Haven't done a review in a while! Wonder if the ol' reviewing muscles are still in shape. But, you know your boy. ๐ช๐๐
Today we will be talking about one juggernaut in gaming. A game I cannot believe I have yet to cover on my page. For many, it is FROMSOFTWARE's crowning achievement. For others, it's in their top 3. A pinnacle game that deserves a deeper dive than I do with my 'Through the Lens' posts. So we're giving it one!
DEVELOPER: FromSoftware Inc.
GENRE: RPG, Open World, Action
PLATFORMS: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PC
WRITERS: George R. R. Martin, Hidetaka Miyazaki
RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2022
It all started when FromSoft's acclaimed studio head, and visionary for the studio - Mr. Hidetaka Miyazaki - wanted to work with George R. R. Martin. For those unaware this is a collaboration of epic proportions. A dream collab that might occur in harbor shops or fandom forums, but never in real life. Well, in this case, it did. And the results were magnificent.
George wrote a World Bible for the game and left the team soon after. But to get a World Bible from one of, if not the best, world builders in the world is more than enough. Especially when FromSoft already has seasoned vets when it comes to world-building themselves. ๐ฏ
What's a World Bible?
Basically an internal wiki for the genesis of the game's lore. Characters, plot details, relationships. All are laid out in a nifty way for the designers to then take over. Basically, the bedrock of the game's lore. And the foundation on top of which everything else is built.
So did it work? IMHO yes! Elden Ring has the best world out of any FromSoft game. And as I said, FromSoft are no slouches when it comes to world-building. So this is a great accomplishment.
So the bedrock of the foundation is more than solid. We gonna need more in order for this to live up to the anticipation. And yes, while the hype of this game was not on Cyberpunk 2077 levels (because let's be honest nothing ever has been or will be) it was still a decent amount of hype. Hype that FromSoft delivered.
We have the foundation set, now it's time to build upon it. โ๏ธ
Feels like FromSoft brought their A-game with this one. They went above and beyond to realize George's vision. And in the capable hands of Miyazaki, and with a veteran team of developers, the mad lads managed to do it.
ART DIRECTION: Hidenori Sato, Ryo Fujimaki
COMPOSERS:: Yuka Kitamura, Tsukasa Saitoh, Shoi Miyazawa, Yoshimi Kudo, Tai Tomisawa
First, let's talk about the epicness that is the Elden Ring soundtrack. Link below for your listening pleasure, this has to be one of the best soundtracks to come out in recent memory. ๐ถ The sheer scale of it all cannot be understated. This thing just feels epic. And is meant to be listened to while slaying titans and gods and bringing about the end of the world as we know it.
Moreover, the sound design in general, while feeling decisively FromSoft, is crisp and recognizable. ๐ THe sword swings are savage and the howling monster screams are hunting. The soundtrack is the real king here, but don't get it twisted, the SFX team were no slouches.
Now on to the art side of things. Easily FromSoft's best-looking game to date. But the buck doesn't stop here. The direction of said art is where Elden Rings really shines. This is to be expected as FromSoft's art direction has always sat apart from the rest of the industry in its uniqueness. I am glad this aspect of their brand has not only remained in fact, but has become a selling point for the company.
The Lands Between, which is the setting of this world, is brought to life with such detail and ingenuity that you cannot help but appreciate it. ๐จ The collaboration that must have occurred between the lore and art teams must've been staggering. I can only wish to be a part of such creative juices one day. Because if this is the art that comes out of it, it is one of the greater callings a creative can have in this world.
So it looks pretty, and it sounds epic. That's nice. But if you are a true gamer (I know that's a pretentious statement, but I'm using it to prove a point here!) you are surely asking yourself: But how does it play? And yes, I am on your side, if the gameplay is subpar, then all of this great lore and visuals and sound would have been for naught.
Elden Ring is FromSoft's first open-world game. I knew that the studio was built for this. When I heard that they were building an open-world RPG I knew that the open-world aspect of the game would be nailed down with spikes and nails. That's because FromSoft are the masters of level design.
Level design is their bread and butter. Not just good level design, but level design that lends itself to being scaled up into a huge open world. As a massive fan of Metroidvanias, the world was the aspect of this game I was most looking forward to. I am happy to report that they knocked it out of the park, governor.
One of the aspects I love most about The Lands Between is that you are set loose and expected to find your own path in this treacherous world. No markers everywhere to hold your hand, or NPCs to lead you into the explorations. The map is unlocked in a very Hollow Knight sort of way, where you explore an area for a bit before locating the map fragment, usually placed in the middle of the area you're exploring. The open world is designed for you to explore and level up at your leisure so you could be sufficiently ready for the challenges ahead.
And boy what challenges they are. Each major boss is locked behind a typical Dark Souls-like dungeon that you will have to traverse. Add all these dungeons up and you'll have Dark Souls 4. Add the open world to the top of it and you have Elden Ring. ๐
FromSoft have always been recognizable when it comes to their combat. So much so that they've spawned a genre, the SoulsLike games. They have revamped their approach across titles. ๐ฎ And while Elden Ring does follow familiar formulas, it is clear that they have taken the lessons they've learned from previous years and applied them to Elden Ring.
Another thing is that you are encouraged to experiment with your build. Different items and upgrades are scattered throughout the world. This in turn means that different players will have a different power level when approaching certain bosses. Which might make some head-bangingly difficult fights trivial for some. And vice versa. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Some might say this is a flaw with the game, while I say it's just the nature of the beast. Creating a meaningful open world means some player build will be left out. Or rather, require more to reach their full potential.
There is one gripe that I have to mention. I don't think this is FromSoft's best showing when it comes to boss design. There are bosses here that you could easily put in your top 10 boss battles of all time, but then again there are others that are just lackluster and/or frustrating. ๐ฌ
This again, it all comes down to FromSoft's never-ending ambition. Bigger bosses, bigger stakes, bigger attacks. It's all bigger and faster and more impressive-looking. Sometimes you end up with a boss that doesn't fit the screen. ๐ Or a boss with an undodgeable impervious attack that you just have to take. Or segments of the boss battle that you just have to wait out.
You might think these complaints are trite, but such is the life of a developer that has set such a high bar for themselves.
One of the best open-world RPGs ever made. Easy! It put Western developers in a scramble to belittle its greatness because their pitiful showings are nowhere near Elden Ring's. ๐ // no but seriously, some established developers went out of their way to talk ish about this title on release, it didn't end well for them
Elden Ring has sold more than 20 million copies to date. For a single-player game that number is just nuts. Goes to show the reach that this title acquired. To that point, some have said that the introduction of the open world, and the summons that you have, make this the easiest, and therefore the worst, FromSoft game.
That point is so pretentious that I don't even have to tackle it. You all are smart enough to see the folly in that statement.
I cannot imagine what Elden Ring 2 will look like in... 10 years when it's released. ๐ Probably be the best open-world RPG of all time like its dad. But who knows?
RATING: Buy it! โ
Thank you for reading, you rock! (and maybe roll) ๐๐๐
Shout-out to the ๐PIZZA๐ gang, ๐ค gang. ๐ค
Hope everyone enjoyed this review! It's been a while since I've done longer-form content. Might actually return to it as I have several ideas for articles lined up.
Regardless, I love this game to bits, and I would implore you to give it a try if you haven't. Like I said it is the most approachable FromSoft game, so you have no excuses!
And if you do end up playing it, make sure to tell your boy how was it. ๐ I love talking about this game and its mythology, so feel free to pick my brain on any topic concerning it.
๐ Follow me on my HIVE blog ๐
Hope everyone is having a fantastic day! And if you aren't, no worries! Tomorrow will be better! ๐๐๐