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[GrayChild]

Of course I'm talking about Abyssal Woods and Midra's Manse.

This is, at times, genuinely creepy. In ways I didn't expect. Not to mention how well-hidden the whole area is. The fact you can't summon Torrent. The winter lantern-like creatures who can one-shot you if they spot you. The way the game pretty much forces you to play hide-and-seek with them. Some of the most spine-tingling noises I've heard in a videogame.

Elden Ring has never been advertised as a horror title, but DAMN... at times it does a better job at being one than games developed with the sole purpose of being scary. Stuff like The Callisto Protocol, Dead Space and the latest Resident Evil games did nothing for me (most of the Outlast and P.T. wannabes too). But this... is something else.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

AYO WE GOT BLOODBORNE IN ELDEN RING? DAMN....

 

[Thief1987]

Why you asking? It's fromsoftware, so yes to any of your questions.

 

[tommib]

They’ve done this several times by now. They’re masters at dragging you into a hell of horror without you not really realising it immediately.

 

[Puscifer]

We got Bloodborne at home

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

2024's GOTY winner

 

[NeverYouMind]

Not even close. Survival horror has actual storytelling and characters. Also guns. Lots and lots of guns.

 

[Hero_Select]

yeah they delivered best story best graphics best visual novel best voice acting and really any other awards a game can win

 

[Pimpollo818]

having a hard time finding this place. any clues? I've already met the Consort so I've clearly missed areas of the map

 

[Plague Doctor]

I mean they literally put out direct survival horror in the past but people like to forget From was a company before Demon Souls. So we actually see what their take is on survival horror (that being Kuon) and it was... I mean not bad but not RE or SH. Lots of room for improvement. Story was pretty cool, combat left a lot to be desired. Still worth a play if you haven't.

I kinda wish we get that From Software again and picking up old franchises and improving the fuck out of them with Armored Core. A Kuon 2 would be neat but... I can see a third Shadow Tower being the merging of survival horror and First Person dungeon crawler. Maybe this hypothetical third entry doesn't need guns cause that was weird.

 

[AALLx]

You mean there's a place that's even worse than Belurat Gaol? Fuck.

 

[MujkicHaris]

The greatest survival horror game for each year, forever is Dead Space.

 

[newtypepilot]

having a hard time finding this place. any clues? I've already met the Consort so I've clearly missed areas of the map

Spoiler: hint assuming you haven't unlocked the area leading to it

look for a coffin at the shadow keep

Spoiler: Exact way to get there. Full spoilers

at the shadow keep there's ladder near the vulgar militiamen that takes you to water level. There's path there leading to a coffin which takes you to the watering hole. Follow the river downstream as far as you can to find darklight catacombs (either by taking narrow path along the cliff and jump down, or hop down gravestone platforms). Beat it to unlock abyssal woods.

 

[Don Carlo]

Ayo we got a FromSoft horror game before GTA 6

 

[Pimpollo818]

Spoiler: hint assuming you haven't unlocked the area leading to it

look for a coffin at the shadow keep

Spoiler: Exact way to get there. Full spoilers

at the shadow keep there's ladder near the vulgar militiamen that takes you to water level. There's path there leading to a coffin which takes you to the watering hole. Follow the river downstream as far as you can to find darklight catacombs (either by taking narrow path along the cliff and jump down, or hop down gravestone platforms). Beat it to unlock abyssal woods.

Yep, I missed that ladder.

 

[Fahdis]

I swear, From Software gamers are a cult at this point. Just because of you mother fucks I am going to download and finish Bloodborne and Demon's Soul this time.

 

[Bartski]

the design of ER's winter lantern is so good

 

[SCB3]

Ayo we got a FromSoft horror game before GTA 6

What did you think Bloodborne was exactly?

 

[RagnarokIV]

No. I remember hearing how much of a "horror" game Bloodborne was, man was I disappointed playing it.

Don't @me

 

[Don Carlo]

What did you think Bloodborne was exactly?

Well, you've got a point.

 

[Thief1987]

What did you think Bloodborne was exactly?

Yeah, its performance was one of the scariest things on PS4.

 

[Gojiira]

No. I remember hearing how much of a "horror" game Bloodborne was, man was I disappointed playing it.

Don't @me

Disappointed how? BB is perfect in how it delivers horror, its atmosphere is sublime

 

[Gaiff]

Disappointed how? BB is perfect in how it delivers horror, its atmosphere is sublime

And unlike with most horror games, the enemies are something to be afraid of. They not only look frightening but can fuck your day up too.

 

[tommib]

No. I remember hearing how much of a "horror" game Bloodborne was, man was I disappointed playing it.

Don't @me

It has a horror setting but it’s not a traditional horror game. Demon’s Souls though…

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Oh fuck do NOT tell me they dragged these things back into the limelight from whatever hellpit they found them in.

 

[Gaiff]

Oh fuck do NOT tell me they dragged these things back into the limelight from whatever hellpit they found them in.

They did and they're even more powerful now. Torrent straight up takes off and goes, "Nah, I'm out. You're on your own." lol.

 

[Gojiira]

And unlike with most horror games, the enemies are something to be afraid of. They not only look frightening but can fuck your day up too.

Exactly, and they just get more horrific as the game goes on too.

 

[Pimpollo818]

Gotta say I was let down by this area. Yet another wide open space where I felt boredom creeping in, esp b/c you can't use Torrent. My brain was like, call me in 3 min when we're done moving forward to an actual structure/encounter.

 

[AJUMP23]

I am still in the first area. Gravesite field or something.

 

[tommib]

Gotta say I was let down by this area. Yet another wide open space where I felt boredom creeping in, esp b/c you can't use Torrent. My brain was like, call me in 3 min when we're done moving forward to an actual structure/encounter.

I’m with you. I found the lead to it via the Darklight Catacombs much more unnerving. Every time that lift would go down kilometres my anxiety would go up.

 

[Gaiff]

I was more creeped out by the Abyssal Woods but more frightened by Jagged Peak.

 

[Inuteu]

they used the same monster from bloodborne?

 

[NT80]

How does it compare to Hypogean Gaol/Yahargul Unseen Village in terms of atmosphere, music/sound, dread etc? That place was amazing and one of the first times I heard stage music in one of these type of games.

 

[tommib]

they used the same monster from bloodborne?

The From Software multiverse.

 

[Pimpollo818]

they used the same monster from bloodborne?

Similar. They aren't used in the same claustrophobic way they are in Bloodborne. This feels more like a stealth section b/c you can't harm them. You can break away from them by breaking line of sight. I don't think it was super well executed. I would have liked to have seen them used in an interior, perhaps the mansion the woods contains.

 

[The artful mincer]

No the best Survival horror game of this year is the Cait Sith aiming controls in FF7 Rebirth.

 

[Kataploom]

The first time I played a Dark Souls and went to blight town, I already knew it was a better horror game then basically anything these days (it was in 2022), I felt the tension and pressure each and every step I did, like I could die at any given moment if I played my cards wrong.

Zero jump scares, zero weird stupid noises suddenly in the background, it was pure atmosphere and the fact I'd have to start over again to climb the thing, get where I was, etc.

When the tension ended and I went somewhere else I felt relieved from actually fearing the death in the game and not because the environment noises stopped as happened with Dead Space, Outbreak, etc. I just couldn't handle those games because I think they manage fear in a very annoying, distracting and too much "thrown at your face" way.

 

[Astral Dog]

I got the creeps from those giant in the caverns

 

[NeverYouMind]

The first time I played a Dark Souls and went to blight town, I already knew it was a better horror game then basically anything these days (it was in 2022), I felt the tension and pressure each and every step I did, like I could die at any given moment if I played my cards wrong.

Zero jump scares, zero weird stupid noises suddenly in the background, it was pure atmosphere and the fact I'd have to start over again to climb the thing, get where I was, etc.

When the tension ended and I went somewhere else I felt relieved from actually fearing the death in the game and not because the word environment noises stopped as happened with Dead Space, Outbreak, etc. I just couldn't handle those games because I think they manage fear in a very annoying, distracting and too much "thrown at your face" way.

All I remember are those stupid toxic blowdarts coming out of nowhere and derpy mongoloids trying to rush me as I cross over thin wooden scaffolding. The build quality was so shitty that it made Valley of Defilement in Demon Souls look like the Sistine Chapel.