The Game's Dodge Roll Warrants Praise
Having spent time with Elden Ring, or most other 3D action game, you're likely acquainted with the glorious technique referred to as the “dodge roll.” This evasion technique allows your character to execute a forward, sideways, or backward ground roll to evade any enemy attacks and gain space from foes. Sounds handy, wouldn't you say?
The dodge roll, however, has attracted a lot of flak, and not just due to the tumbling; it's been called dumb, a cop-out, and an unrealistic move — and in some cases, I agree. Just imagine me tumbling about hostile mobs in a well-known fantasy game — can't touch this Geralt! But this game's dodge roll stands as the roll to surpass every other dodge rolls, and I'll tell you why.
For this particular game, the creators discovered a clever approach to address all opinions suggesting the technique is overly simple: simply give every enemy overwhelming force, multiply it, and all heroes who ventures close them will be eternally grateful for their dodge-roll ability, myself included. When the stakes are this high, successfully rolling to victory feels like an achievement, not a cheat.
No different defensive move in this RPG approaches this level of gratification and consistency, because swift moves offer limited distance and defensive postures get quickly shattered by powerful foes. One player advised jumping as a go-to game avoidance strategy, but besides failing to offer perfect repositioning, I didn't see how getting my skull smashed in would improve my chances of beating enemies (lack of skill, maybe).
Mastering the Technique
Although this evasion move offers respite in a famously difficult title, it requires practice. First of all, this title's evasion move only triggers a period of immunity after you let go of the roll control, which prevents a hasty, frantic retreat from dangerous scenarios. Furthermore, although it may move you aside from enemies, it's significantly more useful to utilize it as a moment to move nearer, optimally at their back, and deliver attacks. Lastly, you must still comprehend and predict foe assaults, since evading too early of a long charging animation may end your invincibility ahead of the attack striking… which will seriously hurt.
A Harmonious System
While dodge-rolling in rapid sequence could appear somewhat silly (kudos to the Witcher anew), this isn't truly feasible in the game. Certainly, that doesn't render it a believable battle technique — which is precisely why it would be terrifying to see it in a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance — however, this is a spectacular magical game under discussion, therefore, it doesn't matter?
Comparable to any well-executed evasion move, the game's rolling animation is improved by a little somersault-y hop at the beginning, giving it an energetic feel instead of dropping the character downward. According to your loadout, the maneuver might appear extremely nimble or moderately cumbersome, however, it's consistently swifter and more seamless than the evasion moves found in the earlier games. Certainly, you could plant your large weapon on the floor while equipped with it, but that's your own fault for avoiding alternative arms (In jest — steer clear of Elden Ring using ranged options).
The Perfect Balance
The game's dodging mechanic creates the perfect balance between challenge and opportunity, granting chances of triumph while threatening to take that hope away at the tiniest misstep. Master this technique, and you'll gain more than triumph, but gratification.
