Elden Ring
An open-world action RPG set in the Lands Between.
Elden Ring is a 2022 action role-playing game directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding by George R. R. Martin. Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, it was released on February 25, 2022, for multiple platforms. The game sold over 30 million copies and won several Game of the Year awards, being cited as one of the greatest games of all time.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Director
- Hidetaka Miyazaki, Yui Tanimura
- Producer
- Yuzo Kojima
- Designer
- Yosuke Kayugawa, Ryu Matsumoto
- Programmer
- Takeshi Suzuki, Yuki Kido
- Artist
- Hidenori Sato
- Ryo Fujimaki
- Jovani Vazquez
- Writer
- George R. R. Martin, Hidetaka Miyazaki
- Composer
- Tsukasa Saitoh
- Shoi Miyazawa
- Tai Tomisawa
- Yuka Kitamura
- Yoshimi Kudo
- Soma Tanizaki
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
The game takes place in the Lands Between, a landmass once ruled by the immortal Queen Marika, keeper of the Elden Ring. Each demigod holds a Great Rune, a shard that corrupts them with power. The player character is a Tarnished, an exile summoned back to the Lands Between to repair the Elden Ring and become Elden Lord. Early in the journey, the Tarnished meets Melina, who offers to act as their Maiden, granting the ability to turn runes into strength and giving them her steed Torrent, on condition that the Tarnished brings her to the Erdtree.
Melina later takes the Tarnished to the Roundtable Hold, a gathering place for other Tarnished. The Two Fingers, the Hold's benefactor, instructs the Tarnished to collect Great Runes and bring them to the Erdtree. After defeating demigods and gathering enough Great Runes, the Tarnished battles Morgott the Grace-Given, who guards the Erdtree. As he dies, Morgott claims the Erdtree will not allow entry.
The Tarnished finds the interior blocked by thorns. Melina advises seeking the Flame of Ruin to burn the Erdtree, or the equally powerful Frenzied Flame.
Development and release
FromSoftware's Dark Souls series is known for high difficulty. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki wanted to create an open-world game, intending Elden Ring as a mechanical evolution of Dark Souls, with a more expansive environment than previous narrow dungeons. Miyazaki hoped the grander scale would add freedom and depth to exploration. FromSoftware approached American author George R. R. Martin, creator of A Song of Ice and Fire, to provide worldbuilding.
Miyazaki, a fan of Martin's work, hoped his contributions would produce a more accessible narrative. Miyazaki remained lead writer for the main storyline but gave Martin creative freedom to write about events before the main narrative, comparing the process to using a dungeon master's handbook in a tabletop role-playing game. The story was designed to be scantily explained, with players interpreting it via flavor text and optional NPC discussions.
Miyazaki enjoyed writing NPCs with more detail. Some staff from the television series Game of Thrones assisted development.
Reception
Elden Ring received universal acclaim according to Metacritic, and OpenCritic assessed it as receiving mighty approval, recommended by 98% of critics. It has been cited as one of the best video games of all time. The open world setting was acclaimed, with reviewers praising exploration mechanics. GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain called the Lands Between the most expansive of FromSoftware's settings, with exploration and discovery as the main appeal.
IGN's Mitchell Saltzman lauded the game for rewarding exploration across the map. The Guardian's Simon Parkin described the environments as intriguing and inventive. Some reviewers appreciated the opportunities to discover multiple challenges. The exploration drew favorable comparisons with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The difficulty provoked commentary, with both praise and criticism for the lack of easy modes. Some considered it the most accessible Souls game, as players could avoid difficult threats and return later. Combat was praised for offering options while remaining challenging. Torrent and fast travel were well-received as improvements to exploration, and checkpoint placement was praised for approachability.
More in Characters & Companions
Elsewhere in Baldur's Gate 3
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced