Why Elden Ring is the Best Game I've Ever Played

Elden Ring, developed by From Software and released in 2022, is a video game I have been playing often during the last couple months. In fact, it is one of the best games I’ve ever played. The game combines engaging combat, a wide variety of potential strategies, and an incredible world.

Elden Ring has an excellent combat system. When the player presses the button to attack, block, or dodge, that action is added to a queue, and executed as soon as possible. This means that there is a delay between when an action is queued, and when it is executed, and actions like attacking leave the player vulnerable, because they are unable to block or dodge until the attack is finished. Therefore, the player has to think before attacking. The developer, From Software, first used this system in their game Demon’s Souls in 2009, so they have had many years to improve on it. This experience shows in the fact that Elden Ring’s combat system rewards players who time their attacks and dodges well, and encourages players to memorize the enemy’s movements in order to gain an advantage.

Elden Ring also provides players with many different ways to succeed in the game. There is a wide variety of weapons, including large, slow axes that deal large amounts of damage in single hits, and smaller, faster weapons that allow players to be more mobile. Some players may favor melee weapons, while some may prefer to use magic. There are also many types of spells. Some spells shoot fire, some launch giant, glowing comets, and some even turn your head into a dragon. Players can also summon the spirits of enemies to aid them in battle. And, players can choose to completely remake their character in case the tactics that they have chosen are not working. This way, players are free to be creative andfind their own way to overcome challenges.

Elden Ring takes place in a massive open world. This allows players to take on challenges and explore new areas in whatever order they want. For example, Stormveil Castle is located just outside of the starting area, and is home to two difficult boss fights, and many enemies. Since Stormveil Castle may be too difficult for players who are just starting the game, players are free to skip it and explore the surrounding regions, Limgrave, Caelid, and Liurnia, where they can level up their character, collect new weapons, and learn new spells. Then, once they are strong enough, they can return to Stormveil Castle. There are also many secret areas in Elden Ring, which players may not notice unless they explore and pay attention to their surroundings. For example, there is a massive network of underground cities hidden beneath the rest of the game, that is only accessible if players complete an optional boss fight and explore a mysterious crater that is created after the boss is defeated. This new underground area contains new weapons and boss fights, as well as a secret quest that leads to an alternative ending to the game. It is truly impressive that the developers put this much effort into an area that many players will never even find.

Elden Ring’s combat and world design encourages players to be creative and curious. When playing the game, you know what you might find next. You could encounter enormous monsters, powerful weapons, and hidden underground kingdoms. Though it is a difficult game, it always provides players with solutions to any challenges it throws at them, if they are willing to experiment and try new strategies.

I highly recommend Elden Ring to anyone who enjoys fighting games. It has an excellent combat system, and encourages creativity and strategy. It takes place in an incredibly detailed and expansive world that encourages players to be curious and to explore. If you play, let me know what you think of the game.

-Will

Sources:

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/blogs/how-elden-ring-succeeds-by-ignoring-20-years-of-open-world-design#close-modal

https://www.ign.com/articles/painfully-difficult-from-softwares-30-year-journey-from-ps1-to-elden-ring

The Mess that is McDougal Littell's "Discovering French 2" - Jason

 

     Throughout my life, I have had the opportunity to read numerous books, including a fair share of textbooks. However, in my experience, none of them have been as subpar as McDougal Littell's "Discovering French 2", the sequel to McDougal Littell's "Discovering French 1". This textbook pales in comparison to Miller and Levine's biology textbook, though to be fair, no book could possibly be compared to the greatness of Miller and Livine's biology textbook. 

     There are many issues with McDougal Littell's "Discovering French 2". Firstly, the textbook suffers from being terribly outdated. The images lack vividness and appear grainy and colorless. However, more importantly, the representation of contemporary life in the textbook is inconsistent with modern times. For instance, it features outdated modes of communication like old-fashioned telephones while disregarding more recent technologies like smartphones and the internet. This issue is not just me nitpicking, but instead highlights the fact that the textbook may be imparting irrelevant knowledge while failing to address essential contemporary concepts.

     Secondly, the textbook's drawings are vividly colored but severely flawed. The characters are portrayed in disproportionate dimensions, with elbows and fingers that appear like they were drawn by a third grader. Although this issue is not particularly important, the poorly drawn characters can be distracting.

 

     Lastly, the book suffers from poor organization. It contains 36 chapters with a varying number of subsections, ranging from four to fifteen. Some chapters lack a vocabulary section, further highlighting the inconsistency. The book's themes are similarly inconsistent, with some chapters focusing on specific subjects like supermarkets or foods and drinks, while others revolve around obscure stories such as "Corinne's purchases," "Jerome invites his friends," or "Armelle counts her money." This disorganization permeates the entire textbook, making it confusing for learners.

     If the publishers of the textbook intend to fix this mess of a book, they would need to take significant revisions. Given its outdated content, a large portion of the book would require rewriting and the illustrations would require replacement. In my opinion, the best option would be to create a new textbook altogether.

The Importance of dialogue in White noise By: Ruby Mitchell

The Importance of dialogue in White noise By: Ruby Mitchell

I first decided to start reading White Noise by Don DeLillo because I liked the movie so much. Usually, when I read a book after watching the movie first, I never end up liking the book nearly as much as I like the movie. The book is always a little more boring, with more filler and fluff that seems unnecessary once you see the more compact storyline in the movie. Though this phenomenon often happens to me, it didn’t happen to me at all while reading White Noise. I haven’t finished the book yet, but even without having finished it, I will happily sing its praises. I’m not an avid reader, and usually find it hard to become engaged with a book quickly, but White Noise Engaged me immediately. While reading, I’ve found that the reason White Noise is such an interesting book and such a fun book to read is because of both the internal monologues and the external dialogues throughout the book. 

White Noise by Don DeLillo follows the main character Jack, who specializes in hitler studies at the “college on the hill,” and his family through a series of wacky events. I know that seems like a weird way to describe the plotline of the book, but I think it's the best possible way to describe it. Somehow DeLillo fits multiple different absurd storylines into one book, all intertwined in some way. Some of the storylines include: “the Airborne Toxic Event,” a toxic leak that fills the town the Jack and his family live in with toxic chemicals, causing everyone to evacuate; a suspected drug habit in his wife, Babette; a cheating scandal in their marriage; hundreds of different storylines within “the college on the hill;” and a looming fear of death and technology throughout the book. This all might seem like a lot, but DeLillo pulls it all off seamlessly, and the reason for this is the incorporation of dialogue into the book.

White Noise is a completely absurd book, and DeLillo plays into this with his dialogue. Almost everything in White Noise is a satirical commentary on our world, but still manages to have many touching moments, and all of this is due to the dialogue between Jack and his family. Jack and his family are constantly rambling and ranting at each other, many times talking over each other or having multiple conversations at once. This makes the chaotic storylines and plot points even more chaotic, when every member of the family has something different to say and they’re all saying it. During the “Airborne Toxic Event,” Jack’s son, Heinrich is constantly reporting the new upcoming symptoms coming from the toxic waste and the names the media is coming up with to describe it. There are multiple arguments between Jack and Heinrich over whether the Toxic Event should be called a “Ploom” or a “Billowing Cloud,” while Jack's daughters are constantly psychosomatically developing each new symptom as it's being reported to them. No one is taking the event very seriously, the book seems to be making fun of it, signaling to the reader that we shouldn’t worry either.

While the dialogue highlights the absurdity of White Noise, it also highlights the sweet elements within the novel. The dialogue between Babette and Jack highlights how much they understand and care about each other, and how strong their relationship is, but it also highlights when their relationship isn’t as strong as it usually is, which is a useful plot device. Jack and Babette are both scared of death, and constantly bring it up to each other, competing about how much each one would miss the other if they died, and both hoping that they die first so as to avoid the turmoil that would come with their spouse dying. They’re always very open with each other, so when the plot gets to the point where both of them are hiding things from each other, the change in the relationship dynamic is very noticeable. When they hide things from each other, they get much more brief with the things they say to each other, a drastic shift from their usual rambling and oversharing. The chaos in their family dialogue also shows the comfort they all have with each other. They’re all completely comfortable with sharing what’s on their mind at any given moment, and all willing to listen. The way everyone in Jack’s family interacts with each other is so heartwarming you have no choice but to love every character despite any of their faults. 

Not only does the dialogue in White Noise help build the character development and move the plot along, it also makes the story much more interesting to read. There is never a dull moment in White Noise, because it’s either being filled with a random side conversation or argument between the characters, or an internal monologue from Jack. This constant dialogue also is reminiscent of the title of the book, “White Noise.” The idea of white noise is constant throughout this novel, with many references to the TV being on in the background, or random words appearing at the end of paragraphs. The constant pandering dialogue and monologues  serve as an homage to the title, filling the book with white noise of its own.

Why none of the other seasons can compare to fall

    Fall, which everyone should objectively agree is the best season, is the most superior part of the year. The weather, the view, and simply the essence of fall make it the best time of the year. The not too hot, not too cold, chilly but still comfortable weather, beautiful scenery, and iconic foods make fall a paradise every year.

            The weather in fall simply trumps all other seasons, creating the most ideal environment imaginable. The air is crisp and cool, with a nice breeze and a bit of sun. There is a time for everyone to enjoy the outdoors during fall, whether you like a bit of chilliness or warmer weather. The average high temperature in Champaign falls around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the ideal temperature for humans (Walker). Without annoying spring allergies but with the same ideal weather, the approximately 81 million people in the US with allergies usually peaking in spring can enjoy nature (AAFA). Sweater weather reigns supreme!!!

The atmosphere of fall is unique and comforting, and many small details build up to make it the best season. Red, orange, and yellow leaves add to fall’s beauty and make it the perfect time for hiking or simply appreciating a view that’s right outside everyone’s home. Fall also comes with other benefits, namely food. Autumn also means the most iconic season for Starbucks, and time to bring out the apple cider and apple donuts. The best time for getting free candy, Halloween, is another highlight of fall. Warming up with these foods from the slightly chilly weather while enjoying the colorful trees creates a perfect comfortable and subtle environment.

Not only does fall have many benefits, the rest of the seasons all have their drawbacks. The suffocating, musty summer heat, accompanied by mosquitos and other annoying bugs galore, make summer the worst season. Spring (especially this year) does not feel like it has sprung. Due to constant unstable weather, it doesn’t seem like a season of its own but rather nothing but a nasty transition phase too dull for summer but not quite winter anymore. Unlike fall's crispy and fresh air, spring rain makes the season musty. While winter has many holidays, the cold and windy days remain unpleasant and extreme. Fall on the other hand is an all-rounder with amazing weather, views, foods, and relaxing energy. It has a strong balance other seasons lack, and consistently stays enjoyable through all of its three months, making it the highlight of the year.

- Sabrina

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-people-feel-hot/#:~:text=These%20processes%20function%20best%20when,temperature%20around%2098%20degrees%20F. 

https://aafa.org/allergies/allergy-facts/#:~:text=How%20Common%20Are%20Seasonal%20Allergies,(14%20million)%20of%20children.&text=Seasonal%20allergic%20rhinitis%20is%20an,trees%2C%20grasses%2C%20and%20weeds.