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Elden Ring’s DLC is not far off at all. Amid previews and launch trailers, FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki has been extremely vocal ahead of the launch of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. In speaking with PCGamer, the mind behind the likes of Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and Sekiro has had plenty to say about players hoping to use the guides for his games.
“Of course, players are going to consult guides, and there’s going to be a wealth of information on the web and in their communities where they have access to the secrets and the strategies. We expect that,” Miyazaki says. When I think of my experience with FromSoftware’s games – so much of it is tied to a struggle. It doesn’t matter if I try and limit my internet usage while playing, there’s certain things that I just can’t live without knowing. Have I explored each floor of this abandoned necropolis, is there a shortcut eliminating the need for me to survey this haunted graveyard, and have I scoured the area for each and every item to be found?
Miyazaki is entirely right – the internet is an absolute wealth of information, especially for FromSoftware games. I think that’s part of why they’re so spectacular. Regardless of how much information you can absorb yourself, there’s going to be something that you’ve missed. The internet is the only place that you will ever have this information fall into your lap. Even now, years on from having Platinum-ed Bloodborne, there are things I discover on the internet about its rotten lore.
That said, Miyazaki never intended for this: “We try to cater to the player who is completely blind and wants to go through organically,” he says. This doesn’t come as a surprise either. Elden Ring is dense. Plot and narrative are sparsely told through cutscenes and intermittent dialogue with inconspicuous NPCs, and immersive environments tell the rest of the tale. A part of me agreed with PCGamer’s line of thinking: I wondered if the studio has tried harder to surprise or outsmart players, though Miyazaki’s response was staggeringly clarifying.
FromSoftware games exude an aura of complexity, though this is entirely optional. Its games are designed so that you drift through them without ever needing to dig into lore, messy family trees, and exploring each and every location. Sure, you are rewarded handsomely for doing so, but the “blind” player will be equally rewarded for immersing themselves in the game too.
Interview Source: PCGamer
