Here’s the thing. When we talk about FromSoft games, people get stuck on talking about the difficlulty. I understand why, but it’s such a boring conversation. Yes, they are difficult. Yes, you have to be thoughtful when you play (at least your first time through) and deliberate in your actions. But, that’s just not the most interesting thing about the games. And it’s sad when people think it is. Or when they want to gate-keep how you can play the games. I wrote about that yesterday.
I especially have a hair up my ass about people who whine about magic being OP. As I have maintained from day one, anything can be OP if you want it to be. There’s someone in the RKG who loves to have two big swords, and he maintains that’s the way to be OP. He says magic was hard mode for him, which goes to show it depends on the person.
He helped me get the plat in Bloodborne, by the way. So I appreciated him and his big sword in the Chalice Dungeons I would not have killed the fire-barfing doggo whilst I had half health without him, so I have eternal gratitude for him. And I love that he uses two giant swords AND thinks that’s easy mode. Very few men are secure enough to say that they do things the easy way.
Anyway.
Let me be clear. The games are hard. Let’s not sugarcoat that. There are dedicated From fans who are retconning it so that they declare the games are not that hard. This is not true. They are hard. But, they are also fascinating worlds that you explore so you can discover secrets and little nuggets that you can’t see in other games. Sometimes, entire areas that you could miss otherwise.
Sekiro is considered by many to be the best game. I disagree simply because you have to play it one certain way in order to beat it (unless you want to do what I did and beat your head against the wall for days against each boss, which is not fun). There is no summoning, and while I understand why they did it that way (you are the Lone Wolf, after all. Also, Activision may not have wanted to support it). At any rate, you have to do it all on your own and without being able to grind to level up.
For some people, this was a great thing. For others like me, it was terrible. I did not enjoy the game because there was no getting better. I can’t improve my reflexes, say, simply by willing it to be so. It’s so difficult to get other people to see this, by the way. Because disabilities or issues relating to it are really hard to explain to people. THat can-do attitude is great–until you actually can’t do. Then, it’s just irritating as fuck.
“You can dho anything if you set your mind to it.” I knew this was bullshit at a very young age. I knew there was no way I could be president, for example. Oh, soure. Technically, I could have become president, but let’s get real. We could not even handle an older, establishment white woman as president–there is no way in hell that an agender, areligious, anarchist, fat, queer, Asian American person like me would get elected.
Let’s not lie to people. There was no way in hell I would be president. I think it’s great for kids and older people to have dreams, bu tthey should be somewhat realistic. Like, there was no way I was going to be an NBA star, either. Or a bunch of other things. I don’t think it’s cruel to give a kid realistic expectations. Again, or an adult.
Back to FromSoft. I suck at the games. But with the Souls games and Elden Ring, I could at least over-level if I wanted. Not so with Sekiro. You have to do it all yourself and without ‘cheesing’ the game. I put cheesing in quotes because I don’t consider it cheesing if it’s in the game. Or rather, it’s cheesing, but so what?
This is my main point of this post. Finally! I know. I took my sweet time to get here. The point of playing a game is to have fun. However you want to play it. I mean this as a global you. So if someone actually wants to go naked and solo every boss, have at it. On the other hand, if you want to bulk yourself up so you can smash everything with one blam of your Smough hammer–you can do that as well. For me, it’s being a glass cannon and strengthcasting to the best of my ability. Quite possibly the worst mixture of all becasue I don’t focus on any one thing, but it’s the way I like to play. Spreading my points around in a haphazard fashion. I start with the intent to focus on faith (in Elden Ring, usually int.) and then I just wander over to strength, oh, I need a few in vigor and endurance, too….At least in this game load equip is wrapped into endurance and not a stat on its own.
But there’s arcane! and mind! I have to put points into all these categories if I want my character to be exactly as I envision the character to be. It’s funny watching Rory in the early game because he is spreading his points like mad. In his case, it’s becasue he wants to use whatever he has gotten the most recently, and it ends up with him putting one point here and then one there and a third in another stat.
I cracked up because they (Gav and Rory) wanted to do dragon incantations, which takes Faith and Arcane. Then, Krupa showed them a twin-blade, which takes Dex. Rory loved it and wanted to do that, which pushed the Faith and Arcane to the back. Then, they came across the turtle shell shield and Rory had to use that–which took Strength. Also, they got their first Legendary Sprit Ash, which takes way more Mind than they have.
The good thing is that with Rory spreading his points around, he’s not going to become “OP” in the usual way–which is stacking one or two stats. It shows, though, how good he is naturally at these games because even actively fighting against himself, he one-shot the first Erdtree Avatar he came across. He said it was becasue the Erdtree Avatar moved like several FromSoft bosses he had fought in the past. Which, true, but it took me several tries to kill the first Erdtree Avatar I fought, even with the previous knowledge. For me, it’s because of my spatial issues. Erdtree Avatar has a forward slam that has massive reach–and I can never gauge where it’s going to hit with it’s giant hammer.
I’m done for the day. Still having internet issues, so am posting this before I lose my connection again.