Elden Ring

It is completely undeniable that probably one of the biggest and most influential names in the video game history of recent years is Hidetaka Miyazaki. The director of the Souls series has had an amazing influence in modern gaming, setting new standards for toughness in games, and influencing so many developers. But Elden Ring is his latest and possibly one of the most interesting titles of his career so far.

What’s Elden Ring?

So far not much is confirmed about this new title, but its development started after the final DLC for Dark Souls 3 was done. However, it seems to be aiming in a slightly different direction from what we’ve seen in the past FromSoftware games. While it once again will be a third-person action RPG, it will focus more on its RPG element, while maintaining the action mechanics.

Of course, Miyazaki went out of his way to remind us not to worry about not having the difficulty we’re so used to having in FromSoftware games present here. In fact, Miyazaki mentioned that there will be even more weapons, magic, and different ways to face the challenges than even in Dark Souls games.

There’s still the character customization very present in the game, and it will play an important role in your gameplay. These changes you can make to your character far exceed the aesthetic limits, and deeply affect your gameplay experience.

What makes it special?

It may be a completely new game, but some customs are hard to get rid of. It is new and completely original, but it's still based on dark fantasy, and a very similar aesthetic to the Souls series and Bloodborne, more so than Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. But the underlying, deep theme that the game centers on is the human will, and mostly the human ambition, and its consequences.

Miyazaki has mentioned that the designs are unique and very original and that this will be a darker fantasy world from what we've seen before. There are unique and terrifying bosses all over the world in Elder Ring.

Another thing that makes Elder Ring special is that it is a collaboration game, this time it isn't just up to Miyazaki and his amazingly creative team. writer George R.R. Martin has collaborated in the creation of the world and building rich lore and mythology for the game. This seems to be aiming at a more clear presentation of the plot, story and lore of the game than what we usually get in Dark Souls too.

Miyazaki mentioned that he’s a fan of Martin’s work, and doubted he would accept working on a collaboration for a new game. Especially thanks to the 1982 vampire fantasy work Fevre Dream, written by George R.R. Martin. So there may be some cool vampires in Elden Ring too, yet this is still unclear.

Wrapping up

• It’s directed by Miyazaki
• It’s developed by the Souls team
• George R.R. Martin is deeply involved in the story-writing of this game
• It’s set to be a darker game, more similar to Souls games than Sekiro
• It’s an action RPG with more focus on the RPG part

There are many people already who are calling Elden Ring one of the greatest video games of all time. As I write this, I am certain that it is going to make my games of the year list. I know that the term epic is greatly overused in the world of video games these days and I am as guilty as anyone for overusing it. However, I really do not think there is any other way that you could actually describe how massive this game is!

The Lands Between

I have played a ton of fantasy video games over the years, but I have to say that the setting in Elden Ring, The Lands Between is perhaps the greatest fantasy world I have ever had the pleasure to play in. It is common knowledge that George R. R Martin was involved with the game and it certainly has a Game of Thrones type vibe to it. The basics of the story are that there was a special ring called The Elden Ring which was split into shards. Shards that are not held by various demigods that live in the land. You play as an adventurer who is going to head out to put back together all the shards of the Elden Ring.

So Vast It Is Scary

The world in Elden Ring is massive and I mean massive. There is just so much variety here to all of the fantasy tropes that you would expect from these massive castles, spooky churches, evil looking swamps, huge green forests, and frozen wastelands are all here. You are pretty much free to go and explore anywhere you would like to go, but as this is a game from the people at FromSoftware, you better make sure you are strong enough before you head into a new area. Part of what makes exploring the land so much more manageable is our faithful steed Torrent that we can summon in when we need him.

Prepare To Die

Much has been said about the difficulty of Elden Ring. Many people say that this is the most accessible of all the Souls like games that FromSoftware has made. I am not actually sure I would agree with that. This is a game that is still hard as nails, combat may be more forgiving, but this is far from a cakewalk and you need to make sure you are of a high enough level, have the right equipment, and also have the skills when you encounter a boss. Thankfully, the open nature of the game lets you tackle things any way you want. Also, Torrent makes it so it is much easier to get away from a fight that you have no business being in. People who call this an open world version of something like Dark Souls or Bloodborne are not actually all that far off at all.

No Such Thing As A To B

As this is such a massive game more often than not when you are on your way to do something, you will be distracted and end up doing something else. There are many hidden areas in the game and some of the dungeons are truly epic in their scale. There are many side quests you can do, bosses you can stumble across, and much more. There is just so much to do in this game that it may seem intimidating to some players.

Pros:

• This is legit one of the best video games I have ever played
• I love the fantasy setting of the game
• There is just so much content in the game, it will take you forever to see it all
• The presentation here is not getting the credit it deserves as it is a breathtakingly gorgeous game

Cons:

• This game is very hard and some people will get frustrated
• If you did not like the Souls games, chances are you will not like this