As someone who doesn’t like Soulslike, why am I super hyped about Elden Ring?

I think I’ve fallen for the hype.

I admit this feeling came quite suddenly. Tell me the name of the soul boss and I might think it’s a character from The Lord of the Rings or some sci-fi soap opera crap like The Expanse. Eldon Ring As far as I’m concerned, it might as well be the next Peppa Pig game. In fact, when Elden Ring comes out, I’ll probably buy this game for my son. More “git gud” self-harm? Not suitable for me. I was out.

My most important memories of Dark Souls aren’t all that different from sausages in a potato chip store. I got hit. Ironically, it was a giant armored boar that got me in trouble. If he knew that most of the sausages I eat are made from horses, he might not be so violent. Anyway, I eat very little meat these days, so maybe we should reconnect.

Bloodborne, I have more time, mainly because its setting is so dark and grand. I’ll admit I watched it play more than I did, but I could feel the frustration emanating from some of the fights. Side note: hitting the music triangle repeatedly is not the best way to calm down the situation.

Dark Souls 2 and 3, I honestly can’t say if I’ve played it. I doubt I did, simply, hopefully I can somehow change my playstyle to be more attuned to the player’s playstyle for the needs of the game. Then without a doubt, I headed straight to Twitter to say something poignant: “Dark Souls 3…boring souls, more like. Amirt?” and got 5 million RT.

The PS5-exclusive debut game, Demon’s Souls, captivated me with its ridiculously good-looking visuals. But I obviously chose the wrong class to make it better (or something) and got distracted while taking the screenshots, I didn’t get very far before a dragon (Smaug?) got in my way I gave up. Life is too short, and all this…I tell myself, ignoring the time I’ve spent the past two months guessing five-letter words.

Which brings me neatly to Elden Ring. I seem immune to the hype because I don’t like soul games. The word Soulslike immediately made me scoff at any game with bumper stickers, so why am I getting closer to pre-ordering Elden Ring?

The bus shouldn’t have such a strong effect on me. I see them often. I see ads posted on them…all the time. However, the Elden Ring bus struck me differently. The game, almost a myth for years, talked about in whispers and vaguely gif-like videos, is actually real. What’s more, it will be released soon. What’s wrong with me?

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Of course, previews like Alex’s, hinting that Elden Ring will be an all-time great, and he’s playing Breath of the Wild with a similar feel adds to the mix. But in reality, it’s a bus. Their ad packaging there is really good, and it gives me a feeling that I should, need, be part of the Elden Ring experience at launch. I usually get FOMO when someone says they’re eating Twix or something, but I’m ready for Elden Ring.

In terms of actual exposure to games, I’ve seen very little. But for some reason, the openness of the world appealed to me. It’s like I feel like I’m safer in Elden Ring than in other Souls games because I’ll have more places to run.

But in the end, let’s not forget the horse. Elden Ring has a horse that can double jump. drop the microphone.