The beauty — and the agony — of FromSoftware games is how much punishment you’re willing to endure before you finally taste victory.

In my case, it took nearly 400 attempts to defeat Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, in Elden Ring. Yes, you read that right. Four. Hundred. Tries. And yet, instead of rage-quitting or uninstalling the game, I kept pressing on. Why? What is it about Elden Ring that makes failure not just tolerable, but addictive?

Anyone who’s faced Rennala knows she’s no pushover. Her first phase is almost a puzzle fight, breaking through her shield of students before the real battle begins. But once phase two kicks in, the arena floods with magic, summons, and chaos. For me and my friend GameHuntad, who streamed the entire ordeal with me on Twitch, it became a test of patience, teamwork, and stubborn willpower. Every attempt ended with us tweaking strategies, laughing at our mistakes, or just shaking our heads in disbelief. And yet, every run taught us something new.

That’s part of the magic of Elden Ring. The game is brutally hard, but rarely unfair. Losses sting, but they also fuel your determination to try “just one more run.” By the time victory finally came on the 400th try, it wasn’t just about beating Rennala — it was about the shared journey, the growth, and the satisfaction of proving to ourselves that we could do it. Sharing that with an audience on Twitch only made it sweeter; the hype in chat when we finally pulled it off felt like its own reward.

Of course, not everyone sees it this way. To some, the sheer difficulty of Elden Ring is exhausting, even gatekeeping. They argue that requiring hundreds of attempts to beat a single boss pushes the line between “challenging” and “tedious.” Why spend hours banging your head against the same wall when other games offer smoother, more accessible experiences?

For me, though, that’s exactly the appeal. Elden Ring isn’t just a game — it’s a gauntlet. Every loss makes the victory sweeter, every setback builds resilience, and every boss defeated feels like a badge of honor. It’s not about how many times you fall; it’s about the one time you rise.

So, what about you? Have you ever spent hundreds of tries on a single Elden Ring boss or would you have tapped out long before then? Share your stories below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.

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