First announced way back in 2019 at the years E3 convention, Elden Ring is an upcoming action role-playing game being developed by FromSoftware and to be published by Bandai Namco.
The game is a collaborative effort between game director Hidetaka Miyazaki (the Souls series, Bloodborne) and fantasy novelist George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones). The game was originally scheduled to be released on 21 January 2022, but it has just been delayed by a month with a new release date now of 25 February.
Elden Ring takes place in the realm of the Lands Between, sometime after the destruction of the titular Elden Ring and the scattering of its shards, the Great Runes. Once graced by the Ring and the Erdtree which symbolizes its presence, the realm is now ruled over by the demigod offspring of Queen Marika the Eternal, each possessing a shard of the Ring that corrupts and taints them with power. As a Tarnished â exiles from the Lands Between who lost the Ringâs grace â summoned back after the Shattering, players must traverse the realm to ultimately find all the Great Runes, restore the Elden Ring, and become the Elden Lord.
Elden Ring is an action role-playing game played in a third-person perspective and features elements similar to those found in its predecessor, the Souls series, with gameplay focusing on combat and exploration. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki explained that players start with a linear opening but will eventually progress to freely explore the Lands Between, including its six main areas, as well as castles, fortresses, and catacombs scattered throughout the vast open-world map. These main areas are interconnected through a central hub that players can access later in the gameâs progression â similar to Firelink Shrine from Dark Souls â and will be explorable using the characterâs mount as the main mode of transport, although a fast travel system will be an available option. Throughout the game, players will encounter non-player characters (NPCs) and enemies alike, including the demigods who rule each main area and will serve as the gameâs main bosses.
Combat in Elden Ring relies heavily on character-building elements found in previous Soulsborne games, such as calculated, close-ranged melee-based combat with the use of skills, magic abilities, as well as blocking and dodging mechanics. Elden Ring will introduce mounted combat and a stealth system, the latter being a core gameplay element from their previous game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice; these features are expected to encourage players in strategizing their combat approach with each unique enemy they encounter.
Find out more on the official site:
Itâs one thing Iâve loved about Dark Souls is how convoluted and vague the story and item descriptions are.
