I mentioned it briefly in my Shadow of the Erdtree review, but there is an area of the DLC where your steed Torrent is so scared that he refuses to be summoned. This is because said area is a forest that has been immersed in shadows and chaos for so long that the large goats do not dare to knock with their hooves. What I didn't expect was that trusting my two little hands would be so... revealing. It has made me reconsider exploration in Elden Ring open worldand they conclude that the use of Torrent as a taxi service contributes to generating a feeling of disconnection.
IMPORTANT SPOILERS GO AHEAD, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
In my review I praised Erdtree's complexity, particularly how its catacombs are not always dead ends but rather elaborate entrances. One such dive off a seemingly innocuous ledge takes you out of the Darklight Catacombs, a dark, dizzying place inhabited by rock sprites remixed with rocket launchers for faces. I won't spoil too much of the fun of this area (you'll want to explore it yourself for some great loot: our guides can help). But I will say that the end of these catacombs is simply the beginning of another, creepier area. An area where goat hooves do not dare to gallop.
I walked through thick fog and huge twisted trees, as if I were enveloped in a charcoal sketch. The messages on the ground read: "Come back. While you still can," like the words "abyssal forests" appeared on the screen. It was disturbing and perhaps the closest I've seen to a Dark Souls Ash Lake equivalent.
But while Ash Lake had a calmer vibe, there isn't much of that jangly vibe in Abyssal Woods. It is rather a deep sadness, laden with abandonment and populated by basket-headed individuals prowling the woods. Now, I thought they would be pretty calm, judging by promotional screenshots, but it turns out that they are far from it. This is where the game's (somewhat annoying) stealth comes into play. You are forced to run through the bushes to avoid their gaze, lest they envelop you in their waiting arms, draining your health with a chaotic gaze. It's not endearing, the jumping is basic and unrewarding, and you can't even sneak attack the basket heads because they're invincible. Otherwise, the area is quite empty and lifeless. It turns out that Abyssal Woods is disorienting in a way that's a bit like hitting-flies-against-the-walls-although-there's-an-open-window-nearby. But despite all my complaints, I liked one thing: not having Torrent.
Because he's too scared, you can't summon your trusty goat steed while exploring this open world. I know the game forces you to exit Torrent before heading into dungeons or certain important parts, but most of the open world exploration allows you to explore the old yak. I totally understand why Torrent is present in Elden Ring, as the vastness of the game makes walking entirely on foot a chore. However, Abyssal Woods reminded me of the old Souls, where you were completely dependent on an internal GPS and the tapping of your feet on rubble.
As much as it was disorienting to run through lots of peeing trees, I felt a better sense of connection in this place. Yes, at times I felt like I was running through a dark void, but I was still curious, sniffing around, tilting my camera to better capture the desolation (plus, there's one hotspot you'll definitely want to see in these woods, so Grit your teeth and get over this, I say). Elsewhere, in Torrent-back, you hear the cinematic "yeah, boy!" as the grass sways and you make your way to a view, but once the majestic has become commonplace, it becomes a shortcut, a way to turn open-world points of interest into easy-to-try attractions in the playground.
In Torrent, I rarely feel in danger because of his ability to say "yeah, boy." On foot, I'm just a little guy in a world full of horrible monsters and I have to channel Happy Foot if I want to avoid even the lowliest guys with their rusty swords. I'm someone who has to think about where he's making his way and doesn't have a turbocharged taxi to turn to. I mention in my review that Elden Ring and Erdtree probably won't stick in my memory like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, and I think Torrent is a big reason why.
In the past, Souls worlds were designed with walking or running in mind. They were built to accommodate awkward boss runs, bonfire oases after a desperate trek, and an interconnected expansion where shortcuts could cut long trips from one area to another in half. you were present on complete time, as if you were taking a walk in real life, absorbing the birdsong and the smell of freshly cut grass (just replace these things with scythe-wielding lizards and swamp rot). Elden Ring and Erdtree, even if Erdtree is a little closer to the old Souls, are worlds designed for a shuttle, one that I hope is parked for whatever it does next. Next time I'd like to take a walk.
