With the difficulty of many of the challenges, having to beat certain ranks is a form of skill-checking. If you can't get S-ranks in some of the easier levels, you'll have a much harder time doing well in the harder ones.

play the game

If a challenge is gated by another challenge, and you can't complete that other challenge, why do you think you would be able to complete the gated challenge?

The easy way is to improve your skill at the game.

Originally posted by ITNoetic:

If a challenge is gated by another challenge, and you can't complete that other challenge, why do you think you would be able to complete the gated challenge?

The easy way is to improve your skill at the game.

The answer is simple, I will have more fun trying and failing in a mission I haven't completed before instead of playing one I already beat over and over and over again. I can do it eventually, this is not a skill issue, it's a time one.

The "This is training for the real thing" argument would work if this was a sport, but it's a game which I play to have fun, not to sink time.

Originally posted by Bandit:

The answer is simple, I will have more fun trying and failing in a mission I haven't completed before instead of playing one I already beat over and over and over again. I can do it eventually, this is not a skill issue, it's a time one.

This game is not designed for players like you.

Originally posted by ITNoetic:

Originally posted by Bandit:

The answer is simple, I will have more fun trying and failing in a mission I haven't completed before instead of playing one I already beat over and over and over again. I can do it eventually, this is not a skill issue, it's a time one.

This game is not designed for players like you.

Is it designed for no lifer try hards like you? Read what I said again, I'm not complaining about the game's difficulty, I only asked for a cheat to unlock the challenge levels so I can beat them without having to grind stages I already beat. I guess the average steam forum user can't really read.

Closest option you got is trying to find a 100% complete save data file online and just copy/pasting it over your own to have all the levels unlocked.

Will say tho- I was also somewhat turned off by the challenge system being mandated to unlock new levels. That said, put my head to the grindstone and getting A ranks became a breeze. Seriously, if nothing else that's the one good bit of advice these people keep slinging your way. The game is designed around the challenges and some of em make levels really interesting to go through (Like the no kill/no heal/knives only variants)

Do what you will, it's your game and your time- But frankly you'd be skipping over one of the best parts of the experience imo

Originally posted by Bandit:

Originally posted by ITNoetic:

This game is not designed for players like you.

Is it designed for no lifer try hards like you? Read what I said again, I'm not complaining about the game's difficulty, I only asked for a cheat to unlock the challenge levels so I can beat them without having to grind stages I already beat. I guess the average steam forum user can't really read.

"No lifer try hards?" An S-rank takes maybe 15-20 minutes depending on how long it takes you to figure out the right route.

Originally posted by Schnoz Complex:

Closest option you got is trying to find a 100% complete save data file online and just copy/pasting it over your own to have all the levels unlocked.

Will say tho- I was also somewhat turned off by the challenge system being mandated to unlock new levels. That said, put my head to the grindstone and getting A ranks became a breeze. Seriously, if nothing else that's the one good bit of advice these people keep slinging your way. The game is designed around the challenges and some of em make levels really interesting to go through (Like the no kill/no heal/knives only variants)

Do what you will, it's your game and your time- But frankly you'd be skipping over one of the best parts of the experience imo

You, on the other hand, clearly get it.

The thing that FromSoftware did that had them invent an entire genre is perfect the process of presenting players with a challenge that, at first, seems unfair and inconceivable to overcome. Then, maybe 10 or 20 minutes later, you will have made some kind of progress towards figuring out what to do. And it might take even longer, but no matter what, you will figure out a way to claw out a win against all odds, and it feels great. That's why Elden Ring sold 25 million.

And that's kinda how every stage of this game feels. I've been recording vods just to illustrate, but my first run of a stage might be something like 20 or 30 seconds off from the S rank, and sure enough, I eventually figure out which enemy to take out first, and what direction to start in after that.

The further away you are from an S-rank, the more obvious it is that what you're doing isn't on the path to that clear. Especially when you look at the overview after a failed run and see a bunch of crisscrossing and retreading.

To the other player, find your courage and you will find the fun. This game is not a grind at all. I've only been playing a couple levels a day because I don't want to run out too soon.

Originally posted by author:

An S-rank takes maybe 15-20 minutes depending on how long it takes you to figure out the right route.

Am i get it right that you suggest me to overcome every level from that list of 25 base levels within 15-20min just to reach 'S' rank and the "challenge" levels? It will not worth the effort! I want to play a game not a work. And btw. I do not like every base level but enjoyed several of them from 'challenge' and easily beat it in 'S' so don't tell me ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ about 'game is not designed for players like you'

"This game is not designed for players like you." I guess you were a dev?

the devs have explicitly stated on discord and elsewhere that a key part of the gameplay loop is going back and replaying previous levels for better times. so yes. the game isn’t designed for players like you. hope this helps <3

Originally posted by Sneaky_Kestrel:

the devs have explicitly stated on discord and elsewhere that a key part of the gameplay loop is going back and replaying previous levels for better times. so yes. the game isn’t designed for players like you. hope this helps <3

Oh, it seems you missed the point. Sure, the developers want players to improve their scores, but that doesn’t mean the game should turn into a monotonous grind. If I’ve already enjoyed getting "S" on some levels and moved on to the challenges, why should I waste time on what doesn’t interest me? Games are about having fun, not about forcing yourself through every single task. So maybe the game isn’t for *you* if you think blindly following every directive is the only way to play? <3