Its console network test build now over, our Elden Ring Beta impressions have finally settled down. There's already been a glut of immediate previews, impression articles, and coverage - of course - but we'd like to throw our hat in the ring, too. Namely, there's the matter of Elden Ring being an 'open-world Dark Souls' game that we'd like to discuss.
We know that everyone's got a few burning questions about Elden Ring already. Or, depending on how you look at it - has had them for a while now. Early on, for example, we weren't sure if Elden Ring would somehow be related to From Software's flagship universe. That, at least, no longer seems to be a concern: Elden Ring is definitely its own thing, and this revelation stems mainly from how devs have decided to handle the game's open-world sandbox.
Because - yes - it definitely is different from anything we've seen From Software do before. At the same time, we can certainly see why someone would think that Elden Ring is just a new version of Dark Souls. Let us explain!
Why Elden Ring Beta impressions suggest something new, yet very familiar
Let's get this out of the way right off the bat: anyone who's ever played a Dark Souls game will immediately notice the similarities. Indeed, Elden Ring is a From Software game through and through, and players with even just a semblance of similarity will find the game remarkably easy to pick up.
Compared to, say, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Elden Ring is way closer to Dark Souls in both theme and execution. To that end, it's not hard to see where the comparisons between the two come from.
Elden Ring has bonfire equivalents, slow and methodical gameplay (if that's how you choose to play it), unnerving enemy design and intense dungeons, healing flasks, effectively the same level-up system, a "soul" currency that you drop upon dying, and a wide range of other appropriations. It's not a case of IP thievery, however, because Elden Ring reappropriates everything in a way that makes sense.
As soon as you pick up Elden Ring, you'll notice that it's a case of inspired growth, compared to Dark Souls. Things feel snappy and swift. Satisfying, even. Your character is no pushover, even at the start of the game. Thing is, though, that the enemies aren't either. Everything feels more empowered, and that's a good thing for this kind of game.
Has From Software iterated upon the formula enough?
Openness is the key modifier, here. There was some concern in Elden Ring communities that From Software would use the open-world sandbox as an excuse to forego fine-tuning the game environ to the same extent as they had with, say, Dark Souls 3. We're thrilled to report that this is very much not the case.
Instead, the open world is used to allow players to engage in open-ended, optional encounters that merely provide suggestions on where to go and what to do. In practice, the closest analog is that of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, believe it or not. Every single existing From Software system we had mentioned in the previous section (and then some) is meaningfully expanded upon in Elden Ring. 'Meaningfully' is the key modifier here.
Your Flask(s), for one, can now be fine-tuned to exert extra effects upon consumption. The extent of these modifications is curiously deep, too. VaatiVidya's playthrough, for example, showcases an explosion effect that deals immense burst damage at the cost of dealing some to you, too.
To provide another major example, there are weapons to consider, too. Each comes with a unique 'Art' trigger, you see. These range from simple special effects all the way to immensely powerful spell-casting. What's important, though, is that most regular weapons can also be customized with different Arts, depending on what you like. Lightning bursts? Twirling moves? Short-term buffs? The list is incredible, even this early on.
As for the overworld itself - The Lands Between - it's a lovingly crafted horror show. Enemies scour the place, ready to go at a moment's notice. It's also a different kind of cataclysm than we had seen in Dark Souls, though. There's life all around you: animals, NPCs, interactive elements. Hell, there are even select locations that feature destructible terrain.
This results in a different ambiance than in any previous From Software title. Yet, it's still so wonderfully familiar. Like coming back home after years of being away, if you'd allow for some melodrama here.
There are game-changers here: stuff you wouldn't expect in a From Software game
Particularly noteworthy, we feel, are the features and additions we hadn't seen before in a From Software game. Front-and-centre in this regard is Torrent - the character's mount or so-called Spirit Steed. There was much kerfuffle when From announced that they're making a "Soulslike" with mounted combat, but Torrent works amazingly well in practice.
The beast is fast, snappy, and - most importantly - useful. Both traversal and combat will come naturally, and Torrent's advanced mobility features served as one of the highlights of our Elden Ring Beta impressions. No word yet on customization and/or possible alternative mounts, mind.
Stealth, too, makes a return from Sekiro. It's not quite as pronounced in Elden Ring as it was there, but it's clearly going to be key for handling some encounters. Enemy camps do exist in The Lands Between, after all. How you tackle them will be entirely up to you, but we will say that moving slow and small will often be the way to go.
Crafting plays a major role in Elden Ring as well. This is an open-world game, after all, with hunting mechanics (yes), resource collection, and a number of other related trappings. To that end, you'll always have the opportunity to take a step back, hunt some game, and craft some bombs, healing items, and/or arrows. Picking flowers is an option, too.
Finally, there's the summoning mechanic upgrade, and it is immense. Elden Ring features significantly more powerful magical abilities than any other From game, and summoning is a crucial component here. Spectral blades, wolves, monstrosities, birds, dragons, and more are just the start of it. Multiplayer works this way, too, though we didn't have the chance to test the extent of it.
Some claim that Elden Ring is empty; is this true?
Another major point of contention seems to be that The Lands Between are devoid of interesting hotspots. This is a strange one to consider because there was almost too much to do and see in the Closed Network Test of Elden Ring. The overworld is positively brimming with interesting encounters, you see.
What's important, though, is that From Software was ambitious enough to make the game less horrifically apocalyptic than, say, Dark Souls III was. NPCs, to that end, are as varied as they are talkative. Their dialogue is often very meaningful, too, as it might lead to areas and rewards you wouldn't have otherwise found. Even some enemies won't be outright aggressive by default, letting you pick and choose where and how to deal with them.
Elden Ring is anything but empty. In fact, if there's a concern to be had in this regard, then it's that it's not empty enough. Let us rephrase: the game might be less claustrophobic and lonely than you might expect or, perhaps, want it to be.
In our case, though, we're positively giddy about it. Even the starting area of The Lands Between was loaded with content. Interesting, and engaging content, at that. It just got us even more excited to play through the whole thing come February.
So, what's the conclusion here?
Hopefully, we've managed to dispel some false narratives with this short overview, by now. If you're a particularly cynical gamer - which, to be fair, we can see where you're coming from - it's entirely possible to view Elden Ring as yet another de-evolution of a formula that's certainly tried-and-true. We'll be the first to agree that more direct and contained games are often a better choice, yet those seem to be losing out in popularity.
Regardless, our Elden Ring Beta impressions are hardly unique. Everyone's raving about the "open-world Dark Souls" because it's clear as day that there's something special cooking here. From our point of view, developers have already gone far beyond what some of their audience seems to have expected them to do.
That being what it is, we'll need to wait until February 25th, 2022 to really get our teeth into Elden Ring. If you'd like a quick crash course on everything we know about Elden Ring, use the following links:
Finally, if you, too, would like to make sure that you'll be playing the game on day one, place a pre-order today!
Its console network test build now over, our Elden Ring Beta impressions have finally settled down. There’s already been a glut of immediate previews, impression articles, and coverage – of course – but we’d like to throw our hat in the ring, too. Namely, there’s the matter of Elden Ring being an ‘open-world Dark Souls’ game […]
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