Elden Ring Reviews
Elden Ring is a sprawling game, laden with mysteries and extremely challenging boss fights that will test the skill of just about any player. No doubt, it has become one of the most anticipated games of 2022. Potentially for a good reason. However, Elden Ring squanders what promise it holds by performance issues on PCs and a lack of deviation from Dark Souls in almost any regard.
Elden Ring is an experience that will not be forgotten in a hurry. It's a tremendous, hulking, massive achievement but because it is tremendous, hulking and massive, it is one that comes with many caveats. The shelves in CeX and conversations with people who stopped playing at Stormveil castle can certainly attest to some of those caveats. Much like any FromSoftware title, it's not going to be for everybody, but paradoxically it is one of their hardest and one of their most accessible to date. It offers huge value in one package, and perhaps is a little too much value, only becoming clearer when nearing the endgame. Don't be mistaken by the criticism, though. This is a phenomenal achievement with a moment-to-moment that is incredibly engaging and immersive. No doubt it will be deserving of the end-of-year accolades it will inevitably receive. One pushes through Elden Ring as one pushes through life, with all the highs and the lows that it brings.
Elden Ring is a wonderful action-RPG that features thrilling combat, an amazing open world, and tons of replay value. Unfortunately, its PC performance needs work.
The grandiose world of Elden Ring looks great, but is filled with monotonous content. FromSoftware does not even try to offer something new and just tramples on a familiar glade, where the Souls series has long settled.
Review in Russian | Read full review
From Software just released a new update which includes more Smithing Stones dropped and can be purchased, stronger shields, which I agree will help newcomers immensely. They have also changed some of the gameplay balancing, but remain tight-lipped as to what they have done. In this regard then and despite all my earlier ranting can I recommend Elden Ring? Yes, definitely. It's a much more interesting title than previous games in the series and in my view a step in the right direction. But...and this is the caveat here, a lot of the older combat systems remain despite improvements which means expect tons of frustrating moments which requires perseverance in buckets. Or do what I do, rage quit, rant, then come back later and try again. Honestly, that is the best way to approach these games.
Elden Ring is From Software's new action RPG, which puts a twist on the Soulsborne saga by including an open world and an open world map that encourages players to explore all the regions of the Midlands.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Elden Ring feels like the culmination of everything FromSoftware has been building upon with each of their games. Unfortunately, some severe performance issues hamper what’s easily one of their best games yet.
While the technical issues of the barebones PC port and the familiar trappings of the open world formula substantially soured my experience, Elden Ring is still an impressive achievement of fusing compelling world design, exploration and combat.
While technical frustrations hold back its full potential. Elden Ring astonishes with fantastic open-world design and consistently rewarding exploration.
Elden Ring offers rewarding gameplay, a cohesive setting and gripping lore. Some of the open-world systems feel clunkier than they should, though.
There’s no question in my mind that Elden Ring is a great game, and an early leading contender for game of the year. The pertinent question may be "how great?", and that’s a little tougher to answer.
Elden Ring is an unrelenting, engrossing, challenging, and marvelous experience. It brings the Dark Souls formula to an open world setting without skipping a beat, with all of its cryptic nature, punishing combat and wondrous level design. It's still not for everyone, but those who dare enter this realm may find themselves in one of the best games of the year.
But more than anything, I want to hear the stories that friends tell me of the first time they got wrecked. Not so that I can tell them "Welcome to Elden Ring, motherfucker." But so that I can remind them, "Don't give up, skeleton.
Elden Ring's very nature is a conflict of beauty and brutality. If you can face the nightmares that FromSoftware has conjured up, you'll find an engaging and riveting experience from the start to the end.
Similarities to past games and references to Dark Souls 4 aside, it's difficult to directly compare Elden Ring to other FromSoftware games in the way that it's difficult to compare Demon's Souls to Bloodborne or Dark Souls to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It certainly feels like FromSoftware's most ambitious and thoughtful game to date, however, and with all the considerations to different audiences, it stands to be a familiar return and a welcome jumping-on point for any Tarnished who hope to become the Elden Lord.
While clearly a continuation of the Dark Souls games, Elden Ring is a natural evolution of that style but delivered in a package that is bigger and more breathtaking than anything the company has done before.
With a huge, beautiful open world filled to the absolute brim with bosses to fight and dungeons to explore, Elden Ring was worth the wait.
Even with its few issues, Elden Ring is an absolute triumph that will surely please all of the many players eager to get their hands on it. From Software’s track record with the genre has been incredible to see, especially as so many competitors have tried their hands at it with very few finding success. The studio is truly the master of soulsborne games, and Elden Ring proves that conclusively.
Rise, Tarnished! Elden Ring sets new standards and it's a truly memorable experience.
Review in Greek | Read full review