You Can Now Pause Elden Ring
It's one of the biggest USPs of Souls-like games, and it just wouldn’t be a FromSoftware game if you could pause and run off for a cup of tea. These games have become known for an inability to pause, and although it’s namely to do with their online compatibility and allowing messaging, it's also become synonymous with their bloody and brutal nature.
Despite some have been saying Elden Ring is effectively Dark Souls 4, it's very much made a name for itself as being its own game while sitting under the Souls-like umbrella. It's true that 2020's PS5 version of Demon's Souls sort of had a pause option thanks to players exploiting photo mode to stop gameplay, but when it comes to Elden Ring, that option is sadly MIA.
How Can You Pause Elden Ring?
Click to enlargeOver on Nexus Mods, TechieW has come up with a simple "pause the game" mod that will give you some respite from the Lands Between. There are sure to be those FromSoft purists who say this is an abomination, while others will call it a much-needed feature.
There is a catch though. You'll need to play Elden Ring offline and also deactivate its Anti-Cheat. If that wasn’t enough, pausing will lead to a brief fast-forward when you unpause - so we'd suggest you don't pause just before taking on someone like Margit the Fell Omen, or you might lose your head. Finally, being offline means you won’t be able to take part in co-op to help with your gruelling quest.
As another added warning, FromSoftware could ban you, with the Anti-Cheat activation leading to a message that reads "inappropriate activity detected." The Elden Ring modding culture is alive and well right now, and in typical PC style, Nexus Mods is being populated by more and more mods by the day.
Should You Get Elden Ring On PC?
Before you all dash out to buy Elden Ring on PC, remember it's coming with some major drawbacks. Recently, the PC version of this fantasy epic has been slammed over performance issues and had "mixed" reviews on Steam. With Valve and FromSoftware promising a slew of updates, that's now moved into the mostly positive echelon, but still, it's a far cry from the rave reviews we're getting on console.
In terms of Elden Ring modding, the likes of Nexus Mods are filled with mods to improve textures and the sometimes depressing lighting. We're waiting for the inevitable mod that turns the Elden Beast into Thomas the Tank Engine, but in the meantime, at least you can rest easy knowing that if you have Elden Ring on PC, you'll be able to go to the toilet without being mauled by a jacked grizzly bear.
