Release Date: 25 February 2022
Date Played: 21 April 2022
Introduction:
I'm not sure if Elden Ring is my favorite game of all time, nor am I sure if it's the "best" game ever made. However, when I think of all of the best games I've ever played all I can think to myself is, "Elden Ring is as good as that... maybe better." It's an incredible game that is awe-inspiring in both its scope and its attention to detail and the world that Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin created is unparalleled. And while the game isn't perfect, it is without a doubt a masterpiece by any metric.
When the game was first announced back in 2019, there was a lot of energy surrounding it that never really let up until it was released. Even then... even now, Elden Ring seems to be the only game that anyone is talking about. It released to universal acclaim from critics and the public alike and squashed any negativity that the naysayers could muster. The world was so enthralled by this game that it honestly felt like the video game community disappeared for a month because they were all too busy playing it.
Gameplay:
Being a FromSoft developed game, Elden Ring plays much like the other games in the SoulsBorne series. It's still a 3rd person action RPG with most of the same mechanics you'd expect. While some of the names have changed you still have the bonfire system that serves as somewhat of a checkpoint system (now called Sites of Grace), instead of souls that serve as XP and currency, you now have Runes, and instead of Estus Flasks that serve as healing potions, they are now called Flasks of Crimson Tears. So, if you've played Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, or Bloodborne, you're going to feel right at home here. There are still quasi-online components where you can summon people from around the world to help you, read messages left behind by other players, and even be invaded by hostile players looking to ruin your good time. The "rogue-like" components are still present as well. If you die, you lose the current XP you're saving to level up unless you can make it back to the spot of your death to reclaim it. The mechanics are tried and true and have a strong, "why mess with perfection?" attitude.
What is new this time around is that Elden Ring takes place in a vast and expertly crafted open world. Due to the game's enormous size, you're provided with a horse to help you traverse other overworld much more quickly and are also able to fast travel to and from the various Sites of Grace you'll find scattered around the map. The horse is a valuable ally and you will often be platforming, exploring, and even fighting upon his back. This mounted combat is a lot of fun and really changes up how you approach different situations in the game. If you're getting wrecked by an overworld enemy, hop on your horse and charge at him. Boss fights that seem impossible on foot become trivial on horseback and really go a long way to add variety to an already expansive game.
At first I thought the whole open world concept was going to dilute the Souls experience that were are all so accustomed to. Let me tell you, I couldn't have been more wrong. The open world not only allows a greater number of different environments that range from crystal forests, snowy tundras, poison swamps, and even alien hellscapes, it also provides a respite from the stress you feel from the inexorable challenge found in the other games. Yes, Elden Ring still has that "Dark Souls Hard" difficulty and has some of the hardest bosses found in the entire series, but it's a real blessing to be able to take a break from the hardships of combat and just get to explore on your horse and take in the scenery while hacking down weaker enemies. The other benefit that the open world provides is that it eliminates that impassable wall issue that plagued the other games. Often you would come to a boss or an area in the game that just felt too hard and you would spend hours and hours of time repeatedly fighting the same boss over, and over... just trying to progress past that point. This is what caused the vast majority of Souls players to give up on the game and quit out of frustration. It's hard to blame them. The Souls games do have a draconian mindset and you can tell the developers are actively trying to troll you with how difficult they can make things. This time around, when you get stuck, the open world lets you go off an explore in another direction and progress elsewhere until you become stronger. Then, you can come back to the section that was giving you fits and conquer it after you've become more powerful. The sites of grace do direct you towards the next area you should visit, but these "next areas" are multiple and don't really have to be done in any set order. Often times, I would struggle with an area before before taking a break to go somewhere else. When I got there, I would find myself plowing through enemies easily and destroying bosses on my first try. Upon returning to the first area, things were much easier the second time around.
As for gameplay styles, you have more options this time around to suit your playstyle than ever before. Sword and Board, dual wielding katanas, dragon magic, bow and arrow, etc. If you want to give it a shot, it's probably a viable technique. Still... items that add "bleed" buildup are your friend. This is especially true for some bosses, especially one that might be the hardest Souls boss of all time. Still, you will get stuck on some of the harder bosses for sure. Luckily, FromSoft provided Spirit Ashes that allow you to summon various enemies from the game to assist you in the fight. Some of these Ashes are so powerful that they can solo many of the bosses by themselves. So, don't despair, even if you're playing offline, you can still get some help.
Story:
Just like all the other SoulsBorne games, the story in Elden Ring is very lore rich and understated. You're given a slight background about how Marika, the ruler of the land left her powerful and titular Elden Ring behind. It was shattered and the pieces were gathered by grotesque demi-gods who used them to gain even more strength and influence. You now have to slay all of these enemies and gather the pieces of the Elden Ring so you can become the next Elden Lord. Of course, most of the story and background are filled in by studying the environments, reading item descriptions, and from piecing together bits of dialog from interacting with the game's colorful cast of characters. If you like to delve into every tiny aspect of a game's lore, then this is probably the game you've been praying for and dreaming of your whole life. If you don't care about the story at all, then you don't have to worry about it and can just plug your way through the game completely oblivious to all of this esoteric prattle. Personally, I love the lore in these games, but don't really want to put forth the effort to piece it together myself like some sort of archeologist who's trying to define an extinct people's culture by discovering letters on ancient pottery and dusty tomes. I typically do enough in these games to get the overall gist of what's going on, then after I finished the game, I watch some sort of extended internet video where someone has spent countless hours spelling it all out for me. Some people have complained that the story in these games needs to be more upfront and spelled out, but I feel like they are mistaken. The austere story adds a lot of mystery and intrigue to the world that feels unique to the series and would fall apart if more time were devoted to filling in the story with a bunch of cutscenes, dialog, or journal entries.
Of course, there are a ton of side quests that enrich the world even more and feel like a whole game unto themselves. Some of these span over the entire world and almost the full length of the game. If you undertake some of the more detailed ones, they will even lead to different endings for the game. They are all very cool and interesting, but my only complaint with them is the same as it's always been with these games. They are very obtuse about what you have to do, where you have to go, and when you have to be there. Often times, you have to meet a character at some random location that you completed hours ago and have no real reason to revisit. Sometimes they are looking for an item, but they don't tell you what it is or where to get it. Other times, you'll kill a boss or an enemy, and completely derail the side quest and find the quest giver murdered in their sleep or something without any warning before hand. I wish FromSoft would give us a bit more information during these side quests and some sort of journal to keep track of what's going on with each of them. It's very easy to lose track of all the objectives you're working toward and a little help would be nice. Also, most of these side quests lead to me having to lookup a walkthrough to figure out how to do them. Like 90% of the time, I think to myself, "yeah... I never would have figured that out in a million years." It's not enough to spoil the experience, and I know that this is my personal preference and not an objective flaw. I'm sure a lot of Souls fans would have it no other way.
In addition to this, there are optional side dungeons that usually provide you with a valuable item when you complete them. Sadly, they are too similar and often involve some sort of hidden path or trick to progress in them and repeat the same bosses over and over. They really do feel like they are trying to pad out the game and are reminiscent of the Bloodborne's chalice dungeons. They feel a bit like a grind and I think the game would have been better with fewer of them... or none at all. Since they are optional content, you can avoid them altogether if you wish. But, completing them all was a bit chore-like.
Presentation:
Well, the game looks magnificent. All of the graphics, animations, textures, and lighting effects are gorgeous. The art style and world that FromSoft have created is... frustratingly impressive. I am always shocked at the ideas they come up with. Every time I play one of these games, I think they are going to run out of fun and interesting new concepts, but they always prove me wrong. Elden Ring is no exception. I'm not sure what George R.R. Martin contributed, but it definitely feels like Mr. Miyazaki still has his creative claws embedded deeply into the process. He's a master world builder, and is flexing his skill more than he ever has before. He has a certain "style" that is easy to pick out from the competition and he might be my favorite game designer ever. Often times, I would find myself just staring into the distance and admiring the magnificent surroundings. I know I'm not alone in this because there are messages left behind by other players at every vista in the game praising the glorious view.
On top of this, the soundtrack is spectacular and typically consists of somber strings playing sparse and minimalistic melodies while you journey around the isolated and forlorn world. Of course, when you enter into one of the game's many memorable and epic boss fights, the full choir kicks into gear with lots of "oohs" and "aahs" that accompany the grandiose orchestral pieces. It has a very gothic and epic presentation and seems as if it could have been composed by the great Carl Orff. There's nothing like tense classical music pounding in the background to make a white-knuckle boss fight tip over into cardiac arrest territory.
The cast of characters is as crazy and unique as ever. The Deathbed Companion, Iron Fist Alexander (the giant jar), Renni the Witch, Dung Eater, and many others are so unique that they could star in their own games and I wish I got to spend even more time with them. FromSoft never lets you down when they design characters and I think this is some of their best work. I'll probably get some art prints depicting these characters and hang them up in my game room alongside some of the other awesome video game characters from the past.
I have nothing negative to say about the presentation in this game and it rivals and/or surpasses every other game I've ever played.
Conclusion:
Elden Ring did something I don't think I've ever seen any other game do. For 3 years, it was the most anticipated game out there. The hype surrounding it was palpable. Normally when this happens, it seems like everyone is really let down once the game releases. I think back on all of these huge game that were released in half-finished states, full of bugs, were boring or repetitive, rehashed the same concepts, or just generally disappointed the public. Not only did that not happen with Elden Ring... it seems to have SURPASSED everyone's expectations. It's much better than I thought it could have ever been. It is almost guaranteed to win Game of the Year and will probably start appearing towards the top of Best Games of All Time lists.
Other than the repetitiveness of the the optional "chalice" dungeons, and my inability to keep up with what's going on with the side quests, I have nothing to complain about in Elden Ring. It's probably the best SoulsBorne game ever made. It's so good, in fact, that it completely destroyed my desire to play any other games. I was in the middle of 4 other games when I started Elden Ring, and I just put them to the side to dump 71 hours into this game. Honestly, I would have kept playing on New Game +, but I have so many games in my backlog that I need to get to that I was starting to feel guilty about it. I could see someone putting thousands of hours into this game... and I wouldn't fault them for it.
Everyone needs to play this Elden Ring. It's sheer scope and high difficulty will drive many people away, but don't let those two aspects deter you. They are benefits rather than faults. You need the tense aspect of the combat encounters to give you that rewarding feeling and you need the open world to take a break from the intensity.
To reiterate, is Elden Ring the best game that's ever been made? If it's not, it's really close.
Final Status: Beaten... and all bosses cleared
Final Score: 10/10 Masterpiece
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