Ah, the mighty Elden Ring. Even in 2025, it continues to dominate 'Best Games Of The Last Century' lists, and for good reason. The game has transcended the Soulslike genre it evolved from, becoming a benchmark for difficulty and immersion. But between those 121 deaths to that one boss (you know the one), players find themselves staring at loading screens filled with tips of varying usefulness. Let's be honest, how many of us actually read these nuggets of wisdom?

Basic Controls: Thanks, Captain Obvious

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Our intrepid Tarnished heroes, fresh into the Lands Between, are greeted with the most groundbreaking advice: press buttons to do things. Revolutionary! As if anyone picking up Elden Ring in 2025 hasn't touched a controller before.

Most players immediately start mashing every button on the controller the moment they gain control, discovering jump, attack, and the all-important roll within seconds. The safe starting areas practically beg for this experimentation. But the loading screen persists in reminding players that the attack button does, in fact, attack. Who would have guessed?

Communication: Digital Graffiti Artists Unite

The Soulslike community thrives on shared suffering and cryptic messages. Those ghostly phantoms of other players either serve as cautionary tales or comedic relief as they roll off cliffs. But do we really need loading screens explaining the communication system?

The messages left by other players range from genuinely helpful warnings to the infamous "try finger, but hole" that has somehow survived every FromSoftware title since the dawn of time. These digital cave paintings have become their own language, but they're hardly essential to gameplay. Unless you aspire to be the Banksy of Elden Ring, these loading tips can safely be ignored.

Multiplayer: Friends Who Die Together, Cry Together

FromSoftware's approach to multiplayer remains as convoluted as the game's lore. Sure, you can summon friends to help with that boss that's been tormenting you for days, but only the host makes actual progress. Your buddy? They're just along for the ride, like a tourist in your personal nightmare.

And let's not forget the joy of random invasions! Nothing says "relaxing gaming session" like having xXDarkSoulsMasterXx suddenly appear in your world to demonstrate why you should have invested more in vigor. The loading screens repeatedly remind players about these features, but honestly, unless you've got reliable friends who enjoy pain, these tips are about as useful as a shield made of tissue paper.

Enemy Notes: Know Thy Foe

Now we're getting to the good stuff! When facing a twelve-foot monstrosity with seventeen arms and the ability to summon meteors, a little heads-up can be invaluable. While the trial-by-death approach works (eventually), sometimes a hint about weaknesses or attack patterns saves hours of frustration.

These loading screen gems are rare treasures, offering insights like "The Fire Giant is, surprisingly, weak to fire damage" or "Those crab-like enemies hate when you attack their unprotected underbelly." Who would have thought? These tips are the difference between your 50th death and finally understanding why that boss keeps one-shotting you despite your fancy armor.

Elden Ring's open world is as beautiful as it is bewildering. Without the traditional quest markers and objective arrows that plague modern games, players often find themselves wandering aimlessly, wondering if that mountain in the distance is where they should be heading or just another pretty backdrop.

The navigation tips serve as gentle nudges rather than explicit directions. "The golden trails from Sites of Grace point toward main objectives" might be the difference between progressing the story and spending three hours exploring a cave that leads nowhere except to your inevitable demise at the hands of a surprise boss. But isn't getting hopelessly lost part of the charm? Or is that just what we tell ourselves to feel better?

Using Items: That Potion You've Been Saving Might Actually Help

The typical Soulslike player has a condition known as "Too Good To Use" syndrome. That rare potion that boosts attack power? Better save it for the final boss. That special weapon with limited durability? Maybe in the next playthrough.

The loading screen tips about items serve as gentle reminders that those 99 Rowa Fruits in your inventory actually have a purpose beyond taking up space. From crafting recipes to item locations, these tips encourage players to actually use the tools at their disposal rather than hoarding them like a dragon with commitment issues. Remember: you can't take it with you when you die (which will be often).

Status Effects: When "Ouch" Becomes "OH DEAR GOD WHY"

As if normal damage wasn't enough, Elden Ring loves to spice things up with status effects that make your already difficult existence even more miserable. Poison? Classic. Scarlet Rot? Spicy poison. Death Blight? Super spicy instant death poison.

These loading screen tips explain the difference between "this hurts" and "this will continue hurting until you're dead," along with how to counter these effects. They're particularly valuable for new players who might not understand why their health bar is mysteriously depleting or why they suddenly can't cast spells. Is it really a FromSoftware game if you're not frantically scrolling through your inventory for a cure while a boss charges at you?

Combat Tips: The Art of Not Dying (As Quickly)

The crown jewel of loading screen wisdom. Combat in Elden Ring is a delicate dance of timing, positioning, and occasionally panicked button mashing. These tips remind players about fundamentals like poise, stance breaking, and the critical importance of not getting greedy with attacks.

Even veterans benefit from these reminders. How many times have we all gotten a boss down to a sliver of health, thought "just one more hit," and then watched in horror as they unleash their ultimate one-shot kill move? The combat tips serve as the voice of reason in a game designed to punish overconfidence. They're the difference between learning from your mistakes and repeating them ad infinitum.

Frequently Asked Questions About Elden Ring Loading Screens

Q: Do I really need to read all these loading screen tips?

A: Need to? No. Should you? Probably. Will ignoring them lead to more deaths? Almost certainly.

Q: Which loading screen tips are most important for beginners?

A: Combat and status effect tips will save your life. The ones about communication features will not.

Q: I've been playing for 200 hours and just learned something new from a loading screen. Is this normal?

A: Completely normal. Some players have completed multiple New Game+ cycles before discovering basic mechanics. Isn't that part of the charm? Or is it just poor game design disguised as depth?

Q: Why do I see the same tips over and over?

A: Because you keep dying in the same areas. Try dying in new and exciting locations to unlock different loading screen tips!

Q: Are the loading screens shorter on next-gen consoles?

A: Yes, which is both a blessing and a curse. Less waiting, but also less time to read tips or check your phone to Google "how to beat this impossible boss that's clearly broken and unfair."

In the end, Elden Ring's loading screen tips represent the game itself: sometimes frustratingly vague, occasionally brilliantly insightful, but always part of the journey. And isn't that what the Lands Between is all about? The friends we made along the way? No, wait, it's about suffering. Definitely the suffering.

Comprehensive reviews can be found on TrueAchievements, which specializes in tracking Xbox achievements and analyzing player data. Their Elden Ring community discussions often highlight how loading screen tips can influence achievement strategies, especially for those aiming to complete the game with minimal deaths or unlock rare trophies tied to mastering specific mechanics.