The "storytelling" in games like Elden Ring is just bad.

So let me be clear from the start: I LOVE Elden Ring. It's a solid 8/10 game for me and I recently finished shadow of the erdtree with 200+ hours in.

What's so annyoing to me, it REALLY had the potential to be a "perfect" Videogame but besides some unnecessary frustrating game design choices what really drags it down is the "storytelling" aspect of the game.

The way I see it, there are 4 ways for storytelling in video games, from best to worst:

1.) You have a great main-story to begin with but you can actively enhance the main story with other dialogue options or Items you don't have to work or look for. BUT there could be subtle hints to enthance even further your story experience you can work or look for. But the greatness of the main story should not be dependent on those subtle things. (e.g. Baldurs Gate 3; Persona;) 2.) You have a good story to begin with and the only way to enhance my main-story experience is through subtle hints I have to activley look or work for. (e.g. Bioshock, Skyrim, Halo, RDR2) 3.) There is just one linear storyline just because the game needs a story with maybe a few subtle side stories or hints sprinkled through the whole game. (e.g. Pokemon, Zelda, Monster Hunter World) 4.) The game PRETENDS to have a story but in reality it's just Item descriptions hints, clues, signs, a few dialogue options here and there but it's all like a big puzzle of cryptic stuff you have to tediously combine into one mid story. (Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Monster Hunter pre World)

And yes, I know it sounds like I'm "a lazy gamer" who doesn't want to work for his story but the truth is, if you have to watch hours of youtube videos or have to consult a fan wiki to understand what's going on, it's just "user unfriendly" and by definition bad storytelling. If I need a working internet connection to have the best experience with your story it's just not a good story to begin with.

It's like somebody came to you and tells you they wrote a 500-page high-fantasy novel they want you to read but they wrote it only on post-its and scattered them all around your house and now they want you to find them all and puzzle them together. That doesn't sound like a fun activity now, does it?

And there are perfect 10/10 games who doesn't have story at all (e.g. The Binding of Isaac, 2D Mario Games, Super Monkey Ball) because they don't need any.

TL, DR: My point is, either you commit to your storytelling and make it user accessible or just don't make any story at all. Don't "pretend" to have a story. If I need a working internet connection to have the best experience with your story it's just not a good story to begin with. Elden Ring would still be a 8/10 game without any story.