I think that you've missed the beauty of Elden Ring (and the Souls series in general). > you don't have quests You do have quests! They just aren't forced upo

I think that you've missed the beauty of Elden Ring (and the Souls series in general). > you don't have quests You do have quests! They just aren't forced upon you. Listen to the dialog of characters and you'll hear where they're heading and what they want you to do. > you don't have a narrated story Exactly! Instead of being told a grand narrative of what happened, you piece it together on your own, if you care. If you don't, then just ignore it. > nor giant enemies who react to weaknesses and have special ways to be fought. The whole point of combat in the Souls series is that every enemy (giant or small, boss or minion) is dangerous, and you have to learn how to fight them to win. Every enemy has weaknesses (whether that be to damage types or after certain attacks). The core difference between Elden Ring and the other games you listed is the atmosphere and tension. If you don't feel it, maybe it's not the game for you and that's okay.