It’s being billed as the most anticipated game of 2022, which says something that we’re also expecting blockbusters like Sony’s Gran Turismo 7, Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild 2, and Bethesda’s Starfield in a year’s time.
In truth, Martin’s contribution seems elusive. The acclaimed author provides the underlying lore and inspiration but few stories about this new setting of the conflict-ridden Lands Between. Instead, Miyazaki and his FromSoftware studio build on their legacy of elaborate medieval fantasy to shape a dark Tolkien tale of grotesque monsters, valiant knights and, yes, a mighty ring.
If you’ve ever played one souls Rate, elden ring will feel instantly familiar and yet completely different. You’re first thrown into a gloomy dungeon – where a few lumbering sword-fodder enemies offer little resistance but teach you the basics of thrusting, parrying and dodging. So far so souls.
Within minutes, however, you’re stumbling across the earth into a vast, sprawling world where the horizon stretches for miles. Look a little closer and you’ll see that this lush paradise – rolling fields, rocky outcrops, crumbling ruins – is teeming with life. hostile life. Low-ranking soldiers on patrol are dispatched easily enough. But here are dragons. And trolls. Creepy creatures many times your size. Monsters from your nightmares. Everyone is barking for your blood.
But this is elden ring and now everything is different. Instead of a tightly curated critical path, Miyazaki provides no direction, leaving the player to roam an open world limited only by your skill in combat and, of course, your character level. Every nook and cranny of the Lands Between holds a trap, an enemy, a dungeon, a secret. Follow the main quest exclusively and you’ll be bypassing some of the game’s greatest riches and terribly underarmed for the tasks ahead.
souls is of course notorious for its unforgiving difficulty, with most enemies able to eviscerate your health bar in a few hits. Miyazaki was never interested in making it easy, though elden ring offers an olive branch or two. Now you have a steed that serves as a means of transportation in this colossal world, but also a means of escape and avoidance of conflict.
Finding a beast on your way is too difficult for you at the moment? Just gallop by and come back when you’re equipped. If you’re looking for combat, summon a power animal to briefly fight by your side. Or invite another player into your world to tackle the opponents together.
It’s hardly revolutionary in the context of other games, but these optional helpers subtly expand the accessibility of a game that many would find too grueling.
elden ring is the kind of ambitious, engaging creation that fires the imagination while taxing the nerves.
In a game that excels in killing, it’s a dream.
