Elden Ring won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022 and sits at 96 on Metacritic – one of the highest-rated games ever released. Created by FromSoftware and co-designed by George R.R. Martin, it is an open-world action RPG of extraordinary scale and depth. If you have been intimidated by its reputation for difficulty, this guide will give you the foundation to survive the Lands Between.
What is Elden Ring?
You are a Tarnished – an exile summoned back to the Lands Between to repair the shattered Elden Ring and become Elden Lord. The world is enormous: six major regions, dozens of legacy dungeons, catacombs, mines, and caves to explore, and over 100 boss encounters. The narrative is delivered through item descriptions, environmental storytelling, and fragmented NPC dialogue – a design philosophy that rewards curiosity and deep engagement with the lore.
The Truth About Difficulty
Elden Ring is hard but fair. Every enemy attack is telegraphed. Every boss has learnable patterns. The open world means you are never truly stuck – if a boss destroys you, explore elsewhere, level up, find better gear, and return stronger. The famous difficulty demands attention, not punishment.
Best Starting Classes for Beginners
Vagabond – Best Overall
High starting Vigor and Strength, starts with solid armor and a longsword. The most forgiving starting point for players new to FromSoftware games. You can take a few hits before dying and deal reliable melee damage while learning the fundamentals.
Astrologer – Best for Magic Builds
Starts with Glintstone Pebble ranged magic and high Intelligence. Magic builds feel powerful in early game because you deal damage from a safe range. The tradeoff is very low starting health – you must avoid getting hit.
The First Hours – What to Do
- Explore Limgrave before Stormveil Castle – The first legacy dungeon has a powerful optional boss (Margit) at its gate. The surrounding open world has Sites of Grace, upgrade materials, and gear that will make Margit much more manageable.
- Level Vigor to 40 first – Vigor is your health stat. Dying in two hits is demoralizing and prevents learning. 40 Vigor is the survivability breakpoint where the game starts feeling fair.
- Use Spirit Ash Summons in boss fights – This is not cheating. Lone Wolf Ashes divide boss attention and create breathing room while you learn attack patterns.
- Two-hand your weapon – Holding the appropriate button two-hands your right-hand weapon, adding 50% of your Strength to damage. Do this for nearly every fight.
Combat Fundamentals
- Stamina management – Rolling, attacking, blocking all drain Stamina. Never deplete it completely. Zero Stamina means you cannot roll and will die.
- Roll through attacks, not away – Rolling has invincibility frames at the start of the animation. Rolling toward and through enemy attacks is safer than rolling backward in most cases.
- Guard Counter – After blocking an attack with a shield, immediately pressing Heavy Attack performs a Guard Counter that deals massive stagger damage. An extremely powerful mechanic that new players consistently overlook.
- Weapon Arts (Ashes of War) – Every weapon has a special ability that can deal massive damage or provide utility. Understanding your weapon art doubles your effectiveness.
PC Performance Notes
Cap frames to 60fps via Nvidia Control Panel or RTSS for the most stable experience – the game was designed for 60fps. At 1080p on modern mid-range hardware (RTX 3060 equivalent), expect stable 60fps at High settings. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion (2024) is included in the GOTY edition and is considered among the finest DLC ever released for any game.
Verdict
Elden Ring is a genuine achievement in game design. The first time you kill a boss that seemed impossible, the feeling is unlike anything else in gaming. Every cave, every ruin, every seemingly impassable cliff face has something behind it. Give it 10 hours before judging. By then, it will have you completely.
Leave a Reply