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.

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!

*First time souls player that always plays RPGs on easy easy mode FYI*

When you first get into the world, you are surrounded by beauty and will be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the world... and the danger at every corner. There is so much variety in this game. I recommend you avoid spoilers for bosses/areas as best you can, each new area is jaw dropping, and the deeper into the game you get, the better it becomes.

You start in Limgrave, a large and beautiful area. The first part of the game leading up to the first big boss is a fantastic introduction to the mechanics and cycle of frustration/elation that Elden Ring is. Virtually everywhere you look, you can go, and that can be daunting or exciting depending on the player. But exploring everything is so worth it. After moving on from the first two area's/bosses, you will start to see the curtains pulled on the truly next-level moments and environments the game has to offer.

You will love the sense of adventure, character building, and challenge that the beginning of the game offers, but prepare yourself for the bar to be continually raised as you get deeper into the game with SIGNIFICANTLY cooler areas, bosses, and story paths to take as you go on.

I've played nearly 50 hours in less than 2 weeks, something no other game has even come close to moving me to do. I could praise the combat, the character customization, the lore you pick up in pieces, but for me what makes Elden Ring so incredible is the landscapes you find yourselves in, the feeling of discovering something magical, and the unlimited potential to go anywhere, do anything, and find your own unique experience.

For a spoiler free journey, I recommend starting off with a youtube guide on what to do as a beginner, then after defeating each main boss (where cutscenes play), look up spoiler free suggestions at what to do after *insert boss name* so you don't get overwhelmed by choice, and have an idea of what areas will not be soul crushing based on your level. Check out "getcheddar" on youtube when you are looking for these hints.

I am new to the souls franchise I am a complete noob at this game I realized this as soon as I experienced the first boss. Nevertheless this game is hand crafted by the gods from the dust of angelic wing feathers merged with the essences of the sun...oh my god there is not a day that goes by where I'm not thinking about the game.

Note: I restarted the game 5x trying different classes I liked I haven't gotten to far just wanted to see what I was going to like so far its the Samurai.

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.