Streamer on Twitch Perri Karyaal she defeated the two main bosses of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, using a hands-free virtual “mind control” controller that decodes electrical information delivered directly from her brain in real time.
Ahead of the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki said the DLC’s challenge “really pushed the limits in terms of what we think the player can endure.” True to his words, in the days following Shadow of the Erdtree’s June 21 release, many players took to social media to lament that the up-to-date content was simply too challenging, while others complained of performance issues, leading to a “mixed” review on Steam . .
However, its terrifying difficulty doesn’t stop Karyala from trying to tackle the DLC using a very unorthodox method of controlling her raw skin, which also proves that 90 percent of FromSoftware boss fights take place between the ears.
I thought I’d post a clip of what mental controls I operate and how I move
Reaching your boss is often more challenging than reaching your boss😅#shadowtrees #FireRing pic.twitter.com/RmetlwJb8h
— Perri (@perrikaryal) June 23, 2024
Last year, Karyal made headlines after he beat the core content of Elden Ring by using an electroencephalography (EEG) brain monitoring headset to control certain in-game actions, such as attacking and tumbling. EEG technology is typically used by doctors as a diagnostic tool. But after she came across brain-scanning headgear while studying for her master’s degree in psychology, she became interested in whether the technology could be adapted to control video games within a virtual controller.
To do this, Karyal was able to operate fancy coding to train the software included with her commercial EEG headset to recognize patterns in her brain’s electrical activity that were created when she imagined a specific object, action, or emotion. Each pattern was then assigned to a virtual controller input, allowing Karyal to perform actions with his mind, imagining things as he played the game. For example, by imagining she was pushing the dice forward she could make a throw, or alternatively she could imagine a spinning plate which would force her to make an attack, or simply get livid to heal herself.
WE DID IT
Shadow of the Erdtree, first boss, COMPLETED with mind control and ZERO HANDS
I can not believe it. It was the hardest thing ever. We’ve come THIS FAR! Let’s gooooooo pic.twitter.com/INrwrgOH0Y
— Perri (@perrikaryal) June 22, 2024
WE DID IT AGAIN
Shadow of the Erdtree, SECOND boss, Renalla, DEFEATED thanks to mind control and ZERO HANDS. Absolutely crazy
Let’s gooooooo
If you have any questions, watch the full VOD below – I do live setup, training and troubleshooting pic.twitter.com/H0UpxUj8hz
— Perri (@perrikaryal) June 23, 2024
While playing Elden Ring in 2023, Karyal was still beholden to the physical Xbox controller, which dictated the movement of her tarnished warrior. However, for Shadow of the Erdtree, the streamer opted for a completely hands-free run, using eye-tracking software to track the movement of her head to control her character’s movement and voice prompts to trigger more varied actions, including saying “I choose you.” to summon spirit ash. Navigating to bosses also required a completely different command setup than what was used during the climactic fights themselves, which added another layer of mental gymnastics to the process.
Impressively, Karyal has already managed to operate her mind control approach to defeat two challenging bosses from the early DLC: Divine Beast Dancing Lion and Rellan, Twin Moon Knight. Of course, this isn’t the first time FromSoftware fans have used a non-traditional controller to embarrass Elden Ring bosses. Just last year, Twitch streamer MissMikkaa managed to defeat two Malenies at once in two separate moments of gameplay using Dance Pad and PS5 DualSense. Another FromSoftware competitor, Dr. Decomposed, was also able to complete the run without damage, using a modified electric saxophone as a controller.
Be sure to check out IGN’s interactive map and comprehensive guide for all the tips, tricks and walkthroughs you need to make the most of your time in Shadowlands, or read how modders are already finding ways to make the game easier on PC.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video game news for IGN. He has over eight years of experience discussing breakthroughs in many scientific fields and has absolutely no time for your gibberish. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
