ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition

It may seem weird that I am specifically focusing on the ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition, but I thought this would be a fun way to look at what is regarded by more than a few people as one of the greatest games of all time. I wanted to look at what you get in this edition and give you my thoughts on if I think that this is worth the rather hefty asking price. Keep on reading to see if this is the right edition of the game for you.

The Pure Experience

I want to start by stating the obvious with the ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition and that is the fact that this does come with the complete version of Elden Ring. You get the full game here that you would get if you just bought the standard edition. Sure some people may have fond memories of the likes of Demon Souls and Bloodbourne, but when it comes to Souls like games, Elden Ring is the biggest and the best that you can get. Yes, this can be brutally difficult, but overcoming that challenge and finding the right gear, leveling your character up, and finally beating that boss who has killed you 50 times is what the Elden Ring experience is all about.

Nothing Shadowy About This Erdtree!

The big draw with the ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition is that it comes with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and honestly, this is one of the biggest expansions that I have ever seen in a video game. Sure games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mortal Kombat 1 have had amazing and huge expansions, but this is like a whole new game! It gives you a whole new adventure to play through with even more challenging gameplay. For those who loved the original Elden Ring experience, this is offering you more of the same, but I would say that it is a slightly more refined kind of experience. Oh, I also loved the expanded lore that you got here as I just love the world that this game is set in.

Making A Deluxe Edition Deluxe

So you get the epic expansion Shadow of the Erdtree with the ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition, but what else are you getting for that extra money they are asking from you? Well, you are also getting a digital soundtrack and a digital artbook. To be honest with you, the soundtrack in Elden Ring is epic, but it is not the kind of thing I would listen to outside of the game. The artbook on the other hand is awesome! This game has so many creative creatures and characters and the world itself is just so awesome, the ultimate dark fantasy playground so getting to see concept art and full spreads of some of the amazing locations and creatures that the game has to offer is something I thought was really cool.

Who Is This For?

At the end of the day, if you already have Elden Ring, you do not need the ELDEN RING: Deluxe Edition, but you can purchase the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion separately. Now, if you are a huge Elden Ring fan and want in on that digital artbook and digital soundtrack, do not freak out as you can purchase it separately from what I understand as some kind of upgrade to the base Elden Ring game. Now, if you have not yet jumped on the Elden Ring train, this is the version that you need to get as the expansion and the extra content is more than worth the extra price of admission.

Pros:

• Elden Ring is the greatest Souls like game of all time
• I love the lore and world of the game
• It looks fantastic
• The extra stuff including the expansion makes this the version to get

Cons:

• This is not for those who already have Elden Ring
• That digital artbook is going to make you want the physical one!

Let's pop aside the Elden Ring: Deluxe Edition for a moment and appreciate how we've been treated to a masterwork in video gaming. This soul-like RPG was incredible on all fronts, visually, mechanically, and narratively. There's not much we can criticize about a game that's received near universal acclaim from journalists worldwide, but is there anything to critique about the special edition?

Even canon games can be annoying to players who see that publishers are just mounting a cash grab on the success of the base game. Elden Ring: Deluxe Edition may be one of those titles that bring value with their enhanced release. However, most speculate that the game features little more than assets collected during development to tack on a few more dollars to the package. Let's see for ourselves.

One Ring to Rule Them All

First, we'll have to clear the air about what's featured in the Elden Ring: Deluxe Edition. Is it additional content? A bigger world to explore? An extensive range of cosmetic and character-enhancing items? Well, if you had any suspicions that this package might contain digital fluff content, you'd be correct. All we're getting here is a digital art book and the complete original soundtrack.

For a more significant price, you're not getting a whole lot extra. The digital art book is excellent, showcasing all the concepts, level designs, and beautifully dark worlds that makeup Elden Ring's core. You've got that fantastic soundtrack to listen to whenever you want, not just in-game. Still, we're not getting anything game-changing (literally, and players will rightfully feel annoyed.

However, we can't deny that Elden Ring is one of the greatest RPGs ever. Spending a bit extra to hold on to a piece of history is worth the additional cost. Should they be calling this a deluxe edition? Questionable. Call it something like the founder's edition, anything that makes the buyer feel like they own something special without presenting the additional content as overzealous.

The bottom line is if you already own Elden Ring, there's absolutely no point in buying the deluxe edition only for the art book and soundtrack. If you've heard great things about the game yet have yet to play it, you should invest in the additional content to enjoy after your mind has been blown.

Respect Your Eldens

The deplorable state of the game industry is that AAA publishers can get away with slapping a couple of game assets into the base title and call it a deluxe edition. How often have we seen this with colossal releases like the Final Fantasy franchise? It will encourage people to buy them, as hardcore fans must have everything.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• One of the greatest RPGs ever made with additional content
• Understand the development and lore of the game even more
• Own the brilliant soundtrack

Cons:

• Only a little value is added with the deluxe edition