Unravel the Secrets of Elden Ring's Formidable Land Octopus - A Test of Wits and Might

Highlights

Elden Ring recontextualizes Souls formula features, bringing beloved elements of Dark Souls and Bloodborne to an open-world environment.

FromSoftware imparts valuable lessons to players by introducing challenging enemies like the Giant Land Octopus, which significantly enhances the game's world-building. By engaging with these formidable foes, players discover that there exist alternative strategies to defeat them beyond mere hit-and-run tactics. This revelation occurs when players exploit the intricacies of the Giant Land Octopus's tentacle mechanics.

Elden Ring continues to be praised for its open-world action-RPG experience, incorporating FromSoftware's beloved Souls elements. While it doesn't revolutionize the concept of an open world, it brilliantly incorporates features from the Souls formula, allowing fans of Dark Souls or Bloodborne to enjoy a broader and more expansive environment. With no set path to follow and minimal restrictions on progression in any region of the Lands Between, navigating the open world can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, players are able to learn valuable lessons from FromSoftware that go beyond the initial tutorial of Elden Ring, which can be skipped or easily missed. However, there are certain mechanics that the game doesn't explicitly teach, leaving players to discover how they function on their own. Survival in the Lands Between is a skill that players will gradually learn as they explore it. This education involves encountering new enemies and challenging bosses, like the formidable Giant Land Octopus.

Elden Ring’s Early Game Lessons Are Invaluable

Due to the early appearance and intimidating nature of Giant Land Octopus enemies, it is not surprising that new players to Elden Ring may opt to keep their distance. The Tree Sentinel in Limgrave serves as an early warning, demonstrating that even players who have just begun the game will face formidable foes at every turn.

Skilled players may have the ability to defeat this Tree Sentinel upon their initial encounter. However, novice players are likely to perish without adequate knowledge of the fight and the disadvantage of being under-leveled and under-equipped. This is just one example of the informative environmental storytelling that Elden Ring incorporates into its world-building.

Elden Ring Teaches Players There Are More Ways to Beat an Enemy Than Through Damage Alone

Encountering the Giant Land Octopus in Elden Ring poses a substantial threat even to low-level players. Its massive tentacles possess impressive reach, capable of overwhelming unsuspecting adventurers from a significant distance. In order to minimize potential harm, players learn the strategic importance of closing the gap and staying within its limited range of attack.

Players will quickly notice that the tentacles of the octopus detach from its body and the beast moves with surprising agility. This presents an opportunity for players to deal significant damage and prevent the octopus from healing by attacking it continuously. While brute force can be effective against this enemy, it is important to employ strategic thinking rather than simply depleting its health and avoiding attacks. This encounter serves as a lesson for players to seek out and exploit weaknesses in other enemies in Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Series X/S.