Summary
Elden Ringwas a massive leap forward for FromSoftware. Not only is it the studio’s most ambitious and sprawling project to date, but it also proves thatFromSoftware can tackle the open-world genreand knock it out of the park on, essentially, the first try.
In many ways,Elden Ring’s core gameplay mechanics are carried over from theDark Soulsgames. But the dizzying scope of The Lands Between plays the biggest role in the theater that isElden Ring’s identity: players can engage in non-linear exploration and progression, uncover a multitude of hidden secrets, and fully immerse themselves in a 100-plus-hour playthrough, while something likeDark SoulsorBloodbornemay only take 30–40 hours to complete. With so many perks, doubling down on open-world design may seem like the obvious choice for FromSoftware, but there are a few arguments to be made against such mass-adoption within the studio.
Post-Elden Ring Open-Worlds: A Double-Edged Sword
In Praise of Elden Ring’s Open-World Design
It’s important to understand just whyElden Ring’s open-world is so specialbefore arguing against the format in future titles. For one thing, FromSoftware seems to understand the dos and don’ts of open-world design. The game revels in organic exploration, guiding the player with subtle environmental clues rather than waypoints; there is a great deal of variety in the in-game environments, making exploration genuinely rewarding and avoiding stagnation; and there’s a lack (though not a total absence) of egregious copy-paste content, which has long been the bane of the genre.
In a sense,Elden Ringis an evolution of FromSoftware’s game design, rather than a gimmick or some sort of Frankenstein-esque cross-breeding. The best parts of the game—its mystery, environmental storytelling, non-linear exploration, and variety—are buttressed by the choice to go open-world, but they have also been pillars of the company’s games for years. In other words,Elden Ring’s open-world is simply a tool that elevates FromSoftware’s strengths, so perhaps the formula could be leveraged for similarly great results in the future.
Elden Ring’s Open-World Isn’t Without Its Drawbacks
As previously stated,Elden Ringavoids many open-world pitfalls, but not all. One of the biggest criticisms leveled against the game is the prevalence of recycled content, as several bosses, both major and minor, makerepeat appearances throughout The Lands Between. This can rob many moments of their dramatic weight and surprise factor, as it’s underwhelming to fight through a dungeon only to be faced with a repeated boss. This is not an issue that FromSoftware’s previous titles have, as the experience is much more straightforward, with more intentional pacing, which helps with the delivery of certain narrative and gameplay beats.
In a similar vein, it’s worth noting the amount of excess content inElden Ring. Of course, riding through Limgrave or Caelid, taking in the sights and sounds, is valuable from an atmospheric perspective, but it isn’t very exciting in terms of gameplay. Moreover, the novelty of open-world exploration is diminished on repeat playthroughs, making extended periods of traversal feel a bit like a chore. In general,Elden Ring’s replay value is lessthan FromSoftware’s earlier titles, mainly because of its open-world; it loses much of its luster on New Game+, and revisiting optional locations yields little reward, both intrinsically and extrinsically.
Games likeDark Soulscan, ironically, offer more unique experiences thanElden Ringin some ways, as repeat playthroughs can present new opportunities and challenges by virtue of a more concise design; experimenting with new builds or playstyles is more approachable, as the time commitment for repeat playthroughs is far less than anopen-world game likeElden Ring. FromSoftware may be able to remedy some of these issues in a future open-world game, but they may also be inherent to the open-world genre. In that case, perhapsElden Ringwould be better off as a one-and-done experiment, a novelty, rather than the new standard.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
