Gaming

Elden Ring review: Should you play the hardest game of 2022?

Is the difficulty worth it?

Published

March 3, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

In 2015, I set myself up for failure. I faced the self-imposed, Sisyphean task of convincing everyone that Bloodborne was the best game of the year. I was like a preacher, doomed from the very start.

At the time, FromSoft, the game’s developer, was only slowly growing out of its cult following of gamers hunting for extremely difficult games. Before Bloodborne, the studio was more notorious for birthing the iconic Dark Souls franchise, a series that casual gamers traipsed evasively. With a controversial history, peddling the developer’s new, equally difficult game was more than a challenge.

Difficult as it is, I managed to convince one person to try it out: my gym instructor. After some cajoling, he bought the game to see how long he would last. Spoiler: he didn’t. After just a week, he sold his copy. He said the game was garbage because it was too hard.

Today, it’s a funny anecdote I tell my friends. Unbeknownst to me at the time, however, it foreshadowed a moment in 2022: when FromSoft and its hardcore fans managed to convince thousands and thousands of unassuming gamers to play its next difficult challenge, Elden Ring.

Though a lot of the initial hype has died down, you might be hearing the same conflicting opinions as I had in 2015 about Bloodborne. While some are glorifying Elden Ring as the best game of 2022, a good number are decrying how misleading the hype was. Fooled into comparisons with Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, or Skyrim, the latter group quickly found out that Elden Ring wasn’t easy.

It was, in fact, torture. Elden Ring is, at its core, a Dark Souls game. Now, with two opposing sides pulling the game apart, it’s time to ask that one question probably lingering in your mind. Should you play Elden Ring?

Image source: FromSoft

Let’s discover together

When the first Dark Souls came out, the meager few who played the game didn’t have a wealth of guides to ease them through the challenging experience. Since social media wasn’t as prominent as it is now, a lot were even communicating through email. I wasn’t part of that lucky group, but I can imagine how surreal it was to discover an unknown world together with nary an idea of what awaits just around the corner.

Now, Elden Ring is in the middle of a similar moment. It’s a fresh canvas for explorers. Plus, being FromSoft’s first open-world game, the map is filled with tantalizing uncertainty. Less than a week since the game’s launch, players are consistently finding new discoveries about the game including ultra-rare loot, bosses that only come out at night, and obscure questlines.

A lot of gamers today aren’t used to this approach. Most open-world games consistently hold the player’s hand throughout the experience. Their maps are giant collect-a-thons filled with objectives. Of course, there is a natural joy in checking off objectives one-by-one, similar to popping bubble wrap or filling in a coloring book.

Then again, there is also an intense awe with discovery, especially since it is an open world. More than 40 hours into the game, I was still finding new enemy types, bosses, and environs to gawk at. FromSoft was never a developer to hold your hand throughout a game. Yet, I never felt lost. Every corner held something new.

Image source: FromSoft

An interactive fantasy book

If all you’ve heard about Elden Ring is its difficulty, then you might have missed the other big name attached to the title: George R. R. Martin. Though it’s still unclear which parts he worked on, the Game of Thrones author had a hand at creating the rich lore for the game.

As expected, Elden Ring plays like an interactive dark fantasy book. Instead of just fighting for victory screens, each boss fight is a clamber for more story. It’s a compelling one, too.

Because it’s a FromSoft game, Elden Ring has similar plot lines to the Dark Souls series. Namely, a higher god-like power (the eponymous Elden Ring) breaks down into smaller pieces taken by a smattering of demigods and lords. You, a lowly human, travels across different worlds to collect these pieces and usurp the throne as the next higher power.

Traditionally, FromSoft hides its more obscure plot elements, refusing to spell out the entire story to the player. Though the overarching story is relatively concise, more detailed elements — who the demigods are, who you are — are hidden behind item descriptions and enigmatic storytelling. As a result, the games have a sub-community dedicated to deciphering its labyrinthine lore.

The near-undecipherable story is a draw for some, for sure. Elden Ring is different. From the get-go, your goal is clear: beat the demigods and become the Elden Lord. For casual gamers, that’s enough. For those who prefer more lore, the game still has that. It’s a best-of-both-worlds approach that won’t alienate one group from the other.

Image source: FromSoft

You died

With that, let’s address the elephant in the room: death, death, and more death. The one thing that’s preventing casual gamers from finishing the game is its immense difficulty. Since the Dark Souls series, FromSoft has prided itself with enemies and hazards that show gamers no mercy. Mistime your attacks? You die. Not looking where you’re going? You die.

It’s unforgiving. Naturally, a lot of people find that unsatisfying. With only 24 hours in a day, who can blame them for ditching Elden Ring for an easier game?

However, the game’s perception as an unforgiving game does little to underline the flip side: Elden Ring’s fairness. Elden Ring isn’t hard for the sake of being hard. Most of the time, a seemingly unbeatable boss wants to teach you something. For example, if spamming the attack button is ineffective against a boss, the game is likely teaching you to balance attacks with rolling and evading. Great game design hinges on learning.

It’s not just about learning, though. While most bosses focus on teaching, all of them, as a whole, have one specific lesson in mind: patience. Dying and loss are important to the game. In fact, the game’s very first enemy, an almost unbeatable behemoth, will force most players into their first deaths already.

The key is not giving up even if you spend hours or days on a single boss. Just like real life.

Though it’s just a game, Elden Ring (and others like it) can teach gamers something critical about life in general. You can spend your time bashing your head on the wall, smashing controllers, or reselling the game, sure, but the true measure of progress is maintaining your composure and tackling the problem head-on.

It’s not an easy lesson to learn. Experience is the harshest teacher. It took me months just to finish Bloodborne. However, I wouldn’t trade those months for an easier game. It taught me that losing is a normal part of life.

I have already died dozens and dozens of times in Elden Ring. Still, I push on. Why? Because the battle is never futile. Nothing compares to the ecstasy of winning after a difficult fight.

Though it might not seem like it, FromSoft wants you to win. That’s what separates Elden Ring from both easy-peasy and hard-for-the-sake-of-being-hard games. The game is difficult but almost always has a fair solution. And the reward? Sweet victory and the irreplaceable virtue of patience.

Image source: FromSoft

Should you play Elden Ring?

Thousands of gamers today are realizing the same truths through Elden Ring. Many are discovering their limits and tolerances. Some have given up. So, should you go through the same experience and play Elden Ring?

Honestly, only you can answer that. As a reviewer, I can definitely say that Elden Ring is one of the best games this year, full stop. Although, as a gamer, I can’t force others into an arduous journey of painful self-discovery. There will be people who don’t have the luxury of time to pore over difficult boss fights, and that’s fine.

However, if you do find yourself in the Lands Between, I have one tip: give it a good try. I promise, it’ll be worth it.

Related Topics:Elden Ring featured FromSoftware

Gaming

Nintendo eShop will finally launch in the Philippines

The doors will open on November 10.

Published

October 27, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Filipino Nintendo fans, the wait is finally over! Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online are launching in the Philippines on November 10.

If you’re in the Philippines (or any other country without the service, for that matter), owning a Switch 2 comes with a modicum of difficulty. The country does not have access to Nintendo’s online services, prompting users to buy physical cartridges or switch their region to supported countries, which unfortunately leads to lopsided pricing.

Around the launch of the Switch 2, Nintendo promised that these online services will soon launch in more countries, including the Philippines. Finally, that date is nigh. On November 10, users can access the Nintendo eShop to purchase games digitally, and Nintendo Switch Online to play with friends online.

Besides that, we don’t know much else. There are still a lot of questions unanswered. For example, how will the games’ prices compare to prices in other regions? Since users in the country are forced to switch to another country’s store, they are also subservient to that particular country’s taxes and fees.

Either way, it’s a huge win for Filipino gamers, who no longer have to pretend they’re Singaporean or American just to access online games.

Gaming

HP OMEN Max 16 review: Gamer-maxxing in deep black

Peripherals deemed necessary to max this out

Published

October 23, 2026

Gab Orlina

It’s not every day that you come across a machine that looks good and plays even better. Oftentimes, subtle aesthetics take a back seat to sheer performance and power. Whenever a gaming machine looks sleeker, it seems to lack the power to push it forward. Simply put, you can’t have the best of both worlds these days.

But what if you could have it all? Not just money, fame, and other fortunes, but also a machine with everything you’re looking for! Gone are the days of wanting only power to keep you playing all day or wanting to look good while playing. On paper, this is what the HP OMEN Max 16 promises: the best of both worlds.

Unboxing a beast inside

When you first take it out of the box, the HP OMEN Max 16 looks unassuming in its overall design. It’s bulky yet sleek in its Shadow Black colorway, with nothing too fancy or flashy while powered down. From the outside, the machine screams premium, even though its dark color can attract more visible dirt than lighter finishes.

Opening it up reveals a 16-inch OLED display with a peak refresh rate of 240Hz, seamlessly connected to a base with a full-sized keyboard and a large trackpad. The bright, seemingly anti-glare display makes colors pop when watching or editing videos on the go.

Furthermore, HP places the ports in convenient spots along the rear and sides of the laptop. This makes it incredibly easy to set up and manage external peripherals while providing more room for ventilation under heavy loads.

Of course, the device’s biggest features lie in the hardware powering it from within. An Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU should give you an idea of how well this machine can perform. It’s also a great combination for demanding productivity tasks and creative work!

Power that AI can only hope to replicate

The HP OMEN Max 16 lived up to many of our expectations in terms of performance. From startup to shutdown, it delivered on what its hardware promised. You can watch videos for longer, edit photos and videos to your heart’s content, and enjoy casual gaming without slowing down. Furthermore, the wide display gives you plenty of space to accommodate all these activities.

When you step up to more competitive gaming, the machine doesn’t miss a beat. Most titles deliver high frame rates regardless of the quality or performance settings you choose. With more advanced visual settings enabled, the RTX 5090 does a fantastic job of keeping supported games within a solid 40–50 FPS range. Pair it with a high-refresh-rate OLED display, and you get crisp details and faster input response to help you get ahead in ranked games all day long.

If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s the extra optimization required through the OMEN Gaming Hub. Features such as network prioritization, automatic power-mode switching, and system optimization are useful, but you’ll need to spend time configuring them during initial setup. The laptop also comes with OMEN AI, which promises to maximize FPS with a single click. However, it was only okay at best.

Runs longer, cools off smoother

Surely, a gaming laptop this bulky and powerful can’t last that long on battery, right? Well, the HP OMEN Max 16 averages around three hours of battery life during intensive gaming, which gives you a decent amount of playing time. For general use, battery life extends to around five and a half hours with Balanced power settings. It holds up reasonably well if you forget to bring your charger.

When you do have the massive 330W charger with you, charging doesn’t take too long either. During our tests, a full charge took two hours, with charging progressing slightly faster when we left the laptop idle. Charging the battery to 50% took around 20 minutes, giving you enough juice to squeeze in another game!

Another factor in prolonged use is how the device expels hot air through its sides and rear. We touched on this earlier, but it bears repeating: the laptop provides plenty of ventilation through its vapor chamber and multiple external vents. Instead of directing heat toward the keyboard, it pushes hot air through the vents, where it can hit your hands or peripherals. At least the keyboard stays cooler, right?

Is this your GadgetMatch?

At PHP 229,990, the HP OMEN Max 16 is a sleek-looking machine with incredible power under the hood. Despite its initial bulk, it delivers impressive performance for both casual and competitive gamers. Inside and out, it packs plenty of hardware and features to let you tailor the experience to your needs.

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop with decent battery life, this is a solid choice, but don’t expect it to last half a day. Of course, you wouldn’t use this machine entirely on its own, even if the unboxing experience might suggest otherwise.

Peripherals such as the HyperX Cloud Alpha Air and Solocast 2 Pro can further enhance the experience.

Overall, this is a Swipe Right for its features, performance, and premium design. However, if you don’t have an infinite money glitch to buy it right now, you’re better off saving up for this beast of a machine!

Gaming

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE now available across major platforms

FINAL FANTASY HD-2D is here

Published

October 22, 2026

GadgetMatch

SQUARE ENIX has released FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE. It’s a new role-playing game that brings the franchise’s classic pixel-art aesthetic into the HD-2D era.

The game launches on October 22, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The PC version will be available through Steam and the Microsoft Store on Windows starting October 23.

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE reimagines the first story arc of the mobile game FINAL FANTASY Brave Exvius as a full-fledged RPG experience. It combines retro-inspired pixel art with 3D models and dynamic camera angles.

Strategic turn-based combat returns

Players will explore a world featuring familiar FINAL FANTASY elements, including crystals, airships, chocobos, espers, and moogles.

Combat revolves around exploiting enemy weaknesses to stagger opponents, break their defenses, and gain extra turns. Players can also unleash powerful Resonance attacks to turn the tide of battle.

The adventure features Visions, representations of familiar FINAL FANTASY characters who join the party with their own skills and abilities. These include Cloud, Tidus, and the Warrior of Light.

Beyond the main story, players can discover optional challenges and rewards, including encounters with the wandering swordmaster Gilgamesh, a monster-filled Colosseum, the Chamber of Arms, and Ultima Weapon.

Editions and platforms

FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE is available as a single-player RPG on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

A Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the Magitek & Grimoire Deluxe Pack. The bundle features a Magitek Armor Key for a chocobo, an exclusive Archwitch’s Grimoire, a Mastery Ring, and consumable items.

A Collector’s Edition includes the physical Standard Edition alongside an acrylic block set, a pixel-art book, a 120-track original soundtrack on CD, and an exclusive FINAL FANTASY TRADING CARD GAME promotional card.

Availability and release timing may vary by region. Check local digital storefronts for purchasing details.