[UPDATED 3/7/2022 -This Elden Ring review was initially published at a review-in-progress state but has now been updated with my final thoughts and a score]

[Review based on patch 1.02]

The developers that started the whole Soulslike subgenre, From Software, are going big with their latest offering, Elden Ring. I’ve played an unhealthy amount of the game so far, and while I'm not ready to give it a final verdict just yet, this is undoubtedly the studio’s best work by far.

As one of the Tarnished, you are semi-resurrected from death to face the Demigods that hold a piece of the now-shattered Elden Ring, which grants them strength beyond what the world has seen. To put it simply, once your created character wakes up, you'll go on a journey to face these threats to reclaim what was lost and become the Elden Lord, whatever that means.

Story - there’s gotta be a better way to present this

The story is a bit hard to swallow, just like in previous Souls games, and I was hoping for a friendlier approach to the storytelling this time around. As much as they try to provide a lot of exposition through exploration and vague conversations with certain characters, it still remains difficult to piece together the big picture in one sitting. I prefer what they did with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but sadly they’ve reverted back to the old ways. If you’ve played any Dark Souls title or Bloodborne, you know what you're getting into here. I’m getting close to the end, and I still have tons of questions. I'm just focused on surviving.

As much as George R.R Martin is involved in the world-building of this project, many newcomers might think there’s a cinematic story here they might enjoy as a fan of the Game of Thrones creator. But that’s not the case, as players will have to exert more effort to receive a good understanding of the overall story and the role of each character you meet.

With that said, the narrative is just icing on the cake with a game like Elden Ring. When you peel off the game’s new layers – the vast open world, mounted gameplay, and crafting – you’ll see that inside is a perfected Dark Souls experience. From Software sticks to their guns in Elden Ring, maintaining the same risk and reward gameplay, smart level designs, complex character progression, and punishing (yet rewarding) boss encounters that leave a lasting impression. What’s impressive here is that they were able to inject all of it into this massive overworld filled with secrets for you to uncover and monstrosities just waiting to kill you.

A master class in smart level design

From Software is known for creating compact yet dense locations that are perfectly intertwined, where navigation and exploration is part of the fun. With the developers now going for the open-world approach in Elden Ring, you’d think they wouldn’t be able to deliver similar layouts, but they pulled it off. The vast open spaces in Elden Ring serve as a bridge between these Dark Souls-esque locations (now with more verticality thanks to the ability to jump), so fans of the Souls series will feel right at home - uncovering hidden walls, loot, ambushes, and shortcuts that eventually lead you to face the big baddie that resides in that area.

The map is so big that a jumpy steed was added in, and it's probably my favorite addition to the formula. At first glance, these open areas might come across as elegant, yet empty, but they're actually brimming with life (or death), as these spaces were so gratifying to go through that it took me by surprise. I was left eager to check every corner, which is why I'm not even close to finishing the game even after over 40 hours of playtime.

The game gives you the basics of what you need to know, and pretty much throws you into the deep end of the pool. All you have (and need) is a not-so-detailed map, and a shimmering light at the game’s checkpoints pointing in the direction of the main objective. Hand-holding is at a minimum here. The world isn’t intimidating compared to other open-world games, as Elden Ring slowly unravels how big it really is at your own pace.

Exploration - just go nuts!

You don’t have a map riddled with icons begging for your attention, as the distractions are not the usual side-quest fodder you’d expect in an open world game. There’s no journal to track your activities, or towns filled with people looking for someone to help them with mundane tasks. Most of the time, it’s just you and your curiosity. I found a cave, which led to a fight with what seemed to be a demon-possessed statue. After that, I found a ruined town with a short but tough dungeon. Then, I saw a knight mounted on a horse patrolling the road, one who apparently attacks on sight. At one point, I saw what looked like a swamp area in the distance. But when I went to check it out, boom! A dragon!

I kept stumbling from one encounter to another not because someone told me it was there, but because from afar it looked interesting, inviting even, thanks to the game’s gorgeous visual details. Areas that seem interesting will have something worthwhile 90% of the time, and the rewards for exploring expand what’s possible for customizing your character to your preferred playstyle, or entice you to experiment on a new one. Sometimes, you are given clues for other locations.

It’s a satisfaction that I feel trumps the traditional open-world offerings many are accustomed to, because I didn’t feel surrounded by content clutter. There’s barely any story in the side content, just stories I created because of what went down.

Then, there’s the game’s difficulty. Despite all of what was mentioned above, From Software didn’t miss a beat in delivering a soul-crushing roster of bosses and enemies that will test you at every turn. At least, that’s what I've experienced as I grow closer to the end. Be it enemies on the main path, side encounters, or just bosses roaming the open world, all of them provide a level of difficulty that would make any Souls fan gush or newcomer cry. If you were worried if the challenge of the game was watered down for a wider audience, I see none of that in what I’ve played so far.

Expectations have been met, and I haven’t even seen the credits

Performance-wise, so far From Software nails it in this department, which I commend, as this is their biggest game to date. Open-world games tend to be susceptible to the typical bugs due to their scale, but surprisingly enough, I barely experienced any issues when playing on the PS5 version of the game - a quick and minor FPS drop here and there, but nothing that would warrant worry. Bugs are close to non-existent, though I did encounter a boss fight out in the open world resetting to their default location during combat, which was a bit frustrating.

Elden Ring is a stellar game that works without the traditional open-world tropes that make it feel like there’s so much to do. From the music to character and environmental designs, this game expresses a sense of dread and despair, mirroring the same tone found in From Software’s previous titles, and that tone fits perfectly with its gameplay.

Multiplayer is something I have yet to experience because since I played the game before launch, there aren't enough people willing to accept my assistance through online co-op or have players ready for me to invade to engage in PVP. I’m curious about how the Dark Souls online formula works with a game like Elden Ring, though I did get a taste of it as there are players leaving useful or entertaining messages on the ground for others to see.

Even though I feel that there’s a few things left on my checklist before I can deliver a final verdict on Elden Ring, this is a game that should not be overlooked. Considering how well From Software incorporated the Souls formula into this captivating open world, the hype currently revolving around this action-RPG is justified. If you’re excited for the release of Elden Ring, you have nothing to worry about here, regardless of its minor flaws.

Final Verdict

I have now spent over 100 hours on Elden Ring - finished the game, found victory against optional bosses, went co-op to help fellow players, and even invaded some to satisfy my urge to PvP. I have never been this engrossed by a video game in a long time, and the great thing about it is I don’t feel I'm done with it still.

What I’ve said in my review-in-progress remains true. The only difference is that I found a newfound appreciation for the game’s storytelling as I’ve concluded a few questlines that left a lasting satisfaction. The vague nature in the game’s storytelling is found all throughout the game but it’s great to see all the pieces align just right. It's From Software’s way of expressing the game’s lore to a player. Some will not appreciate it while some will eat it all up at once. Either way, when the credits started rolling, it became clear that Elden Ring had the most tolerable story if you compare their past games.

Multiplayer feels like the perfect icing on the cake as it works flawlessly in any area in this insanely large world. The balancing when joining another player’s world to beat a boss is set to a point that even with three players the game is just as hard as if you’re playing alone. In PvP, players are invading and dueling. The set of weapons, skills, and spells brings numerous builds to try out and I already see a good amount of viable combinations that will shape the game’s meta.

Elden Ring is a triumph of a video game that still found ways to surprise me even after crossing the 70 hour mark. Not many games can accomplish that. The consistency is unparalleled to other open world games in terms of density, scale, and world building in which each new area provides something fresh as I never felt like I was doing the same thing. I can't get enough of this game as this is definitely one of a kind. A rare gem that only surfaces once a century. A game that will shape how open world games are made, even future souslike games, making me excited for the games that come before it.

10/10

PROS

Extensive character customization and satisfying gameplay
A fantastic open world waiting to be discovered, meshed in well with smart Souls-like level design
A difficulty scale that can rival past titles

CONS