 50 words or less.”_

[@OfficialCrowMauler]

@@daksans6764 Damn, good one. You really showed me.

[@RanmaSaotome1_2]

This is my first souls game and I was playing a ranged Astrologer mage like Justin and did really well with it. You can definitely be good with that build and go through the whole game like that but it starts becoming a little boring after a while. I changed up my build to focus on my shield and my magic blade spell (carian slicer it's called) and made a sort of magic knight. I don't clear mobs as easily as I did with my mage build but I found this build way more engaging and versatile, I really enjoy it!

[@craigadams3649]

What did you level up for the carian blade? I have that spell but it’s pretty weak atm. This is my first souls experience so the menu is still a bit confusing atm..I’ve been leveling up int and mind really so far

[@RanmaSaotome1_2]

​@@craigadams3649 I focused mostly on Int and split equally Mind and Vigor with a little bit in Endurance. The spell is really strong with a high Int and a good staff. I'm using the carian regal staff but early game you can get the meteor blade which you can pretty much use all the way up to mid-late game. My spells consist of carian slicer, adulas moonblade, carian piercer for close encounters and glintstone pebble, rock sling, and glintblade phalanx for ranged attacks.

[@Boskibro]

@@RanmaSaotome1_2 you can use any weapon in souls until the end game. You just have to level it up. The weapons in souls are fairly balanced

[@pauljthacker]

It used to bother me that you couldn't pause FromSoft games, but then I realized the saves are extremely generous. You can quit anywhere and when you reload it saves your position.

[@SkeeLoGreene]

It's still incredibly stupid. I've never liked that in the Souls games. If someone is playing a single player game offline, they should be able to pause. No excuse not to

[@MrDrDiablo]

@@SkeeLoGreene you can pause it’s called sitting at a bonfire or site of grace or going to the hub. It’s intended that you cannot pause mid combat or exploring it adds to the pacing of gameplay and allows you to move your character when opening the menu still. It’s not trying to be the games you are comparing it to and it’s inherently subjective as Tons of people prefer it not pause the game mid menu. Objectively it’s very easy to just rest at a bonfire when AFK

[@ANovaMaquinadoTempo]

He does not know that.

[@nickstark8479]

@@dogfood142 If you are a parent, pausing is a must for gaming lol.... Manual saves also help.

[@enman009]

@@nickstark8479 some of my pals on an ER group are parents. That's not really a reason considering graces and clear areas more than makes up for no pause (you can also log out at any time).

[@daniel_najar]

Wasn't expecting Daemon to go on a rant like that, so funny 😂

[@mikechgo]

I'm not a SoulsBorne person, but this game has me in its grips.

[@HOLLISGAMESSKITS]

Cool I'm not a souls person either and I'm about to try it out again lol

[@RNorton86]

It really is the rare piece of media that surprises old fans while syphoning in new ones. It's as much a thrill to play and discover as it is to watch others do the same. It truly is Breath of the Wild compounded with the souls formula. Every complaint just makes me chuckle to myself. If there's a pantheon of 5 perfect games, this is one of them.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

This woulda been a great podcast to have a seasoned souls player on for to provide some much needed insight. Leveling you character is not really the best way to progress through a challenge. You really have to learn certain fights. Weapon upgrades, especially in the beginning are much more impactful than character levels. Starting “class” doesn’t really matter much. And if you want, you can pick the wretch and have more control over your leveling. Holding down on the D pad will let you quickly access your heal/whatever you’ve put in your first slot. It’s too bad you couldn’t get through Margit, because the game IS beautiful, especially in the classic dungeons. Seemingly every Souls game has an early game challenge that is specifically there to both punish but more importantly educate the player. I think everyone can get through a souls game, but it does require the player to learn through their mistakes etc., which some people just don’t have the patience for. I get it. But when you DO succeed, it feels that much better.

[@loganmcgahee6118]

I agree 100%, though i do believe souls games do fall under a "not for everyone" category. If they are for you though, damn nothing feels better than the first time the game clicks. Also yes, thinking you can level out of the difficulty is completely the wrong way of going about a souls game.

[@travisspazz1624]

Nah. I don't see myself ever being able to beat this game.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

@@loganmcgahee6118 agreed, not for everyone… but… my first From game was Bloodborne, I didn’t even know it was made by “the souls guys” until I had started the game. I couldn’t even get past the first group of human enemies in the street during my first night of playing… it made me rage and I hated it. I decided to boot it up again the following day and the rest is history. So the game went from “not for me” to one of my favorite games series of all time if not for my own stubbornness and I’ve since played all of them. Idk, some people don’t like getting destroyed by their choice of leisurely hobby, which I totally get, but now that I’ve learned to enjoy the abusive nature of From games, I crave that difficulty… it’s an incredibly difficult game series to recommend to the random player as I can remember how dejected they can make me feel, but if it does click, it does click hard. Kinda reminds me of Death Stranding, a game I LOVED, but I can’t necessarily recommend to someone because it’s such a niche product that might now appeal to the casual gamer.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

@@travisspazz1624 I also thought that about my first playthrough of Bloodborne… been an addict ever since. But it certainly does require a lot of effort to “get it”. Not for everyone though as it will break you before you can conquer it.

[@SchroederMH]

As a Souls fan, my initial reaction was to correct/clarify/explain a lot of the critiques. But I have to admit: there are many valid concerns raised here, especially for first-time players. I still think most of the issues become non-issues as you get more experienced, but the experience of someone new to these games matters too. I can empathize with the “lack of pause button” complaint as a father of one and soon to be two. I still think the “no pause” factor has some merit (makes the game feel more tense/epic, and is important for online play), but with kids/school/work/partner, it can be a drag. I also can understand the frustration with the lack of explanation and the comparatively little tutorialization. I first got into these games with Bloodborne, and I remember spending hours on forums, wikis, and subreddits over the course of my play through. I ultimately found the process rewarding, but most games don’t require that from you, and it is jarring. This opacity is in some ways a feature of these games, but at first it feels like a bug. From Software provides an almost defiant lack of transparency. At its best, it heightens the mystery and makes player discoveries feel more earned. I love the cryptic side quests in Elden Ring where all you know is to “Seek three wise beasts” with no other objective marker or log. Contrast that to the all-to-common “follow the footprints” quests in games like Horizon, The Witcher, etc. When you’re guided so carefully, with every step, much of the surprise and satisfaction drains away, at least for me. Finally, I can also understand how some people might feel Souls games feel clunky, or at least less smooth, by comparison to other action-adventure titles like Horizon. This is partly because Souls games want you to feel the weight of every swing and every cast. There’s typically a delay between the time you hit the button and the moment the action is performed. It feels bad at first next to the myriad games where attacks come out fluidly and almost instantaneously. Play Souls long enough, however, and your preferences may flip. The “fluid” combat of other games starts to feel a little thoughtless, frictionless. Learning the rhythm, timing and pacing in a Souls fight can be tremendously satisfying (and in some cases, you simply can’t go back). Still, appreciate this alternate perspective after I’d just been through a dozen other shows with almost exclusively universal praise. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@diallo1347]

If people want an easy Souls experience they should just play Monster hunter

[@theblackjohn]

Lol it's funny you say that because my on experience thus far has been monster hunter world/rise and only the first boss in ds3 and jedi fallen order. Monster hunter has no pause menu when you go out into the wild locale. Not saying it not a sound sound criticism but they literally have grace point everywhere. I honestly went into this blind and didn't really bother with wikis and what not until I got to lv 30 or if I wanted to find a weapon/skills/ashes.

[@demetriusnp49]

It’s a game where you really need to invest in its playstyle to get the most out of it. For a first timer, it can be exhausting or frustrating.

[@chickennuggets8022]

I thought these takes were pretty ignorant to be honest. Lots of whining the game wasn't like Horizon. Some of their issues were fine I guess, but most of them (lack of pause button, not spoon-fed story, too hard main boss, needing a guide, stamina bar critique, no climb, etc) seemed really really bad. I physically recoiled when hearing some of their perspectives, which sounded a lot like my toddler complaining about life being unfair.

[@theblackjohn]

@@demetriusnp49 as a newcomer, I understand that. Definitely learned quickly to just run back to Grace points or just back track abit (once you clear enemies, they don't respawn until you rest at a grace point).

[@ThePhenomf4]

Elden Ring doesn’t need a pause button. There are so many safe places with nothing going on and when all else fails it has the “die” mechanic that teleports you to a safe place. Also, the messages and bloodstains have provided crucial information on my journey. Yes, some are asinine, but others are heartfelt, funny or informative.

[@nunyabizness6566]

"Fuck no, it's the same old bullshit." Man, I don't think I ever heard Daemon swear, far less for twice in one sentence. I feel you, man.

[@barrywmusic]

Def didn't think this was gonna be a Daemy game, but fair play, he gave it a good go and the criticism about being unable to pause in offline mode is completely valid. Everybody needs to remember that just because somebody doesn't like a game you enjoy, it doesn't invalidate your enjoyment of the same game. I'm loving the hell out of Elden Ring and can't stop playing it, although like Justin I'm also feeling the pull of Cyberpunk yet again!

[@DTfan43]

@@barrywmusic He lost me when he started comparing it to Forbidden West. Those games are completely different and the methods of FromSoftware seem to fly right over his head. That company is king at world building; a breathing world without a single town or "civilization" as he put it; that of which has never been the point of Souls games. I can extend an olive branch and say that I agree that offline mode should be able to be paused. Always thought that was arbitrary and silly. However, knocking a game that one clearly doesn't get isn't fair either. It'd be like calling The Mona Lisa a crap painting; we all know that's not true.

[@TheCurrykiev]

Daemon spent so much time grinding to level up, he forgot it’s more about actual game knowledge. He may be over-levelled, but has no idea how to “play” the game. It’s funny that nearly EVERY NES game was about learning the game and its patterns. Mega man and it’s bosses as an example. Daemon needs to switch his brain. Don’t just over level and hammer the attack button.

[@tazafraz9551]

Totally this. Leveling and weapons helps to a degree, but if you try to tank every hit and button mash, you'll get creamed and all that grinding is for nothing.

[@diallo1347]

Facts. But I can understand how someone new to Souls game can make that mistake. Skill > Power

[@pievancl5457]

This is why an easy mode wouldn’t even work for soulsborne games. The bosses are so aggressive that power alone doesn’t win the fights. You still need to learn and understand the mechanics of the game.

[@diallo1347]

@@pievancl5457 easy mode would also be boring and pointless for a Souls game. Just play BoTW or Horizon if you want a cake walk

[@ryankowdley5985]

Agreed - there is a tendency to rely on "grinding" like that's gonna easy mode you through the game. You have to level up your brain, not your character.

[@Nyquil_SR]

Tina, I'd argue I've never felt more powerful in game than when I've overcome a challenge that seemed insurmountable. For example, in Miyazaki games, you'll fight a boss near the beginning of the game that's so hard. Then you'll fight that boss again later on and destroy it. Feels really good. Then you'll fight two of that boss at the same time and that feels even better when you win. A gladiator, " is there no one else!!?!!" moment. Daemon, you should check out Sekiro if you haven't already. No stamina bar and the setting is right up your alley. It took me 3-4 tries over 5 years before I finally understood why everyone liked the original dark souls. Now I can't get enough of these games.

[@shannonthomas5845]

There’s a option in the menu in elden ring for item descriptions for every item fyi

[@CyrussNP]

So…. Someone who isn’t a Souls fan and others who’ve only played the game briefly are weighing in on the game. Awesome

[@tinaamini5637]

We have lots and lots of content from the perspective of Souls experts. Game Scoop is a fairly fixed panel, and we like to play a variety of games and share our perspectives, too. You can always bounce off and read/watch stuff from our Souls experts if you prefer. Maybe this panel is interesting to Souls newcomers and just not you.

[@nogarden7274]

New here?

[@HOLLISGAMESSKITS]

@@nogarden7274 they gotta be lol

[@jameswalt1]

@@tinaamini5637 Well said, thoughtful reply.

[@TheMrbreezy93]

@@tinaamini5637 but why even have the segment? I don’t like soccer and I couldn’t imagine having a platform as wide reaching as yalls, knowing full well that I don’t like soccer or that I have barely watched soccer and feel it’s appropriate to comment on it. It’s just weird to me, maybe this stuff appeals to others, I just don’t see the benefit personally.

[@lilfuzzballa]

This the most D&D, non D&D game I have ever played. So much freedom, exploration, risk/reward, and discovery in a way I've never seen before. Ubisoft games, Horizon ZD, Bethesda games and thousands of other games give you a to do list and a conveyer belt of quests that tell you where to go and what to do. Im glad theres an open world game that finally breaks that trend.

[@dementedavenger2784]

I don't understand how people who love hard as nails NES games don't like Souls games. It has the same mentality of learning how to beat a boss then beating the boss. Learning patterns and then exploiting weaknesses.

[@nickmajora]

Justin is so right about how classes are handled in games. How am I supposed to chose a class when I haven't even experienced any gameplay?

[@bearimo2867]

100% agree. If the game isn't going to help you, the internet is. And that may lead to people getting bad information online or just information not controlled by the developers. In which case, what's the point?

[@PeterAtkinson]

Yeah I’ve had that experience a lot in RPGs. I hate making such an important decision so early in my play through. Probably why I don’t play many RPGs anymore, or I prefer the ones that allow you to choose the way you play your game through the skill tree instead. 👍👍

[@SlowLearner-z3h]

The classes in From Soft games are just suggestions, they effect your starting gear but, you can become everything in this games. If you start as a samurai you could become a mage or knight and so on.

[@nickmajora]

@@SlowLearner-z3h I understand that it's less of an issue in FromSoft games but Justin was talking about all RPGs so that's what I was commenting on.

[@Jonmad17]

That's less of an issue in From games than in most other RPGs, which is why it's weird that he brought it up in this context. The only thing class determines in Souls games is your starting equipment.

[@collegejus]

Daemon had me laughing so hard 😂 haha. Thanks and we'll surely miss ya the next two weeks. Love the Scoop. ❤️

[@babydonx7]

So Teena there are item descriptions on everything please check the bottom of the menu screen to see certain promts that will show you the correct buttons to press to navigate the menu. There is also a section in the inventory that shows all of the tutorials in the game. And to Damon I would say that when a boss is stumping you search for mines and areas to get new gear and items to upgrade your gear. Raising your level is incremental, real power comes from your weapons and upgrading them

[@sigmaprime8197]

I bet they play all their games on ez mode

[@Churrowhisperer]

@@sigmaprime8197 why would you think that? These games are notoriously difficult so having trouble with them doesn’t mean you only play games on easy mode

[@sigmaprime8197]

@@Churrowhisperer folks who play games on harder difficulties don't complain about a game being difficult or requiring some skills to be developed. Honestly they just trashed the game lol. I understand their target audience but come on lol. Watching a 3 hour movie and giving a review is justifiable, but 3 hours for an open world game like the Witcher, yeesh.

[@Churrowhisperer]

@@sigmaprime8197 Again, these games are meant to be difficult. Everyone knows they are difficult. I could play God of War on give me god of war difficulty or doom eternal on ultra nightmare and still say fuck this is hard. Also they’re allowed to not like a game that you like. Hell I love Elden Ring and don’t get offended if people criticize it, especially when they’re explaining why they don’t like it. Plus Daemon’s put 20 hours into it, so it’s not like he’s trashing a game he hasn’t played. Nor is he saying the people who like it are dumb, it’s just not their cup of tea, simple as that.

[@lightspeedbear]

I could genuinely listen to Daemon ranting about Elden Ring for an hour. Amazing content.

[@Woodlouse81]

Normally agree with Daemon but I think its silly to compare Elden Ring to Horizon, just because they are both open wprld doesn’t mean they are directly comparable. Doing so and ending up focussing on stuff like facial animations seems to me to be a sign of having missed the point.

[@taylorgarlick7452]

Personally, although it isn’t very useful to use it during combat, I feel the save and quit option is almost exactly the same as pausing the game.

[@DougyFreshGames]

I got into Sekiro (and it kicked my ass) but it wasn't until Elden Ring I could finally enjoy a Soulsborne game. Reason being is because you can go face who ever you want and escape doom lol. Daemon, if you want to save, SYSTEM > Save and Quit. It will save your spot. Also, I think Retro Studios nailed DKC Tropical Freeze as one of the best platformers to date. It just feels good.

[@PointlesslyNecessaryConvos]

I don’t understand the point of critiquing graphical fidelity, facial animations, and character voice lines in a fromsoftware game. It isn’t some narrative driven rpg. It is an action rpg where build variety, exploration and secrets, and boss fights are the motivating factors. Judge the game based on what it is, not what you wish it was.

[@ikamts2]

The funniest part is that it totally is narrative driven, it just does not spoon feed you and trusts your imagination and curiosity

[@pclarkson85]

It’s really a shame the panel just shits on Elden Ring. Every comment sounded like someone not taking the time to figure out the game or really willing to stop playing it like every other adventure game. Instantly comparing it to Horizons felt really bad. Obviously the makers of Dark Souls aren’t going to make an open world like that… just sad not to get some serious tries from the panel at the game, they just decided to repeatedly chose to play ways that didn’t work for them and refuse to adapt and because that hate the game…

[@damonke79]

As a Souls fan for the last decade, IGN has ALWAYS treated their games like this. Most people at IGN seem WAY too casual to play these games. Why even comment on it anymore?

[@R17759]

@@damonke79 It got a 10 on their website. People can’t just accept different opinions. Why do you only want to hear people say how amazing they think it is? Is it not valuable to hear from people who dont normally play these games?

[@damonke79]

@@R17759 It's really not because if you've played these games before you know these criticisms are absurd. Leveling up in an attempt to shortcut the difficulty of the first boss? That's absurd. You absolutely CANNOT shortcut the difficulty in these games by leveling up. You have never been able to pause in any Soulsborne game. Not a single one. Why would Elden Ring suddenly implement a feature like that when no other Miyazaki game has done that? Justin's criticism of having so many things tied to the d-pad is a valid criticism but unless you've played these games, you can't tell valid criticisms from the ones that aren't. Very little value in what they are saying. Three of the people on here barely touched the game

[@n2nother]

Tons of people are playing the game without a guide. No one has to use a guide. I recommend them to keep you from being frustrated by the level of trust/faith the game has in the player but it’s not a “failing,”

[@MintReactions]

Yeah it was a super ignorant rant haha

[@Distractd1]

I must say that for the first time, I am actually upset with Game Scoop. I was genuinely hoping for the team to talk about their experiences in Elden Ring and explain their tropes and failures. Every time people are talking about Elden Ring, it starts getting compared to Forbidden West. Why is that? Is it because they are both open world? Is that the only thing you can go off of? I really expected a bit more than what you can find on Twitter. It's almost like the team was getting paid by Guerilla under the table to intentionally rag on Elden Ring and subtly promote Forbidden West as the better of both considering that they are making it seem like they are having more fun with the latter "option". A pause menu, high graphic fidelity, and fast pacing do not make a game more immersing. Although they did mention some fair flaws or good comments on the game, it felt very biased this go around. Do you want to know why Elden Ring is continuing to eclipse Forbidden West? It's because the developers at FromSoft actually made a game that the players want. Not a game they think is what players want. While both are fantastic games and have both their pros and cons, it's not fair to compare them. They are two totally different games. Also, considering that these are people who are "old-school gamers" complaining about the difficulty is borderline asinine. There are older games on dinosaur aged systems that are actually far more difficult and dont even include combat at all! Games are about trying harder and pushing yourselves to finish because that is the reward in itself. Running around and having little to no difficulty within a game is just plain boring and will never be challenging nor rewarding. They are far too opinionated for having barely touched a game, and it proves that all of these gaming review sites such as IGN are all crap. Just another clickbait site with mediocre reviews so they can continue to feed off of their ad revenues. And it wasn't up until this very episode that it confirmed that I really felt this way all along. Edit: Typos.

[@chickennuggets8022]

I completely agree. This was a bunch of terrible takes on a game. Every time they compared it to Horizon or were whining a system wasn't the same as Horizon I was physically reacting in a negative way. It's like they want all open-world games to be the same, which to be frank, usually are quite easy unless you put them on the hardest difficulty available. Most of their complaints also seemed to stem from ignorance of the game. For example, complaining there weren't these giant cities where there are more NPCs or a spoon-fed story. That's part of these games. You have to uncover the story yourself. Let's talk about the difficulty. Elden Ring isn't that hard when you take a moment to learn what the game is teaching you. If a boss is one hitting you, you are there too early. Go level up. If you can hang with a boss for awhile, chances are you aren't learning their move sets. In these Souls games you actually have to use that thing between your ears and learn before you start to excel. It's not nearly as difficult as some games from my childhood (Battletoads, Ghouls N' Goblins, Contra). These takes were just horrible. I'm so glad FromSoft is succeeding making games like this. There clearly is a market for it and thankfully, we have games that aren't all the same.

[@Churrowhisperer]

Geez dude have you ever heard of something called an opinion? They at least went into detail about why they weren’t enjoying their time with elden ring and Daemon even played for 20 hours! I feel like that alone shows he at least gave it a shot. Sounds to me like you’re just upset they don’t like a game that you do. News flash I adore elden ring but does hearing other people criticize it bother me? I’ll quote Daemon on this and say “fuuuuck no”. Soulsborne games just aren’t for everyone, deal with it.

[@Churrowhisperer]

@@BBQcheese You do realize grinding in a game is engaging with it right? After all you grind by killing enemies aka playing the game. Hell I grinded for a hot minute to beat Margot too he’s a literal and metaphorical gatekeeper. It’s a notoriously difficult game so I feel like you’re expected to grind for levels at least a little bit, unless you’re one of those try hards who brag about beating every soulsborne game in a row without leveling up and without dying. Again, people are allowed to dislike Elden Ring. Just cause you love a piece of media doesn’t mean everyone else has to, and it doesn’t mean people who dislike Elden Ring are shills.

[@followthevind]

Daemon's rant at the beginning is some of the best value entertainment I've yet to hear on this podcast, absolutely love it haha! Personally I am the complete opposite and totally addicted to anything FromSoftware, just love the fact that other people can be so wildly and passionately against it!

[@Mna574]

He’s such a casual gamer lol

[@banzaisdead]

@@Mna574 its a pve game. if you’re a “hardcore” gamer you’re probably playing actual pvp competitive games, not eldin ring

[@AdelaideBen1]

@@Mna574 (edited ) Why is he caual because he doesn't like this game?

[@johnnyjets2343]

@@banzaisdead elden ring like all souls games have pvp as well. Some players choose to only dabble in pvp.

[@banzaisdead]

@@johnnyjets2343 fair enough, I didn’t know it had that option so good call. I still wouldn’t put it on the same level as pvp esport like cod, valorant, apex, siege, league, etc.

[@BasketCase-rr7tx]

The irony of this conversation was that it was 4 people who know nothing about Souls games talking for 25 minutes about which class they chose, unaware that starting class means barely anything at all in the Souls games.

[@Mediocre_Spidey]

Elden Ring goes out of its way to help you overcome the obstacles it puts in your way. Game is still too much for some people. Accepting that this type of game genre isn’t for you is and moving on from it is a win. I’ve played and beat all the souls games with the exception of sekiro. I couldn’t get into it. It felt so damn tedious that I just had to accept that this one wasn’t for me.

[@Boskibro]

Same! Sekiro couldn’t do it for me.

[@jkjacob546]

I couldn't beat darksouls 3, so I started playing sekiro. Fell in love with the game and after finishing it, I was like, now what should I do? so went back to darksouls 3 and for some reason it clicked. So I finished entire DS3 DLC included, and its thanks to sekiro. Sekiro was easier for me, may be because I was not used to darksouls. Anyway am hooked and now playing the crap out of elden ring.

[@williamgalvez9536]

@@jkjacob546 there’s always a “click” and then you’re in. For me, it was the Abyss Watchers in Dark Souls 3. So epic. Then I couldn’t stop and played every soulsborne after. And Elden Ring feels like a love letter to souls fans. 👍🏽

[@HausamanB1]

@@williamgalvez9536 so true. I hated bloodborne when I first played it. I thought it looked and felt stupid when I played it..then I played Sekiro and that was the gateway for me. The aesthetic, combat, music and everything fit me. Then I returned to Bloodborne after playing Sekiro and I thought it was awesome; great game with great atmosphere. hell I even got into Nioh and Nioh 2 after those games had been sitting in my library for over a year without being played once. Now the Nioh/Soulsborne games are among my favorite games of all time

[@williamgalvez9536]

@@HausamanB1 yoooo! I LOVED Nioh 2. I put over 90 hours in that game. Favorite game of 2020, next to Ori and the Will of the Wisps. 👍🏽

[@vibrent1]

This story is for Daemon as I had a similar initial experience with Dark Souls. I almost quit DS just trying to get past the silver bull in the first castle and the knights on the path to get to the next bonfire (near gargoyles), and a friend helped me at a critical moment to turn right instead of left to find it on a frantic run through that area for the 12th time. Then I DID rage quit after getting destroyed by the 2 gargoyles on the church roof after a dozen or more deaths. Was gonna quit and call it a trash game. But then my friend said you know you don't have to fight bosses as soon as you find them right? You can go explore elsewhere and come back. Maybe upgrade your weapon a bit. And that blew my mind, as it ran counter to the game logic of most games those days. So I did that. Went to the forest. Beat the butterfly. Leveled up my stats, sword and gear. Came back to the gargoyles and was victorious. That was the big hurdle for me. After that, nothing kept me stuck for too long. Now Dark Souls is one of my top 10 greatest gaming experiences ever. I platinumed bloodborne and sekiro. Bloodborne probably takes me top spot now. But DS was the first game to change how I understand what a video game can be. How a game can not feel like a game that obviously exists for the player, but just exists, and doesn't care about you or exist for you. You're just in it - call it a realistic dark fantasy simulator. You can go places that will destroy you. You can sequence break. You can have chance encounters with NPCs. And every players experience will be different. And even though its brutal it's also possible to no-hit the entire game. So ultimately the game has an incredibly hopeful spirit underneath its themes of sorrowful decay and despair. It's a lot like Zelda 1 in many respects. Elden Ring being an even more ambitious attempt at realizing that vision. If you give it another shot, would love to hear another podcast with a souls veteran on it to offer their perspective. Help from real life friends to me is a wonderful aspect of these games.

[@vibrent1]

If the games aren't for you, all good of course!

[@garrisonthomas8584]

Was never into Souls games until recently when I played Dark Souls 3 in anticipation of Elden Ring. Many reviewers were saying it was most similar to DS3. Had a bad experience with DS1 in 2012 when I didn't understand the formula, but I learned one very important thing in DS3 - If you accept the game on its terms, it can be incredibly gratifying. Yes, it is difficult, but it's not nearly as difficult as most people make it out to be. I understand Daemon's points on the pausing and a little bit on "needing" a guide. I used a guide through DS3, but I never felt like I cheated the game because you still have to fight your way through to whatever loot you find. You don't need a guide but if you are lost and want some help, then a guide is very useful. But like he said, it's just not his type of game. A stamina bar is just too much for some people, apparently.

[@skygoing82]

Ironically (FOR ME) the Soul's-like games leave me feeling stronger and more skilled than pretty much any games I play. But only because you feel so much danger early on. It just feels like an amped up version of some Metroidvanias and some Rogue-like games. I also have noticed that the curve feels way gentler with Elden Ring than other From games, but perhaps its because I have sort of "learned" the play styles required. That's what made Sekiro feel so tough as (TO ME) it felt like a very different style of play was required than how I play most From games. I totally empathize with people who just dont click with these games, though.

[@indexical1897]

This episode has confirmed that my gaming tastes are completely misaligned with this group. Not a problem and no hate, it’s just hard to relate as I’m definitely a gameplay first person over graphics or story.

[@jeremytraynor3852]

Especially when some of their complaints are things that BoTW also “suffers” from but no one complains about BoTW not being as pretty or not having facial animations. So strange.

[@SkeeLoGreene]

Yall must not watch this podcast often. Daemon is most definitely a gameplay over story person. And he enjoys difficult games as well. The SoulsBorne games are something different though. There's a punishment factor in their games that some people (like myself) don't find enjoyable

[@MmmDoggy]

I would also argue that the art design in elden ring is fuckin incredible. I’d challenge anyone who’s been to siofra river to tell me this game doesn’t look great

[@pablojimenez7356]

The graphics in this game are beautiful and spot on for the mood the developer is trying to convey. 101 critique class in art school: Never use the word “pretty” to describe a piece. One thing is having personal opinions or saying things in a conversational manner; another is being unprofessional. The things being said in the first 20 mins of this episode are straight up refutable.

[@indexical1897]

@@SkeeLoGreene fine yes I get that from soft games aren’t for everyone but I think they’re not that hard. They just require patience to learn the mechanics. It’s difficult to be patient when you’re trying to crit path through a game to get your desk clear for the next big release.

[@pablojimenez7356]

I’ve been a fan of the gamescoop crew since the beginning. This podcast is arguably the most played in my roster and it should be obvious that Damon is knowledgeable, but more importantly a good entertaining host…..But jesus, this episode was a real turn off for me on their ability to critique games.

[@DJMizzy]

I feel the same

[@jeremytraynor3852]

I felt the same and the same for the last few releases. Almost no one plays the games and they give verdicts based on very little. There is no balance to the conversation

[@remynyc149]

You are that turned off by people having a different opinion then yourself

[@pablojimenez7356]

@@remynyc149 No, you read that wrong. I was really turned off by their ability to critique video games.

[@Macktube]

I just don't understand what Damon was expecting all their games have a certain design and reason for the way they are. The things that you found annoying are supposed to be there because that what the fans like. It's just that type of game

[@AdelaideBen1]

And I don't think that he's dissing anyone for liking the game - he's simply saying that he doesn't like Soulsborne games.

[@Macktube]

@@AdelaideBen1 yeah but he also said he thinks it's poor design and that certain aspects should be different. I bet he's going to play more from software games and be upset again just stop playing them

[@pievancl5457]

@@Macktube it’s funny.. what people do often criticize about soulsborne games is what makes them so attractive to others who end up becoming fans. They offer a fresh experience that is extremely fun- if it feels like “work” to you while playing, you’re playing it wrong- something isn’t clicking with the mechanics. Or you’re too afraid of dying/losing your runes in the game. That’s part of the loop- you lose no progress for death in Elden ring. There aren’t even long run backs anymore

[@TundraBoy69]

@@Macktube "Just stop playing them" As a critic for the biggest gaming website it's kinda his job to play the biggest games of the year, especially those that recieve such acclaim.

[@Macktube]

@@TundraBoy69 he's not the one reviewing the games he doesn't have to play it technically. He doesn't play every fighting game or racing game either

[@shanewilt1]

To each their own but it makes me sad that Daemon is so down on Elden Ring. Yes it is challenging but once got you start to get better it really clicks and in my opinion is a far better game than HFW.

[@barrywmusic]

Haven't played HFW but I get the impression (perhaps mistakenly), that replayability factor is going to be slim. Not really saying this as a criticism, most games I play are one and done. But Elden Ring, I can see myself replaying that so many times as I know I'm going to miss stuff first time round, plus I want to use some of the cooler weapons next time around (heavy magic build first time).

[@SkeeLoGreene]

I agree with Daemon on this one. I've tried multiple Souls games, and I just don't find them fun. Horizon just feels better, and the world is more interesting IMO

[@dillonduke1662]

Why does.it make you sad that somebody doesn't enjoy a.videos game?

[@dillonduke1662]

@@reach5589 right lol

[@remynyc149]

@@juliuscaesar9379 it isn’t a bait not everyone is going to love this game. People are allowed to have differing opinions and points of views.

[@MyCoolYoungHistory]

Given the age of the panel and the era y'all grew up in, I'm surprised Soulsborne games aren't up your alley. I disliked them too...until I compared the leveling system to Adventure of Link, the bosses to Ninja Gaiden (specifically the final boss in 1) and the exploration to Simon's Quest. These games are essentially fleshed out NES games in modern, 3D engines.

[@SkeletorTclaws]

Yeah, I grew up in the 80s as well. I hated hard games back then, too; it's just that we didn't have much of a choice. And at least we could pause the game. The older you get, the less free time you have because of commitments work and family. Personally, I avoid frustrating games; I will not even play them even of they are free on psplus. I want to feel relaxed while gaming. To each his own, I guess.

[@JG-pp8cc]

"Asinine messages" oof my heart. The messages are so good

[@CornEffect]

Daemon leaving for a secret IGN mission and missing episode 666? Illuminati confirmed.

[@lightsofNY]

Completely agree that Souls games are BS. The ability to pause is less than the absolute minimum as far as accessibility goes. There are a million reasons why people need to pause a game, immediately and with zero notice, and you shouldn't have to lose all your progress to do so.

[@diallo1347]

They may be bs for you, but us Souls fans disagree. Some of my favorite/ most rewarding gaming experiences ever

[@dukestaa3852]

I can see souls fans are storming Damian’s house now with their torch and pitchforks after listening to this gamescoop 😂

[@Boskibro]

I’m a souls fan and I thought it was funny. Him talking about pausing the game was odd cause you can “pause” by saving and quitting. That is what I can do. He obviously didn’t explore and level up which is why he thought it was so hard. I explored so much that at this point I wish I didn’t because I can beat every boss first try and that’s not what these games should be

[@robgbaby]

He said a few mins in he spent hours leveling up his samurai and is still getting doodood on by the first boss.

[@sigmaprime8197]

Salty tears podcast. Games a masterpiece. They just like their games on ez mode

[@Boskibro]

@@robgbaby I played 30 hours before going to that boss. That’s not just grinding levels that’s exploring dungeons and discovering insane areas and secrets that were at my level. You can’t just try to grind for a few hours and go in. The game literally gives you 30 hours worth of content to explore before the first legacy dungeon

[@Boskibro]

@@robgbaby that is like me saying I grinded for a few hours in BOTW and couldn’t beat Gannon so the game is too hard

[@anthonyennis819]

I think the main issue with people trying to get into souls games is that most of them refuse to go through with someone who has a history with the series. If you find yourself bouncing off of it and want to really give it a try, have a gaming sherpa guide you. In every other aspect of life, if you are trying something very difficult, you get help from someone who has been through it; this should be no different. If anyone wants help through the game, just let me know. I have it on xbox and playstation.

[@Brett452]

Definitely in line with the Scoop crew on Soulslike games. No disrespect toward anyone that likes them. I do like watching short boss videos or speedruns of Soulslike games but they are just aren’t for me. Favorite podcast to listen to each week!

[@clintcarlton1446]

I never understand why people think you have to grind to beat a boss, while it does make things easier to a small extent the main way to overcome anything in the game is to understand how it works. Mobs giving you trouble?, beat that sniper hitting you from far away 1st, or group them up and firebomb them. Boss too hard? Find their weaknesses, understand their pattern, that's more important than the grid. Elden ring being a open world with so much different difficulty areas let's you go do something else instead of grinding. People are willing to understand and learn a new game most of the time but when it comes to souls it's always compared to other games when it's not like them. If you didn't learn how to play a game properly you'll obviously hate it. They should have got someone who understands the game on also to balance out their current takes on the game. If the game isn't for you that's fine, what irks me is when people compare it to other things when it's clearly not going for it

[@TundraBoy69]

Everyone is well aware that people adore this game, we don't need to bring others on the show just to prove that.

[@hegotdadope5414]

For newcomer 1.any magic is op but lack mobility and melee weapon unless you want mix with melee(for newcomer player) 2.dex is about fast hitting but less damage but have bleeding build up 3.strength build is for those who want hit like truck but slowed and can using double greatsword for high level character only 4.level up your vigor,endurance unless you want fat roll

[@chknrsandTBBTROX73]

Never disagreed with the Omega Cops so hard before! I too, was a Miyazaki doubter, much like Daemon and Sam, and I really though this game would win them over. I have tried Dark Souls 1, BloodBorne, Sekiro and Demon Souls. Never liked them, always got frustrated and dropped off. This is the one that really got me. Elden Ring has converted me, and it may be the best game of all time. The tutorializing is much MUCH better in this game and it’s much more forgiving. There’s no excuse, especially when you work at IGN with basically all the resources you might need at your fingertips to help proceeding through the game. Daemon and Sam need to envision Elden Ring as an NES game. This game is more Zelda 1 than Breath of the Wild. It’s Mega Man, Castlevania. Exploration heavy, execution heavy games. Punishing, yes. But you cheese the boss before it cheeses you.I fully understand and sympathize with their sentiments, especially the wasting of the players time. But for me, at one point it just clicked and I got it. There are so many badass abilities and weapons and armor and summons that do make you feel powerful, and that’s the main appeal for me, powering up stats, getting better equipment and just becoming a badass sorcerer samurai with a lightning ice katana. It is a true D&D like RPG experience for me.

[@myth3516]

Why should they force themselves to play if they aren’t the ones giving the official review? They’re talking about it from the point of view of someone that is relatable (I can relate with him). He’s not obligated to go through the game just because he works at ign.

[@Tones753311]

Elden Ring is the best game I've ever played. It amazes me that people cannot like it. It has the best exploration of any game. It's the easiest and most accessible FROM game yet. Most people will die early and give up before learning how to play effectively. You guys are putting too much emphasis on the starting class. It's basically meaningless after the first 5 or so hours and you can spec anyway you want. There are so many options if you're struggling - co-op, summons, level up etc.

[@nunyabizness6566]

If many people don't want to wait five hours for the game to "click", that's their prerogative.

[@Tones753311]

@@gurentgc3546 That is true now more than ever. It's sad that every game wants to spoonfeed you and hand hold the gamer and when its not present people complain. What happened to the thrill of exploration and getting enjoyment of figuring things out for yourself. You are dropped into the world of Elden Ring not as the hero but as the tarnished, you're nothing. The journey is to overcome every obstacle and rise to the challenge.

[@Tones753311]

@@nunyabizness6566 It doesn't take 5 hours to click you just have to learn the mechanics. A 100 hour game is not going to do it in a 5 min tutorial that casual gamers want I guess. It's a shame many people will miss out on a true masterpiece.

[@R17759]

@@Tones753311 Not everyone wants their entertainment products to challenge them. I am looking forward to playing this, but not everyone likes hard games.

[@Tones753311]

@@R17759 I get that. It really isn't that hard like the majority of Souls games. Elden Ring is the easiest one. Souls games get a bad rap for only being for the hardcore and that's not true.

[@rickybobbyroode9814]

If you don’t like Elden Ring that’s fine but I feel like they were wrong on a lot of their criticism. You can do a lot of stuff they said you couldn’t.

[@tr1lliam625]

Their comments made it sound like they barely played the game. Most of what they said was short-sighted or simply not true. Paints ign in a bad light for them to have such short-sighted and inaccurate opinions

[@PokeJose34]

Great show y’all :) would have been cool to have someone on who enjoyed elden ring for this episode to have a fuller convo ! 👍

[@ambrosiajam8008]

The second I thought of bloodborne as a modern version of a classic arcade, a castlevania, or Megaman type of game then the whole ‘soulsborne genre’ suddenly clicked for me. Letting go of the idea of death as being so bad and instead of worrying of all I lost, i decided to think of it like in Mario or something and if you die so what - try again. Elden Ring takes the soulsborne genre to a new level *only* in that it’s also open world and not linear

[@J.P.Lawrence]

They really need to get someone who cares about these games to come on these shows to balance it out.

[@R17759]

This is the Game Scoop panel opinions. If they dont like it they dont like it.

[@Jaylog1000]

His playing cyberpunk 2077 now I thought he was going to play through all the Lego games ?? Remember him saying that.

[@loganmcgahee6118]

Monster hunter has always had really good demos, where you can choose between all the different weapons with a unique armor set and then set out on one of usually 3 hunts of increasing difficulty.

[@rickybobbyroode9814]

MH Stories 2 had a great demo that actually convinced me to get the game. I actually finished it and it was really good.

[@andre23noel]

Not a dark souls fan and I’m enjoying elden ring

[@civenful]

I feel Justin is the only one with a measured viewpoint even if he doesn’t like the game

[@kidcasgaming62]

First time ever seeing them (besides Daemon) on camera instead of just listening to the podcast. Tina and Sam weirdly look much cooler than I thought (I know weird to say but it was just a instant reaction) and Justin looks almost exactly how I thought which means nothing, just interesting haha.

[@ulrich101]

Justin looks like he drinks milk with dinner

[@ragewave9914]

Class is literally just your starting stats/equipment. Your build can be what you want from there.

[@PrematureProcrastinator]

The reason soulsbourne games are so loved is because of their exploration and discovery. Its not that there are more paths to take, its because the games give little or no indication of where you can or should go, so you explore the world with trepidation, not knowing what is around the next corner. And BECAUSE it doesn't tell you anything, when you find a cool weapon, or discover an amazingly designed boss, it feels like YOU found it. Plus, thanks to the boss design being so good, and so unique, and the combat so tight, you know, that whatever lies round the next corner could easily kill you if you aren't prepared, which makes it all the more rewarding when you DO succeed. Modern games are too hand holding, ubisoft games for example, instantly fill the map with icons showing exactly what you will find and what to expect. Soulsbourne is special BECAUSE its obtuse, not in spite of it.

[@jameslwjtoler]

See Damon, that's where you made your mistake. It's not about leveling necessarily, although it does help. Boss battles are about understanding the guard counter/block/rolling system. The game is literally about practicing and getting better at the combat system. I always felt the same way about the lack of a pause button, but there is something to be said about not being able to pause this world to walk away from it. They want you to seek safety if you want to walk away and rest. I get why people aren't into it, but it's one of my favorite games ever, so far.

[@jaerdahl]

Daemon with the real bad takes in this episode lol

[@Churrowhisperer]

Hey he played the game for 20 hours, I feel like he’s allowed to have an opinion on it.

[@Kyle1023yoshi]

DKC is forever in my top 5 games of all-time, but respect to those that think differently

[@anar0gk158]

I'm happy doc actually liked the game after hating it for almost a week. Docs journey would be like any souls fan's journey.

[@raven122199]

Since when can you return an opened retail game? I used to work in retail and you absolutely could not return an opened retail game.

[@stevenkaye1625]

Fully agree with Daemon's Elden Ring opinion LOL. Happy others like it, but as a 37 year old, I just don't have the time or patience to spend countless hours fighting the same enemies and dying all the time.

[@myth3516]

Yeah I think a lot is dictated by what sort of lifestyle you have. I completely agree with you. It seems like a lot of fans seem to rate the game based on their bragging rights after beating it… which is fine I suppose but it doesn’t make the game any better. As a fellow 30 year old I think most of the people who play these have the time to and not too many responsibilities haha

[@navigatingmadness180]

Don't know if I've ever been addicted to a game like I am with Elden Ring...I've put 50 hours into it since Tuesday, partially because I got covid and have been sick/isolating. In saying that, I love all the From Soft games so I'm definitely the "target" audience. If you were not a fan of Dark Souls I don't think this could really win you over, because it can be very difficult at times...but hey, use summons if you get frustrated to get past bosses. Play the way you want!

[@mrpetebojangles21]

I haven’t gotten killed a single time being “afk”. It’s super easy to get away from enemy paths and grab a drink/use the bathroom etc.

[@spankyjenkins5803]

It’s crazy to see Daemon’s viewpoint before DLC

[@joelmatchett6599]

If you can't climb anything or glide off peaks, it's not "the new standard" for open world games

[@StuieHunter]

Dragon Age XI S is a great example of a demo done well. I usually don't like long games, and I generally don't vibe with JRPGs (regardless of length). But loads of people kept saying it was one of the best games on switch, that I caved and downloaded the demo. You can play around 10 hours of that demo, and carry on your progress from there. I got 5 hours in, and knew that it was magical, so I bought the full game. I put in over 120 hours into that game, and it's now one of my favorite games that I've played in recent memory.

[@buggy946]

I’m guessing the reason you can’t pause the game takes me back to the good old days when you can take the NES Controller from the original Nintendo entertainment system and slow down the action by using the Slow motion feature, it would pause the games continuously to slow down the action and make difficult games easier to navigate. I miss the good old days!

[@buggy946]

Peace ✌🏽 love ❤️ you guys! Game Scoop is my favorite show to watch!

[@DudeWerewolf]

I have never clicked with a Souls game, but Elden Ring? I literally adore it. And to say it’s not even pretty?? I mean…

[@TundraBoy69]

It does look great but compared to Forbidden West its leagues behind in visual fidelity.

[@DudeWerewolf]

@@TundraBoy69 why are we comparing those two? It seems silly to me. BoTW is maybe their favorite game of all time, isn’t that also leagues behind in visual fidelity? Both games are awesome. Graphics though shouldn’t be a knock in this case. It’s apples to oranges.

[@TundraBoy69]

@@DudeWerewolf I think the comparison is natural considering these are both triple A open world games releasing a week apart that Daemon and many others have been going back and forth between. I wouldn't get too hung up about it.

[@Kmaitland89]

Astrologer is a hundred percent easier mode.

[@markyturner]

Interesting to hear an out and out critique of elden ring. I must say - and I have not enjoyed souls games in the past, and am not a souls fan - I have found this game to be absolutely amazing. What an incredible world. I can totally understand why people might not enjoy the complexity, but quite a few of the issues you raise have pretty simple solutions… dpad is easy to map to be less confusing, there are loads of places where you can simply wait (effectively pause), spirit summons are game changers for the bosses etc. As for available information, I think using guides online are an integral part of games these days… was there ever a time when people didn’t look for more information outside the game itself?

[@rickybobbyroode9814]

Totally agree. It’s okay he doesn’t like it but every critique he had I was like “yeah you actually can do that” or “that has an easy solution”.

[@nicknelson3637]

@@rickybobbyroode9814 Yeah. It just felt like he wasn't ready to meet the game on its terms of interact with its systems. So the critique ended up ringing kinda hollow for me.

[@tr1lliam625]

Most criticisms he had were more due to ineptitude than actual gameplay. Everything he complained he couldn’t do are things that can easily be done in game. Dude was complaining that it seemed like purgatory 😂 Bruh, it IS purgatory. Its set in THE LANDS BETWEEN!! Didn’t even use the correct terminology for “grace”. Flaccid, impotent journalism.

[@HoldL2]

Some people want to have a challenge and others don’t, that’s okay. I find that most people who don’t get into these games just aren’t taking the time to learn the combat system. This isn’t a game where you look up how to beat a boss.. it’s a game where you study your opponents skill set and pay attention to what is working and what isn’t. All attacks / deaths can be avoided, but if you’re getting one-shot, you should probably go explore somewhere else. Edit: I listened to more of the podcast and I don’t think any of you have a very good grasp on virtually any of Elden Rings systems or mechanics, it’s really upsetting to hear so much misinformation spread, you’re really doing a disservice here and I think you should have either brought people on who understand the game or just skipped the discussion.

[@ParadoxalDream]

44:23 The DKC trilogy on the SNES are my favorite games of all time and I still play them every few years, but what do I know

[@jacobpro_]

Topic idea for next week-best horror games of all time? In honor of episode 666 lol

[@AndresLionheart]

Stuff being obscure or not completely explained is part of the experience. It's supposed to hark back to the NES games when you had to figure out things. Usually there is also an NPC here or there that may explain things a bit more. The "class" doesn't really matter that much in the end. It mostly decides what you do early game. Later you can go whatever way you want. You may just have some slightly scuffed stats though depending on what you do, but it wouldn't change much. Not being able to pause is weird. I think it should let you pause as long as you are not in combat. I like the idea of not being able to stop the game and think while in the middle of combat. Having to decide on the fly makes the encounters more tense. In the end it's not a game, or genre, for everyone. When I see Horizon I fall asleep, for example, so I can understand the feeling coming from the other side.

[@chickennuggets8022]

Listening to their take on Elden Ring frustrated me so much haha. I felt like most of their criticisms were juvenile or just ignorant of the game's mechanics or lack thereof (like the pause button, character creation, etc). This was a whole lot of whining the game wasn't like every other open-world game.

[@mundanemorselsmundanemorse7028]

I love Elden Ring, but I do think Margit is a very tough boss for new players and will probably turn a lot of them away.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

Idk, I feel like it’s appropriate. I think every souls game has had a very difficult early boss. It teaches the player. If the player can overcome this challenge they can probably get through the rest of the game. That early boss serves as a very tough teacher. It’s almost necessary.

[@ryankowdley5985]

@@mrpetebojangles21 Margit is a lot tougher than the Asylum Demon or the Taurus Demon.

[@mrpetebojangles21]

@@ryankowdley5985 eh maybe. Father G was harder than all of them imo 😂

[@HolySok]

Surprisingly almost 70% of players on PlayStation have beaten him so far.

[@MintReactions]

Why does everyone want games to hold your hand so much?? You definitely don't need a guide. Too many icons in rpgs nowadays. Now there's not enough. Seems like it's a cool game. Can't wait to play it!

[@josephjoestar9269]

Yeah I hardly consider it a game without a challenge that forces the player to adapt. Otherwise it's an interactive movie

[@Double979tv]

3:00 “F no, same old BS” at the end of the year this has to be on some kind of highlight reel. Daemon might have just saved me $60.

[@travisspazz1624]

I understand it's praises, but completely agree with the criticisms here. I've played 20hrs and finally beat Margit. Whenever I beat a boss it does indeed feel it's out of sheer luck instead of skill. And leaving an area to level up kills all (if there was any to begin with) narrative pacing. It just feels like it's not designed to be fun, but instead infuriate. Gargantuan learning curves, vague as all hell quests, rune loss after death, and no pausing. An open world that feels kinda one note and lifeless.

[@VAULT-TEC_INC.]

There’s lots of world building and story telling, especially environmental storytelling. You’re running past it in fear

[@mickael486]

This show should be more views. Nicely Job, guys and gals. Game Scoop is an exclusive camp for Geese Omega cops. 🤷

[@bandofspartans2999]

I feel like not much time was spent playing Elden Ring given what the gripes about it were. There were multiple gripes which gave me the impression that not much attention was given to the game's systems. - Stamina is infinite outside of combat. - Climbing is a thing, it's just not Assassin's Creed or other parkour-based games. - Other gripes concerned artistic vision or other integral systems which are not in players' control. The best tip I think I can give is that this game should not be played like previous titles. It's not linear like their previous games, and is better played with a similar mindset to playing Skyrim or something. I had around 25 hours in the game before I even attempted Stormveil Castle. And that's not grinding, I was just strung along on an adventure full of awesome discovery. Treat it more like an action-adventure game.

[@micabryant4513]

What was that intro music this week? It slapped!

[@mattanderson3927]

Castlevania "A Vision of Dark Secrets", sounds like the Circle of the Moon version

[@nicknelson3637]

Couldn't disagree with you more, Daemon. While it's true, Horizon has better graphics, I couldn't describe any unique places I saw to you in 30 hours of gameplay. Where as Elden Ring is filled with the most incredible environments I've ever seen. I just stop and stare frequently, something that didn't happen in Horizon.

[@sanjeethattarki654]

Daemon rly loves horizon forbidden west😂😂

[@donjoy33]

You should fight Margit until you beat her. Take time to learn his moves, when u have room to attack, and when to keep away. Margit is an amazing, yet difficult fight. It’s just like life…nothing worthwhile is easy

[@IGNGames]

I have since beaten Margit. Still feel pretty meh about the game overall. - Daemon

[@saintsalieri]

A lot of the worthwhile things in my life have been easy.

[@R17759]

Except its not real life its a video game

[@MrTechroundup]

Beo this daemon guy is the reason why games have become so hand holdy these days. I do admire his confidence though, straight up saying how much he loves super easy games.

[@FewNewReasonss]

I keep three items on my hotlist to use, plus there's the action skill equips. So there's zero issue with item mapping in this game.

[@sleepyhylian2694]

i refreshed your channel too many times yesterday, confused about the lack of a new gamescoop episode!!! still on the fence with elden ring since i’ve never played a soulsborne game. glad to hear your thoughts!

[@nateputerbaugh5709]

I forgot why I don't value Daemon's opinions on video games. Thanks for the reminder

[@tr1lliam625]

He probably never tried pickle but whole. Might have altered his opinion a bit 🤷‍♂️

[@MehYam2112]

People like what they like, but something doesn't sit right about their take on ER. I mean, it earned a '10' rating from their own colleagues. Clearly there's demand for a game that's ruthless on the player, tough but learnable bosses, exploration with few hints, etc. It feels "classic" in a way that retro or casual games can't. And the dopamine from downing that difficult boss just hits different. I disagree with Daemon's comment that the game doesn't respect your time, only because an easier, maybe more addictive game isn't doing your time any favors either. Again, that dopamine hit - you're not going to get it any other way.