Elden Ring is a masterclass in how to hide bad design behind the word “difficulty.” Enemies read inputs, spam endless combos, and deal absurd damage, while the player is stuck with clunky controls and a camera that actively sabotages fights. Bosses are recycled constantly, rely on cheap tricks, and feel designed to waste time rather than test skill.

The open world is bloated and empty, filled with copy-pasted dungeons and pointless roaming that adds nothing except padding. Progression is poorly explained, NPC quests are incomprehensible, and the game gives zero useful information, clearly expecting players to tab out and read guides just to function. Death doesn’t teach anything because the rules are inconsistent and unfair.

Instead of feeling challenging or rewarding, the game feels hostile, unbalanced, and deliberately frustrating. It’s not hard in a smart way — it’s hard in an annoying, tedious way. The praise around this game is baffling.