by JameModernity presents us with some amazing high-end gifts. There are super high-speed trains, smart cars, the technologies that make it possible to give incredibly accurate and correct odds on sporting events in the arsenal of online bookie websites, and exciting video games. So, the other day FromSoftware held a presentation devoted to the Elden Ring. The main thing was to find out how the new game differs from the Dark Souls series. We analyze the published previews and briefly talk about the key features of Elden Ring, which were not previously covered in detail.
The Plot of Elden Ring Will Be Clearer – It Is Not So Much Focused on the Lore
This time we’re going to get thrown into the kingdom of Middle-earth, which, as it should be, is dying and rotting. Queen Marika the Immortal once ruled here and she did it with the Ring of Elden. But now it is destroyed and the shards have been taken over by the ruler’s children. All of them became mad from the power of the artifact, of course, they turned into grotesque things and organized war. We will act as the “exiled” – the exile, who returned to his native country to collect the ring and put an end to tyranny.
All this backstory and mythology of Middle-earth was written by George Martin. He also helped the developers with the narrative. Therefore, they promise that the central story and motivation of the characters will be understandable, even if you do not smoke the descriptions of items in the inventory, and do not watch YouTubers deciphering the secret meanings of the dialogues of NPC. Although you can still do it. But in general Elden Ring will be more about a clear plot, characters, and their drama, rather than about trying to understand the lore, as it was in “Sols.
That said, there will be multiple protagonists in the game. And the character we will control is just a window into the world of Middle-earth. Speaking of this, FromSoftware representatives like to use the expression “multi-layered narrative.
The Open-World in Elden Ring Is Really Open
It’s not a set of large location-biomes with subplots, but a full-fledged open world. There will be optional bosses on the map, and stashes of treasure, and all sorts of random events. But all of this will have to be searched for without hints. Climb the mountain, look around and tag yourself if you see something potentially interesting – that’s the principle. No “The Witcher” with questions.
One of the main features of the local open world will be the special bosses that do not sit behind a fog wall, and roam the woods, fields and can suddenly attack the hero. For example, a yet unnamed dragon can swoop down on him without warning.
In Elden Ring There Will Be Locations in the Spirit of Dark Souls
The developers call them Legacy Dungeons, but it’s very vague. For example, such a “dungeon” can be a huge castle. But the point of these locations is that within them the gameplay will be more conservative and slow, reverting to the old FromSoftware games, from which the Elden Ring is trying to distance itself. And yes, the toxic swamp in the Elden Ring is official.
Stealth Will Be Added to Elden Ring
You’ll be able to sneak in the bushes and slit enemies’ throats like in Assassin’s Creed. And there will also be soporific arrows that can put down even some mini-bosses. A sleeping enemy, of course, can be finished off quickly. But don’t press your lips too hard – you won’t be able to finish off the bosses. The mechanics were invented precisely to deal with the crowds of enemies while traveling through the open world.
Another innovation, also applicable in stealth – normal jumps. The hero now jumps like in Sekiro, which opens up the rooftops for the hero. All locations, by the way, are created with this possibility in mind – the developers generally want to make the game more vertical.
Riding Also Changes the Gameplay
It was originally added just to allow the player to move around the world quickly and comfortably – nothing more. That’s why the horse can do double jumps and jump on steep cliffs, making even the horses from Skyrim sad. But you can also fight without getting off the horse – including some bosses. But the developers say that it’s more convenient to fight on the dismounted one. The horse has a more revolutionary application – you can use it to escape from enemies. And in the open world, there are a lot of monsters, so it really helps to escape.
In Elden Ring, You Can Not Only Call for Help From Your Friends but Also From the Crowds of Ghostly Monsters
This mechanic allows you to call several defeated enemies in the middle of the battle. This will make the playthrough much easier, but there are still a number of caveats. Call for help monsters can not be everywhere – where the opportunity will be blocked, the developers have not said. Well, if you play in co-op (you can invite up to two friends), then the ability to call spirits is instantly blocked.
All this should greatly change the feeling of the combat system. Add to this special attacks in the spirit of Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3, which are now not tied to a specific weapon and are assigned to any. Well, and the fact that the archer developers presented as a full-fledged build – on a par with a warrior and mage.
Elden Ring is different from “souls” more than many expect. And it will clearly be more beginner and single-player friendly, which may frustrate hardcore FromSoftware fans. However, the developers still say that the main idea of the game – the pleasure of overcoming difficulties. Whether this is true we’ll find out in February 2022, when the world will finally see the game and be able to fully explore the world and enjoy the gameplay. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more Elden Ring news!
