man does this game feel so good to play. it took a while for all the mechanics to totally click for me, but once they did this thing started singing. but, i hate to say it, i don't think the narrative stuff works very well here. it started to feel pretty bloated after a while. it doesn't help that the gameplay feels so good, and all i wanted to do was jump straight to the next level.

some more thoughts: i keep thinking about this one after completion. mainly, i really like this game's approach to difficulty. the demanding speed and perfect planning really gels with the compact level design and generous checkpointing. it avoids the "long run back to the boss" staple that is always my biggest pet peeve in From Soft games. Elden Ring quickly became my favorite of theirs since it (mostly) lets you get straight back into the boss fight.