Let's talk kayfabe. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think there's four confused issues being rolled together: 1. Toxic masculinity gamer culture, which isn't specific to soulslikes. 2. The pedagogical challenge model of soulslikes, and its incompatibility with "story mode." 1/18 - ThreadSky

anarchonbury.bsky.social • 17 days ago

Let's talk kayfabe.

I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think there's four confused issues being rolled together:

1. Toxic masculinity gamer culture, which isn't specific to soulslikes.

2. The pedagogical challenge model of soulslikes, and its incompatibility with "story mode."

1/18

Reposted from Commander Sterling

This week's video asks the question: Are Hardcore Gamers Playing Games Wrong?

Denying yourself the use of mechanics and items in Elden Ring is considered the "true" experience by some. I argue that it's a self-imposed challenge and far from the default approach: youtu.be/buTkS6rNO9Q

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anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

To clarify: I'm replying to the wider issue in general, not Stephanie's video essay and her take in particular.

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

3. The resultant misunderstanding of "git gud" as mockery rather than exhortation (especially when said by the toxic gamers).

4. The consequent misunderstanding of the community's valuing of game skill, misunderstanding it as exclusionary rather than elicitive.

2/18

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

Soulslikes are not like God of War or whatever. The value of the /game/ isn't in the art or story or world or characters (though those have value), but in engaging with the pedagogical play and triumphing. It's about actual skill mastery, rather than the treadmill simulation that most RPGs use. 3/18

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

This means that if you out an easy mode in... no one would get it. They'd steamroll through and go "Huh. That's it?" and move on with their lives.

Soulslikes are about getting stomped, getting back up, learning, and then achieving. It's a very particular gameplay loop. 4/18

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

Most RPGs simulate growth by increasing numbers and unlocking abilities that are stronger. Soulslike also use that mechanic (part of their adjusting difficulty system), but the predominating game demands learning to manage the skills required by each fight. 5/18

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

If you're struggling, you can go away and level and gain power to come back to a challenging fight, and that'll help, but the game's progression is built such that you can't completely break a fight like that unless you've already beaten other, harder fights. 6/18

anarchonbury.bsky.social•17 days ago

So levelling is the difficulty adjuster. Struggling? Go level, lowering the difficulty, then try again. Elden Ring really works for this because it has more options to go away and level than linear soulslikes.

But at the end of the day, the game requires you at least learn a /little/. 7/18

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