Elden Ring Review: The perfected "Soulsborne" formula

Created: 02/24/2022, 14:09

By: Omer Kayali

The Elden Ring is already a contender for Game of the Year 2022. It's a must-buy for fans of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but what about newcomers?

"Elden Ring" in the test.

Developer studio From Software has made a name for itself with "Dark Souls".

The quasi-offshoots "Bloodborne" and "Sekiro" were also great successes and are very popular despite - or perhaps because of - the extremely challenging level of difficulty.

With "Elden Ring" comes the latest part of the so-called "Soulsborne" games.

"Elden Ring" brings together the best of "Bloodborne", "Sekiro" and "Dark Souls" and perfects the proven From Software formula in one massive epic.

Fans will quickly find their way around.

However, the Game of the Year contender is not fully recommended for newcomers.

"Elden Ring" in the test: complete freedom for players

"Elden Ring" begins with a brief introduction to the backstory of the game, which incidentally comes from none other than "Game of Thrones" creator George RR Martin*.

Players take on the role of a "Tainted One" who aims

to find and piece together the

But after the intro, the story almost recedes into the background.

Sprawling dialogues and complicated relationships between the characters like in "Game of Thrones" are not to be expected despite GRR Martin's involvement.

or by the descriptions of weapons and special items.

This is an important aspect that Dark Souls beginners should be aware of.

There is no quest log listing missions.

Which characters you want to help and which places you want to explore is up to you.

- but that's exactly what motivates you to explore all corners of the game world on your own and to discover the

.

This is far better than a map crammed full of question marks that just have to be checked in order.

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"Elden Ring" in the test: A lot of well-known from "Dark Souls" with useful additions

"Elden Ring": The game world can also be explored on horseback.

© Bandai Namco/From Software

In "Elden Ring", the "

" serve as a kind of save point where players can level up and fill up potions.

However, most enemies will be revived after resting there.

"Places of Mercy" are thus the counterpart to the bonfire in "Dark Souls".

instead of souls like in “Dark Souls”

.

With these we can level up and buy equipment from merchants.

If you are defeated, you lose all runes and have a chance to get them back - just like you know it from the other "Soulsborne" games.

So there's a lot of the familiar in Elden Ring, but there's also

.

Unlike the "Dark Souls" games, "Elden Ring" now allows for

, which makes the character much more mobile and opens up

.

In terms of locomotion, however,

.

This not only allows the huge game world to be explored more quickly, but also offers a real advantage in battles for skilled riders.

Conclusion on "Elden Ring": game of the year, but not for everyone

In the reviews, "Elden Ring" has already received top ratings and

.

This is sure to attract many Soulsborne newcomers who may be overwhelmed by the

or irritated by the

storytelling.

Those who didn't like "Dark Souls" or other From Software titles will probably have their difficulties with "Elden Ring" as well.

Probably the most important tip is this: it's part of the game to fail against the same boss over and over again - it's all the more satisfying when you finally triumph.

For all "Dark Souls" and "Bloodborne" fans one thing is clear anyway: "Elden Ring" is an absolute must-buy and should undoubtedly already count as game of the year.