Elden Ring | Best Game of The Year 2022 | Game Review (PS5) | #eldenring #bestgame #gameoftheyear
113Elden Ring | Best Game of The Year 2022 | Game Review (PS5)
Just like every other From Software project, Elden Ring became one of the most anticipated games the moment it was announced. The collaboration with George R.R. Martin made it even more popular among Souls fans. Suffice to say that the hype around Elden Ring was something that few other titles in the making have experienced. Did From Software delivered on that hype? I think it did and then some.
Elden Ring is not really a departure from the previous Souls games. The only thing that’s changing is the fact that the Souls formula is no longer confined in linear designed levels and put instead in an open-world environment. It’s been often compared to Zelda: Breath of the Wild and I think it’s a fair comparison.
Having played and finished a few Souls games, I think it’s safe to say that Elden Ring is the most approachable. However, that doesn’t mean that the Souls games have suddenly become easier. Bosses will still punish you for the smallest mistake, but you have more options at your disposal. For example, if you feel like your character is underleveled for a boss, you can explore other areas and come back later.
Since Elden Ring is now set in an open-world environment, the gameplay loop is very different than what we’ve been used to. The linear level design aspect of the Souls games has been kept untouched in Elden Ring in the form of “dungeons.” Smaller in size and with fewer enemies in the starting zones, dungeons become massive labyrinths in the latter part of the game. Each of these dungeons have a mini-boss at the end, which drops a piece of gear.
The world of Elden Ring is absolutely massive. Even after many dozens of hours, you can still find new areas in zones that you think you’ve already explored. The addition of a horse, Torrent, that players can ride while roaming the open-world is another important addition to the Souls formula. Of course, that also involves mounted combat! Have you have dreamed of playing as a lancer? Well, now you absolutely can, at least while you’re not running a dungeon or fight a world boss.
In fact, there are so many ways to play Elden Ring that I’m pretty sure its replayability value is to the roof. There are 10 classes you can choose from in Elden Ring and while they start with different stats and equipment, that’s not going to matter at all in the long term. The only thing that really matters when choosing a class is the starting gear. You’ll be leveling quite fast, and the starting stats won’t longer matter when you reach level 50. Basically, play what you like and change it on the fly if you feel like what you chose doesn’t click.
One other important aspect that makes Elden Ring such a delight is the exploration aspect. Although the game does feature a map, it’s completely blank at the beginning and you’ll have to find fragments to reveal it. Think of the map like a big puzzle that you must complete to have the bigger picture. There’s no handholding when it comes to quests or where you should go next and what you need to do to progress the story. Although some NPCs will subtly point you in the right direction, think of these as bigger objectives that must be tackled after you’ve been exploring a big chunk of the map.
The world of Elden Ring is fascinating. You can meet a certain kind of enemies during that day, and a completely different on during nights. There are even bosses that only appear during nighttime. Also, there are several important NPCs that you’ll meet throughout the world, each with their own quests. Completing these quests usually takes a lot of time, but they will reward you with very nice gear. Please don’t kill NPCs, you might miss a nice questline and good item.
The Good:
Massive world to explore
Great worldbuilding
New mechanics elevate an established formula
Boss design and fights
Amazing art
The Bad:
Some technical issues
An upgrade to the UX is needed
No accessibility options
Conclusion:
Elden Ring is everything that I dreamed of and more. Although I did expect From Software to refine the Souls recipe, I was quite surprised by the large amount of new mechanics and how well the Souls formula has been implemented in an open-world environment.
But it’s not just the exploration aspect that makes Elden Ring the best Souls game out there. The massive open-world that doesn’t feel empty at all, the huge number of bosses and dungeons, as well as the boss fights elevate it to an entirely new level. Elden Ring is From Software at its best.
STORY = 9
GAMEPLAY = 9
CONCEPT = 10
GRAPHICS = 8
AUDIO = 9
MULTIPLAYER = 9
FINAL RATING = 9
Review: EXCELLENT
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