Elden Ring is a game developed by the Japanese studio FromSoftware and released in 2022 by Namco Bandai Games. This title is an action RPG characterized by its immersive dark fantasy world and challenging gameplay mechanics, which are a trademark of the studio that created it.

FromSoftware, despite creating dozens of games since 1994, is primarily known for the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, which pioneered the “Soulslike” subgenre. In all of these titles, players must face nearly unbeatable enemies and challenging quests from the very beginning.

Is Elden Ring really a good game? What is its lore based on, and does it hold any secrets? And most importantly, should you play it? Let’s find out together!

Understanding the Gameplay Dynamics

In Elden Ring, players traverse the open world of The Lands Between, which can be explored freely. The creators significantly expanded the game world compared to their previous games. The gameplay focuses on exploration and slowly uncovering the world’s mysteries and story. Along the way, players will encounter many unusual, dark creatures, NPCs with intriguing backgrounds, and demigods who serve as bosses in the game.

An interesting mechanic in the game is the ability to travel on horseback and engage in combat from that position. This is the first game from the studio to feature this mechanic, and it has received high praise from players. Striking enemies from horseback can provide a significant advantage against certain foes. However, it’s important to note that this method is not universally effective, as each enemy and boss is designed to offer a unique challenge.

Exploring underground locations also plays a significant role in the game. It’s a feature well-known to players of FromSoftware’s previous titles. In addition to the external world and the main storyline, the game offers extensive opportunities for exploration in caves, dungeons, and other underground areas, where players will find numerous additional quests, collectibles, and storylines.

The Narrative Brilliance: Merging Mythologies

It’s evident that Elden Ring draws inspiration from ancient mythologies, although it doesn’t fully replicate any of them. It incorporates influences from the Norse, Celtic/Irish, Greek mythologies, as well as references to old legends from Northern Europe. Many players also notice motifs inspired by the works of Tolkien.

The game’s creators enlisted the help of a well-known writer in crafting the world. Hidetaka Miyazaki, a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s work (the creator of ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’), asked the author for assistance in crafting the Elden Ring’s story. The goal was to create a larger, deeper, and more accessible world for players, which turned out to be a resounding success.

However, the world of Elden Ring is not handed to players on a silver platter, as is the case in many RPGs. Instead, players must gradually uncover its secrets, history, and their own destiny. The story is brilliantly told, and the need to discover its intricacies, adds depth to Elden Ring.

A Deep Dive into the Game’s Graphics and Audio

As in many adventure and RPG games, Elden Ring features a day and night cycle that lasts just over an hour in real-time. Beyond the visual effect, changes in the time of day also affect gameplay mechanics. During the night, players may encounter different characters and enemies than during the day. The nighttime atmosphere also encourages stealth and ambush tactics, as it impacts visibility not only from the player’s perspective but also the perception of NPCs.

The game pays great attention to creating magical locations, meticulously detailed and considering weather conditions. This makes the surrounding world feel vibrant and ‘alive’, with all natural features like fog, rain, wind, and the setting sun streaming through tree canopies adding incredible atmosphere to the game. It’s a feast for the eyes and ears, as the sound design in the game is phenomenal and complements perfectly the current environment, adding horror, mystery, or dynamism as needed.

Economic Aspects: Why Elden Ring is Worth the Investment

According to the creators, completing the main storyline of Elden Ring should take around 45 hours. However, the game is quite extensive, filled with worthwhile locations to visit, side quests, and hidden achievements that can keep players engaged for many additional hours or prompt them to replay the game. The inclusion of dialogue options, a morality system, and multiple possible endings also adds to the game’s replay value.

Should you play it? Considering the Elden Ring cost, which hovers around $50-60, and the amount of entertainment it offers, the purchase seems very reasonable and worth considering. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the game is still relatively new, and many people have not had the opportunity to play it yet, so even if it doesn’t suit your taste, you may easily resell it to someone else.

Popularity and Reception

Elden Ring has received an excellent reception among both players and critics. With scores of 10/10 on GameSpot and IGN, as well as a Metacritic rating of 94/100, it has captured the hearts of an ever-growing player base for over a year, with many describing it as a ‘masterpiece’.

Players appreciate the expansive world, stunning graphics, captivating location designs, deep characters, and the game’s somewhat more accessible mechanics compared to FromSoftware’s previous titles. Due to its balanced difficulty and all the aforementioned elements, Elden Ring also has an advantage over many other RPG titles from the same year (and several previous years).

The game has received 331 awards in various competitions. An example includes the Golden Joystick Awards and The Game Awards, where it was named the most anticipated and sought-after game of the year two years in a row (2020 and 2021). It also won two major awards at the Japan Game Awards in 2022 and others in categories like The Best Scenario, The Best Game Design and Game of the Year.

Once again: is it worth buying, and should you play it? Definitely yes!