Elden Ring is without a doubt one of the most anticipated games of recent years and that is no wonder. We are facing the new installment of a study that has left us the Dark Souls saga and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice among other titles. From Software’s hallmark of quality is fiendish yet rewarding difficulty and unique art designall in universes where stories and legends sprout everywhere, rewarding the most passionate player.
During the past week we were able to test Elden Ring long and hard, dying many times over about 15 hours that have allowed us to fully enter the playable loop and to be able to investigate the game map. Previously we already told you our impressions from the private beta that took place at the end of 2021 and although the version that we have accessed is quite similar, we can say that we have had an almost identical experience to what we will see in the final version. and the one we will play in our analysis.
A challenging but addictive game
To begin with, and being direct, we can state that Elden Ring is a difficult game that will inevitably bring the eternal (and heavy) ‘easy mode’ debate back to the present day. But well, leaving aside everything that this topic will raise in the future, what we have to keep in mind before taking the controls is that we are not facing a casual action and adventure game and that we will have to suffer and adapt to the game, learning from our mistakes to kill enemies.
In this early trial period We have been able to choose from 10 classes that will make up the final game. In our case, we have tested one for each day to check the differences in weight, stamina, damage and health, something that becomes very noticeable if we go from the heaviest class Vagabond to a light one like Confessor. We have also gone through others that are mid-horse, such as Hero or Warrior. Note that we mention the names in English because it was the language in which the preview was, so we don’t mislead you, but don’t worry because the game will arrive translated into Spanish.
Continuing with the thread of the differences between classes, the fact that Spending a good handful of hours on each class makes you appreciate how many different games players can take on in Elden Ring, as each class is geared towards a different style of play. Vagabond, for example, looks for a defensive and patient playstyle, to then use the counterattack. Warrior combines a great and fast attack with a lot of agility to avoid the blows…
And it is that the ways in which we can face the enemies in Elden Ring are very varied because we are in an open world game, or at least small open worlds. The first map of the game, Limgrave, shocks us from the moment we open the doors that give access to the outside. The sheer beauty of the environment is accompanied by deadly enemies around every corner.
Open world and stealth, always hand in hand
The fact of opening the gameplay to more open environments introduces the component of stealth and patience, which will confuse us from time to time with Assassin’s Creed (until we enter combat and the differences are evident) and that is that if we scan the environment well and catch the enemies unaware and stealthily we can eliminate the weakest and make huge damage to the most powerful before entering combat. In Limgrave we have found a multitude of camps and depending on the class, the smartest thing was to stealth to eliminate most of the enemies and then engage the most powerful in combat.
The combat flow of Elden Ring is much closer to Dark Souls than Sekiro, only keeping a bit of the stealth component from the latter, although with many differences. Still, the big difference from From Software’s last game is that we’ve left behind that rhythm game in terms of parrying and hitting combinations to return to an experience that relies more on each class and enemy. It is also a far cry from other From titles like Bloodborne, where attack and offense seemed to be rewarded more; in Elden Ring you have to recalculate every minimum blow and use a lot of defense.
One of the most interesting movements in the game is the one that offers us the blow that we can make while we cover ourselves with the shield, devastating in most enemies, which if accompanied by a good shield and a good stamina can make us not receive damage some in several streaks of powerful enemy attacks.
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For the attack, in this preview we have seen several hand weapons such as spears, axes and swords, which are combined with shields of various sizes, as well as bows and crossbows and the typical throwable objects. Magic is also present, by default in classes like Confessor, while in other classes we must learn the spells to cast them for the first time. Continuing with the magical aspect, we also have different types of summons that will be limited to specific areas with monuments.
Regarding the boss fights, in our games we have coincided with a multitude of mini-bosses, as well as one of the main cast, which was already present in the beta at the end of last year. As usual, the confrontations against bosses allow us to summon an NPC to help us, as well as a partner through online cooperative. And while we’re at it, listen to us and summon when you come face to face with the first Elden Ring boss, because you’re going to sweat a lot.
The classic formula of From Software, but improved and on a larger scale
As is customary in From games and other RPGs, we can buy and improve our equipment, in addition to spending different types of unique objects to achieve greater effectiveness in the flasks that restore our health and magic. To improve our character, the methodology is the one that we have already more than assimilated: we get some points (called runes in Elden Ring) that we can spend on uploading different sections of our character, but also on buying elements or improving them. If we die, we will lose those runes that we can only recover once if we pick them up at the point where we die, without dying before trying.
The fact that Elden Ring leans more towards an open world style of gameplay as well adds a level design and narrative component that the Japanese studio had not yet explored so much, with a map that guides you to the place you have to go, but that does not limit you to exploring whatever you want, as long as you are aware of the danger that you may encounter. In the different hours that we have dedicated to the game we have taken different approaches, going to different places in Limgrave to discover its secrets, follow the path to defeat the great lords of the game or simply farm areas that we dominate to level up our enemy.
And well, to top it off with the whole open world component, Elden Ring introduces Torrent, a horse that we summon through a special ring and that allows us to travel great distances quickly. We can also use it to duel with other riders, although we will also have to monitor Torrent’s own health. In addition, it will be useful in many situations where it is more intelligent to flee quickly from enemies than to face them and it will even help us to cut across long distances if we use it in air currents that can make us avoid parts of the map and reach new places without problems.
Finally, As we unlock access points, similar to the Dark Souls bonfires, we can make fast trips between them. In addition, during our game sessions we also had access to a special place that will act as the typical resting area where we will meet new NPCs who will help us improve our equipment and discover secrets.
And, the truth is, we can tell you little more without going into too many details about the plot, which would be interesting for you to discover, or without spoiling certain NPCs or areas. Nor do we venture to make an assessment of the technical section, since we have played this version on PC remotely, so until we get down to work analyzing the game we cannot tell you much about this section in Xbox. Although yes in the design we can be full of praise, once again, with From Softwareproviding a beautiful but terrifying world that knows how to differentiate itself from the other works of the studio.
So that, Although we already wanted Elden Ring, these hours at the controls have left us with even more, wishing that soon we have in our hands the Xbox version to be able to bring you the analysis. Elden Ring has begun his journey exceeding our expectations, with which it may be From Software’s biggest and best work to date.