The newest addition in FromSoftware’s catalog of notoriously challenging games, Elden Ring takes the Dark Souls formula to towering new heights.
With its sprawling open world, richer lore, and revamped combat system, Elden Ring astonishes players as they traverse the haunting Lands Between in pursuit of becoming Elden Lord.
Though notoriously difficult, Elden Ring presents seasoned veterans and new Tarnished alike with an adventure that demands perseverance yet rewards exploration.
Introduction
FromSoftware is well-known among gaming enthusiasts for creating difficult but rewarding games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Their latest release, Elden Ring, is an open world action RPG that expands on the challenging combat and mysterious lore found in their previous titles.
Elden Ring is the first FromSoftware game to feature an open world and was a collaborative project with famed fantasy author George R.R. Martin. This highly-anticipated title aims to provide a vast kingdom to explore along with new gameplay innovations within the recognizable FromSoftware framework.
Critics and fans alike were eager to dive into the Lands Between to see if Elden Ring lives up to the hype and surpasses the studio’s previous offerings. This review will assess if Elden Ring succeeds as the next evolution of FromSoftware’s iconic formula.
Story and World
Elden Ring takes place in the expansive world known as the Lands Between. This mystical realm draws heavy inspiration from Celtic and Norse mythology, blending magic and mysticism into its fantastical setting. The overarching premise follows the player’s quest to repair the shattered Elden Ring and restore order to the realm. However, this epic journey unravels a complex world brimming with mystery.
The lands are littered with diverse biomes, mysterious labyrinths, and majestic castles with secrets to uncover. While light on explicit narrative, Elden Ring masterfully crafts an atmospheric setting steeped in melancholy. Much of the background lore must be pieced together through flavor text, environmental clues, and optional dialog. This fragmented storytelling rewards exploration and allows players to uncover the world’s secrets at their own pace.
At the heart of it all is the demigod Queen Marika and her offspring who each hold a Great Rune – a fragment of the shattered Elden Ring. Your interactions with these demigod descendants and other enigmatic figures slowly reveal the realm’s history and your role in its future.
From its exquisite vistas to its cryptic characters, Elden Ring’s world provides an epic yet intimate canvas for your journey. While often melancholic, glimmers of beauty and wonder persist in unlikely corners, rewarding those who delve deep into its mystery.
Immersive Gameplay That Rewards Patience and Perseverance
Elden Ring features expansive open world gameplay with challenging Souls-like combat that rewards patience, skill and perseverance. Players can explore the vast Lands Between either on foot or horseback, coming across hidden dungeons, optional bosses and side quests along their journey.
The core combat demands precision and strategy, with players needing to study enemy attack patterns and look for openings to strike. Dodging and blocking is key to survival against tough foes. The gameplay encourages a thoughtful, tactical approach rather than hack and slash button mashing.
With no quest markers, players must uncover the world’s secrets through natural exploration. This creates an organic sense of discovery and accomplishment. Defeating groups of enemies and massive, screen-filling bosses provides an unmatched adrenaline rush.
The customization and RPG progression allows you to tailor your hero’s build. Leveling up increases attributes like strength, dexterity and endurance.
A variety of weapon classes, spells and skills to unlock enables diverse character builds. Players can experiment to find a playstyle that suits their preferences.
While often difficult and unforgiving, the gameplay always feels fair and satisfying. Patience is rewarded over impatience, and practice leads to mastery. Elden Ring nails the addictive loop of constantly improving your skills, defeating tougher enemies and growing your power.
Graphics and Audio
Elden Ring’s hauntingly beautiful open world is brought to life through gorgeous visuals and immersive sound design.
FromSoftware has crafted a living, breathing dark fantasy realm overflowing with meticulous details. The graphics engine provides lush environments with stunning draw distances. You can see for miles across mist-shrouded forests, sun-scorched plains, and decrepit ruins. This lends an incredible sense of scale to the Lands Between. Shadows dance realistically across the terrain as shafts of light pierce crumbling structures.
Particle effects like swirling mist and gusting winds add motion and atmosphere. Character and enemy models showcase FromSoftware’s signature grotesque designs with excellent animations. Armor glints in the sun, fabric flows believably, and weapons clash with visceral impact.
FromSoftware complements the visual splendor with phenomenal audio design. The stirring orchestral score ebbs and flows perfectly in synch with your journey. Soft piano melodies accompany moments of quiet introspection while bombastic brass swells punctuate epic boss encounters.
Sound effects like crackling flames, howling winds, and clanging steel complete the sensory experience. The eerie ambient noises as you explore haunted catacombs and the satisfying thud of your attacks hitting home truly brings Elden Ring’s dangerous world to life.
The stellar graphics and sound give you the sensation of being fully immersed in this grim dark fantasy realm.
Innovation and Fresh Perspectives
Elden Ring brings some innovative new elements to the Soulsborne formula that help set it apart from other games in the genre. Most notably, the open world design marks a dramatic shift from the more linear, interconnected maps of past FromSoftware titles.
The Lands Between features sprawling plains, dense forests, grand castles, and labyrinthian dungeons to explore at your own pace. This grants a greater sense of adventure and discovery compared to the narrow progression of previous Souls games.
Another key innovation is the expanded RPG system and character customization options. With hundreds of weapons, spells, skills, and ashes of war to acquire, you have more versatility than ever before in building your ideal playstyle.
The new Spirit Summons also provide an interesting tactical element, letting you call upon AI allies to aid you in particularly difficult encounters. This adds more variability to battles beyond relying solely on your own skills and reflexes.
While retaining the challenging combat the studio is known for, Elden Ring introduces more options for stealth, ranged tactics, and skirting past enemies to enable different approaches.
The open world structure needs these changes to accommodate players who may be under-leveled or unprepared to fight a major boss head-on. The ability to re-explore other areas and power up your character caters to more playstyles.
These innovations help Elden Ring feel like a fresh evolution of the Souls formula rather than a repeat of what came before. The development team took measured risks that largely pay off, enhancing both the accessibility and enjoyment for newcomers and series veterans alike. It sets a new bar for open world action RPGs thanks to this willingness to push boundaries.
Strengths
Elden Ring truly shines when it comes to immersing players in its vast and engrossing world. The Lands Between offers an incredible sense of scope and scale, with fantastically diverse biomes to explore. From windswept plains to misty forests and eerie swamps, every area feels distinct and full of secrets. This creates an irresistible urge to traverse the map and uncover what lies beyond each horizon.
The combat also stands out as a highlight. With dozens of weapons, spells, and abilities to experiment with, players can develop highly customized playstyles. Whether relying on immense strength and heavy weapons, swift dexterity wielding blades, or harnessing sorceries and incantations, the combat always feels weighty and impactful. Hard-won victories against grueling bosses provide an unmatched sense of accomplishment.
Elden Ring rewards exploration and discovery at every turn. Ancient ruins, hidden catacombs, and optional NPC questlines incentivize thorough investigation. Finding a secret medallion that unlocks an entirely new region brings sheer delight.
The Lands Between feel truly alive, populated with friendly characters to aide Tarnished in their quest. While decidedly challenging, Elden Ring grants players an unparalleled sense of agency. With open-ended progression, you can freely roam the map at your own pace, revisiting areas when stronger. The ability to summon cooperative and NPC allies smooths difficulty for newer players. Elden Ring stands as the pinnacle of immersive, rewarding open world design.
Weaknesses
While Elden Ring executes most elements incredibly well, there are a few weaknesses holding it back from being perfect.
The massive open world can feel daunting and overwhelming at first, especially for players new to the Soulsborne genre. There is little guidance given, so exploring the vast lands between can become frustrating. Some may feel aimless, lost, or unsure of where to go next.
Boss fights are extremely difficult, even compared to past FromSoftware games. The steep challenge can feel punitive, leading to dozens of repeated deaths. Less experienced players may hit skill walls that hinder further progression.
Due to the expansive open world, there are some repetitive mini-bosses and dungeons. After defeating them once, revisiting these areas can feel redundant.
Performance issues plague several platforms, with framerate dips and texture pop-in. This mars the experience, especially during demanding combat encounters when timing and visual clarity are vital.
The intricate storytelling style of piecing together lore and NPC quests yourself may not suit those seeking a strong narrative. Subtle hints are easy to miss, leaving the overarching plot vague for many.
Multiplayer integration could be better, with limited cooperative and PvP options. Playing with others isn’t as seamless as one would expect given the online elements.
Horseback combat and mounted exploration, while exciting additions, can feel clunky. The horse inputs are finicky, reducing mobility during battles.
While Elden Ring has some minor flaws, they do not outweigh the outstanding quality seen throughout the rest of the game. However, these weaknesses will likely frustrate some players, especially those new to FromSoftware’s signature brand of games. Addressing them in future content updates could make Elden Ring even more exceptional.
Verdict
Elden Ring is an extraordinary achievement that pushes the boundaries of open world and action RPG genres to new heights. FromSoftware has crafted a breathtakingly beautiful and intricately designed world brimming with mystery, wonder, and peril around every corner.
The Lands Between is a delight to explore, with fantastical scenery, meticulously placed sites of grace, rewarding dungeons, and adrenaline-pumping enemy encounters.
Mechanically, Elden Ring represents the culmination of everything FromSoftware has learned from their Soulsborne titles. Combat is challenging yet exhilarating, emphasizing patience, precision, and reading enemy movements and patterns.
The variety of customizable playstyles and character builds enables you to approach obstacles however you wish.
Despite the flexible open world structure, Elden Ring retains the signature Souls formula of high risk, high reward gameplay that makes overcoming challenges so gratifying.
For fans of FromSoftware’s signature brand of atmospheric, enigmatic storytelling and demanding combat, Elden Ring is a dream come true. It propels the Souls formula into uncharted territory, succeeding enormously thanks to its grand sense of adventure, beautiful world, and engaging progression systems.
While the steep difficulty curve may deter some players, those willing to embrace the challenge will find an experience that eclipses everything that came before it. For its sheer scale, scope, and captivating gameplay loop, Elden Ring earns a glowing recommendation. It is nothing short of a masterpiece and sets a new bar for the open world genre.
