Elden Ring: all the know-how of From Software for a game more special than ever

Elden Ring

Provided that you have not lived under a stone so far, and even in this case we doubt there has not been news, you will know that Elden Ring is finally a reality: From Software's highly anticipated action RPG closed the Summer Game Fest with a bang, thanks to the official trailer and release date. However, a certain perplexity was not lacking because, in spite of all the possible enthusiasm, it was inevitable to find a remarkable similarity with the Dark Souls saga. So much so that on the internet it is ironic that the game could very well have been a DLC of the third chapter or even be called Dark Souls 4.

Unlike Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which at first glance are perfectly distinguishable from other souls, Elden Ring could very well be taken for a continuation of the successful narrative universe created by Miyazaki. The presence of George R. R. Martin at the writing had made us think (or hope) of a different scenario, always dark fantasy, but with its own uniqueness. At a glance it does not seem to have been and despite the obvious success of its presentation, the game pays a bit the price of not having presented itself with a greater aesthetic impact.

If From Software is really too derivative in the making of this new world, we will only know when the game is complete and in our hands. In the meantime Miyazaki has granted several interviews in which he tells some aspects better. The feeling we have is that Elden Ring has taken the typical From Software approach, where the lore of a game is all in the details, and has extended it to the whole project. Let's explain: if at a superficial glance the game may appear a "bland" Dark Souls 4, reading Miyazaki's explanations on Famitsu reveals a more captivating and complete general picture than the trailer, or the images, have revealed. If visually Elden Ring recalls the Dark Souls saga very closely, it is by better discovering some aspects of the gameplay that we realize how From Software has put all its know-how on the plate to develop an experience, in a certain sense. , aimed at enclosing what has been done over the years. And then take a few more steps.

Let's take a look at all the news in this special from Elden Ring's E3 2021.

The greatest game ever developed

In Elden Ring there is no shortage of gigantic monstrosities It is Miyazaki himself who says it: Elden Ring was thought to be the evolution of that highway traced by Dark Souls. It will be a concentrate of the experience accumulated over time that will take the action, level design and worldview to a higher level. In this sense, the presence of George R. R. Martin was the stimulus to carry out a series of objectives already taken into consideration. However, the author of "A Song of Ice and Fire" did not take care of representing the world of Elden Ring as we see it now, but of building its foundations by going to work on mythology and on what came before: it emerges thus a concept anchored to the From Software tradition of not developing a game that is limited to following a plot, but at the same time opens up to Martin's vision to give life to an impactful and slightly less cryptic narrative than in the past. Despite this, the careful analysis of what surrounds us will remain a prerequisite to savor it thoroughly.

The plot closely resembles that of Dark Souls: we will take on the role of the so-called Lightless (anyone who has been abandoned by grace of gold and therefore precluded by the Interregnum) in his mission to conquer the Ancestral Ring, guided by a lost grace and then reacquired, and become the lord of this "middle earth". A path very close to that of the Chosen One, considering that even in Elden Ring the protagonist is considered a "lifeless, yet living". Nevertheless, beyond evident narrative similarities, the very presence of this grace and above all the possibility of not following its indications are a first, small, tangible detachment from the previous series: the degree of freedom in the progression is much higher than to Dark Souls, explained Miyazaki, and this for example extends to boss fights.

Elden Ring, one of the inspired bosses Notwithstanding that the most hardcore players might want to do a first run facing anyone (where the game makes it possible and does not preclude any clashes based on our actions), the number of mandatory bosses to overcome is extremely small, as well as the order and time in which to face them is largely left in the hands of the player. An approach that so far in the various Dark Souls, but also in Bloodborne, has been more limited and limiting. With Elden Ring, Miyazaki's intention is to encourage both the sense of exploration and the consequent sense of discovery, thanks also to the presence of an open-field world, threatening but fascinating to cross.

A dualism that we find it both in dynamic weather and in the passing of time itself. If Miyazaki did not express himself on the first one, as regards the day / night cycle he reported a very interesting example: during the night hours the approach to the fight on our part and any enemies will be different precisely because of the poor visibility, forcing us to behavior different from what we would usually use. On the other hand, the darkness could prove to be a key factor in identifying otherwise invisible tracks and paths, an element that invites us not to shy away from the night and rather try to make the best of it. Of course, this as long as you manage to avoid the disturbing creatures that take the opportunity to go hunting when the sun goes down: once again, Elden Ring puts on the scales the danger represented by these monsters with the charm of discovery. Because it is clear that, faced with the fact of being able to meet unique enemies at particular times of the day, the idea of ​​seeing with our own eyes what they can be, what rewards they bring and whether they could be useful in the future as allies is undoubtedly tantalizing. Yes, allies.



Elden Ring, possible allies or equally likely enemies?

A further addition to the Elden Ring gameplay is in fact the possibility of summoning spirits, so as to exploit their strength in battle: something not exactly innovative, since it recalls the yokai of Nioh, but in its own way it brings a small variation on the theme. We do not know how it works but, beyond the "collectible" aspect as it could be true for any other piece of equipment, Miyazaki's words reveal the fact of being able to exploit these spirits based on their skills, if we want to define them. : in the interview he gives a couple of examples, speaking of "shield role" to be exploited as a rear guard and "bow role" as direct support in the attack. Since these spirits are based on the enemies encountered throughout the game, it is very likely that they can come up with some sort of strategy based on their appearance and how they act in battle - provided their abilities remain identical.

We do not know if, as in Nioh, once evoked they remain the necessary time to complete their action or if they appear as real companions for the entire duration of the battle, or even beyond; it will be interesting to understand the level of autonomy they possess and whether it is possible to impart some sort of strategy to them. Nor has it been explained how to obtain them and consequently summon them. However, it is evident that their presence stratifies the clashes even more.

Just like combat maneuvers, available for any weapon in our possession for a total of one hundred: obviously you can apply only one maneuver per weapon however , considering their number and also the variety of weapons that Miyazaki suggests the existence of, it seems that experimentation is part of the equation and the search for one's own style. To this are added two further factors: stealth, borrowed from Sekiro albeit in a less profound key, and attacks, or dodging, in jump. Neither has been exposed more clearly, we know for example that as regards stealth we will be able to hide in the tall grass but it is not clear if it will be an automatic action - that of bending over - or if we can choose when to do it. The jump itself offers greater dynamism to combat, for example being able to avoid low attacks such as sweeps simply by jumping them, but beyond this it is a mechanics to be tested in the field to understand its potential, especially in terms of battles. more lively. In any case, Miyazaki reassures that a greater variety in the combat system does not eliminate the more tactical and intense experience of the previous titles. An example are the clashes with bosses, figures that are thought of as real characters and not just more challenging obstacles without even a minimum of history behind them.

Hopes and expectations

Elden Ring , some of the spirits that we can summon in battle Summing up, Elden Ring at first glance can remember Dark Souls to the point of being compared to a hypothetical fourth chapter, when in reality, just like the lore that Miyazaki has accustomed us to, it is a game which shows all its diversity and completeness as soon as you look at it in detail. Between more elaborate maps to adapt to the new mechanic of jumping, but with an eye for exploration with the reduction of fall damage, and in general a game world almost entirely explorable from the beginning (there are just a few restrictions), Elden Ring really promises to be that evolution of the golden formula of Dark Souls: from a combat system that combines versatility and tradition, allowing experimentation as much as a more reasoned old-fashioned approach, to the spirits that deepen its variety, up to an unprecedented crafting by collecting materials in the field, we are talking about an incredibly dense and full-bodied journey.

Moreover, to share with friends thanks to a cooperation extended also to the open field. An experience of those that could keep us busy hours and hours and hours, despite Miyazaki said that 30 could be enough "if you don't get lost too far".

Elden Ring took a long time to wait, but when he finally showed up he proved once again that From Software hasn't lost its edge. You just have to wait to try it yourself.

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