One of the most interesting things aboutElden Ringis its cultural impact. While the game has been endlessly praised—as it should—for its stunning, dense open-world, refined combat, and labyrinthine worldbuilding, the tide shift that it signaled within the gaming community doesn’t always get the credit it deserves.Elden Ringwas truly a watershed moment for FromSoftware, definitively establishing the developer as a leader in the industry and a household name for gamers.
The weeks and months just afterElden Ring’s initial release were indicative of just how significant the game would become, as it swept the industry up like a whirlwind. It was almost like a brand-new gaming subculture was born, or at least popularized, following the momentous release, and few symbols of this subculture have been as enduring and endearing as Let Me Solo Her, a player renowned for his ability to beat the game’s hardest boss again and again. Positioned as a summonable player outside of Malenia’s boss arena,Let Me Solo Her has helped countlessElden Ringplayersget past the infamously difficult foe, defeating her thousands of times, by his own estimation. And yet, according to a recent video on Let Me Solo Her’s YouTube channel, the quasi-celebrity’s greatest FromSoftware challenge didn’t come fromElden Ringat all.
Bloodborne, Not Elden Ring, Was the Venue for Let Me Solo Her’s Greatest FromSoftware Challenge
Let Me Solo Her Struggled More With Bloodborne’s Orphan of Kos Than Any Other FromSoftware Boss
InLet Me Solo Her’s recentBloodbornevideo, wherein he chronicles his experience with the fan-favorite FromSoftware nightmare, he describes the many ways in which it differs fromElden RingandDark Souls. Anyone who has playedBloodborneis already aware of how much more aggressive the game’s enemies are compared to those ofDark Souls, as this is the game’s way of encouraging the player to match that level of intensity. This high-speed, relentless combat is what makesBloodborneso much fun, but also what makes it so brutal.
Enter Orphan of Kos, the final challenge ofBloodborne’sThe Old HuntersDLC, and an encounter that most would agree is the pinnacle of the game’s challenge. Orphan of Kos is far more challenging than even the final boss ofBloodborne’s main campaign: its speed matches that of the player-character’s, but it also exhibits a great deal of range and versatility. It wields a fleshy, club-like implement that it can swing for massive short-range damage, but it can also extend it and twirl it about like a deadly yo-yo; it can also call down lightning from the sky, and once its second phase begins, it grows wings that further enhance its mobility.
Needless to say,Orphan of Kos is an exceptional threat, and Let Me Solo Her seems to agree, stating that it took him more tries to beat Orphan than any other FromSoftware boss. But this is slightly surprising, even considering Orphan’s undeniable difficulty: most FromSoftware fans would probably place Orphan below a boss like Promised Consort Radahn in terms of challenge. Even Malenia, Let Me Solo Her’s claim to fame, is arguably more formidable.
But comparing FromSoftware bosses is always a bit of a fool’s errand, as they are often so fundamentally distinct from one another. One player might spend hours on, say, Godrick the Grafted, while another might best him after just a handful of attempts. Playstyle, build variety, and experience can all play a role in how tough aFromSoftware boss can feel to fight, and such distinctions are part of what makes the studio’s approach to boss design so fascinating.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
