Pushing Buttons: Get lost in Elden Ring’s maddening, engaging world
In this week's newsletter: Interface design is a serious science, yet gamers have embraced FromSoftware's dodgy menus
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Like a lot of people interested in video games, I have spent most of the past week rampaging across the Lands Between on a phantom horse, slaying trolls, exploring castles and being repeatedly stamped on by giant boss monsters. The critical consensus is that Elden Ring, a new open-world fantasy adventure from the makers of the Dark Souls series, might just be one of the greatest games ever made. It is extraordinarily beautiful to look at, it's incredibly challenging and it encourages players to discover its secrets however they see fit. It is also horrible to interact with. Sometimes really horrible.
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