Summary
Outselling every FromSoftware game before it in record time,Elden Ringhas been many players' first Soulslike. It’s not a bad starting point, with its open world giving players an out whenever FromSoftware’s signature difficulty becomes too much.Elden Ringalso presents a more traditionally beautiful first area, and even includes a variety of peaceful wildlife throughout the Lands Between. While a tough boss is never more than a short horseback ride away, the experience is a lot more welcoming than many otherSoulstitles.
The initial tutorial aids this as well. Although it isn’t directly in the player’s path like prior FromSoftwareSoulstutorials, it’s also more focused than many of them. Plenty is left for players to discover later, but the experience of navigating a short and informative dungeon is helpful. Tarnished will continue encountering new concepts for hours to come, but small moments like that can keep their navigation and combat skills sharp.Elden Ring’s Limgrave regionis filled with similar tutorials, and one dungeon in the southern Weeping Peninsula summarizes much of its lessons.
RELATED:Elden Ring: 13 Best Catacombs
Elden Ring’s Tombsward Catacombs Are Hard To Miss
Sooner or later, players are going to notice the Weeping Peninsula to the south ofElden Ring’s starting point. Judging by the difficulty of this area, it seems players are intended to wander here shortly after beingrepelled by Margit at the gates of Stormveil Castle. Supporting this is the smaller, but still involved, Castle Morne dungeon found at its southernmost tip. The path to it splits early on, diverting some players towards their first Minor Erdtree at the center of the Peninsula. It’s only once they get near it that they’re greeted by a strange pointing statue.
This points to the site of the Tombsward Catacombs, a short, skeleton-filled dungeon. In case the statue and location aren’t enough, nighttime summons docile jellyfish spirits to light the entrance. That’s a lot of guidance towards a minor dungeon, so it’s likely intended toinform an earlyElden Ringexperience. Its skeletons are easily defeated, but use varied weapons and must be hit once downed for a true kill. It’s also necessary to disarm, then mount a flame trap to find a necessary lever, ensuring players know they can use a dungeon’s traps against it. Combined with some interesting rewards, exploring it is a breezy and rewarding experience.
The Cemetery Shade Is An Excellent Early Boss
However, the main event is the Cemetery Shade at the end. This boss is notable for both its unique and unsettling appearance, and its tiny health bar. It’s definitely balanced for beginners, with its chamber directly in front of the Catacombs' entrance in case of failure. The shadowy, teleporting Cemetery Shade isone ofElden Ring’s eerier bosses, but it’s actually a plain melee-oriented enemy comparable to another Tarnished with dual swords. Its only projectile immobilizes the player for a grab attack, and this is easily dodged or nullified by the nearby pillars.
The purpose of the Shade seems to be a live-fire test for basic strategies. Holy enchantments obliterate its health, and any other approach works just as well if players read its attack and teleportation patterns. Parrying and guard countering can quickly break its stance for a critical strike, but even those with 100% physical-resistance shields must mind their stamina and Bleed buildup. While easy, the Cemetery Shade and Tombsward Catacombs ensure players are ready to tackle anything elseElden Ringthrows at them, and awards thedisproportionately strong Spirit Ash for Lhutel the Headlessin case they aren’t. Not every player will benefit from this extended tutorial, but it will be just what some newcomers need.
Elden Ringis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
