Rishabh Borde
What do you get when you combine the character driven narratives and brutality of ‘Game of Thrones’ author George R.R. Martin’s new world with the grimdark low fantasy setting and punishing difficulty of From Software’s epochal ‘Dark Souls’ trilogy? Well, we are about to find out fairly soon. Ever since its announcement at E3 2019, From Software’s newest project titled ‘Elden Ring’ has elicited curiosity and confusion from fans in equal measure.
In typical fashion, the reveal trailer for the game lets on very little, but the unique aesthetic and setting is rather intriguing and lends itself nicely to speculation and rumination. Already, it is looking like an Action Role Playing Game in the mold of ‘Dark Souls III’ populated in a fantastical world of Martin’s creation. If that premise piques your interest, read on to find out everything we know about ‘Elden Ring’.
What Can We Expect From Elden Ring?
‘Elden Ring’ is an upcoming Third Person Action Role Playing Game (RPG) from the developers of the 2015 PlayStation exclusive ‘Bloodborne’ and the notoriously popular ‘Dark Souls’ franchise. Right off the bat, ‘Elden Ring’ is reminiscent of ‘Dark Souls’ in both tone and gameplay inspiration.
The protagonist is not the long-lost heir to a kingdom, and nor are they some kind of hero chosen by destiny. In fact, they are a nobody; nameless and inconsequential. You start out by creating a custom character who is, for lack of a better term, a feeble weakling. You navigate your way through the unforgiving world, often chancing upon petrifying monstrosities that you must either fight or run away from, the latter being my preferred plan of action. Battle is a torrid affair even against the most basic of enemy units and can be borderline masochistic in the boss battles.
However, ‘Elden Ring’ also differentiates itself from ‘Dark Souls’ in some key aspects. For one the world of ‘Elden Ring’ is much larger in scale and scope, with From Software opting for a fully explorable Open World for the first time in one of their Souls like games. This is not traditional Open World either, in that it lacks any populated towns or hub zones. Instead, you will find the world of ‘Elden Ring’ rich with ancient ruins that serve to emphasize the melancholic atmosphere. You will traverse this new world on horseback.
The setting of ‘Elden Ring’ is also notably different from anything found in From Software’s previous games. Goerge R.R. Martin’s influence on the game is clear to see in the distinctly Norse vibes given out by the game’s trailer. While From Software’s games have never lacked in atmosphere before, Martin’s involvement should lead to a game with richer character development and a much more compelling narrative structure. ‘Game of Thrones’ was widely lauded for its complex and captivating character and hopefully ‘Elden Ring’ inherits that quality.
Elden Ring Developers: Who Are The People Behind It?
‘Elden Ring’ is being developed by Japanese video game developer From Software and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The project is being helmed by Game Director Hidetaka Miyazaki in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, author of the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ books upon which the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV series is based.
From Software is a veteran developer who pioneered the now immensely popular Souls like genre of games characterized by extreme difficulty and memorable boss fights with 2009’s PlayStation 3 exclusive ‘Demon’s Soul’. Following that, From Software earned significant success with the Dark Souls trilogy and other subsequent releases like 2015’s ‘Bloodborne’ and this year’s ‘Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’.
‘Bloodborne’ was fairly similar in spirit to the ‘Dark Souls’ games, but was set in Victorian London and featured a Lovecraftian horror theme. On the other hand, ‘Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’ is set during the Sengoku period in Japan and represents a bit of a departure for the studio in the sense that it was a much more action oriented game than its progenitors. However, it seems that From Software will return to their Role Playing Game roots with ‘Elden Ring’.
Development on ‘Elden Ring’ began in early 2017, right after From Software released the last expansion for ‘Dark Souls III’ titled ‘Dark Souls III: The Ringed City’.
Elden Ring Release Date: When And Where Can I Play It?
Although an official launch date has not been set yet, store listings at Target suggest that Elden Ring could arrive on June 30, 2020. Some rumors hint at an even earlier release date in April 2020.
Elden Ring Trailer
You can watch the trailer for ‘Elden Ring’ right here:
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