Elden Ring Review: A Timeless Masterpiece

The phrase “Timeless Masterpiece” came from the countless hours I invested in the Lands Between. I believe it epitomizes my views towards Elden Ring, which I will clarify in a moment. I would like to mention that I’m trying to do my best to dodge surprises, but if you’re looking for completely unbiased analysis, I suggest not perusing this review at all, since I’ll turn some big pages in order to do so.

Elden Ring (play the violent soundtrack) is the newest game gracing the screens and sure, much like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Demon Souls before it, it’s really difficult to complete. But I don’t think it’s fair to equate Elden Ring to Dark Souls, especially with its high/dark mythological elements.

Historic tombs like Stormveil Castle as well as the Academy of Raya Lucaria, which were gloomy and inaccessible in previous From Software products, nevertheless persist, however in the Lands Between, players have the ability to explore the entire globe.

The Best RPG I’ve Ever Hated

Plenty of my wee morning was devoted to wandering around Limgrave, mostly since I was having my rear delivered to me by Margit the Fell Omen, because of the feeling of excitement you get when galloping about the fantasy land.

The Game of Thrones alum George R.R. Martin penned a large portion of the narrative for ‘The Lands Between,’ and previous From Software titles as well as not to mention the Lord of the Rings and Berserk have also had a huge impact on the Lands Between appearance.

Since you’re given so much information immediately enough, most players were led to believe that Limgrave might be the end of the game’s wide universe. This is aided by the map, which is initially just the length of the starting location before expanding when you go to different places like Caelid or Liurnia of the Lakes. As you go through the adventure, it expands in size and complexity.

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What started out as a large game eventually develops into a vast planet full of mysteries to uncover. And I believe now is the ideal opportunity to talk about the IPs visuals, since this is the best-looking RPG I’ve ever experienced. When you’re not keeping tabs, you’ll be smacked down a ravine by an attacker who was lurking in the shadows since you were distracted.

From Software’s products have traditionally appeared stunning, but part of the scenery you can view on the horizon is merely for show. Elden Ring, on the other hand, allows you to explore all the places players reach, making it even more amazing. With these outstanding blocky graphics in place for all of the monsters (spanning from Malekith the Black Blade and Melania the Sword of Miquela), you can applaud them in their animations before the story returns and they initiate pummeling you into obscurity.

Traveling from one location to another allows you some rest, however, this is nonetheless a From Software adventure and the task is as difficult if not more so than ever before. Tread carefully as death lurks behind every step you take.

The Game Extracts a Heavy Toll

I can’t suggest this title enough, however, be prepared to suffer and be tested if you want to play it. Even while some might argue that it should be nerfed and more readily available, this is exactly what the creators intended when they created it, so if you’re looking for something to unwind with, go elsewhere.

Well, as I stated at the outset, this is a fractured masterwork, and I could wax poetic about it all day, but first, let me point out some of the game’s shortcomings. FromSoftware’s ambitions are mostly to blame for the majority of the issues that have arisen. Their debut open-world title is vast, however, the problem is that you have to populate the world, and this is where I believe the Lands Between fails.

A majority of the dungeons and catacombs have the same foes over and over again, and some of the minibosses are fun when you initially face them but boring after the fourth or fifth encounter. Minibosses are occasionally positioned in locations that don’t truly match their battles. There is a noticeable difference in the level of aggravation and unfairness when you face a Fallingstar monster in an open region and in a confined ring, for instance.

The flexibility of the open-world often leads to over-leveling, which is a byproduct. There is a sense of unfairness if you don’t play the action in a specific sequence, since you may find yourself investigating places at an even greater level than you intended, and you may feel betrayed when you defeat a monster in four strikes. FromSoftware’s products are renowned for their ambiguity, but I think this one might have benefitted from a little more direction.

Frankly, I believe it to be accurate, and Elden Ring has both examples of enemies being made more difficult and examples of monsters being made easier as a result of practice. Many adversaries now have strikes that are expressly meant to harm gamers who want to clutch the boss’s behind and slash its strength to smithereens. This is a positive thing since it forces you to keep your feet on the ground.

Elden Ring Is Guilty Of

Elden Ring’s worst sin is its overzealousness, yet even with that, it remains the holy grail for both sandbox titles and fictional RPGs equally. In the same way that Dark Souls influenced a generation of gamers, this adventure would be spoken about for generations to follow.

However, I continued going back to enjoy it day in and day out for the simple purpose that I needed to learn more about the world and push myself intellectually. Even though I’ve already spent 65 days exploring it, I realize I’m not even halfway to seeing all it has to offer.

If you’re up for the task, Elden Ring would enrich your experience and render the voyage more enjoyable. I’m presently enjoying Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice since completing this title gave me misguided assurance to attempt other From Software titles.