PLATFORM: PC, PS4/5, XBOX ONE/SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Set in the high fantasy world of the Lands Between, Elden Ring is the latest sadistic and unforgiving adventure from Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at FromSoftware, the originators of the notoriously challenging Souls games. In typical fashion, Elden Ring‘s story is largely left unexplained save for its overarching narrative (laid out by Game of Thrones‘ George R. R. Martin) which sees players take the role of a “Tarnished”, a previously-exiled character summoned back to the Lands Between to gather the fragments of an all-powerful ring. Shattered into pieces and now in the possession of Queen Marika’s demigod offspring who are being corrupted by the ring’s power, your job is to find and defeat these otherworldly titans, reforge the ring and ultimately become the Elden Lord. But, of course, it isn’t going to be easy…
Playing very much like an open world Dark Souls, Elden Ring drops you into its world with nothing more than some basic equipment and an overbearing sense of bewilderment. Apart from a map marker that points in the general direction you need to go in order to progress through the game, there’s very little in the way of direction or signposting – players are expected to just set off on their journey and see where they end up. There are caves, camps, dungeons and hidden areas dotted across the map, all of which contain all sorts of useful gear that will be invaluable to your quest, but it’s totally up to you to find things for yourself. Heavy on exploration, it’s very much one of those games that you’ll get much more out of if you’re willing to put in the effort to discover its secrets.
From the start, you’re able to choose a character class to fit your preferred playstyle, whether that’s a strong and dextrous melee build, a magic specialist or a cross between the two, and you’ll slowly amass an arsenal of spells and weapons that become more and more powerful as your character levels up by spending runes (earned in a variety of ways but can easily be lost…) at “sites of grace” which act as Elden Ring‘s version of Dark Souls‘ bonfires. Graces are liberally spread across the world, along with additional checkpoints in combat-heavy areas, which helps massively in terms of making the game more accessible to those who might be less keen on the more punishing aspects of previous Souls games. Fast travel between discovered graces is available from the start too, making the journey across this massive open world a little bit easier than it otherwise might have been.
While crossing the harsh and unforgiving landscape either on foot or on your spectral steed, Torrent, there’s a constant threat of coming across groups of FromSoft’s typically brutal enemies. Your weapons can be equipped with interchangeable Ashes of War which add all manner of skills to your attacks, and you’re also able to summon friendly spirits who will help to overcome your foes, both adding a level of customisation that allows you to approach enemy encounters in different ways. In the open world it’s usually possible to outrun any mobs and find a place of safety (although skipping a fight means that you’ll miss out on earning some precious runes), but it’s a different story when you enter any of the game’s dungeons where things start to feel a lot more Souls-like.
The majority of these smaller dungeons and the bosses that dwell within are optional and don’t need to be completed to “finish” the game, but the rewards for taking the time to poke around in these areas are often too good to miss out on. The larger dungeons that definitely do need to be beaten are found at the sites of the game’s narrative checkpoints – the areas that you need to clear in order to progress the story – and are undeniably the highlights of Elden Ring. Without wandering into spoiler territory, you’ll visit some of the most beautiful locations and most memorable bosses seen in a Souls game so far, and they all provide the level of challenge (and frustration) that players have come to expect.
You’re very much on your own in the Lands Between, and while you’re given a few helping hands with the abundance of checkpoints, multiple ways to replenish your healing flasks and the ability to craft supplies of useful items, you’re also frequently slapped around the face by concealed traps, unexpected mobs of enemies and seemingly insurmountable boss fights. If you’re familiar with Souls games then you’ll be right at home here, but Elden Ring‘s lack of direction may well be off-putting for players who are expecting an open world more along the lines of an Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry with their busy maps full of icons that tell you exactly where to go next. It takes a certain type of player to get the most out of Elden Ring‘s world, but those of the right persuasion have got a truly epic 100+ hour adventure ahead of them.
