Speedrunners are known for beating games at a remarkable pace. Playing through games faster than most can comprehend and I’m one of those onlookers that just can’t imagine being able to speed run a game the way these seasoned gamers manage to do.
If you’ve been keeping up with gaming news lately, no doubt you’re aware that Eldin Ring has been released to critical acclaim from critics around the world. You also probably know that the game is not for the faint of heart. It can be a challenging title to take on and your very first play though will most likely be the most brutal, if you manage to hang in there and complete the game.
It’s a beautiful open world that requires a lot of exploring and paying attention to your surroundings. Taking your time is definitely a smart way to play this game, but I am seeing a lot of frustration from gamers lately when the subject of a Speedrunner comes up. Hence why we are about to cover the subject.
There have been major feats for Speedrunners in Elden Ring. In fact, the fastest playthrough was clocked in around 59 minutes and set a world record, only to be undercut to 49 minutes by another player in the same day. I could not imagine completing this game in less than an hour. This takes some serious practice and if I do say so myself, talent.
I keep hearing from other players that aren’t necessarily complaining about Speedrunners, but more so seem to be confused by them. Comments like “why would you want to speed through this game and not take a moment to look at all the scenery?” Or “Speedrunners are stupid. You can’t even find all the items because you’re skipping everything!”
This is all false. There isn’t anyone out there running through this game on the first try and beating it in under one hour. These Speedrunners have to play through the entire in order to learn how to speed through it. They have to level up their characters, find all the beneficial items they’ll need in the game before they start their next play through and know exactly how to kill off each boss quickly to move on. This is no easy feat by any means. It’s grueling, I’m sure.
Speed running games aren’t something to scoff at, its something to be admired. If you really think about it, many of these players know these on much deeper levels than the majority of us casual and hard-core gamers. It’s not something everyone is interested in and certainly not something everyone can do, but we should all give props where it’s deserved.
So to recap, speedrunners aren’t skipping entire games. They are exploring as many elements as possible in order to complete the run. It is indeed a feat that most of us cannot complete, but that’s alright too! We don’t need to. All we need to do is enjoy the games before us.
And that’s my rant this week. Thank you for reading and let me know what you think of speed runs. Have you tried them? What games and what’s your personal record?