For the average player, Elden Ring is a challenging game that takes a lot of effort to play, much less beat entirely; but it could have been much more rewarding with a simple change. Many games have incorporated this particular feature in recent years, as it can turn day-to-day, ordinary combat into something straight out of an action film. Considering boss fights are such a main focal point of the Souls-like title, it's especially surprising that Elden Ring missed out on this fruitful opportunity.
Future updates for the widely-beloved FromSoftware game could contain such improvements, amid heaps of new content, of course, but other than the free Colosseum DLC, much is still up for speculation. There are several directions that Miyazaki could potentially entertain: for example, an update could bring players to a different setting and leave the Lands Between, or a DLC could disrupt Elden Ring's open-world format entirely. Whatever comes next for the title is unlikely to disappoint, but if the developer was to add in this specific element, it could transform the game entirely.
Kill Animations Would Improve Elden Ring's Boss Fights
Boss fights in Elden Ring would be infinitely more satisfying with kill animations. The current game has them keel over and dissipate into thin air, which is certainly a welcome sight for the player after a difficult duel - but witnessing an epic, close-up shot of the finishing blow could make a victory even more memorable. Severing individual limbs and sending blood spurting in a slow-motion sequence could serve as a final taunt to the enemy, but also as a gratifying display of players' ultimate prowess in battle. Most fans probably wouldn't object to brutal finishers for infuriating bosses like Elden Ring's Malenia or General Radahn, for example.
Common Enemies Could Also Benefit From Finishers In Elden Ring
While detailed, visceral kill animations would be a great way to end Elden Ring's most annoying boss fights, the same concept could even be applied to the common enemies that roam the Lands Between. There are a select few that can be just as frustrating, such as eagle-eyed Ancestral Archers or dogs, which can swarm the player, and it would be nice to show them who's the boss once in a while. Even if these weren't fully-fledged finishers, seeing distinctive body parts flying would probably let players blow off some serious steam in Elden Ring.
As a whole, there isn't much to complain about in Miyazaki's latest title, and it being the winner of The Game Awards 2022 proves just that. But thanks to the nature of the game, some characters are time-consuming and insufferable to battle. The simple addition of kill animations could make the Tarnished's efforts more worthwhile, and consequently improve their experiences with all boss fights in Elden Ring.
