Elden Ring

Elden Ring has quickly become 2022's greatest pop-cultural phenomenon; in these unpredictable times it's games like this (let alone immersive narrative experiences) that give us new appreciation for fantasy storytelling as a whole.

Elden Ring has everything: horseback travel, fast-travel, interesting characters encouraging you to keep digging into the world to know more about its history, punchy swordplay, scale and scope to remember, and boss-battles that leave you feeling extra fulfilled when you've won after God-knows-how-many-attempts. The fantasy genre has always been ripe for video games to explore thanks to their emphasis on exploration and overcoming challenges, and Elden Ring feels like it's a summation of everything JRR Tolkien, George RR Martin (obviously), Zelda, Skyrim and the Souls games (Bloodborne too) to make up an experience that's something else.

This is an example of gaming and storytelling coming hand-in-hand where the progression of the player progresses the story in turn. Elden Ring is challenging yet rewarding, expansive yet not too overwhelming in its scope, hard yet adaptable, and fun yet immersive that the world ceases to be fake in the eyes (and minds) of the player.

Elden Ring gets 5/5 stars. It's a great time to be had for gamers everywhere.

Elden Ring doesn't just meet expectations - it obliterates them. FromSoftware took the brutal beauty of the Souls formula and stretched it across a vast, awe-inspiring world, creating an experience so rich, mysterious, and rewarding that it feels like a genre-defining moment - not just for action RPGs, but for open-world games as a whole.

This isn't just another fantasy game. Elden Ring is mythology in motion. Every ruin, every foggy hill, every grotesque boss feels like it was born from some forgotten legend. The Lands Between are hauntingly gorgeous and utterly alive - not with quest markers or handholding, but with discovery. Exploration isn't encouraged. It's essential. And more importantly - it's earned.

Combat is fluid, versatile, and punishing in the best ways. Whether you're a strength brute with a colossal sword or a nimble spell-slinger melting enemies from afar, the game supports your playstyle while demanding respect. Each boss is a dance - monstrous, terrifying, beautiful - and victory is ecstatic.

The storytelling is cryptic but profound. George R. R. Martin's touch is felt in the lore, but it's Hidetaka Miyazaki's vision that shines: quiet despair, faded glory, and the strange hope that maybe, just maybe, you can shape the world.

And let's be clear - this isn't just Dark Souls 4. It's more.

More freedom.

More scale.

More soul.

A monumental achievement that surpasses its own ambitions.

Elden Ring isn't just a game.

It's a legend whispered through mist and fire - and you get to write the ending.

This game borders on being too much. Too many weapons, too many areas, too many items... too many secrets. But the reality is that is it all done to near perfection. Everything from the traversal to the settings to the lore; it's basically perfect. The one thing that stands out the most are the side quests. Just when I thought Ranni's quest was the best side quest ever created, I find myself totally captivated with Fia's quest. The other thing is that you can basically play however you want and it is all enjoyable: mage build, tank build etc. It is hard to imagine another video ever coming close to reaching the standard that this masterpiece has set. Just make sure to clear your calendar.

We don't want anymore hand holdy games. This is what we have all been waiting for. Done with Assassin's Creed and Far Cry's "honey-do-list" style of game maps. Old and boring. Elden ring is by far the most amazing game I've ever played. Truly open world and free roaming. They've also implemented so many ease of life things with making the game very challenging. Mind blowing. If they release DLC or add on to it I will be stoked. High-Five guys you nailed it! My only couple critiques are, too much crafting stuff, even though you can get by without all of it. Also could use some more Katanas, bows and weapons for the Samauri. Been rocking his starting weapon for quite some time lol.

I know the massive appeal for Souls games is their complexity, and I even understand why people enjoy this. I'll be honest, for me, it's mostly the same. I love that I actually have to work at getting better at the game and learning a boss's moves instead of just spamming them to death, but there's one thing I don't love. It's what made me rate it with a 9 instead of a 10.

I don't like how there's no quest log. You basically just have to either memorize every encounter with a questgiver, or do the quest immediately and even then, you still have to pay very close attention to know what to do. This is something I could've done without. I understand the mindset of Souls fans. I know people love this, but as someone who's new to FromSoftware games, it's a bit annoying.

I think they've done a really good job at welcoming newcomers to the SoulsBorne games with Elden Ring, but what would have made it perfect is to give us an option to toggle objectives and quest logs on or off. That way, the Souls fanbase would be pleased as well as the newcomers like me, who want to complete everything. This map and game is huge and overwhelming enough without constantly having to look things up on my phone.

That's really the only problem I have with the game though. The combat, the aesthetic, the music, world/boss design and weapon/gear design are all top notch. This game is definitely going to be a GOTY contender!