In February 2022, FromSoftware, known for its challenging and intricate game design, delivered a new masterpiece to the gaming world: Elden Ring. Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, in collaboration with legendary author George R.R. Martin, Elden Ring takes players on an unforgettable journey through a sprawling open world known as “The Lands Between.” The game merges the punishing yet rewarding gameplay of the Souls series with a more expansive and free-form exploration system, making it a landmark in modern gaming. In this post, we explore why Elden Ring is hailed as a monumental achievement, highlighting its intricate world-building, unique mechanics, and how it redefines the action RPG genre.
The World of The Lands Between
At the heart of Elden Ring is The Lands Between, a vast and varied world where mystery lurks around every corner. Several regions divide the world, each with its own biome, architecture, and lore. From the lush greenery of Limgrave to the decaying, haunted streets of Caelid, each area feels like its own living ecosystem. The map design strikes a perfect balance between open-world exploration and traditional Soulsborne level design, offering players both the freedom to roam and the intricacy of meticulously crafted environments.
This world feels alive, not just because of its inhabitants but due to the way it interacts with the player. Ruins, forests, swamps, and castles fill The Lands Between, begging for exploration, with every location telling a story. The dynamic weather, day-night cycles, and verticality add to the immersion, making each venture into the unknown feel different from the last.
Martin’s influence is evident in the rich lore that underpins the game’s narrative. The pantheon of demi-gods and their complex relationships weave a deep, often tragic tale that rewards players who dig deeper. Item descriptions, environmental clues, and NPC dialogue encourage players to piece together the game’s lore, a signature element of Miyazaki’s storytelling.
Open-World Design Meets Soulsborne
Before Elden Ring, FromSoftware had built its reputation with tightly designed, somewhat linear games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. These games thrived on the intimacy of their level design, where every corridor and enemy placement had a purpose. Elden Ring does something bold by combining this philosophy with a truly open-world structure.
The vastness of The Lands Between means players can explore at their own pace. Elden Ring frees players from a set path and encourages open exploration. Players can encounter optional bosses, secret dungeons, hidden treasures, and lore-rich environments that they might otherwise miss. The freedom is intoxicating, and for many players, the thrill of exploring the unknown surpasses even the satisfaction of conquering the game’s most challenging bosses.
Yet, Elden Ring doesn’t abandon the signature Souls experience. Intricately designed dungeons and castles punctuate the sprawling open world, offering the same level of challenge and depth as previous Souls games. The capital city, Leyndell, for example, stands as one of the most complex and breathtaking areas in FromSoftware’s history. These enclosed areas blend seamlessly with the broader world, making for a cohesive experience that satisfies both fans of open-world exploration and those who crave a more traditional action RPG experience.
Combat: Familiar Yet Refined
While Elden Ring maintains the core combat mechanics of the Soulsborne series—challenging enemies, stamina management, precise dodging—it also introduces new elements that make the gameplay feel fresh. Mounted combat is a notable addition, as players can ride Torrent, their spectral steed, to traverse the vast landscape and engage in battles. The flexibility and mobility this provides are refreshing, especially when dealing with some of the larger, more menacing bosses that roam the open fields.
The game also offers a wide variety of playstyles. Whether you favor melee combat, sorcery, archery, or a mix of these, Elden Ring provides numerous ways to approach encounters. The new Ashes of War system adds further depth by allowing players to customize their weapons with different skills and effects. This customization, coupled with the wide array of weapons, spells, and summons available, ensures that no two players’ experiences will be the same.
Boss battles in Elden Ring deserve special mention. FromSoftware consistently delivers epic, often brutal boss fights, and Elden Ring continues this tradition. Whether players face the multi-limbed Godrick the Grafted or the lightning-wielding Dragonlord Placidusax, each boss uniquely challenges them both mechanically and mentally. These encounters often serve as the climactic points of the game’s exploration, testing the skills and strategies players have developed.
Character Customization and RPG Elements
Elden Ring also stands out for its deep character customization and role-playing elements. From the outset, players choose a class—whether it be a nimble Samurai, a powerful Confessor, or a magic-wielding Astrologer—but the game doesn’t pigeonhole players into any one playstyle. As players gain experience and level up, they can allocate points into different attributes, creating hybrid builds that combine elements of melee, magic, and ranged combat.
The variety of gear available also adds to the game’s replay ability. Players find armor, weapons, and accessories throughout the world, each with its own stats and effects. The game’s crafting system further enhances the customization, allowing players to create items, weapons, and potions on the fly. This, combined with the ability to summon spirits and other NPCs, adds layers of strategy to how players tackle different areas and enemies.
For many, the multiplayer aspect of Elden Ring adds yet another layer of depth. Players can summon others for cooperative play or engage in PvP battles in designated areas. This creates a sense of community within the game’s harsh world, as players help each other conquer challenges or engage in friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) duels.
Themes of Loss, Power, and Corruption
Beyond its gameplay, Elden Ring also excels in its thematic depth. The game explores themes of loss, ambition, power, and the corruption that comes with it. The story revolves around the fractured rule of The Lands Between, where demi-gods war over the remnants of a once-great empire.The player, known as the Tarnished, must reassemble the shattered Elden Ring, the source of the world’s power.
Elden Ring’s lore features tragic characters, such as Queen Marika, who betrayed her own children, and many demi-gods who succumbed to the corruption of power. They were once exiled from The Lands Between, cursed to wander the world in search of redemption. This narrative arc mirrors the player’s journey through the game—an endless cycle of death and rebirth, failure and triumph. These themes deeply resonate with players, not only because of the story but also through how the gameplay reflects them.
Every death in Elden Ring feels like a small failure, but with each failure comes the opportunity for growth and learning. The game teaches players that loss is not the end but rather a step toward mastery.
Conclusion: A New Standard in Open-World Gaming
Elden Ring has redefined what an open-world action RPG can be. Its seamless blend of challenging combat, intricate world design, deep lore, and player freedom makes it a game that stands tall among its peers. By merging the best elements of the Soulsborne games with the expansiveness of an open world, FromSoftware has created an experience that feels both familiar and groundbreaking.
For those who seek a challenging, immersive world filled with mystery and wonder, Elden Ring is a must-play. Even after 87 hours of blood, sweat, and tears that included some of the most challenging fights I’ve ever fought, and innumerable surprises, there are still bosses that I left on the table, secrets that I’ve yet to uncover, sidequests that I missed out on, tons of weapons, spells, and skills that I’ve never used. And this is all on top of PVP and cooperative play that I’ve barely been able to scratch the surface of. Throughout it all, while the fundamentals of combat haven’t changed much from what we’ve seen before, the enormous variety of viciously designed enemies and the brutal but surmountable bosses have brought its battles to a new level.
Despite missing several threads during my first playthrough (and I’m sure there will be many more), I can easily count what I experienced among the best open-world games I’ve ever played. Like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild before it, Elden Ring is one that we’ll be looking back on as a game that moved a genre forward. Elden Ring’s impact on the gaming industry will shape future games for years to come, serving not only as FromSoftware’s crowning achievement but as a new standard for open-world games.
