After being mauled for the hundredth time by Melania, Blade of Miquela, I allowed myself a brief daydream: What if, instead of fighting against me, Melania could fight beside me? This is now available thanks to Satoshi98's new Elden Ring mod, which allows players to call tale NPCs and bosses including Melina, Melania, Godfrey, Radagon, Sellen, Millicent, and Blaidd (among others). The mod, which was first shared by PC Gamer, can be downloaded through Nexus Mods, after which players can purchase summons from Miriel in the Church of Vows.
Satoshi98 has added a few tweaks: this summons won't have the same luminous appearance as the rest of the game's normal spirit ash summons, making them feel more like friends than transitory (and frequently disposable) help. Satoshi98 has also added a few changes to non-fighting NPCs like Millicent and Ranni, such as giving Ranni the Carian Regal Scepter and allowing them to be better backups. Satoshi98 has modified the range to allow these bosses and NPCs to behave more like in-game friends or allies, rather than relying on the presence of adjacent summoning pools.
While they aren't pledged to carry your loads, it's fun to envision yourself wandering the Lands Between with a favorite boss or NPC. Blaidd, the tall wolf-man, was a great comrade in the fight against Starscourge Radahn, so I wouldn't mind exploring with him by my side. Elden Ring can be a rather lonely place. I'm sure summoning a helpful Crucible Knight would help alleviate this anxiety.
Armored Core is a must-have for FromSoftware enthusiasts.
Have you heard that FromSoftware, the creators of Elden Ring, is working on reviving... ARMORED CORE? Hold your horses. Are you familiar with Armored Core? Because it's a fantastic, strange, classic, challenging FromSoft series with 17 installments! So, before Armored Core 6 maybe comes out, let Clayton Ashley refresh your memory on the franchise. Someday.