The Dark Souls series is known as the "game of a thousand deaths" - for gamers. Many a controller has probably lost its life while playing Souls. Many of us gamers have learned from Dark Souls how (un)beautiful failure can be.
Now From Software - the makers behind Dark Souls - has set out to conquer the open world. Elden Ring is the name of the new treasure that follows in the footsteps of the Souls series. It was released in February 2022 and we'll tell you whether you should stock up on spare controllers.
The story of Elden Ring was co-written by none other than George R.R. Martin, the author of 'Game of Thrones'. You play an immortal "tainted one" and are actually banished from the Interlands. You can choose between ten different classes. These include samurai, beggar (!) and prophet. The Interlands, on the other hand, were blessed and protected by the Elden Ring and its offspring, the Earth Tree. However, the ring is broken and the fragments are in the possession of demigods, for whom the splinters - shall we say - have not done quite so well. Lord of the Rings and Gollum send their regards. Your task now is to collect the fragments again. However, the unsightly mutated demigods won't hand them over voluntarily.
The Intermediate Lands of Unlimited Possibilities
Like its predecessors, the game is anchored in the dark fantasy genre and offers you a total of six large areas in the huge open world of Zwischenland, all of which are beautifully designed. Unlike other games in this genre, there are no specific destinations on the map, only a rough direction is given for the story dungeons. You can therefore explore the intermediate lands independently and do not have to slavishly follow a specific sequence in order to progress. There are places everywhere that you can explore, such as catacombs, tunnel systems, castles, hidden cave systems and so on... So there's always something to find.
Elden Ring is hard as hell, and we don't want to gloss over that at this point. What sets the game apart from the Souls series is that a boss that cannot be defeated does not automatically prevent you from progressing in Elden Ring. If the boss is too powerful, there are numerous side quests to complete in the huge open world in addition to the main quest. The story-relevant Legacy Dungeons are home to the mutated Elden Lords. These dungeons offer you everything your Souls heart desires, including, of course, tough final bosses.
What else is available
Elden Ring offers you a wide range of gameplay options for defeating the enemies and bosses. In addition to the usual hack and slay method, you can also sneak up on enemies and kill them from ambush. If a fight gets too tough, don't hesitate to summon your trusty ghost horse and escape the battle in style. Incidentally, you can also attack your enemies on horseback. Weapons and shields in Elden Ring can be equipped with so-called weapon arts, for example for magical attacks or buffs.
Awesome game with minor flaws
Elden Ring is yet another masterpiece from From Software. However, it does have some small flaws. The game can indeed be a challenge, especially for beginners. The makers of From Software are known for not revealing everything in their games right from the start and you have to work out and figure out an incredible amount yourself. This also includes basic mechanics. Elden Ring is no exception.
Nevertheless, the game is an experience. The game design is convincing across the board, and the possibilities in the open world are almost endless. Then there are the great NPCs and of course the tough final bosses. You can also play Elden Ring in multiplayer mode. There is a co-op mode for up to three players and of course the good old PvP.
A truly exceptional game in an impressive world. That makes up for some of its weaknesses.