by SymphonieFromSoftware’s iconic Dark Souls series has received many spin-offs, such as Bloodborne and Elden Ring. These games also spawned a new genre with games from other developers inspired by Dark Souls’ violent and challenging gameplay. Since the release of Dark Souls in 2011, games similar to Souls have steadily become more frequent, more feature-rich, and much more ambitious.
Elden Ring is perhaps the biggest development in the Soulslike genre. It’s staggeringly large, filled with content, and includes many features that make it far more accessible than Dark Souls. The game is so vast it might scare completionists for one simple reason, the fear of missing out on a lot of secrets. But what if there was a guide out there which gave you an optimized path to complete 100% of Elden Ring, all items, all spells, all quests, everything? Then you’d have no more reason to shy away from this incredible title, which easily got the 2022 Game of the Year Award despite having serious contenders such as Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok (another Platinum worthy game).
So if you have time to take a break from your favorite ecopayz accepted online casinos and want to try your hand at iconic video games, let’s take a look at Elden Ring and the reasons why this game is rightfully considered the best among Souls-like games by many players.
More Hints on The Main Way
Soulslikes are notorious for not giving you much guidance. You’re usually expected to figure out how to get through the main quest independently, without any waypoints or signs telling you the right direction. Sometimes it can be challenging to figure out where to go next, especially if one of the routes leads to a dead end.
Elden Ring won’t tell you where to go, but its various Places of Grace will nudge you in the right direction. When you rest at the Place of Grace, a light path guides you to your next destination, giving you a clue as to where to go. It’s a nice touch that helps make the main path more obvious than in previous Souls games.
Calling Minions
There is also a noticeable feature of the Souls-like genre, which is cooperative multiplayer. In some games, instead of teaming up with a real player, you can summon NPC companions to assist you in the game. Elden Ring goes further and allows you to summon the spirits of various enemies you’ve killed along your journey using the spirit summoning bell.
The spirits you summon can be incredibly useful for both damaging enemies and providing a distraction so you can strike a blow or two. It’s also great to lead a small group of spirits into battle.
The Map Makes Research More Manageable
Elden Ring is the first offshoot of the Dark Souls series developed by FromSoftware to feature a map, and it changes the game. You no longer have to rely solely on your memory to remember how the various areas of the game are connected; a simple button press will let you view them right in front of you.
You can also use different stamps to mark off crucial areas of interest, such as the NPCs or dungeon locations. Also, the map lets you identify where you haven’t been yet, which can help you decide on your next destination. After Elden Ring, it’s kind of hard to revisit Soulslike games that don’t have a map.
More Ways to Overcome Difficulties
Soulslikes is known for its brutal difficulty, and some may likely encounter certain bosses or areas that will cause them to give up on the game. However, if you bump into a wall in Elden Ring, you can simply go in a different direction to unlock new areas, enemies, and gear that will help you overcome that wall.
Given the sheer size of the game space, the paths to success are almost limitless. You can complete the main quest, or you can spend time developing your character and completing various side quests to get rare equipment.
Several Ways to Get Around
One of the key features of Elden Ring is that you can get on a horse while exploring the game’s open world. After more than a decade of Soulslikes, which mostly featured the same slow movement on your feet, this is a great addition that not only allows you to move faster but also offers a different type of gameplay. Combat on horseback requires different tactics than normal combat, making horseback riding a nice break from the normal gameplay of Souls-like games, but just as exciting.
Instantaneous Fast Travel
Quick travel exists in many Soulslike, but there are usually a few caveats associated with it. In the first Dark Souls, you had to unlock the Lordvessel first to move quickly, which took you about halfway through the game. A quick movement was also available in subsequent Dark Souls games, but only during campfire rests.
In the Elden Ring, you can move quickly to any discovered Place of Grace simply by selecting it on the map; you don’t even have to be in the Place of Grace to do so, and you don’t have to use a special item. Additionally, the quick move is also available from the beginning. This small change makes exploring the game’s vast open world much more convenient, as you can now move from one part of the map to another.
Ability to Jump
In many Soulslike, you tend to land; jumping is not so easy because it is tied to the sprint button and requires a run-up. Elden Ring has a special jump button, which greatly improves both exploration and combat.
You can jump over small obstacles to get where you’re going faster. Jumping can also be used as an evasive maneuver in combat to avoid low-hitting attacks like swings. The ability to jump makes the most unpleasant in other Soulslike platforming sections of the game much more comfortable. There’s an even bigger way to jump when you’re on your steed, with hot air flows which you can jump on for a super high jump.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Elden Ring is undoubtedly the best Souls game to date for many players. From its vast open-world setting, extensive character customization options, and the seamless blend of action and RPG elements, it has set a new standard for the series. The inclusion of the summoning mechanic and the ability to traverse the game world on horseback add an extra layer of depth and immersion to the game. The collaboration between Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin has resulted in a rich and engaging lore, and the variety of bosses and enemies is unparalleled. Overall, Elden Ring is a masterpiece that has pushed the boundaries of the Souls genre, and it will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest games of all time.
