Elden Ring Review- Perfected Pain

I’d wager you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody even remotely interested in gaming who hasn’t at least heard of FromSoftware’s ‘Elden Ring’. This videogame received the most anticipated awards at both the Golden Joystick and Game Awards 2020 and 2021. This was certainly a long time coming, and it would be very easy to disappoint given the pressure put onto Hayao Miyazaki and his team (including George R. R. Martin- writer of the massive Game of Thrones). However, the result was quite the opposite. This game is perfectly crafted in almost every way to encourage exploration, incite intrigue and, of course, cause you a lot (and I mean a LOT) of pain. Much like its predecessors, death is the game in Elden Ring- and it comes so sweet.

Story

The story of Elden Ring is sure to be controversial, much like the Dark Souls series before it. Instead of a linear narrative that takes you from place to place, overexplaining every detail like many RPGs tend to do, Elden Ring takes the opposite approach. There are very few cutscenes, and most of the story comes from reading item descriptions, scouring different environments and thinking about the lore implications of everything you see happening around you. This is certainly unique, and proves to be a very complicated but rewarding narrative system. In fact, I’m certain that the narrative complexity was cranked up to eleven with George R. R. Martin’s involvement.

There is a baseline to the story, however. You are a ‘Tarnished’ who has traveled to the Lands Between to seek the title of Elden Lord. At the start of the game, this isn’t really explained, and you aren’t really sure what you're attempting to do to become this Lord. By the end of the story, this is sort of the same. However, this is not a negative aspect. In fact, this is one of the best parts of the game. Having to really think about what’s happening, and whether what you are doing is the right thing is an aspect inherited from the Dark Souls series. This boosts replayability too- especially with multiple different endings depending on very specific actions. Nothing is made clear- and that uniqueness is what makes the story so perfect. In fact, after finishing my first playthrough, I dove right back in to see what I could do differently. Luckily for me, the story is just the start of the replayability- with the gameplay providing so much more.

Gameplay

I have never before seen a game with as much freedom as Elden Ring provides. There is so much going on that it may feel overwhelming at first, but it takes small steps to introduce you to the world. These steps may seem incredibly punishing at first (which they are), but in fact, they are the perfect tools for teaching you what to do next. For example, there is a now-infamous boss known as the Tree Sentinel outside of the tutorial area. You won’t beat this first try- or second- or tenth. In fact, I’d wager that it’d be almost impossible to beat unless you come back hours later. This is single-handedly the best teaching tool in the game. It tells a few things. One: you will die. Two: you will die a lot. Three: When you die, it is sometimes better to hone your skills and come back later. This is the pinnacle of Elden Ring’s design.

Whereas Dark Souls was quite linear in area progression, Elden Ring gives you a fully open-world out of the gate- allowing you to go almost anywhere you want. This makes Elen Ring’s harder bosses less frustrating and far more fun when you know you can return to them at a later point. In fact, the majority of bosses are completely optional- allowing less skilled players to avoid difficult encounters completely. This means that the game is both more punishing but also laxer when it comes to getting stuck. You may go to explore a new area and find a new weapon or upgrade that allows you to destroy an earlier boss. The ability to do this makes the non-linearity of the game one of its best traits. However, there is one that tops it.

The combat of Elden Ring is as close to perfection as I have ever seen in any videogame. From long, deliberate attacks to quick stab-and-run techniques, each playstyle feels both unique and rewarding in its own ways. This elevates replayability beyond most other RPGs. On tip of this, the ability to respec your character at any time allows you to lean more into magic, melee, or a mix. The freedom offered here is outstanding and a testament to how RPGs should be made in the future. Elden Ring hits its gameplay out of the park.

Presentation

It’s not just the gameplay that’s outstanding, however, but also the presentation. Of course, the game looks fantastic- an incredible feat given the scale of the world. Each weapon fits with the world wonderfully, and enemy designs are perfected. On top of this, the sound effects used really play into a power fantasy that you wouldn’t expect to find in such a punishing videogame. Long, bloody spears and magical katanas feel excellent to hit enemies with- and even a huge finger makes an appearance as a hidden weapon. Each feel great to use, with a lot of this owing to the sound effects and look that each weapon presents.

The music is also FromSoftware’s best. From intense boss tunes to quiet, reflective pieces as you travel the expansive world, Elden Ring doesn’t falter in this aspect. The game’s score is perfected towards the end, with the final boss having one of the best pieces of music in Souls games. The chance that these pieces give you to breathe is also welcome- crafting a near-perfect musical score. The only gripe is that a lot of songs were repeated in certain mini-bosses or combat encounters, although I’d wager this is more of a testament to the scope of the game rather than the limits of the score.

Conclusion

There is no argument that Elden Ring is one of the finest games of the generation so far. Its gameplay, progression and scope feels just incredible. Although it may feel overwhelming at first, exploring the Lands Between is always a treat- even when you're getting destroyed by packs of wild dogs (or even birds with knives attached to them). The ambition of this game was certainly large, and I’m glad to say that FromSoftware fulfilled all of their promises and more than lived up to the hype. This game cements this studio as one of the best in the industry- and I, for one, am more than excited to see what they’ve got lined up next. Regardless, Elden Ring is a masterpiece that critics and fans are going to be talking about for years to come.