(no subject)

[kradeelav]

replaying elden ring has given me the distinct sensation that this is what we all wanted twilight princess to be in 2005.

i say "we" since i was online in zelda fen about that time, and there's a whole history of the reaction to the first major trailer and how overhyped it (accidentally?) got online. was the genuine start of nintendo scaling back the timeline between "first trailer" and "release" due to that backlash.

i don't have time a full analysis essay but i just starkly compare this sensation of moving around an actual forest in ER, huge actual forests with deer that take forever to ride through much less walk through .... as much as i enjoyed Tears for the first time in a long time for 3D Zelda, it's not the same. there's something about simply walking around a tree and noticing all the details that immerses you in ER.

even the sheer depth of katana/swordplay in ER; for ... seven? button combinations, the combat is deep. timing, sneakstrikes, crits, the meta-game of dodgerolls.... truly mastering these feels like the spiritual point of being taught those lost sword arts by that ancestral skeleton in twilight princess, where it had to compromise with being a kinda-gimmicky combo.

i've learned to appreciate twilight princess for what it was/is, don't get me wrong - but just. man. ER is something special. one of those decade-defining games that does what it wants to do extremely right.

Comments

[verpine]

twilight princess is my favorite game, might have to give elden rings another shot. i bought it because everyone was talking about it but i usually have a hard time getting into souls games. if i tell myself its got tp vibes though...

[kradeelav]

there was still so much to love about TP - wolf link, Midna, the Spinner dungeon ... genuinely delighted to hear there's still fans :D

but yeah, it's got some vibes there for sure! One thing that might help is playing around with different weapons and grabbing /(enhancing) a longbow early; having ranged attacks to wear down enemies both feels pretty zelda-y and also makes the gameplay slightly less punishing.

[verpine]

this is making me wish for a wii souls game, lol. i really liked the motion capture, using the bow or clawshots in tp was my favorite. the arbiter's ground was really cool, but i always loved the city in the sky or the temple of time the most!

definitely will make sure to grab a bow next time i try elden ring. my favorite skyrim build is the total cheater high stealth high archery. i'm sure elden ring is less absolutely broken about it, but i do love sniping extremely confused npcs who can't find me >:)