I loved <\/span>almost <\/span><\/i>every minute of it.<\/span><\/p>\n I recently finished playing <\/span>Shadow of the Erd Tree, <\/span><\/i>the expansion for 2022\u2019s game of the year, <\/span>Elden Ring.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In case you\u2019re unfamiliar, <\/span>Elden Ring<\/span><\/i> is an action-adventure game where you play as an undead warrior tasked with slaying grotesque bosses across a hauntingly beautiful landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n Fair warning: <\/b>I will be making QUITE the analogy between two toxic online discussions I\u2019m seeing these days. Don\u2019t worry, I promise to bring you along for the ride even if you\u2019re not a gamer.<\/span><\/p>\n Let me first set the stage, and then we\u2019ll get into the details.<\/span><\/p>\n Most modern big-budget games hold the gamer\u2019s hand, providing a tutorial and guardrails, making sure gamers never feel overly frustrated or confused.<\/b><\/p>\n Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at FromSoftware, the team behind <\/span>Elden Ring<\/span><\/i>, go <\/span>hard<\/span><\/i> in the other direction:<\/span><\/p>\n They essentially drop you in the middle of a terrifying world full of enemies that can kill you in two hits and essentially say, \u201cGood luck, idiot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This has been true for all of FromSoft games: <\/span>Demon’s Souls,<\/span><\/i> Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In the book,<\/span> \u200b<\/span>Dark Souls: Beyond the Grave<\/span><\/i>\u200b<\/span><\/a>, <\/span><\/i>Miyazaki\u2019s game design philosophy is explained in glorious detail, like in this discussion with <\/span>Game Informer<\/span><\/i>:<\/span><\/p>\n “Having the game be difficult was never the goal. What we set out to do was strictly to provide a sense of accomplishment. We understood that difficulty is just one way to offer an intense sense of accomplishment through forming strategies, overcoming obstacles, and discovering new things.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Years later, he further refined his philosophy when speaking with Playstation Blog about his next game, Dark Souls:<\/b><\/p>\n “We are trying to create a game that is spicy. And we want to make it as spicy as possible. But it’s edible and tastes good and leaves you wanting more.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n So, yes, difficulty and dying repeatedly are <\/span>part<\/span><\/i> of the FromSoftware experience.<\/span><\/p>\n But!<\/span><\/p>\n These games also have certain built-in systems that help less-experienced or skilled players. Players can find certain weapons that are overpowered, enlist the help of computer-controlled allies, and even recruit other human players to help.<\/span><\/p>\n This allows all gamers of all levels to play the same game while experiencing completely different levels of challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n The fact that <\/b>all of this works<\/i><\/b> in a game with one difficulty level is brilliant game design.<\/b><\/p>\n Still with me?<\/span><\/p>\n Good.<\/span><\/p>\n Now that we know Elden Ring is difficult, but also includes different systems for players of all skill levels to win, we can get to the current toxic discussion around Elden Ring and difficulty!<\/span><\/p>\n Find any article about the difficulty of <\/b>Elden Ring<\/i><\/b> (and <\/b>Shadow of the Erd Tree<\/i><\/b>) and you\u2019ll find comments that say you\u2019re not a \u201ctrue gamer\u201d unless you beat every Elden Ring boss without recruiting any help.<\/b><\/p>\n These gamers feel morally superior for beating a game without using its built-in systems, and they will not allow for any discussions like \u201c<\/span>Is it possible this boss is poorly designed?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n According to them, the only possible response is, \u201cI beat the game without help. Just get better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Personally, I think <\/span>Shadow of the Erd Tree<\/span><\/i> has some of the best exploration I\u2019ve ever experienced in any video game. <\/span>And also, <\/span><\/i>some of its bosses are difficult in a way that\u2019s neither interesting nor well-designed.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m a fan (and proud Patreon supporter) of the podcast<\/b> \u200b<\/span>Bonfireside Chat<\/b>\u200b<\/span><\/a>, which had a great discussion around why <\/b>Elden Ring\u2019s<\/i><\/b> \u201cJust get good\u201d argument is tiring.<\/b><\/p>\n They point out that many people simply decide there\u2019s no room or need to discuss Miyazaki\u2019s decisions and the game\u2019s difficulty. Those people explain that because they\u2019ve beaten the boss without a challenge, everybody else should suck it up and get good.<\/span><\/p>\n Replying to this perspective, Gary and Kole share an opinion that is full of a wonderful thing called <\/span>nuance:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n They possess the ability to hold two different thoughts simultaneously. They rightfully point out that a game can be brilliant <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> some parts might be unnecessarily difficult or poorly designed.<\/span><\/p>\n The point: if we\u2019re ever going to evolve past this noise and have good discussions around gaming, we also need to bring nuance and understanding to the table!<\/b><\/p>\n Bringing all of this together, here are my summarized thoughts on \u201cElden Ring is\/isn\u2019t too difficult\u201d debate:<\/span><\/p>\n Great! Now that we\u2019re all on the same page, it\u2019s time to tackle the other toxic discussion taking place on the internet right now\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n I promise these two things are related, so bear with me.<\/span><\/p>\n For a large majority of the population, losing weight is unbelievably difficult or impossible.<\/b><\/p>\n A combination of environment, physiology, and genetics creates a situation in which sustainable weight loss just isn\u2019t going to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n This isn\u2019t a question of willpower, discipline, or intelligence. It\u2019s not because these people are lazy. It\u2019s not a moral failing either.<\/span><\/p>\n The problem, as I laid out in \u201c<\/span>\u200b<\/span>Of course you don\u2019t like to exercise<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/a>,\u201d is that we\u2019re creatures built to survive in scarcity, not<\/span> thrive in abundance.<\/span><\/p>\n As a result, sustainable weight loss is something nearly everybody struggles with despite their best efforts.<\/b><\/p>\n And this is where we combine the Nerd discussion with the Fitness discussion:<\/span><\/p>\n Elden Ring has multiple in-game systems to help people of all skill levels win\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n So does losing weight!<\/span><\/p>\n Over the past few years, dramatic breakthroughs in weight loss medications (like Ozempic and other GLP-1 medicines) have helped millions of people lose weight and keep it off.<\/span><\/p>\n This development has thrust the discussion of weight loss, difficulty, and willpower into the spotlight. And because the internet doesn\u2019t do nuance well, the discussion has turned toxic.<\/span><\/p>\n Find any post or article about weight loss medications and you\u2019ll find comments like:<\/span><\/p>\n People who make these comments enjoy the feeling of moral superiority for losing weight \u201c<\/span>the right way.\u201d<\/span><\/i> They look down upon anybody who doesn\u2019t also lose weight without medication or assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n This is the same playbook that vocal gamers are using for Elden Ring and difficulty!<\/b><\/p>\n This viewpoint is toxic, lazy, misinformed, and unhelpful.<\/span><\/p>\n Just like there\u2019s no shame in the way somebody chooses to play <\/span>Elden Ring<\/span><\/i>, there\u2019s no shame in <\/span>how<\/span><\/i> somebody loses weight either.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s between them and their doctor. Full stop.<\/span><\/p>\n As I explained in my essay on \u201c<\/b>\u200b<\/span>5 fitness beliefs I no longer believe<\/b>\u200b<\/span><\/a>\u201d:<\/b><\/p>\n Instead of asking, \u201cWhy don\u2019t people just get more disciplined and eat less instead of \u2018cheating\u2019 with weight loss drugs?\u201d…<\/span><\/p>\n The better question is, \u201cWhich tools are available to help each individual person get healthier?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n For many, it\u2019s education around calories and making slightly healthier choices. For some, it\u2019s weight loss medicine and therapy. For others, it\u2019s all of the above.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re most interested in the end result (a healthy, happy life), and we\u2019re open to the infinite paths to get there.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n If we accept that we\u2019re not designed for modern life and abundance, we\u2019re all wired differently, we all have different physiologies and opportunities and privileges, then we can also accept we\u2019re all playing the Game of Life in our own way.<\/span><\/p>\n It requires us to apply both self-awareness and nuance.<\/span><\/p>\n Recently, I had a viral post that explained how I<\/span> \u200b<\/span>maintain my physique at 39 years old<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n I got to play \u201cfitness\u201d on easy mode, and I am well aware that other people don\u2019t have that same luck or privilege.<\/span><\/p>\n So I have no problem with anybody else using any tool available to them on their journey. That might include therapy, surgery, hiring a trainer or dietitian, or weight loss medication.<\/span><\/p>\n My friend<\/span> \u200b<\/span>Dr. Spencer Nadolsky<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified physician and one of the kindest, most considerate, and well-read doctors I know, has worked extensively with patients who use or don\u2019t use GLP-1 medications.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Elden Ring is Incredible and Incredibly Difficult<\/b><\/h2>\n
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There’s No “Right Way” to Play <\/b>Elden Ring<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n
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There’s No “Right Way” to Lose Weight Either<\/b><\/h2>\n
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