While Elden Ring’s difficulty level is business as usual for most veteran Souls players, a lot of newcomers are having issues with some of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s old game design tricks.
The new FromSoftware game is a spiraling open-world that drowns you in an expansive, yet brutal world. After picking your class and game style of choice, you are put into the Lands Between, where the only demons that won’t attack you when you turn around are those you’ve already slain.
As with other Soulslike games from Miyazaki, Elden Ring has also skipped out on a pause menu option. You’re simply never safe when you’re playing the game, unless you manage to find a bonfire (or Sites of Grace, as they’re now called) to save your progress.
A lot of users have criticized Miyazaki’s new masterpiece for lacking this feature, though thanks to the modding community, PC gamers can now pause their game for bathroom breaks and what-have-you.
As for the game’s overall difficulty, Miyazaki recently apologized to fans, but maintained that this is the defining feature of his games, and there’s no way around it. Here’s what the creative said in an interview with The New Yorker:
“I do feel apologetic toward anyone who feels there’s just too much to overcome in my games. I just want as many players as possible to experience the joy that comes from overcoming hardship. We are always looking to improve, but, in our games specifically, hardship is what gives meaning to the experience. So it’s not something we’re willing to abandon at the moment. It’s our identity.”
There you have it, folks. For the time being, you’ll have to grind through Elden Ring‘s difficult bosses and other unique challenges. But hey, at least you can now pause the game.