One way or another, we’ve all found our way to this truly magnificent genre of video games. We’ve all had our humble beginnings and first trial runs of games the genre has to offer. But how did we get here? Who introduced us to the genre? That’s what I want to know from you!
My very first introduction to the genre was via PewDiePie (yuck) from like 2013 or so when he first played it on his channel. Didn’t know the next thing about the genre or the game at all but wanted to give it a try since it looked fun and I was an impressionable teen. I remember bearing Taurus Demon and then getting stuck on Undead Burg, so I didn’t really play a lot.
The other person that influenced me in giving the genre a try was probably my former breakdance teacher who’s a huge fan of Bloodborne. I had a digital copy off PS+ and got some encouragement from him to give the game a try. It didn’t click with until a couple years later, or rather I was too scared to progress because I knew of an upcoming jumpscare that I didn’t want to experience (that doesn’t exist btw), but yea, those were my two first instances of being introduced to the genre.
Were you introduced to the genre by someone in particular? How did you get to give it a try?
Elden Ring was honestly my first. I avoided Soulslike games because I don’t like to play games to feel frustrated. I heard about the crazy bosses, frustrating runs back from bonfires, and obtuse storytelling, so I was not inclined to give them much thought.
I was pushed to play it by a few friends looking for a third for a summons trio, with assurances that I’d have two Souls veterans to help me out with bosses if I got stuck. It took me a bit to get used to, but the nature of the open world and the rather more forgiving placements of graces/stakes to minimize the pain of runbacks made it a bearable game for me. Though the story is still obtuse, I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and how (excluding Caelid) surprisingly not dark the world was.
And you know what? I ended up being the friend to help one of them beat Malenia, who I defeated on my own first.
I’ve been enjoying Nightreign with those same friends lately. More good stuff, boiled down. It’s made me get more comfortable with different playstyles just due to the nature of pre-built characters and random drops.
I’m also now playing through the remake of Demon’s Souls on a whim, and while I feel better equipped to get through it just from what I know about Elden Ring, I can safely say that I would have completely bounced off of it had it been my first game. I’m definitely glad Elden Ring was my first, and Elden Ring 2 cannot come fast enough.
Come plat Bloodborne in the mean time!
ER is a first for many, I feel like. Come to think of it, I hadn’t given Bloodborne and Sekiro another thorough look until I saw Elden Ring being heralded as the second coming of Christ and thought that I wanted to play the game too, but not unless I’ve finished BB and Sekiro first. Despite some criticisms of mine towards the game, it’s undeniable how much of a positive influence the game had on the perception of and the love for the genre. That’s a win in my books