In a display of immense skill and dedication, a streamer managed to roll credits on the famously challenging Elden Ring without taking any damage. FromSoftware's latest release has proven itself to be a worldwide phenomenon in ways that other games from the studio have not, with both hardcore and casual gamers alike cutting their teeth on Elden Ring's combat mechanics, complex lore, and dizzyingly large open world.
While many long-time FromSoftware fans are of the opinion that Elden Ring is much easier than the legendary Japanese studio's previous outings, it is still quite a challenging game. Many FromSoftware hallmarks appear in Elden Ring, from enemies dealing immense amounts of damage to menacing, high-HP tank bosses. As the developer's first open-world title, players can turn away from many of its challenges to explore and become more powerful and experience, which makes for a more accessible experience. One thing that is arguably more difficult about Elden Ring when compared to games like Dark Souls or Bloodborne is that same open world, however, as it is filled with hazardous geography and hidden dangers. Elden Ring also has some tricky enemies that can catch the player unawares as they traverse The Lands Between.
On April 1, a streamer called Seki made Elden Ring's many challenges and threats look like child's play. An announcement on Seki's Twitter (via Kotaku) stated that he completed a no-hit, no-damage run of the game - making him the first player to do so. When speaking with Kotaku, Seki was sure to point out that completing a no-damage run is different from completing a no-hit run, as players have to avoid taking damage from both enemy NPCs and the environment. This feat is made even more impressive by the fact that this run was completed in under three hours.
Anyone who has managed to reach one of Elden Ring's multiple endings the traditional way knows exactly how astonishing Seki's accomplishment is. Beating the game in just over two hours and fifty minutes is shocking enough, let alone doing so without taking a lick of damage. The world of Elden Ring is heavily populated with poisonous swamps, jagged cliffs, and other risks in addition to its multitudinous enemies, so avoiding all types of damage might seem almost impossible to many players.
As is the case whenever someone sets a new speedrun record, there are likely several players already training to top Seki. Luckily for fans of this sort of content, there is no shortage of unique runs to follow, as Elden Ring's daunting world encourages players to best it.
Source: Seki/Twitter (via Kotaku)